Tarot Challenge | Day 8

Published by Alison Cross on

Tarot Thrones: Thoth Tarot Death US GAmes Inc
So beautiful, so misunderstood –
A bit like Justin Bieber πŸ˜‰

Question:  What Tarot card do you dread pulling the most?

I’ve given this a lot of thought and can honestly say that I don’t dread any particular Tarot card in a reading, generally.

What I DO dread is a Tarot card coming up in a positional value in the spread that clearly means the exact opposite of what the Querant hopes to hear.  That’s tricky: giving the information in a way that supports the client, but, at the same time, remains honest to the interpretation of the card.

Many years ago, I did a reading for a friend (that was probably my first mistake lol!) straight after her husband left her for a woman that he’d known for 6 weeks.  SIX WEEKS!!! What an INSULT!

The majority of the cards that came out were upside down and the only card that was rightsides-up was the Queen of Swords.  THAT was a difficult reading to do!

I think that if you use pre-selected positional values within your spreads, then this really does test your metal as a Tarotist.  There’s a big difference between having a card like, say, Death, as your incoming influences than your outgoing influences!

That’s not to say that I never work without positional values – when you do the Opening of The Key Spread, for example, it’s a complex wee beast that would be really hideous if you had to start allocating values to each of the cards!

….and of course I can say, hand on heart, that the appearance of Court Cards no longer leaves me quaking in my boots!

So, over to you now – which card do you dread pulling the most? Or, if you’re ok with all the cards, what situations in a Tarot reading leave you hyperventilating into a brown paper bag with fear?!


Alison Cross

The Tarot's Court Cards are my specialist area.Β  They talk to me. Not LITERALLY though ....

14 Comments

Celestia · 14th April 2013 at 10:12 am

In client readings, I feel uncomfortable about the situation when the client has come along merely out of a bit of curiosity and tells me that their life is really ok just now – but the cards in the future/outgoing positions are some of the more challenging ones such as the Tower, 9 of Swords, 10 of Swords, Devil, Hanged Man etc. Worst place is the outcome card in the Celtic Cross, when all the other cards seem reasonable, yet that one is looking really scary!

Bonkers · 9th April 2013 at 8:07 pm

wow, yeah, rough reading :0

for me, i don't care so much if the card is a difficult message whether reading for myself or others. what's worst is when it just plain seems to make NO SENSE for the position it is in. Sorry this is hard to hear isn't as bad, to me as, sorry i have no idea what to make of this…

Erina Tempesthearth · 6th April 2013 at 7:55 am

I'm going to say the Tower as well (for myself), mostly because I keep seeing it lately and, well, I thought I'd done the sweeping away stuff in taking redundancy. I guess there's still some mental/inner clearing to do…

    Alison Cross · 6th April 2013 at 2:39 pm

    The Tower seems to be sweeping the boards with this one, lol!

    If it keeps coming up for you, then it does sound like there's something that you've not tackled yet. Maybe something so HUGE that it seems untacklable. That's not even a real word ;-D

    Maybe you could sit with the card and contemplate it, journey inside it…..see what messages it brings you?

    Sending YOU some anti-Tower hugs too!

    Ali x

Catherine Chapman · 5th April 2013 at 1:30 pm

Five of Pentacles I suppose. There doesn't seem to be any hope with that card. Death, the Ten of Swords, the Tower, they at least offer something after their sweeping, a new horizon, a new beginning, a new way. The Five of Pentacles though, dreary, depressing and apparently hopeless.

    Alison Cross · 6th April 2013 at 2:38 pm

    Well hello there YOU!!!!!!! Long time no see! The 5 of Pentacles can be a sod, no doubt about it. But I do see some hope – there is a source of help for them, right beside them, but their challenge is can they spot it? Sometimes we are so wrapped up in our troubles that we fail to spot a source of support? If we are considering the RWS deck imagery – are the two figures hurrying towards the door and salvation?

    Ali x

Anna · 5th April 2013 at 7:51 am

I think for me it is the Tower. I had had so many tower-moments lately that I just want some peace and quiet and some 10-of-Cups-harmony!I did a Lenormand Reading for my bestie and there were some truly negative combinations and I felt unsure in how to tell her that, since she was in a low place allready. But it turned out that it was what she really needed to hear. So although it is tough I always try to tell it as it is and answer the question!

    Alison Cross · 6th April 2013 at 2:33 pm

    You are right, Anna – it's really important to tell it like it is and answer the question, but it can be tricky when doing a face to face when you've only got that slot of Real Time to get your point across honestly, yet with sensitivity.

    I was once told that The Tower meant my house was going to burn down – even though the person was just a newbie, it took MONTHS before I stopped double and triple checking my gas rings and sockets at night!

    But really sorry to hear that you've been having some Tower moments!!! Sending you many Anti-Tower Hugs!

    Ali x

Inner Whispers · 4th April 2013 at 6:08 pm

It's funny, this post made me think about how I feel differently about cards at a general and a personal level. While I know that the Tower can be a good thing, and have said so many times in readings for others, I do get a bit of a twinge when it turns up for me πŸ˜€

    Alison Cross · 6th April 2013 at 2:29 pm

    Good point – it does make a difference, doesn't it? Although I find it easier when reading for myself than for a client – because there's a risk that I overlook some aspect of The Tower that is pertinent during the actual reading. At least when you are reading for yourself and stuff pops into your head after the reading, it's not too late to make use of it! Whereas, your client may be loooong gone!

Tarot By Arwen · 4th April 2013 at 12:15 pm

Q of S upright leads me to believe that he couldn't handle a woman who knew her own worth. Great post!

    Alison Cross · 5th April 2013 at 1:27 pm

    He was a weak-willed SAP of a man who could barely handle a glass of fizzy water, never mind a woman with opinions and attitude!

Alison Cross · 4th April 2013 at 10:50 am

I think that spending some time formulating the question can go a long way to overcoming this problem, ensuring that you give yourself greater scope to talk about the cards that turn up?

Ali x

Carla · 4th April 2013 at 8:46 am

Like you I find it really hard when someone asks a question like, 'Will he leave his prior commitment for me?' and the cards you turn over all work together to say, 'NOPE!!!' and then you have to convey that in a way that is still affirming and empowering. That is a tough one. I've got myself in a bit of trouble a couple of times by being too wishy washy in my reading when just being straightforward about it would have been better.

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