When the card you expect to see ... DOESN'T show up in your spread ... Has this happened to you?

[Misterei]

As per the title.

I'm feeling Tower today ... letting go of a dream. Destruction of a foundation. Tearing down something I tried to build. Changes.

Ketu entering my H4 and going to transit my Moon soon.

 

Yet no Tower. I'm stalked by other cards.

 

I guess maybe the situation isn't as extreme ... like the other stalker cards are important issues and my own personal tower feeling is just overly dramatic by comparison.

I dunno.

I sometimes get clients who read for themselves and they want to know why they got Tower and 10 swords and I didn't.

With such a client I say, it's not as bad as you fear. These cards show it's not so very bad today. Either the situation improved or your fears were affecting the cards because it's natural to worry yet best to avoid drawing cards when we're super emotional.

 

Are you every surprised by the cards you DON'T see in a spread?

 

 

Edited October 3, 2023 by Misterei

[Raggydoll]

Not very often, but it happens. There are lots of cards (especially certain majors) that hardly ever show up in my personal readings. This became particularly clear when I did the 30 days of working with the moon. I analyzed all the cards and the patterns afterwards. I also looked at the context of repetitive cards. Really interesting process!
 

What typically happens though, is that I’ll see in my mind what card will show up, and sometimes this card will surprise me. But once I have it in front of me in a complete reading, it makes sense. So it typically represents an angle I hasn’t considered. But the times when I am surprised to not see a card show up is generally in other peoples readings. Hearing their circumstances for doing the reading will make me expect certain cards, and sometimes it won’t be there.
 

I have found that I don’t really plug into my intuition when looking at readings that another person has performed. I think I could read it intuitively, but I tend to go with a more analytical and detached approach. So I think that’s why I can get surprised at what isn’t there. If that makes sense! 

[Arania]

Rarely but yes. When you think you've made a big mental/spiritual breakthrough and expect to see it in the cards - especially the star or the world - and you get told "nice try but don't bve so arrogant" for example. 🙂

[gregory]

9 hours ago, Misterei said:

Are you every surprised by the cards you DON'T see in a spread?

 

No. I never "expect" anything. If I did I'd question my impartiality, I suppose is the best word. It would feel like I'd prejudged something.

[Arania]

Yeah I don't anymore either 😂I made that mistake only a handful of times and still wonder about each of them.

[Chariot]

Yes.   I am sometimes quite surprised at what I don't get in a reading.  Especially at the start of a reading—the 'present' phase—when a particular kind of card seems to embody the present situation perfectly—and then it doesn't turn up in the reading at all!  😲

 

It's can be disconcerting—but usually whatever is there instead makes perfect sense, in combination with all the other cards.  The lack of the 'expected' card(s) just illuminates an aspect of the situation I hadn't been considering ...which— for me anyway—is why tarot is such a great resource to have.

I reckon the trick is simply to believe that what the cards HAVE shown you is relevant!  Accept their verdict, then noodle around with it, if the connection isn't immediately clear.

I actually had this happen to me last night, when I was indulging in a solo reading 'event' ...candles, salt lamps, soft music, nice woodsmoky incense ...ahhhh ...the kind of reading I do for myself on the rare occasion when I have the house all to myself.  I fully expected a particular kind of card to turn up in the 'present' position.  I planned to go from there to get insight into how to handle this situation I know I'm in.  Instead, I got a starting card that made me blink for a few minutes, because it seemed so off-base. But it wasn't. Once I stopped gawping and dug into the reading I realised it described exactly what I needed to  know.  

It's perfectly okay to be surprised at what you don't get.  (That in itself can teach you something about the situation.)  But don't assume there has been some mistake and re-do the reading. Stick with what you got until it does make sense.  I do love that Eureka moment, when suddenly you understand what you're being told. 🙂

Edited October 4, 2023 by Chariot

[November]

Not really, I mean sometimes it occurred to me, but in the end the cards were right: I was just focusing on the "wrong" angle of the matter, so the cards I didn't expect to get guided me towards the "right" one. 

[FindYourSovereignty]

Interesting question. This has not happened to me that I can recall. I do approach my readings with curiosity of what the cards want to tell me, more focused on the question than what the outcome could be. 

 

[Misterei]

16 hours ago, Raggydoll said:

Not very often, but it happens. There are lots of cards (especially certain majors) that hardly ever show up in my personal readings. ...

Yes, I think we do have an afftinity for a certain group of Majors through life or at different phases of life. Karmic themes that take years to work out.  It's like an expansion of the whole stalker card thing.

 

@Raggydoll said
<<What typically happens though, is that I’ll see in my mind what card will show up, and sometimes this card will surprise me. But once I have it in front of me in a complete reading, it makes sense. >>

 

You know it just dawned on me that I felt myself emotionally as Tower ... but Chariot has been a stalker card. And of course Tower = 7 and Chariot =7. Duuuh. I am getting an iteration of that energy in my spreads.

 

@Raggydoll said

<<I have found that I don’t really plug into my intuition when looking at readings that another person has performed. I think I could read it intuitively, but I tend to go with a more analytical and detached approach. So I think that’s why I can get surprised at what isn’t there. If that makes sense! >>

 

Me too. In fact I seldom to never interpret any cards i didn't draw. But when a paying client asks how come I didn't get the same cards she did ... I must consider her question seriously.

14 hours ago, Arania said:

Rarely but yes. When you think you've made a big mental/spiritual breakthrough and expect to see it in the cards - especially the star or the world - and you get told "nice try but don't be so arrogant" for example. 🙂

Ha! So true!

[Misterei]

11 hours ago, Chariot said:

I actually had this happen to me last night, when I was indulging in a solo reading 'event' ...candles, salt lamps, soft music, nice woodsmoky incense ...ahhhh ...the kind of reading I do for myself on the rare occasion when I have the house all to myself.  I fully expected a particular kind of card to turn up in the 'present' position.  I planned to go from there to get insight into how to handle this situation I know I'm in.  Instead, I got a starting card that made me blink for a few minutes, because it seemed so off-base. But it wasn't. Once I stopped gawping and dug into the reading I realised it described exactly what I needed to  know. 

Yes, I feel this is the case for me. My dramatic emotions vs. the actual message the cards have for me.

 

@Chariot said

<<... don't assume there has been some mistake and re-do the reading ... >>

 

Seldom to never. There are times where I just chuck a reading. Like its such gibberish ...  that the gibberish IS the message that I'm too biased and need to get someone else to read the question.

 

I mentioned this above but it tickled me so mention it again ... upon further reflection I realized I'm low-key stalked by Chariot card [your namesake haha] which relates to Tower numerologically and also ... upon retrospect ... makes perfect sense in the RELATIONSHIP between Chariot and Tower.

[DanielJUK]

I've moved this thread to Tarot Talk & Technique as I feel it's a discussion of things happening rather than the card meanings 🙂

[DanielJUK]

I'm always surprised with the cards that come up for my future long-term chances with Idris Elba, there is no future chance 😉 😭. But this was just wishful thinking. I think I don't really expect to see certain cards because the tarot doesn't tell us what we want to know, it tells us the truth or what we need to know.

 

I think we all probably look for certain cards that might come up in a reading or a topic, like this reinforces the question and this card is the perfect answer for that but sometimes the cards give an entirely different message. I think I look at it like that. This is a love reading for someone and let's look for the love cards that reinforce the question and then it's like 10 of Swords 🙂 .

[Chariot]

7 hours ago, Misterei said:

Yes, I feel this is the case for me. My dramatic emotions vs. the actual message the cards have for me.

 

@Chariot said

<<... don't assume there has been some mistake and re-do the reading ... >>

 

Seldom to never. There are times where I just chuck a reading. Like its such gibberish ...  that the gibberish IS the message that I'm too biased and need to get someone else to read the question.

 

Yes, gibberish does happen! We can get 'the other side' on its tea break. 🙂 Or even, 'oh look, a squirrel!' I often do record what cards I drew though, just in case they start to make sense later on.  It's hard, sometimes, to decide whether a reading is gibberish or simply contains a surprise.  Sometimes it takes a bit of reflection to get the meaning to make sense.  I usually go by whether the past/present cards make sense ...but even if they don't, they still might be 'right.'

I have had instances where the reading didn't make sense because it was dealing with a different issue from the one I'd asked about. Later on, when the new situation unfolded, I went 'OH, so THAT's what the reading was all about!'  But the issue wasn't something I was aware of, when I started the reading.  I struggle sometimes to control that situation.  Sometimes the gibberish is telling me something I will need to know in the future, but am not aware of at the present time. So while I only spend a reasonable amount of time grappling with 'gibberish' I do usually take a record of it.  

I had a funny incident happen a few years ago regarding this issue.  I was sitting in my dining room, doing one of my solo readings about a particular issue regarding a friend, and my 'present' card was 10 of Cups reversed, crossed by The Tower, followed by a few other cards that had nothing to do with my friend.  My home situation, as far as I knew, was perfectly in order, no conflict or problems with my husband, everything working fine, etc.  While I was staring at the layout in total perplexity and annoyance—thinking 'gibberish?'—suddenly I became aware of a dripping noise close at hand.  I looked up, to see that our ceiling paper had split, and water was dripping through onto the carpet!  (It was not a major problem, fortunately, and my roofer came the next day to realign the roof tile that has slipped.) Suddenly the gibberish reading made perfect sense, despite having nothing to do with the question I'd asked about my friend!  I did have to laugh, once the bucket was in place. 

Edited October 5, 2023 by Chariot

[Chariot]

5 hours ago, DanielJUK said:

I'm always surprised with the cards that come up for my future long-term chances with Idris Elba, there is no future chance 😉 😭. But this was just wishful thinking. I think I don't really expect to see certain cards because the tarot doesn't tell us what we want to know, it tells us the truth or what we need to know.

 

I think we all probably look for certain cards that might come up in a reading or a topic, like this reinforces the question and this card is the perfect answer for that but sometimes the cards give an entirely different message. I think I look at it like that. This is a love reading for someone and let's look for the love cards that reinforce the question and then it's like 10 of Swords 🙂 .

Yeah.  You kinda expect to see the 2 of Cups (upright or reversed) or maybe The Lovers, (upright or reversed) when you're asking about a love situation—and instead you get 10 of Swords. That can throw you a bit, if you expected the love situation to be directly referenced.  But as long as the reading makes sense—even unpleasant sense—you swallow, and get on with it.  🙂

[Misterei]

4 minutes ago, Chariot said:

Yes, gibberish does happen! We can get 'the other side' on its tea break. 🙂 

OMG!!! 🤣 The tarot gods on tea break: Piss off pesky human ... can't you see we're having our cuppa?

 

@Chariot

<<I have had instances where the reading didn't make sense because it was dealing with a different issue from the one I'd asked about. Later on, when the new situation unfolded, I went 'OH, so THAT's what the reading was all about!' >>

 

Yes, me too. This is a different flavor than gibberish. Some readings the flavor is:  I don't get it now ... but Ill take a picture for later. Gibberish is like:  put down the cards and step away from the table. Get someone else to read.

 

@Chariot  <<< I was sitting in my dining room, doing one of my solo readings about a particular issue regarding a friend, and my 'present' card was 10 of Cups reversed, crossed by The Tower, followed by a few other cards that had nothing to do with my friend. ...  While I was staring at the layout in total perplexity and annoyance—thinking 'gibberish?'—suddenly I became aware of a dripping noise close at hand.  I looked up, to see that our ceiling paper had split, and water was dripping through onto the carpet! ... I did have to laugh, once the bucket was in place. 

 

That's the funniest roof leak story I've ever heard. Tarot can be SO effing literal sometimes.

[Misterei]

10 minutes ago, Chariot said:

Yeah.  You kinda expect to see the 2 of Cups (upright or reversed) or maybe The Lovers, (upright or reversed) when you're asking about a love situation—and instead you get 10 of Swords.

I ALWAYS expect to see 10 swords in love questions ... but then again I'm bitter and traumatized 🤣

JK ...but nothing surprises me in a love reading.

[Raggydoll]

4 minutes ago, Misterei said:

I ALWAYS expect to see 10 swords in love questions ... but then again I'm bitter and traumatized 🤣

JK ...but nothing surprises me in a love reading.

😅😂😂 You’re too funny ! 
 

 

[gregory]

I once got 10 Swords for a happy marriage. And it fit - my sitter said so too !

[gregory]

13 hours ago, DanielJUK said:

I'm always surprised with the cards that come up for my future long-term chances with Idris Elba, there is no future chance 😉 😭. But this was just wishful thinking. 

 

I hate to ask, but why would you ASK that ?

[2dogs]

14 hours ago, DanielJUK said:

I'm always surprised with the cards that come up for my future long-term chances with Idris Elba, there is no future chance 😉 😭.

LOL you will have to fight my wife for him 😹.

[Raggydoll]

14 hours ago, DanielJUK said:

I'm always surprised with the cards that come up for my future long-term chances with Idris Elba, there is no future chance 😉 😭

🤣 But what did the clarifiers saaaay?! Didn’t you know that you can keep pulling them until hope is restored?