questiontarot Posted November 17, 2018 Posted November 17, 2018 Hey all, I'm very much interested in Tarot cards at the moment. Now I'm wondering about this question and can't seem to find any answers on it. In readings is the Major Arcana more relevant than the Minor Arcana cards? Or should all of them be considered important? Here are some examples for a career reading: Lets say someone gets The Tower, The 10 of Pentacles and The 4 of Wands, how would that be interpreted? Lets say someone gets The Chariot, The 5 of Pentacles and The 5 of Cups, how would that be interpreted? One example is a Major Arcana card that is terrible, followed by 2 good minor cards to get in a reading. The other example is a Major Arcana card that is good, followed by 2 terrible minor cards to get in a reading.
Wanderer Posted November 17, 2018 Posted November 17, 2018 Hi questiontarot[/member]. I think the short answer is that you're probably trying to make it too simple. It's not about majors 'trumping' minors, or being more relevant, but rather about the interplay between different aspects of the situation. In general, majors come up with issues that are far-reaching or permanent, and minor-dominated readings tend to relate to more transient matters... BUT each card has slightly different facets, and sometimes the minors are just more appropriate ways of getting the message across. It's not about two 'good' minors adding up to counteract a 'bad' major, but rather how the different influences interact with each other. Does that make sense? Also, I don't think any cards are entirely terrible or universally good; it all depends on the context, and crises also generate opportunities. The Tower is about breaking of bonds as much as it is about catastrophe.
Grandma Posted November 17, 2018 Posted November 17, 2018 Hi questiontarot - My good friend Wanderer posted his reply while I was composing mine, and as usual I agree with every one of his words! (Hi Wanderer!) I think the most important things to remember are that no card is locked in to one meaning or one attribute such as "good" or "bad", and that no card is read in a vacuum. I don't think of the Tower as a bad card. It can mean change, usually sudden and unexpected; destruction of something solid and established; the chance to begin anew; survival of a crisis; and so forth. A Google search of "meaning Tarot tower" will yield more examples. In addition, the deck you use can make a difference. Some decks show the Tower in complete rubble, others have it standing tall despite flames coming from the windows. Sometimes the people on the card are tiny helpless falling figures, sometimes they are standing strong and watching from a distance. Then you need to look at the other cards in equally comprehensive ways, and then weave them all together. Which interpretations make sense when you view the cards as a cohesive group rather than as three individual answers is the key. This might be easier if your question is specific - not just "a career reading", for example, but perhaps "what is the best way to advance my career in the coming months" or "how should I best deal with a difficult coworker" or "is it time to choose a new career" or "what should that new career be". The meanings of the cards might be quite different with different questions. You might also try using positions, such as "current situation, desired change, best action". Some people find this helpful Now as to whether the Major cards should be given more weight than the Minors, my personal feeling is that they should, but only as part of a comprehensive understanding of what the cards are telling me, and never as cancelling out another part of the message. I also like to know something about the situation before I read, but this is a personal choice. You will develop your own philosophy as you continue your tarot practice. Right off the top of my head, without knowing which deck you used or any details about the career or what you really want to know, I think the Tower, Ten of Pentacles, and Four of Wands could be saying "after a shakeup at your office, you will come out successful and relaxed" or they could mean "uh oh, you are headed for serious trouble at work that will wipe out everything you have accomplished and felt safe with". Two very different interpretations to be sure, strengthening my point that I need to know more before I read!
Wanderer Posted November 17, 2018 Posted November 17, 2018 Hi Grandma[/member] ! X/ ...and as usual, you've added lots more information that really helps to get across the practicalities. :) I should add that I do indeed tend to feel that the majors are ones to really pay attention to, perhaps more than others... but it is indeed dependent on the exact meaning in context. Sometimes it just happens to be the best way of getting a specific meaning across, and I feel it isn't there for emphasis. And I totally agree about the rest, especially the point that different decks give rather different meanings because of subtle changes in the artwork. Always worth remembering! And to cap it off, I'd add that different readers will have somewhat different meanings associated with their cards as well... so overall it's very hard to be at all definite about interpreting someone else's reading. There are general basics, of course, but the specifics start to become very personal very quickly.
Saturn Celeste Posted November 17, 2018 Posted November 17, 2018 Hey all, I'm very much interested in Tarot cards at the moment. Now I'm wondering about this question and can't seem to find any answers on it. In readings is the Major Arcana more relevant than the Minor Arcana cards? Or should all of them be considered important? Here are some examples for a career reading: Lets say someone gets The Tower, The 10 of Pentacles and The 4 of Wands, how would that be interpreted? Lets say someone gets The Chariot, The 5 of Pentacles and The 5 of Cups, how would that be interpreted? One example is a Major Arcana card that is terrible, followed by 2 good minor cards to get in a reading. The other example is a Major Arcana card that is good, followed by 2 terrible minor cards to get in a reading. Hi questionintarot! Welcome to the forum. :D So you're asking if a major arcana card has more importance in a reading than a minor? My reply is no. Every card you pull is part of that message. If you're reading for someone else, all of those cards together are drawn to give that sitter that particular message. We can't overlook the message of a minor because of the presence of a major. If you're reading for yourself, you should not even be thinking of one card over the other one, all the cards before you are your message and they all need to be read to find out what they have to say. The major arcana messages have longer staying power, that effect from the card just lasts longer and the minor ones pass more quickly just as our daily lives pass quickly. But the minor cards pinpoint the areas that need to be addressed by the cards. It's a relief to people to remind them that nagging 9 of Swords keeping them awake at night will pass!
questiontarot Posted November 17, 2018 Author Posted November 17, 2018 Wanderer[/member] Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I totally understand what you're saying. It's all about the cards and the question together to get the answer, not one overpowering the other, although the Major Arcana are about the grand scheme of things. I find it interesting that you're saying that there aren't good or bad cards. I always would assume that getting The Tower or 5 of Pentacles or 10 of Swords would usually be interpreted as extremely negative cards, signalling something bad future or something bad from the past. In the same manner, I would always assume that something like the 9 of Pentacles is always positive, I don't see how that could be seen as a bad card, am I just wrong? Maybe I'm just over thinking it X-D... Grandma[/member] Hello, thanks for the in-depth response. I think it's quite interesting that both you and Wanderer don't see The Tower as a negative card and more as just a sudden change, do you see the 9 or 10 of Swords as a bad card? Or the 5 of Pentacles as a bad card? I just always assumed that some cards are just negative to get in certain readings. Like, I wouldn't want to see the 5 of Pentacles anywhere near a career reading but I'd definitely welcome The Chariot in a career reading if the question was will I be successful in my career. I am using the normal popular Tarot deck (Radiant Rider-Waite), so I think it's just general interpretation of the cards. The career question would just be "would I be successful in my career?". I like how you interpreted The Tower question in two different ways, gave good insight into how different people would read the cards. How would you read the other example I gave with The Chariot, 5 of Cups and 5 of Pentacles? I think it's interesting that you and Wanderer think that Major Arcana are more important while Saturn thinks that all the cards are equally important but just not as long lasting or more about the days in and days out rather than the big picture like the Major Aracana. Saturn Celeste[/member] Thanks for the welcome :). Okay, your take is a little different from the others as you think that the cards have equal importance. So, the Minor Arcana is more transient, while the Major Arcana is about the full journey. Using my example then, The Chariot would eventually outlast the two Minor Cards (5 of Cups and Pentacles), so the Minor cards are relevant to everyday ins and outs but the Major card is about the overall picture, meaning that for a career reading they'd eventually succeed but it'd be after a struggle? Also, I just wanted to say thank you for the responses, it's insightful, anymore replies would definitely be welcomed, the more the better :thumbsup:.
Raggydoll Posted November 17, 2018 Posted November 17, 2018 Majors only trump minors if you’re playing tarocchi. Other than that, it is much more complex - just like Wanderer said. Majors are often seen as representing greater shifts and I find that they tend to signify inner processes (or perhaps outer events that impact us deeply on the inside). But minors should not be discarded as being of less importance. Remember, life is mostly made up by lots of small events that when put together becomes something really profound and powerful. So just because we are looking at a tiny piece of a big puzzle we should not fall for trap of thinking that it is of little significance. And the whole good vs bad cards is such a huge and deep topic that I will only say this: cards are made up of layers and shades, and the more you work with them the more layers and shades you will uncover. It is quite normal to perceive cards as good or bad when you start out, but trust me - as time goes by this thinking will expand. I’ve been reading cards for over 20 years and I’m still very much uncovering new layers and nuances as I continue to work with my cards. And we must never forget that the actual circumstances of the querent or the reading will be the determining factors if a certain quality is to be considered good/constructive/desired, neutral or bad/undesirable. As far as those examples you asked about, you did not specify what type of spread or positions (if any?) they would have been in, so I’m just gonna assume that they can be read as a scenario, starting from left to right. Then in your first example (Tower, 10 of pent, 4 of wands) I’d say: there will be an abrupt change that rocks the foundations of the querent. I am inclined to think that it is an internal shift and that it’s almost like a life crisis. This crisis will affect everyone around the querent but it will also reveal some true, strong family bonds. So even though a lot of things will be (and feel) different, there will be a renewed sense of authenticity and closeness. This will also manifest itself in new family traditions. And there will be a sense of reconnecting, gratitude and relief. There is new stability to be found and it will become a wonderful foundation for building something far more gratifying than that old tower that perhaps looked good but never felt truly right.
Saturn Celeste Posted November 17, 2018 Posted November 17, 2018 Saturn Celeste[/member] Thanks for the welcome :). Okay, your take is a little different from the others as you think that the cards have equal importance. So, the Minor Arcana is more transient, while the Major Arcana is about the full journey. Using my example then, The Chariot would eventually outlast the two Minor Cards (5 of Cups and Pentacles), so the Minor cards are relevant to everyday ins and outs but the Major card is about the overall picture, meaning that for a career reading they'd eventually succeed but it'd be after a struggle? If you used actual positions in the reading the cards would apply to that position and what it represents. I don't use positions so I just look at the cards. You have 2 5's and that can mean you might have conflicts and upheavals. The Chariot is replying to those fives by telling you to grab a hold of the reins and bring this conflict to an end. Each card does it's job. The fives tell you where to look and the Chariot informs you to hold fast and get a forward direction otherwise without control, you'll be all over the place.
Saturn Celeste Posted November 17, 2018 Posted November 17, 2018 tend to signify inner processes (or perhaps outer events that impact us deeply on the inside). I've been thinking of starting a thread about cards that are a process. ;)
Grandma Posted December 7, 2018 Posted December 7, 2018 Grandma[/member] Hello, thanks for the in-depth response. I think it's quite interesting that both you and Wanderer don't see The Tower as a negative card and more as just a sudden change, do you see the 9 or 10 of Swords as a bad card? Or the 5 of Pentacles as a bad card? I just always assumed that some cards are just negative to get in certain readings. Like, I wouldn't want to see the 5 of Pentacles anywhere near a career reading but I'd definitely welcome The Chariot in a career reading if the question was will I be successful in my career. I am using the normal popular Tarot deck (Radiant Rider-Waite), so I think it's just general interpretation of the cards. The career question would just be "would I be successful in my career?". I like how you interpreted The Tower question in two different ways, gave good insight into how different people would read the cards. How would you read the other example I gave with The Chariot, 5 of Cups and 5 of Pentacles? Hi questiontarot[/member] - I'm sorry I haven't responded for so long. To answer your questions: First, as I explained above, I think the most important things to remember are that no card is locked in to one meaning or one attribute such as "good" or "bad", and that no card is read in a vacuum. Here's an actual example from a reading I gave where the Nine of Swords has a positive message, specific to the question, the spread, and the deck: I did a reading here a few months ago using the Ghetto Tarot. The Nine of Machetes (swords) came up in the position of Here and Now. The question was “How can (querent) achieve harmony and balance through conscious and deliberate action?” This is from the reading (the Magician, the archetype of conscious action, concentration and power, was the base card): This card symbolizes the presence of anxiety, guilt, fear, perhaps more than you consciously realize. It’s appearance in the Here and Now suggests that this is the perfect opportunity to directly confront these negative feelings. Transform fear into confidence, guilt into resolution, anxiety into courage. The Magician gives you that power. Additionally, Nines are the point in our Journey when we are almost home. Overcome this challenge and you will realize the full potential of your mental energy. The keywords for this card in this deck are “Unfounded fears and nightmares”. Look deep within yourself to recognize and name the negative thoughts and feelings that are holding you back, that are impeding harmony and balance. Once you have thought long and hard about this, take your hands away from your face, rise from your resting place and take those machetes down from the wall. They no longer need to hover dangerously above your head. Machetes are dangerous weapons, but they are also powerful tools. Use them to cut through whatever impediments are holding you back from your goal. Next, you might like to see the Five of Pentacles come up in a career reading after all, if the question was "will I be successful in my new career?" and the card came up in the position of the past, indicating that hardship will be a thing of the past once you start the job. See what I mean? This is also important - I didn't suggest how two different readers might see the Tower question. I explained how one reader - me - could get different readings for two very different questions. "Should I look for a job or go back to school?" and "why does my boss hate me?" are both career questions after all, but they are asking for completely different information. And finally, I'm not going to read your Chariot and two Fives example two different ways, or even at all. I am going to suggest that you use everything you have learned from this thread to come up with some possible interpretations yourself. This is just a reader passing on a suggestion to another reader in the spirit of a learning community! And again, please forgive me for not answering. I have no idea how that happened. Love, Grandma
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