tarot responsibility

I stayed up past my bedtime last night working on my very first tarot reading for someone else!

It was fun, and really nice being able to use my cards for another real, live person. A few phrases and thoughts jumped out at me when I looked at a couple of the cards, things that I hadn’t noticed before. Of course, that happens pretty much every time I stop to study a picture but it felt different this time.

What I really noticed, though, was I started out with this sense of adventure and discovery, and by the time I laid down the third card I realized how serious this could be. My friend is a wonderful person, and always considers my advice — no matter the topic — and takes it to heart.

The third card is a major that I generally like… but will my friend?

Did I really know what I was doing? I run the risk of speaking innocently enough, but what if some delicate crystal of my friend’s self-respect might shatter from the resonation? What if my words offer encouragement to make a decision that would affect the rest of this person’s life?

What if the Death card shows up?

My hands shook as I laid down the fourth card.

Swords. Oh no.

Maybe I should have used my Magical Forest deck. The cute animals would surely have taken any sting from the reading. Maybe I should wait a few more days. Weeks. Study more. Continue reading my own cards. I’m not ready for so much power.

Five of Wands! Strife, defense, challenges… probably not something my friend wants to hear about.

Sweeping the cards off the table and pouring another glass of wine to veg in front of the TV was becoming more enticing every moment.

Discs, wands… more wands… more discs.

Whew. Breathe. One card left.

The Tower.

Crud.

I took a moment to evaluate the twelve cards laying in a lovely grid below me (Grow Model Tarot Spread). Pretty colors. The matte finish reflected the chandelier’s light nicely. Only a few majors (one “bad” one!). Primarily wands and discs. One court. There was only one thing to do at that point. I snapped pictures of the four 3-card combos, a couple of the entire spread, and then moved over to my computer with the first batch.

And analyzed them. I wrote out my initial interpretation, and yes — don’t shoot me! — I confirmed with references. And for the most part, I was pretty accurate! I missed a couple nuances, but they only deepened the reading so I was very happy to have referred to the other sources.

And I moved to the next set. Okay, so in this context the swords may not be so bad. Actually, paired with its neighboring wand card, it could be a really good thing! On to the third set. Not so bad, though the position of the cards in this spread framed my thoughts to keep them on track.

The fourth set. With the damn Tower.

I’ve always reminded myself that the “bad” cards aren’t really so bad: the Tower, the Devil, Death… those things represent opportunities for self-improvement. But it’s something completely different when it shows up in a reading for someone else, someone who’s looking for guidance and optimism and health and warmth.

Grr.

But. Take that negativity and make it work, right? It’s all in perspective, right?

You know what? In this situation, the very first thing that came to mind when I looked at the card was “paradigm shift”. And combined with the others?

My friend’s gonna be a-okay.

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