The heart says yes and the head says no?

[JoyousGirl]

I was pondering yes/no questions, and getting answers to them with the cards thanks to a recent process suggested by @Grizabella with Majors and Minors. As I pondered that, the old expression "the heart says yes but the head says no" came to mind.

 

Grizabella uses Majors and Minors. I suggest using Cups as the Heart (yes), and Swords as the Head (no), and a 3 card pull. 

 

Ideally this would be tested by simple questions "will the bus be late?" "will I get mail today?" etc. to verify the accuracy. These are actual things in motion - but it doesn't answer "should I?", "do they," or "will we/they" etc questions. There's questions about conscience and ethics and karma that come up there that need to be considered in philosophical terms. And further, we're not always decided on a thing. 

 

There are the same number of cards in the minor suits, so that resolves the uneven number of Majors vs Minors as @Raggydoll wondered about.

 

Several of us could participate in this "testing" utilising a time based outcome to see if it works. I welcome any feedback or other ideas.

 

I am going to create a new post for some yes/no questions and see how it goes. Maybe I will fail miserably 😄  

 

ON PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES:

However, maybe there's a reason why yes/no questions/answers can be fraught with difficulty. Sometimes we aren't aware of our own motivations.  As mentioned, there's questions about conscience and ethics and karma that come up there that need to be considered in philosophical terms. And further, we're not always decided on a thing. So some could be asking questions based on personal thinking - whatever's going around in our head - not anybody else's - a creative process for good or ill.  How many countries have invaded others because they thought they had some right to do so, when really it was the person in power's paranoia and greed or school of thought, and so on, and not anything to do with prioritising sustainable longevity for a pleasant and peaceful life for the majority, including the animals and trees. So getting a yes/no answer that justifies the twisted material going around in the head of someone can occur. Do the dark and light frequencies mess with accurate answers in that case? I propose that anyone with ill-will (acknowledged or unacknowledged), nefarious purposes or intentions that impede peace, using the method I propose shall not receive a clear answer.

 

The original post with Grizabella's YES/NO method using cards is below:

 

 

 

 

[Grizabella]

I'm not quite sure what you're going to test out here.  Are you saying that it's not accurate because there are more Majors than Minors so it can't produce good results?  I do agree that when a person reads on something for themselves, it can--and probably will--be tainted by the person's desire for what they want the answer to be or whatever their own bias is.

 

At any rate, I was giving suggestions and examples, not casting anything in cement.  I don't know what using Majors and Minors has to do with it.   It was just an example I used.  We always read with both Majors and Minors and the fact there's more of one than the others doesn't really play a part unless the reader sees it that way.  But if you want to use Hearts and Swords, that makes sense too.  I wasn't at all saying---or implying---that I use the Major/Minor thing myself or think others should. 

 

To anyone who read my post in that other thread----I'm sorry if I wasn't clear in what I said.  I went back and tried to edit it to be more clear but I guess you can't edit your posts after they've been posted for a certain amount of time because I couldn't edit it.

Edited December 8, 2025 by Grizabella

[Grizabella]

Obviously I confused Raggydoll, too, in that other thread.  I'm going to just think about what I'm doing wrong that makes others confused.  

 

And Joyous Girl, I'm really interested in what you're going to do because I'm always game to learn stuff.  Using Hearts and Swords makes good sense, actually.  I used Majors and Minors because that's a method that can be used for yes/no answers by drawing one card for yes or no so that's what came to my mind to use with added cards.  It was just an easy example to use.

[Raggydoll]

4 hours ago, Grizabella said:

Obviously I confused Raggydoll, too, in that other thread.  I'm going to just think about what I'm doing wrong that makes others confused.  

I wouldn’t stress about that, I’m easily confused 😄 

[Raggydoll]

5 hours ago, JoyousGirl said:

I am going to create a new post for some yes/no questions and see how it goes. Maybe I will fail miserably 😄  

Sounds very interesting! I’ll keep my eyes open for that thread! 

 

[Grizabella]

52 minutes ago, Raggydoll said:

I wouldn’t stress about that, I’m easily confused 😄 

Me too, Raggydoll!  I was just trying to figure out if I'm more confused that normal,🤣I thought maybe it was making my posts unusually hard to grasp for my readers. 

[JoyousGirl]

20 hours ago, Grizabella said:

I'm not quite sure what you're going to test out here. 

 

Just an alternative to your method. A sort of "tuning" of the cards.  

 

21 hours ago, Grizabella said:

Are you saying that it's not accurate because there are more Majors than Minors so it can't produce good results?

 

No. 

 

21 hours ago, Grizabella said:

We always read with both Majors and Minors and the fact there's more of one than the others doesn't really play a part unless the reader sees it that way.

 

Yes, I agree. Readers will develop their own process, but also have ideas come to them out of the blue. Your method may not be part of their process, but may pop into a reader's head out of the blue because it answers/explains something in that reading.

 

21 hours ago, Grizabella said:

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear in what I said. 

 

You were clear, maybe it was me that wasn't!!

 

20 hours ago, Grizabella said:

I'm going to just think about what I'm doing wrong that makes others confused.  

 

Don't bother. These days we often need to read something twice or three times for it all to get in. Our mind takes shortcuts and we miss key ideas from skimming. The digital age and social media affect our attention. In other words, it's me, not you 🤣

 

20 hours ago, Grizabella said:

I'm always game to learn stuff

A key Sagittarian trait.

 

16 hours ago, Raggydoll said:

I’m easily confused

Sorry if I've added to the discombobulation. 

 

15 hours ago, Grizabella said:

I thought maybe it was making my posts unusually hard to grasp for my readers. 

 

No, again. It's me, not you. 

 

My post tended to ramble a bit with the philosophical / political claptrap at the end - for good reason - but I can't really explain it in a public forum. 

 

ANYWAY!

I think I'm going to use a "Greek Mythology" playing card deck that I've had sitting there doing nothing for years. It may be dedicated for the yes/no purpose. So it will be Hearts and Spades - Hearts mostly give life to things and Spades bury them.  Of course, I'll also try with a tarot deck - perhaps on the same question at the same time. That ought to really confuse the issue for anyone who gets a buzz out of being confused 😆 🤣 

 

 

     

 

 

[Misterei]

On 12/7/2025 at 3:50 PM, JoyousGirl said:

I am going to create a new post for some yes/no questions and see how it goes. Maybe I will fail miserably 😄  

ON PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES:

However, maybe there's a reason why yes/no questions/answers can be fraught with difficulty. Sometimes we aren't aware of our own motivations.  ...

You touch upon a couple of different issues here from what I read.

The issue of reading for oneself and one's personal bias or hidden motivations might arise with any sort of question--not just yes / no.

But perhaps you mean something more subtle. Like whether or not a question is suitable for a yes/no answer ... ?

I suppose there are times my mind tries to reduce a complex situation to a binary and thus I deprive myself of the possibility of a more nuanced answer.

OTOH

I have several spreads that reliably serve yes/no answers. One traditional and others i break the deck and assign meanings similar to your idea of cups=yes / swords = no. In a general way i might remove the trumps and assign cups or coins as yes and swords or wands as no.

Or if I wish to leave the deck intact; odd numbers = yes / even = no and courts mean maybe or ask a different question.

[Chariot]

On 12/7/2025 at 11:50 PM, JoyousGirl said:

 

ON PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES:

However, maybe there's a reason why yes/no questions/answers can be fraught with difficulty. Sometimes we aren't aware of our own motivations.  As mentioned, there's questions about conscience and ethics and karma that come up there that need to be considered in philosophical terms. And further, we're not always decided on a thing. So some could be asking questions based on personal thinking - whatever's going around in our head - not anybody else's - a creative process for good or ill.  How many countries have invaded others because they thought they had some right to do so, when really it was the person in power's paranoia and greed or school of thought, and so on, and not anything to do with prioritising sustainable longevity for a pleasant and peaceful life for the majority, including the animals and trees. So getting a yes/no answer that justifies the twisted material going around in the head of someone can occur. Do the dark and light frequencies mess with accurate answers in that case? I propose that anyone with ill-will (acknowledged or unacknowledged), nefarious purposes or intentions that impede peace, using the method I propose shall not receive a clear answer.

 

 

This encapsulates my own strong antipathy to asking yes/no questions of the tarot.

The tarot's 'skill' ...for want of a better word ...is illuminating the 'why' and 'how' of the aspects of any issue, allowing us to move forward, change perspective, change our actions, accept what we can't change, re-evaluate what we think we want, and so on.  Sometimes a yes/no or will they/won't they answer is not what's needed.

We want to know that what we hope for will happen, don't we?  But maybe we actually don't—if what we hope for doesn't quite materialise the way we assumed it would?  Fairy/folktales and legends are full of incidents where a person gets what they claimed they wanted, but not quite the way they envisioned it.  This wisdom is built into our cultures, and worth taking on board—from King Midas down to The Fisherman and His Wife.

I'm not nearly as experienced with tarot as many people on this forum, but I can say that every personal issue I've ever consulted the tarot about has been correctly dealt with by the tarot—in time, and sometimes with 'time-frame' questions.  Sometimes it takes a few readings as a situation evolves, but I have certainly experienced relief when the tarot tells me that a bad situation is finally 'over,' or experienced disappointment when I realise it won't resolve the way I'd hoped it would.  However, because the tarot has showed me the 'why' and 'how,' I can accept the result.

The key is in the whole of the reading.  Am I DOING my best, or just coasting along and HOPING FOR the best?  Am I taking correct action when it's required, or shilly-shallying when I should be taking action?  Or am I jumping the gun and trying to force things to happen? Or maybe I'm flailing around in panic when I should just be still and await developments? Is the timing of an event spot-on, or off?  Are forces outwith my control affecting this outcome?  If so, what are they?  Will a change of perspective get this situation resolved in a good way?  
 

The tarot guides me through these issues, and prepares me for the outcome ...whatever it may be.  When issues are complicated, a straightforward yes/no might not be what we need to know.  Turns out, what we were hoping for might not actually be 'for the best.'

On small, verifiable issues—will my new fridge get delivered today, does the dog have fleas, etc—why not just flip a coin?  I'm not being facetious here.  Predictive signs all come from the same 'place,' I reckon.  If you believe in the communicative power of the tarot, or any other divination method, I suspect a flipped coin regarding a simple question of yes/no is just as reliable—and a LOT less complicated—for you AND for the tarot. 🙂

Edited December 9, 2025 by Chariot

[JoyousGirl]

17 hours ago, Misterei said:

You touch upon a couple of different issues here from what I read.

 

Yeah, I'm all over the shop 😄

 

17 hours ago, Misterei said:

The issue of reading for oneself and one's personal bias or hidden motivations might arise with any sort of question--not just yes / no.

 

Indeed, maybe we don't need answers, but more questions, and better questions? Perhaps the answers we give when reading should give the person more  questions to consider.  Frustrating for them, though....

 

Sitter: "I paid for an answer"

Reader: "I'm teaching you to think about options and consequences"

Sitter: "I don't want to think"

Reader: "There's your answer".

 

17 hours ago, Misterei said:

Like whether or not a question is suitable for a yes/no answer ... ?

 

Yes, but also the "why" of "who" is asking the question.  I was moving into political / corporate territory, considering the global situation at present, and nationalist sp👁️ng seeking to know what "enemies" or "competitors" are doing.  

 

17 hours ago, Misterei said:

I suppose there are times my mind tries to reduce a complex situation to a binary and thus I deprive myself of the possibility of a more nuanced answer.

 

Yes, a binary when nothing is totally black or white ⚽ (there was no Dao emoticon so this soccer ball - a truncated icosahedron (!) will have to do.)  Wanting an answer that's handed on a platter means we miss out on evolving. The milieu or "hive mind" of whatever group/culture we're in leads our thinking all too often, as does our own selfish desire for me and mine.  What was acceptable once in history is no longer acceptable, and vice versa. When do we evolve our own ethic/morality schema? Something outside religion. That part of everyone that knows a nuclear bomb should never be set off - and the part where they're continuing to develop them even though they know they have no right. 

 

The nuance we need, that some ancient (supposedly savage but actually advanced cultures) have maintained is "If every other living thing is me, then....?"  And the ability to accept change. 

 

ETA Incomplete response.

Edited December 9, 2025 by JoyousGirl

[Rose Lalonde]

16 hours ago, Chariot said:

The tarot's 'skill' ...for want of a better word ...is illuminating the 'why' and 'how' of the aspects of any issue, allowing us to move forward, change perspective, change our actions, accept what we can't change, re-evaluate what we think we want, and so on.

Agree. When I read yes/no for others with tarot, I draw 3 cards, look at the story they tell, and interpret whether that story is indicating yes or no. I tell the sitter the answer, but not the "why" behind the message if they don't want it. Like a mechanic fixes your car without telling you all the steps she went through.  If the question is Will we get back together, and the cards are 4 of Cups - 10 of Swords - Priestess, I'm going to say No. If it's Hanged  Man - 3 of Wands - 6 of Wands, I'll say, Yes, eventually. There's a story there about winning the partner back when the sitter's feeling for them aren't as romantically inclined anymore, but as a Yes/No only, I'll say Yes. 

 

That's not how I prefer to read Yes/No, though. My preference would be to use James Ricklef's spread to give them some agency.

 

1 Yes if ___

2 No if ___

3 Maybe if ___

 

But most sitters with a yes/no question would probably prefer the first method.  As @JoyousGirl said, Sitter: "I paid for an answer" 

 

16 hours ago, Chariot said:

On small, verifiable issues—will my new fridge get delivered today, does the dog have fleas, etc—why not just flip a coin?  I'm not being facetious here.

The right tool for the job. Using tarot for yes/no, although I don't mind doing it, is like solving an equation without a calculator. Flipping a coin is the calculator. Its sole purpose is to concisely answer this kind of question.

 

That said, do you find that often sitters with a yes/no question are deeply invested in the situation, and in addition to their answer, they want to tell you about it, hear your thoughts, and reply to that. Talking things out tends to make me feel more 'in control' even though I'm not actually. If we flip a coin and say Yes, as much as the sitter seems to want just a yes/no answer, they also want enough feedback from the reader that it can serve as a conversation starter. Or so it seems to me. I don't do in person readings except for friends. 

Edited December 9, 2025 by Rose Lalonde

[JoyousGirl]

15 hours ago, Chariot said:

The tarot's 'skill' ...for want of a better word ...is illuminating the 'why' and 'how' of the aspects of any issue, allowing us to move forward, change perspective, change our actions, accept what we can't change, re-evaluate what we think we want, and so on.  Sometimes a yes/no or will they/won't they answer is not what's needed.

 

Yes. Tarot colours things in for us.  And maybe we should never ask a yes/no because maybe there's no certainty in anything. It's certainly a reason for readers to put up a sign saying "for entertainment purposes only". 

 

15 hours ago, Chariot said:

We want to know that what we hope for will happen, don't we?  But maybe we actually don't—if what we hope for doesn't quite materialise the way we assumed it would?  Fairy/folktales and legends are full of incidents where a person gets what they claimed they wanted, but not quite the way they envisioned it.  This wisdom is built into our cultures, and worth taking on board—from King Midas down to The Fisherman and His Wife.

 

Those fairy and folk tales show basic elements and archetypes of human beingness don't change through time. Why is it so difficult for us to accept things as they are? Be careful what we wish for. The Beatles might say "Let it be".  

 

16 hours ago, Chariot said:

I'm not nearly as experienced with tarot as many people on this forum, but I can say that every personal issue I've ever consulted the tarot about has been correctly dealt with by the tarot—in time, and sometimes with 'time-frame' questions.  Sometimes it takes a few readings as a situation evolves, but I have certainly experienced relief when the tarot tells me that a bad situation is finally 'over,' or experienced disappointment when I realise it won't resolve the way I'd hoped it would.  However, because the tarot has showed me the 'why' and 'how,' I can accept the result.

 

You are more experienced than many including me and I have faith in you and your insight and experience/s. "Because Tarot has showed me the why and how I can accept the result." This is key to a lot of life. It may be Tarot that explains it for us, it may be karma that explains it for us - and many other things are available to help us deal with this complex thing called life. Yes or no are unlikely to be the purpose of Tarot, but understanding the complexity of life and showing us how to deal with it - making sense of it - coming to terms with things that are not so simple. Yes and no are too simple and, paradoxically, too enormous to contemplate? 

 

16 hours ago, Chariot said:

The key is in the whole of the reading.  Am I DOING my best, or just coasting along and HOPING FOR the best?  Am I taking correct action when it's required, or shilly-shallying when I should be taking action?  Or am I jumping the gun and trying to force things to happen? Or maybe I'm flailing around in panic when I should just be still and await developments? Is the timing of an event spot-on, or off?  Are forces outwith my control affecting this outcome?  If so, what are they?  Will a change of perspective get this situation resolved in a good way?  
 

 

Good questions, useful questions, and will give useful answers - and wisdom and insight into ourselves.

 

Sitter: "Will I get a promotion?"

Spirit: "What are you willing to do to get it? Why do you want it? What does it mean for others? What does that tell you about yourself? What will happen to you once you've got it? What impacts will it have on time you spend with your family? How does that make you feel? ..."

 

16 hours ago, Chariot said:

Turns out, what we were hoping for might not actually be 'for the best.'🙂

 

Elizabeth Barrett Browning says this well: "God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame".

 

When we look around at the paradise we live in called Earth, one that provides for all our needs and gives such pleasure in the song of the bird, the shade of the tree and the bloom of the flower that the bee can't help but endlessly kiss, she is certainly correct.  

 

 

[Chariot]

@JoyousGirl  I really like what you said here :

'Good questions, useful questions, and will give useful answers - and wisdom and insight into ourselves.

 

Sitter: "Will I get a promotion?"

Spirit: "What are you willing to do to get it? Why do you want it? What does it mean for others? What does that tell you about yourself? What will happen to you once you've got it? What impacts will it have on time you spend with your family? How does that make you feel? ..." '

That's a superb example of the complexity a tarot can deal with. Thinking a situation through, looking at motivation, impact, and eventual satisfaction or disappointment is so valuable. The tarot encourages us to do this.  I think it's a bit of a waste to use tarot LIKE a flipped coin and refuse to dig deeper.

However, I might look at the yes/no question differently if I were dealing with paying sitters who demand black and white answers for their money.  But I don't ...so the issue doesn't arise for me.

 

............

 

I agree with @Rose Lalonde when she says:
'That said, do you find that often sitters with a yes/no question are deeply invested in the situation, and in addition to their answer, they want to tell you about it, hear your thoughts, and reply to that. Talking things out tends to make me feel more 'in control' even though I'm not actually. If we flip a coin and say Yes, as much as the sitter seems to want just a yes/no answer, they also want enough feedback from the reader that it can serve as a conversation starter. Or so it seems to me. I don't do in person readings except for friends.'

 

Yes, discussing an issue with a sitter (friend)—as deeply as time allows—is exactly what I try to do, when reading for others.   I want them to be fully on board with what the tarot tells them about their situation.  It's one of the reasons I have an odd method of reading for friends.

I have a book I've put together over the years, containing MY interpretations of specific cards.  When a card comes up in a reading, I read (out loud) what is written in that book about that card—and ask 'does any of that make sense to you?'  I link the card's meaning to the position of the card in the reading— and we start to discuss it. This way the sitter knows I'm not making things up on the hoof, and they can trust the tarot as well as me.  And, more importantly, the reading becomes focused and accurate.  We go from there.  Of course I can read without looking at the book ...which I do most of the time when I'm reading for myself ...but having the meanings written down in tangible form is a great help to the sitter.  It boosts them in the direction they need to go ...and helps them to trust the tarot's insights.  And it helps me pinpoint what needs to be looked at.  

 

 

[DanielJUK]

I think there are two questions here about the issue to think about...

 

- Can you use tarot for yes / no questions? It loves to talk and give us detailed answers. I personally think other methods are better for them, like pendulums and other forms of cartomancy. It's a system which doesn't give the best results with them and I think you have to have a spread or technique to make them more simple to get results. Tarot is so great at going in depth and a yes / no reading isn't in depth.

 

- Should you read on this with a yes / no question? Readers use them for the wrong question / readings a lot, we see it on the forum all the time. If you want to predict something or hear something about the future, fine. However often readers want advice and it's totally the wrong reading for that. Also when we are depressed or hurt, it's more likely we might ask yes / no questions and in a way it can get very unhealthy. We want instant answers but an empowering reading would be the better option. I think you learn that as you become more experienced with tarot.

 

[Misterei]

On 12/9/2025 at 2:09 PM, JoyousGirl said:

Indeed, maybe we don't need answers, but more questions, and better questions? ...

This touches upon my theory with using Tarots for yes/no.

Some questions are suited to yes/no. For example is this new medication safe for me to try? 

Some questions are not suited to yes/no b/c they have more nuance or complexity. Should I leave my husband? Is much too complex for yes/no. 

On 12/9/2025 at 2:09 PM, JoyousGirl said:

Sitter: "I paid for an answer"

Reader: "I'm teaching you to think about options and consequences"

Sitter: "I don't want to think"

Reader: "There's your answer".

🤣 OMG!!! So true.

On 12/9/2025 at 2:09 PM, JoyousGirl said:

... What was acceptable once in history is no longer acceptable, and vice versa. When do we evolve our own ethic/morality schema? Something outside religion. ...

Not tarot related at all but I have been struggling with this in meditation. The old archetypes of spirituality and newer forms ... too much to go into here 😉

 

On 12/8/2025 at 10:29 PM, Chariot said:

 ... On small, verifiable issues—will my new fridge get delivered today, does the dog have fleas, etc—why not just flip a coin?  

LOL I hate a coin toss. I always drop the coin and it rolls around whilst I chase it. Hate pendulums too. My hand shakes and the pendulum goes all wonky. No, I'm a card reader through and through. Even for yes/no I'll reach for my tarots or lenormands. Sometimes i do prashna on my vedic astrology app. But then i feel vaguely guilty for having trusted a computer.

 

On 12/9/2025 at 2:45 PM, Rose Lalonde said:

... If the question is Will we get back together, and the cards are 4 of Cups - 10 of Swords - Priestess, I'm going to say No. If it's Hanged  Man - 3 of Wands - 6 of Wands, I'll say, Yes, eventually. ...

Yes, that's a good technique 💖. And although I sometimes steer clients away from a simple yes/no--sometimes they don't wish to be steered and they've paid me to answer a question. 

On 12/9/2025 at 2:45 PM, Rose Lalonde said:

That's not how I prefer to read Yes/No, though. My preference would be to use James Ricklef's spread to give them some agency.

 

1 Yes if ___

2 No if ___

3 Maybe if ___

Interesting take. Thanks for sharing!

On 12/10/2025 at 7:10 AM, DanielJUK said:

... you have to have a spread or technique to make them more simple to get results.

Exactly. Tarot is non-binary and complex--so it needs the right spread to make it serve a binary answer. 

On 12/10/2025 at 7:10 AM, DanielJUK said:

- Should you read on this with a yes / no question? Readers use them for the wrong question / readings a lot, ... We want instant answers but an empowering reading would be the better option. I think you learn that as you become more experienced with tarot.

Yes. Some questions are straightforward and suited to yes/no answers.

Other questions are deep, complex, and nuanced. No way they can be reduced to yes/no.

Edited December 12, 2025 by Misterei

[JoyousGirl]

I had a long spiel I prepared in reply to comments but got sidetracked and closed window and lost it all.  I babbled on a bit so you can thank your lucky stars.

 

Anyway, in the spirit of the thread I asked whether I should respond to everyone's post this time around and I got Queen of Hearts, 5 of Hearts and 3 of Swords. Sorry 😄 

 

On 12/10/2025 at 9:24 AM, Chariot said:

Thinking a situation through, looking at motivation, impact, and eventual satisfaction or disappointment is so valuable. The tarot encourages us to do this.  I think it's a bit of a waste to use tarot LIKE a flipped coin and refuse to dig deeper.

 

I'm learning and developing as I go. It's not quite like a flipped coin. 

 

The method I've been using is 3 playing cards. I think the order the cards fall give some background to the answer, much like @Rose Lalonde suggests, and all of us know, positions are important. 

 

On 12/10/2025 at 8:45 AM, Rose Lalonde said:

I draw 3 cards, look at the story and interpret ... I tell the sitter the answer, but not the "why" .... If the question is Will we get back together, and the cards are 4 of Cups - 10 of Swords - Priestess, I'm going to say No. If it's Hanged  Man - 3 of Wands - 6 of Wands, I'll say, Yes, eventually. There's a story there about winning the partner back when the sitter's feeling for them aren't as romantically inclined anymore, but as a Yes/No only, I'll say Yes. 

 

That's not how I prefer to read Yes/No, though. My preference would be to use James Ricklef's spread to give them some agency.

 

1 Yes if ___

2 No if ___

3 Maybe if ___

 

The other day I did several throws: I got 3 hearts (cups) ❤️❤️❤️-  a definite yes for one question, so probably no need to think on consequences or motivations etc. But there is context in the cards that appear.  I should probably remove the Courts and just leave numbers but I'm still playing around and people are or can be involved in the considerations.  For my first shuffle and spread trying this method I threw in a Joker for some unknown reason and the bugger came out.  I had no context for him. This might be the equivalent of the pendulum's "the answer is not known yet" or "ask another question" - some wild card or out of left field thing? I got rid of him 😄 but he was meant to be there and means something. I just don't know what. Yet.

 

With other throws I got a variety of outcomes to questions. So while 2 hearts is a yes, or 2 swords is a no, there's still something to consider and think about in the contrasting card. This satisfies the following (although I've been using playing cards): 

On 12/11/2025 at 1:10 AM, DanielJUK said:

.... It loves to talk and give us detailed answers. ... Tarot is so great at going in depth and a yes / no reading isn't in depth.

 

Maybe with 2 swords, something good comes out of the "no".  With 2 hearts, something not so good comes out of the "yes". This could be the lesson in getting what you want "Careful what you wish for". And this consequence is probably what we're all concerned about when reducing to a yes or no, (as well as being wrong 😄).  

 

On 12/11/2025 at 1:10 AM, DanielJUK said:

Should you read on this with a yes / no question? Readers use them for the wrong question / readings a lot, we see it on the forum all the time. If you want to predict something or hear something about the future, fine. However often readers want advice and it's totally the wrong reading for that. Also when we are depressed or hurt, it's more likely we might ask yes / no questions and in a way it can get very unhealthy. We want instant answers but an empowering reading would be the better option. I think you learn that as you become more experienced with tarot.

 

This is very true, and we can get obsessive. But maybe that needs to be one of the questions we ask, or maybe that's what the Joker wants to say.  It may be that this is only for self-readings, or when you've only got 15 minutes with a client. You get the answer, you have the context and considerations. Empowerment needs more time, I suppose the situation will tell us whether it's appropriate. And practise will tell us whether it is useful. 

 

About Positions

So while 2 hearts is a yes, and 2 swords is a no, there's something to consider if I get a spade first followed by 2 hearts ♠️❤️❤️.  Maybe that's my motivation not being right? "1st things 1st - check your motivation".  

 

This process will probably be most useful when deciding between several options. If we get 2 hearts for all options, but the spade comes out in first, second or third spot, that will impact the decision. How? I don't know yet.

 

 The other day I did several throws. Not in any order here, but I got 3 hearts (cups) -  a definite yes for one question. There was nothing really to think about. Then were miscellaneous variations for other questions.  Identifying what position means what is a next step.

 

On 12/12/2025 at 1:01 PM, Misterei said:

Tarot is non-binary and complex--so it needs the right spread to make it serve a binary answer. 

That's what I'm hoping to do here. I'm not sure if it's a pointless exercise as I like the pendulum too. I think this is good for a quick read for ourselves, and for short consultations.  

[Misterei]

On 12/16/2025 at 9:39 PM, JoyousGirl said:

...  I'm not sure if it's a pointless exercise as I like the pendulum too. I think this is good for a quick read for ourselves, and for short consultations.  

LOL I suck at pendulum so I've collected a repertoire of yes/no spreads & techniques for Tarot and lenormand 😉

[JoyousGirl]

19 hours ago, Misterei said:

I suck at pendulum

It can be fickle. Yes yesterday may not be yes today. Consistency isn't always a theme. Maybe that's why I'm so into it, pendulums and me are probably related 🤣