Invitation inside 🤩

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Hi there Tarot Friends,

Fist things first.

I'd like to invite you to:

Forecast your 2025 - secrets to prediction

a live workshop on YouTube.

Sunday, December 15th at 4 PM central time.

If you can't make it live, don't worry, I'll send you a link to the recording

Sign up for notifications, handouts, and the recording below.

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Puzzling your way through a Tarot spread

I talk about 3 different methods of approaching a Tarot spread or reading in my book Cracking the Tarot Nut.

• the stereogram
• the puzzle
• language and story

The puzzle approach is probably the least abstract and has the most structure of all the approaches. This approach is for you if you like following step by step methods.

I don't know about you, but this is how I solve a jig saw puzzle.

1. I start with the corners pieces - the easiest to find
2. Then I attach the flat on one side edge pieces to the corner pieces
3. Then I start working on the middle pieces

Applying this to a Tarot spread

1. The corner pieces are the question at hand
2. The edge pieces are the spread placements
3. The interior is the reading techniques you use to create the reading

Aaah, so now you see why I say the question is so important-

and to think your spread placements through before laying the cards!

Without a question and without thoughtful spread placements you're stuck with only the messy middle. Why do that to yourself?

Just like solving a puzzle, the first 2 steps are very methodical.

The final step of solving the interior is much less so. You may jump around, find a cluster here, find a cluster there.

When solving the messy middle, you are trying to put the puzzle together without having the box.

That is, you don't have the final picture to work from.

Pieces of the picture come together in a non-linear fashion.

When solving the middle, you need to scan and keep a broader view. You may connect 2, 3, or 4 pieces and then need to move on.

Scanning and Connecting

Let your eyes jump around the spread. What jumps out at you?

Scanning:

• what predominates in the spread?
  • colors
  • suits
  • major arcana cards
  • numbers
  • people
  • up beat emotions
• what's missing from the spread? (see above)
• what's the overall feeling?
  • active? initiating? chill? fun?
  • happy? sad? bored?
• what are the characters doing?
  • dancing and moving?
  • sleeping or hiding?
• are any themes present?
  • this is where movies come into play - remind you of any?
  • rags to riches
  • sleeping beauty
  • the call to adventure

Connecting:

• are any of the cards looking at each other?
• cards of the same suit
• cards of the same number
• a card that seems like an obvious answer to the question
• what threads or paths can you create by connecting cards?
• don't forget about the spread placements! They are part of the connecting.

Connecting will allow you to start to flesh out the message.

Eventually the picture being painted by the reading comes together and you have your answer.

This is the art of Tarot. There are no pat answers.

Just like with a puzzle, sometimes you have to walk away and come back to it. I realize you can't do this when working with clients, but when reading for yourself, take your time.

When reading for clients it's okay to ask clarifying questions. This is your version of rotating the puzzle to a different angle.

If you're getting stuck in your readings, hit reply and let me know how you're getting stuck.

I'd love to help you get unstuck.

Getting to know you

There are so many things in my life that I wish someone had just told me!

For instance, my son was slow to talk. I wish someone had suggested sign language!

I always had a bent toward being self employed. Not only that, but I had a real hard time fitting into any given system. I wish someone had told me, you don't have to pick a job off a menu. You CAN be self employed. Why didn't they tell me???

Please spare me from another Homer Simpson "Doh!" moment and just tell me.🤦‍♀️

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-Cassandra the Card Reader

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