Reading comparison and opinions please :)

[Guest]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm new here and pretty new to tarot as well (only a few weeks). I wanted to ask for some insight on a reading and it's going to be a bit of a long one as it's 2 interpretations of a spread so I hope some of you will stay with me! I watched this video on Youtube – just general reading obviously – but I felt the woman was way off with her interpretations of them and the question that was being asked. She has a lot of subscribers (and is obviously a lot more experienced than me), but based on the cards I really can't understand how she came to the conclusion she did and wanted to ask for other opinions. The question was, “Has they moved on? Do they still care?” Now, considering this is a present tense question, she seemed to have laid out a past, present and future spread which doesn't honestly make sense to me considering the question being asked. So I'm going to list the cards she pulled and her interpretation and then I'm going to put what I think they actually mean based on the definitions I've found (which can obviously be multiple depending on the other cards). The thing is, she came out with a very negative outcome/reading, despite having very positive cards in the layout – apart from a couple. But looking at the whole spread I could see a generally positive message.

 

So here are the cards she pulled and her interpretations:

 

The Emperor – Somebody wasn't sharing their emotions in relationship and didn't like talking about them. Also someone was being controlling, everything on their terms

Knight of Pentacles – Things grounded to a halt, trying to fix the problem and not getting anywhere.

10 of swords reversed – In the recent past someone was done with it and had enough.

The Sun – the worst is over. There's still an emotional connection but the truth has been revealed to the listener.

Page of swords – might be some communication or the person is spying on your social media. They feel like you look happy with the sun energy and are getting on with your life.

2 of cups reversed – an indication they've taken a step back and they don't want a relationship with you but don't want you to be happy with anyone else. Not going to offer commitment, still some attachment.

4 of pentacles reversed – Have let go of the relationship.

Temperance reversed – not prepared to connect with you in an emotional or meaningful way, having hook ups, not nourishing them and it's a coping mechanism. May come back to you but just for a hook up or attention. They may tell you it's more but be cautious.

Knight of wands – As above, looking for hook ups and concentrating on having a good time.

 

Oracle cards:

Transience and Death – the listener is going to go through positive change.

“Get to know each other” - somebody in your life already who is destined to be with you and get to know them better and it's going to develop into more.

Bear – After winter must come spring. Good things to come with someone who can reciprocate.

 

I'm unsure why she relates any of the cards to the listener given the question is about a love interest.

 

So my interpretation (I'm going to do it 3 cards at a time as that's how she had them laid out), the first thing is that The Emperor and The Knight of Pentacles are very positive cards in terms of a relationship. They're both “yes” cards so they seem to suggest this person does care. They are also both cards of commitment, so in the present tense seem to suggest this person is wanting to make a commitment to you but they need some time until they're ready to open up and take action. Then the 10 of swords reversed means a relationship coming back from the brink of failure, or starting to recover from a break up and unwilling to accept the outcome. So these cards together suggest to me that this person doesn't want to accept that things are over for good and wants to come back and make a commitment.

 

The Sun is a card of joy and happiness, issues being resolved, becoming more open and honest and a great relationship is to come. Again, a very positive card and in the context of the question suggests they want to resolve any past issues that caused the break up and want to open up about how they feel and it will lead to something great and bring both happiness. It also suggests to me that when they think of you they think of how happy they made/could make them and that they want that with you. The page of swords has connotations of conflict or delays if you're waiting to hear about a development of a relationship and it will take longer than you think. So in the context of the question being asked, it seems to match up with the first cards that this person wants to come to you but needs time. The 2 of cups reversed is about blowing hot and cold or being incompatible, or taking a relationship for granted and not putting the work in and a need to get emotions, issues or ego in check. Again, in the context of the question is suggests the person understands they did not treat the other person right and along with the other cards suggest they want to make it right.

 

The 4 of pentacles is also a positive card. It's about letting go of fear and resentment and moving forward. It can also mean a struggle to let go of an ex, but ready to release those feelings. Given the other cards in the spread, it would suggest this means they're ready to let go of whatever caused them to behave in unhealthy ways and move forward with the relationship. Temperance in reverse is about sexual desire, promiscuity, reckless behaviour, self gratification or it could be non reciprocated behaviour or conflict. So this could mean they might be looking for hook ups in the meantime to fill a void until they're ready to come back to you, or they know that they didn't put as much in to the relationship as you and that there was a conflict. I don't see this as particularly negative, combined with the other cards it seems to either indicate they want to fix the issues from the past or might be having short term flings but will come back to you when they're ready. The Knight of wands is then about possibly being ready to commit in the future or falling out of love and ending a relationship. This is again a sexually charged card about being involved in short term flings. This suggests to me that these cards are about this person working on letting go of past fears so that they can commit to you in the future, but in the meantime are looking to get their physical needs met. And personally I feel this is a common reaction from a break up – rebound sex. Also, if this person wasn't ready to commit in the past but are now seeing you as someone they want to commit to then it makes sense they would only be seeking hook ups right now.

 

Transience and death are both about going through changes and learning to embrace them and letting go of rigid thinking. Again, combined with the other cards suggests to me that this person is going through inner changes about a reluctance to commit in the past and are now ready to embrace the idea of committing to someone and give it a chance. The Bear card is about strength, being protective, finances and timing. So these cards together could mean this person's finances are changing and could have been one of the things that meant they were not ready to commit in the past. It also seems to suggest they need time (again) and their feelings will strengthen. Get to know each other seems to confirm starting slowly over again with this other person and having a more intimate connection and deepening bond.

 

So overall I'd say these cards give a very positive reading in context of the question being asked, but not so much if it's a past, present and future reading. However she didn't say at any point that it was a past, present and future reading and that it was just answering the question of if they care and have moved on. Looking to the past in relation to that question seems pointless to me. Having said that though, even if a past, present and future spread is fine to use in this situation it still seems to have a positive outcome despite the past cards being negative. What do you all think?

Edited August 20, 2021 by Guest

[StarWanderer]

First off, pretty sure this shouldn't be located in the part of the forum. (But heck, it's not even your reading.)

Second.
You're doing something I call "Backseat Tarot Reading," which is a big no.
I'm not going to do a breakdown on the reading as I feel it further insults the reader. Every reader is different in their style. The tarot is not an a+b=c formula. It's a creative process.

Third.
You seem opposed to the outcome of the reading. Why is that? Based on the question, I'm assuming you watched it hoping to hear about a person in your life. Have you thought that maybe you're projecting a hopeful outcome onto the reading? Is that why you came to the forum? Hoping we'll agree with you and say this reader is somehow wrong?
The point of getting/watching a tarot reading is to hear an interpretation coming from someone else, yet you immediately questioned the reading. No openness to it or how it could possibly apply to your situation.

Fourth.
You just admitted that you're new to tarot, yet feel the need to criticize someone else's reading. You say things like, "Looking to the past in relation to that question seems pointless to me." The past is the foundation of the present. Reading isn't just getting a "Yes or No" answer, and I'm not a fan of those types of readings either. You need a narrative. You have to see how reality has already played out so you have the best chance to interpret the future. Every reader has their methods for reading. Maybe you should learn your own methods, develop yourself as a reader, before you start to criticize others.

[Guest]

Hi StarWanderer, thanks for your input. I am not entirely sure which forum this post should be in so I just chose the one that seemed the most appropriate.

 

I didn't realise that one couldn't question the interpretation of another reader so I apologise if that's a big no. However, I noticed that she pulled a card that I had had in a personal reading (Knight of Pentacles) and it was a positive card about slow moving commitment, so her interpretation of it didn't seem to match in context of the question. So I decided to look up the other cards and found her meanings didn't match them. I understand it's a process, however, she read each card individually so that's why I did the same.

 

With regards to the outcome, I'm aware that a general reading is not going to apply to everyone and I hadn't intended to watch a reading about whether someone had moved on or not. I was actually looking for a reading about whether someone was seeing someone else (just in a casual sense) and not necessarily whether they had completely moved on from me or not (because I had it confirmed in a personal reading that they have not). The video just played and I thought what the heck and watched it because I'm often interested to see how different readers do their readings.  I'm not hoping for someone to agree, just provide insight on my interpretation. If I'm wrong, fair enough. Her meanings just didn't seem to match up with the actual meanings attached to the cards that was all. I was open to the reading, but didn't feel it applied to my situation generally as I'd already had a personal reading done on it and the messages weren't the same. 

 

I understand what you're saying about the past relating to the present, but not every reading talks about the past when asking a question and the question she was answering didn't seem to apply to the past so I didn't know how it was relevant. If I ask a reader a question about the present/future, I generally don't want to hear too much about the past. A lot of readers I've watched do not talk about the past unless to shed some light on the type of person someone may have been dealing with and where it's relevant to the question.

 

Anyway, based on your post, it appears you are offended by mine and therefore I apologise as I wasn't looking to cause offense. I am just learning and looking for insights into my own interpretation in comparison to another. Every reader will have different interpretations it seems, and with her it just seemed her reading was very negative and I didn't feel the cards represented that.

[StarWanderer]

Quote

"I didn't realise that one couldn't question the interpretation of another reader so I apologise if that's a big no."

The tone of offense in my post comes from the fact that instead of doing your own reading on the same topic so you can get a directed message for you, you come here wanting to debate a reading.

 

Quote

"However, I noticed that she pulled a card that I had had in a personal reading (Knight of Pentacles) and it was a positive card about slow moving commitment, so her interpretation of it didn't seem to match in context of the question. So I decided to look up the other cards and found her meanings didn't match them. I understand it's a process, however, she read each card individually so that's why I did the same."

 

"However," you're still going to continue criticizing it.
You are completely missing the point. Cards are layered. They can have deep connotations that you don't consider. The reader can have a unique interpretation like that of someone who views a painting. Maybe most people see the subject in the light side, but others see the shadow, as everything has duality.
The cards are not a black and white objective science.

 

Quote

"The video just played and I thought what the heck and watched it because I'm often interested to see how different readers do their readings.  I'm not hoping for someone to agree, just provide insight on my interpretation. If I'm wrong, fair enough. Her meanings just didn't seem to match up with the actual meanings attached to the cards that was all. I was open to the reading, but didn't feel it applied to my situation generally as I'd already had a personal reading done on it and the messages weren't the same."

The meanings didn't match up to what you thought they should be. You have heard the phrase, "Take what resonates and leave the rest?" You could've left it that way, but no, you decided to dissect it, and bring it here. Where the original reader can't even defend or explain her interpretations. The appropriate response was to leave it be, and go back to improving your reading skills.

 

Quote

"I understand what you're saying about the past relating to the present, but not every reading talks about the past when asking a question and the question she was answering didn't seem to apply to the past so I didn't know how it was relevant. If I ask a reader a question about the present/future, I generally don't want to hear too much about the past. A lot of readers I've watched do not talk about the past unless to shed some light on the type of person someone may have been dealing with and where it's relevant to the question."

"I didn't think it mattered, so it doesn't matter." Yet you claimed you were open to the reading.
Also, just because you've watched readers "mostly" read or do things in a particular way doesn't make it the "right" way. That's like an artist who uses acrylic telling one who uses watercolor to use their medium instead. They're both art, just both have different expressions.

 

Quote

Anyway, based on your post, it appears you are offended by mine and therefore I apologise as I wasn't looking to cause offense. I am just learning and looking for insights into my own interpretation in comparison to another. Every reader will have different interpretations it seems, and with her it just seemed her reading was very negative and I didn't feel the cards represented that.

The best way you can try to compare readings is doing your own. You should also only ever attempt to offer your own interpretation when the reader has asked for that. Your situation just calls for, "Eh, I don't think this applies to me," and moving on.
You want to get better? Start reading multiple tarot books. Dig deeper than base keywords as those do not cover all of the possible complexities of tarot. Have some respect for the people who've been doing their craft for quite a long time. Keep yourself humble and as time goes on, you'll develop your own method and confidence with your reading.
This post is the kind of crap that can make the community look ugly, as it's not about a unique creative expression, but about "being right." You're going about tarot from the wrong perspective.

[Guest]

Ok then, well apologies again for the offense caused. If tarot readers all read cards with a different interpretation it seems kind of hard to know what is accurate and what isn't. If one reader might tell me my ex will come back and another says he won't based on the same cards, how do you determine what the right answers are?

 

Anyway I'll take your words on board. Thanks.

[fire cat pickles]

You are new to tarot. The worst thing you possibly do is watch tarot readers on YouTube offering "cold readings", which is what this reader is doing. They are vague reading that can apply to just about anyone. Stick around here to learn tarot. You'll learn quick. Once you have enough posts, you can start trying your own readings. This one you have posted is complete crap. It doesn't apply to you because it wasn't done for you. Tarot is personalized. 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, fire cat pickles said:

You are new to tarot. The worst thing you possibly do is watch tarot readers on YouTube offering "cold readings", which is what this reader is doing. They are vague reading that can apply to just about anyone. Stick around here to learn tarot. You'll learn quick. Once you have enough posts, you can start trying your own readings. This one you have posted is complete crap. It doesn't apply to you because it wasn't done for you. Tarot is personalized. 

 Thank you for your response, I will take that on board 🙂. I like to learn about tarot but I'm not spiritually gifted and so I'm not sure I'd be a great reader but nevertheless like to give it a go when a spread has been laid out. I'll stop doing that though!

[fire cat pickles]

None of us are "great readers" imho. We are all students. As Andy aka @mxlavender says, "You are only as good as your last reading!"

 

Be patient and study, study, study. I don't see myself as particularly spiritually gifted either. I just keep learning and do my best. I've been studying/reading tarot for about 35 years and there's always more to learn. Welcome to the forum 🙂

[stephanelli]

We do not discuss readings that are done by other people.

You can only bring a reading up for discussion if you yourself did the reading.

 

It's just polite and it's not your reading to share.

 

If you wish to discuss individual card meanings then there is a section for this.

 

As such, I am locking this thread.

Please contact myself or another a staff member if you have any questions.