Should We Even Try to Predict a New Year? Of Course, We Should!

Making predictions for the upcoming year is a basic function for psychics, seers, and cartomancers.  In the 1990s it was commonplace for local newspapers to contact my colleagues and me to get our thoughts on the upcoming year for an entertaining article to run on January First.

Now there are more blogs and fewer newspapers. There are probably even more people wanting to get in on the fun of psychic speculation.

There are quite a few clients who like to have readings in December or January to look toward the year ahead. I remember at this time last year being quite confused by what was showing up in people’s cards for 2020. Cancelled trips, working from home, home-schooling the kids; how did any of that make sense?

What became really clear for me in retrospect is this. It is impossible for one to predict what one cannot imagine.

At this time last year, even though I was aware of the strange new disease that had emerged, Wuhan seemed very far away. I could not imagine that Western nations would be over-run by a sometimes-deadly virus. Even as we saw Italy devastated, my personal worldview suggested that good old American ingenuity would find a way to contain the threat, just as was done when Ebola made its way to our shores in years prior.

As much as I pride myself on being able to read with objectivity and compassionate detachment, my inability to imagine what would unfold in 2020 made my predictions for individuals more valuable than for the planet.

I am not alone in this. I think most of us find it easier and more helpful to read for people versus nations.

A few experiences from those moments a year ago sit with me, making me examine the way our inner guidance can work.

Late in 2019, I moved into the largest office space I have ever occupied in my entire career. It immediately became a thriving community center. Just a few months later, I had to temporarily cease having classes, meetups and in-person readings. I remembered how strongly motivated I had been to make this move. I had felt pushed. At the time I interpreted that cosmic nudge simply as business advice for growth.  Toward the latter half of March, I realized that the Universe wasn’t pushing me to grow my business, but to preserve my business.

I was being positioned for the first time in my career into workspace with my own rest room, and my own door. Not having to share hallways and facilities with building mates made the pandemic much less stressful. Being able to temporarily turn my conference room into a private exercise area was a much-appreciated bonus when the gyms were closed.

I received another interesting nudge from the Universe last December. Typically, early each December I will create a special new year opportunity for my clients. As 2019 was ready to give way to 2020, I tried hard to think about what the new year program for 2020 would be. The name of the year lent itself so well to the idea of clear vision and moving toward a new decade. Yet, I was completed unmotivated to create a new year program, opportunity, or offer. For the first time in a few years, I decided not to do this. Once again, as March rolled around, I realize my guides had protected me and my clients from what might have been a difficult and unnecessary exercise.

What I learned from all this was important. Sometimes we have to trust the psychic nudges we get, yet we won’t know their importance or reason until later.

I see this in the cards, with clients, all the time. It will feel imperative that I tell a client a particular thing, although I won’t be able to tell them the why of it. After some time passes, the why becomes clear.

I have always known this to be true in the readings I do for others. This year I saw clearly that this same truth applies to the guidance I receive for myself.

For those of us who are diviners, whether professional or casual, the ritual of doing a personal reading for the new year, or having one done for us, is an annual rite of passage.

There are many techniques for a new year reading, and each can give insight, hope and inspiration as we make our way into the future.

But what about reading for the nation, or the world?

Of all the readers I know and know of, no one person seemed to predict the full weight of global pandemic, social unrest, and all the other rarities 2020 had to offer.

Perhaps the value of a reading for the planet, or a nation, is not to give a news report in advance. Perhaps the value is simply to give a bit of a weather report.

With that in mind, I went back, once again, to check the reading I did for 2020 on my blog.

When doing the reading, I had already chosen not to predict election outcomes, nor to put my thumb on the scale of any controversy.

In this blog post, dated December 27, 2019, I had a conversation with tarot, predominately about the bitter division I saw in the United States, and how that division might play out in the coming year.

The final question and its answer strike me as particularly interesting.

Will we still be so divided by the end of 2020?

Cards pulled: Hierophant reversed, The Fool, Wheel of Fortune Reversed

Answer: Change is coming. By the end of 2020 there will be more concern for those who are less fortunate, but that may be because more people will be facing misfortune. There will be less respect for authority, religion and government. There will be more youth voices heard, and a new energy will replace the energy of division.

When I look at this question and answer today, a year later, I am struck by a few things. That the three cards I pulled were all Major Arcana seems to speak of the enormity of the events of 2020.  More people are certainly facing misfortune in ways I could not have imagined when I wrote this.  There certainly is less respect for authority, religion and government, in so many ways, and for so many reasons. And, in our election, there were more young and first-time voters than ever before.

You can read last year’s blogpost in its entirety and see what you think.

What sort of reading shall I do for my nation this year, as we say goodbye to 2020 and welcome 2021?

This year I have become fascinated with the way the cards can supply a question, as well as an answer. For this new year reading I will pull a card and use that card to phrase some questions. Then, I will pull three cards to supply each answer.

The card I pulled at random is the Ten of Pentacles.

This card speaks to me of health and wealth, two things that have suffered greatly in 2020. Yet, it also speaks of ancestry and legacy. In 2020 we came to a new depth in the discussion of our nation’s history, and how our history has led us to where we are.

The Ten of Pentacles is also about real estate. As I am writing this there are many people across our nation in peril of losing their homes.

The Ten of Pentacles is about family. At this moment, there is a continued contentious debate about what the makeup of a family can or should legally be.

I can’t think of a better card to ask the most important questions of this moment than the Ten of Pentacles. It is also true that 2021 is the official start of the new decade, and so a Ten is particularly appropriate.

Question One: Will we win the battle against the current health crisis in 2021?

Cards pulled: The Hanged Man reversed, the Star reversed, the Two of Pentacles

My interpretation:

These are not the most optimistic cards, but they do represent a good start on our journey back from the pandemic. The Hanged Man reversed suggests that we will do what we must do to take control of the situation. Yet, with the Star reversed, these two cards together might describe the many disagreements that surround what our responses and behaviors should be. Individually, the Star reversed might speak of the one thing we can all agree on, which is how tired we all are of our current circumstances.

The Two of Pentacles might suggest that things will come into a better balance. I could even see the Two of Pentacles as representing the two vaccines that are currently approved.

Yet, these three cards together, though hopeful, remind us of the very long road that is still in front of us.

Question Two: What will our economic situation be in 2021?

Cards pulled: The Four of Cups, the Six of Pentacles, the Ace of Pentacles

My interpretation:

While the Four of Cups clearly illustrates how devastating 2020 has been for many individuals, families and businesses, the two Pentacles cards are extremely hopeful. Together, these cards seem to predict optimistic financial recovery.

Question Three: With so much division over social and family issues, will we find a way to honor everyone’s needs and live together in better harmony in 2021?

Cards pulled: Page of Pentacles, Ten of Pentacles, Four of Wands reversed

That Four of Wands reversed stands out for me. It makes me think about marriage equality, and the battle lines drawn around issues of family and gender.

My Interpretation:

The Ten of Pentacles seems auspicious, since it was also the card that came up at random to devise these questions. To me this is a reminder that it took us many hundreds of years to get to where we are now. It will take a while to find our way forward.

The Page of Pentacles reminds us of two things that are always true. First, young people are our future, and will shape the world. Young voices give us hope and will bring needed change.

We won’t solve all our problems in 2021. Yet, with the help and guidance of our ancestors and our progeny, we will forge a way forward.

We needn’t be psychic to know that 2021 will bring us challenges that we didn’t anticipate. Often the value of a predictive reading is to help us gather the tools we will need to face whatever comes. At the end of last year’s reading, I drew a clear conclusion that the ultimate division was between love and fear. If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that we must chose love over fear, each and ever time. Of course, what that means to the individual will depend on that individual’s world view.

What will 2021 teach us? I pulled one more card to answer that question. The King of Swords is the card that appeared. The King of Swords is the exemplar of honesty, trustworthiness, clear communication, truth and intelligence.

In difficult times, we often hide from the truth by cloaking ourselves in myth. 2021 will teach us to find and accept what is true, and truth will be our way to a better future. We will do that by learning to speak with each other, and listen to one another.

Happy New Year to Everyone!

The Value of a General Reading

Every tarot reader, and every diviner, has their own style, and their own preferred way to work with their self-readings, their clients and their tools.

I have noticed that a great many readers prefer to begin a tarot session with a specific question. Some readers discourage “general readings.” A general reading is a reading that begins without a specific question or area of focus. I have even heard tarotists complain that they feel like doing a reading for themselves but can’t think of a good question. To me, in that case, the obvious question is no question at all. Or, more clearly, “What does the Universe want me to know?”

Many times, clients want to have readings because they have questions. A tarot reading is a wonderful way to explore relationship dynamics, career options, personal growth, creative inspiration and spiritual understanding. Often these are the sorts of questions that spark the need for a reading, and that create the questions around which a reading is framed. A good reader will have multiple techniques which allow them to offer answers and insight around these areas of concern.

Yet, sometimes the best readings happen when we begin without a question, and simply open up to what the Universe has to say. This process can happen in a couple of ways.

Sometimes clients choose to have readings simply because they feel ready to hear some wisdom and insight. Sometimes they are feeling a bit antsy or confused, but don’t understand why. Sometimes they have so many questions they don’t know where to begin. Often, they have questions but are willing to see what shows up in the cards first.

Very often, when we, as tarot readers and clients, are open to whatever comes up in the cards, we easily receive communication from loved ones in spirit, inspiring messages, confirmation of things we already know, and forewarnings of future events. Had we been solely focused on answering a specific question, these things might not be made known to us.

When self-reading, we can approach a general reading with a curious mind. We can be open simply to the messages of the Universe.

There are three important tools that can help us give great general readings. The first is a good technique. My favorite is a large comprehensive spread, such as a Celtic Cross or an Astrology Wheel. This helps us see what is going on in many different departments of life.

The second tool is the ability to interpret each card in more than one way, and to find even more information from reading cards in combination with each other.

The third is to be both interpretive and intuitive in our readings. That is, to use classic reading skills but also to be open to the voice of spirit as we interpret the cards.

Very often the general reading will ask questions as well as answer them. Often, after a large spread is complete, it is appropriate to do some smaller spreads, dialogues, or card pulls to answers the questions that come up. I am a firm believer that, most often, a tarot session should not be limited to a single spread. Rather, we should be able to incorporate a number of techniques, and as many cards as it takes for us to feel complete.

Sometimes both clients and readers shy away from the general reading style out of fear that it will be too vague and not helpful. The reality is that, with good skills and techniques, a general reading allows spirit to give insight, and allows us to be open to receiving that information.

Don’t Fear Your Cards!

Don’t Fear Your Cards!

Over the past year, I have seen an alarming increase of fear-mongering about tarot. Sure, some of this has come from the usual suspects; religious fanatics who are sure that evil forces will enter us through our decks. That doesn’t bother me at all – I’m used to fear-mongering from ill-informed and misguided folks.

What bothers me is fear coming from tarotists themselves and being presented as fact to new tarotists. I see this in posts on social media and videos on YouTube. I don’t see it as much on tarot blogs, perhaps because readers who are dedicated enough to keep written blogs are also experienced enough to know better.

There are two types of fear-baiting that I am consistently seeing. One is fear of particular cards, usually cards like Death, The Devil, The Three of Swords and the Ten of Swords. This shows a simple lack of knowledge and technique that is easily remedied with study and practice.

The second and more egregious is a fear regarding the idea that the use of tarot is somehow unsafe if we don’t use specific energy-clearing techniques with our cards.

For example, our cards will somehow hurt us, or not work correctly, if we don’t smudge them with sage or store them with specific crystals.

There is nothing wrong with having meaningful rituals with our cards that include smudging, crystals, Reiki or other tools. There is nothing wrong with innovating or teaching these techniques. Yet, to suggest that there are specific techniques that must be used lest our cards become unsafe is straight-up misinformation.

When reading for others, good psychic hygiene is imperative. There are many ways to practice psychic hygiene, and none of those ways need to include particular tools. While many of us use tools such as stones, feathers, candles and incense, the only practice required to achieve good psychic hygiene involves meditation, breathing and affirmation.

Further, should one not practice good psychic hygiene, the worst thing that is likely to happen to them is that they might become tired, not feel like reading for their clients, or get a headache. There is no serious danger to the reader, the client, or the cards.

I have, over the course of my career, seen in clients a few rare cases of a spiritual attachment that caused a great deal of psychological harm over time. None of these cases were caused by reading tarot, or by performing any other type of psychic work.

I have also, from time to time, felt that a particular deck of cards had acquired a certain unpleasant psychic schmutz that needed to be removed. Yes, smudging and crystals could be part of that removal process, but so could a good shuffle, accompanied by a satisfying bang of the deck on the table. Never was I (nor my cards nor my clients) in danger from that schmutz.

We all have different theories about our cards and the reasons they work so effectively. That’s all well and good. Yet, when we start propagating false information that frightens and misleads newer tarotists we are doing our growing community a huge disservice.

When we, ourselves, harbor fear around our precious tools, we are doing ourselves a disservice.

Reading Tarot for Yourself: Are There Times to Put the Cards Away?

Scroll through any social media tarot group and you will find a great deal of information, a bit of misinformation, and plenty of advice from tarot enthusiasts all around the world. It’s an opportunity to put your finger on the living, breathing pulse of tarot and see what is unfolding in the tarot world.

One bit of evolution I’m happy to see over the past few years is that the notion that one can’t or shouldn’t conduct a reading for oneself seems to be less in play than ever before.

This makes me happy. I believe that if one can’t read for oneself one shouldn’t read for others. I believe that self-reading is the process through which we learn about tarot and learn about ourselves. When we get good at self-reading, we also learn a great deal about practicing detachment.

This isn’t to say that we shouldn’t have readings with others. There is something very powerful about letting another individual divine for you, and it’s a different process than divining for yourself.

Another thing I’ve noticed is that, while most people seem to advocate self-reading, many tarotists also advocate the concept of “giving the cards a rest” and “putting your deck away” in response to sincere queries from readers who feel disconnected from their cards, or unable to read for themselves.

Let me restate that to be clear.

A tarot reader asks for suggestions because they are not feeling the flow of a reading. The standard ‘helpful’ solution is to stop trying and put the cards away.

There are plenty of techniques for pushing past a tarot reading block, including simply saying the name of the card aloud and listing its keywords. The idea that one should stop trying because one is struggling seems ludicrous to me.

Imagine telling a golfer struggling to get their putt right to put their clubs away! Would you tell a singer to stop practicing if they couldn’t hit the high note? Would a yoga teacher tell a student to just give up on a challenging posture, rather than helping them do the best expression of that posture possible?

Struggling to find a psychic connection, or having a hard time getting into the tarot zone, is rarely a reason to put the cards away. That so many tarotists use this as a first go-to seems to me to be the next bastion of the “you can’t read tarot for yourself’ crowd. The tune has changed only slightly. Now you can read for yourself, but only if no struggle or need for skills growth is involved.

This begs a question, though. Are there times when it does make sense to put the cards away? If you are using it right, tarot is a helpful companion on life’s journey; a companion that can make your life easier by giving focus, reassurance and perspective daily. Yet, I can think of two times in the past thirty years when it has made sense to put the card away for a minute. One was personal, the other happened to a client.

Long before I was a professional reader, I was a dedicated tarotist. When I became pregnant with my first child, I was a bundle of nerves. How would things turn out? Would I be a good mother? Would we have enough money? My mind raced with worry and insecurity.

I turned to the cards, but not in the contemplative and support way I now teach my students to use. I fell into the anxious cycle of predictive questioning, made worse by the fact that the Devil was stalking me. It was time to put the cards away.

After my son turned one, the cards came back and haven’t left since. I became a professional reader when he turned three. He’s twenty-eight now.

The only other time I’ve seen a need to put the cards away was in working with a client. My statement to her was not that she should put her cards away, per se, it was that it was okay not to listen to them. In fact, my exact quote was, “F the tarot”. Here’s why.

My client, a young woman, had met a guy she really liked. They were getting along, she saw a few red flags, but enjoyed him nonetheless. Her friend did a tarot reading for her that said he wasn’t to be trusted, and the relationship would not last. This prompted her to call me for a professional reading. My assessment was the same.

My client was bummed. She was having fun and enjoying this new relationship. The cards suggested that she was grounded and realistic, and that she could easily survive the worst this relationship might become. I didn’t see evidence of violence or abuse, and neither did she.

It was under those circumstances that I said, “Okay, F(orget) the cards. It’s fine to go forward and see what happens. If things start to go bad, you are forewarned and can get out quickly. In the meantime, enjoy yourself.”

Basically, the cards are not your mother. They can’t tell you what to do. Well, they can tell you what to do, but you can always choose to do something different. That’s how free will works.

If you are struggling to read the cards and understand their message, it’s usually better to lean in, study harder and listen deeper. If you are struggling with anxiety, or with a desire to throw caution to the wind and take a risk, there may be a moment in time when you find yourself unable to use the cards in a helpful way. These moments in a tarotist’s life should be rare and temporary.

Being Honest about the Seven of Swords

The Seven of Swords is traditionally known as the “Thieves’ Card.” The Seven of Swords is likely to show up when there is cheating or lying going on.

The Seven of Swords can be tricky to interpret.  Sometimes it’s obvious who is lying, who is cheating, and who can’t be trusted. But if those things aren’t immediately apparent, you can’t really ask, “Is someone lying to you?” You also don’t want to make an assumption that might create undue anxiety, or cause problems in an otherwise healthy relationship.

Sometimes, when I see the Seven of Swords, its energy seems to permeate the whole reading. It’s easy to simply say something like this. “I see a situation where you are having some trust issues. Is there someone behaving in an untrustworthy manner, or a situation or person who lacks integrity?”

The thing is, the Seven of Swords, like the thief it represents, is slippery. The client might not be suspicious of dishonesty around her, and therefore make no connection with the card.  In this case it is up to the reader to look further. You may need to pull more cards or interpret your spread to include specific information to discover the area of life the Seven of Swords is referencing.

I think many readers would agree that sometimes there are cards in a reading to which you don’t pay much attention. Perhaps you only have a few minutes to give the reading and there is a more pressing issue.

There are some cards, however, that should never be ignored, regardless of the focus or limitations of the reading. I think the Seven of Swords is such a card. When you see it, you need to be able to explain with some certainty its presence in the reading. You need to be able to do this without falsely accusing someone of something heinous, or causing or feeding paranoia.

We are all familiar with the Seven of Swords* indicating the “fox in the chicken coop.” This is the employee with his hand in the till, the addict who swears he’ll never touch the stuff again, the kid who didn’t do his homework and the cheating spouse.

The Seven of Swords can also indicate a general lack of integrity in an organization; that is, corruption, unfair policies and the like.

The Seven of Swords can suggest that the querent himself is keeping a secret, or in a position of feeling the need to lie.

The Seven of Swords can indicate the feeling of not knowing what to trust in general, or with regard to a specific issue.

The Seven of Swords can remind us to be creative in problem solving. Sometimes we have to be crafty, maybe even sneaky, to solve a problem.

Those are all relatively common interpretations for the Seven of Swords. Here are two more you might not have considered.

On a very few but memorable occasions I have seen the Seven of Swords indicate cancer. It makes sense if you think about it; cancer often comes like a silent thief. Obviously, be careful about how you present the possibility of a health issue. Give a referral to a competent medical professional.

I have also seen the Seven of Swords indicate a lack of confidence. Sometimes we feel like we aren’t up to the task at hand. The Seven of Swords may say the querent isn’t trusting herself or her abilities.

No matter the context, it seems two key concepts for the Seven of Swords are “lack of trust” and “something hidden.”

Given the delicate nature of the Seven of Swords, it’s very important to give this card careful consideration when it appears in a reading.

* Typo corrected 7/22/2015 Thanks to Donnaleigh de la Rose for finding that I had inadvertently typed "Wands" instead of "Swords".

I'm available to read for you by phone, FaceTime or Skype, or in person if you happen to be in the Tampa area. Call or text 561-655-1160, or email me!

Answers to Your Questions about Tarot: Couples Readings

Email your questions about tarot to me!

I love teaching tarot. I love sharing tarot with brand new beginners, life-long enthusiasts and professionals. My book, “Fortune Stellar” is designed to help tarot professionals and aspiring professionals, so I was particularly happy to receive a question from Linda, a professional tarot reader.

Linda is about to do her first couples reading, and wanted to know if I had any advice for her.

My basic technique for reading couples will also work for any relationship reading, including boss and employee, sibling, parent and child or best friends.

The thing to remember is that couples readings can deal with some intense issues – remember to recommend couples counseling or marriage therapy if you think it’s needed.

When I read for a couple, I think of it as a reading for three people. There are two partners, and there is the third entity of the couple itself.

I usually start by doing a general spread for each individual. I pay attention to how they show up in each other’s spreads, and how the relationship shows up. I also take the time to give information about things of interest to each individual, questions of career and extended family, for instance.

It is interesting to see if the same cards show up in each partner’s spread. If they do, I will spend some time talking about those cards.

Once I have done a quick spread for each partner I will have a sense of the questions the couple has. We may need to talk about children, the home, money, sex, communication, extended family or other issues.

I will form a question for each issue, and answer each question by pulling a few cards, in dialogue with the tarot.

Then I like to do a relationship spread. I have the couple divide the deck into three piles. One person cuts to the left and the other to the right, leaving a pile in the middle.

The middle card will describe the relationship. Each partner is described by the outside cards.

Watch the video and see how this simple spread can reveal a great deal of information!

Good luck, Linda, and thanks for a great question!

If you have a question about tarot, please email me!

Christiana Answers a Question about Couples Readings

Video of Christiana Answers a Question about Couples Readings

Answers to Your Questions about Tarot: Court Cards and Reversals

Our question comes from Ben.

Hi Christiana,

I've just discovered your YouTube channel and I'm finding the answers to questions videos really helpful so thank you!

I am VERY new to tarot, I purchased by Rider-Waite deck 6 months ago and am loving it.

I was wondering whether you could do a video about whether you take into account reversed cards in readings. I know some people don't. From the off I've read cards reversed if they come up but I do have to say it is incredibly challenging sometimes to decifer what the cards mean (especially court cards)! From reading books and seeing what other people say online it's clear that everyone has their own opinion.

What do you think? Do you take into account reversed cards? And if so do you have any tips on how to decipher the meaning? I particularly find the Page of Swords a little elusive...

Hope you are well and thank you so much again for your videos!

Thanks for a great question, Ben. I hope you enjoy the video!

Not everyone honors reversals, but everyone honors dignities.

I do encourage my students who use a deck in the RWS (Rider-Waite- Smith) tradition to consider working with reversals. I think reversals give us more detail, more nuance and more ability to give a really specific reading.

I almost always honor reversals in my personal and professonal readings.

Each card has a spectrum, or continuum of possible energies and meanings. The reversal can give a clear sense of where on the continuum the card best fits the situation.

A reversal changes the energy of the card; perhaps introducing a resistance, a delay or an opposite.

My system for dealing with reversed Court Cards, when I think they represent people, is simple.

Upright Court Cards’ personalities are determined by their element and rank. All upright Court Cards are well-intentioned and basically good people.

Reversed Court Cards are people with problems. They may not be well-intentioned, or may be dealing with issues.

Please watch the video, which includes my take on the Page of Swords, both upright and reversed.

If you have a question about tarot, please email me.

Answers to you Questions about Tarot: Reversals and Court Cards

Video of Answers to you Questions about Tarot: Reversals and Court Cards

When Tarot Misbehaves

Everyone once in a while it seems that tarot “goes awry.” The card may clearly indicate one thing and something else may happen. Or eight cards in a nine-card spread all point to one thing, but the ninth card says something different and incongruous.

We all know the old adage, the cards never lie. But once in a while they sure do seem to misbehave.

Here are some things to think about when tarot misbehaves.

1. If you are using tarot predictively, it’s important to remember that nothing is ever set in stone. Things can change, even radically. Our readings are so constantly accurate that when a reading goes rogue we are surprised. Maybe that’s the point, to keep us on our toes and remind us that nobody can ever know the future all the time.

2. Tarot is like a conversation between three people who all speak different languages. Sometimes things get lost in the translation. At the same time, the knowledge that is communicated is always valuable.

3. Sometimes the cards answer questions other than what is being asked. A client may come with a question about career, but their family may be predominant in the cards. Sometimes it seems the cards try to direct us to what is most important.

4. The energy we put into a reading is the energy we get out of a reading. The more focused we are, the more meditative we are, the more information we are able to get. It’s fine to do readings in the spirit of fun, but those readings may not be as deep, meaningful or accurate as those done with a more serious attitude.

5. Sometimes many possibilities are at play at the same time. The rogue card may be a “minority report.” Sometimes the least likely possibility is the one that happens.

6. Each card has many possible interpretations. Sometimes the interpretation you know and use is less appropriate than another traditional interpretation.

7. Perhaps the reading itself changes possibilities. I’m not a physicist, but I understand that in quantum theory something is changed when it is observed. When I perform a tarot reading for someone I often hope that it will be change-making in their lives.
   What if the very act of reading on a topic opens up new possibilities?

8. Tarot is an art, not a science. Divination has a margin of error. While we always need to be aware of this, it doesn’t change the incredible overall value of tarot and divination.

9. Very little on the planet functions perfectly one hundred percent of the time. When something usually functions very well it surprises us on rare occasions when it doesn’t function as expected.

10. When the cards go rogue it may be an indicator of something larger at play, something that will be revealed at a later date. The wise reader knows that sometimes when more of the story emerges the card will make more sense.

11. Tarot seems to go rogue more often if we are focused on future predictions and yes/no answers. Tarot functions most reliably when we ask questions that seek to empower us to create our own future.

No one knows why tarot works; why the cards so often speak such truth. Neither do we know, on the rare occasions when the cards seem to not make sense, if there is not some greater meaning trying to present itself.

In a reading, it is sometimes difficult to say “This is likely to happen, but it is also possible that this other thing could happen instead.” People like definitive answers.

But here is the sweet, sweet truth in all of this. In many situations, more than one outcome is possible. This gives each of us a great deal of power to create wonderful things in our lives. Many times fate and destiny are not as important as clear goals, a vision, and direction. It is in working to build that vision and make a plan of action that tarot is a most effective tool.