Maximizing Your Tarot Experience - Questions

​As much as i would love to answer every question as clearly as its querent requests, it simply isn't always that straight forward. Professionally, i offer tarot and pendulum readings... however, there are many other forms of divination that i enjoy. Each kind has its strengths, weaknesses and limitations. So, unless you are pretty strongly psychic, it's important to choose your divinatory weapons wisely. But, let's stick to the tarot for now...

What the Tarot Won't Tell Us...
​Timing:
Everyone wants to know *when*...  
​When will I be married? When will I get that job? When will he call?
These are perfectly valid questions. 

We want to know because through the human experience we are led to believe that our own consciousness has an absolute expiration date. And, despite our best defenses (or maybe because of them), we are ever-aware of this. We also have a fairly stable perception of time. We're firm in it - we live our lives by it.

But, what about the tarot?

The Tarot doesn't really speak much to timing. She's less straightforward and more of a conversationalist. i still answer these questions for clients, having developed my own system for timing (as many diviners do). i even have a deck that includes additional cards for each phase of the lunar cycle - they speak directly to this. The thing is that most of the cards still answer in fairly indirect ways. For example, instead of saying '6 months from now', they'll say 'in order for that to happen, this needs to happen first'. So, timing probably isn't best answered via tarot. Don't shy away, let's still try to do this - just be open to receiving less specific answers.

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Yes & No:
Many people also come to me wanting a distinct yes or no answer. And, while the tarot really isn't set up for this, there are several methods for deciphering such a limited question within the tarot. Having a backup form of divination to confirm your answers is always nice, though.

For this, i use one of my trusty pendulums. They literally only give yes/no answers, unless another system is devised. So, again, go for it - ask me those yes/no questions. Just know that we'll most likely be looking outside of the cards for your answers.
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Am I Pregnant:
A more specific yes/no question - but, this, in particular, always kills me a little bit... it's called a pregnancy test. It's both less expensive and a far more direct approach than *anything* else.

Am I Going to Win the Court Case:
Now, this more specific yes/no question opens us up to a larger issue within the tarot. The energy around a Court Case is really quite unpredictable and very fickle. Neither party is usually laying all of their cards on the table, are still looking for further evidence or ways to win the case and the judge or jury doesn't have all of the information until the very end. What the tarot does is get a read on the energy *as things currently are* and *if everyone involved continues in a similar fashion*. So, it is very difficult to gain an accurate read on something so unsettled and easily manipulated. 

While some readers shy away, i actually don't mind answering questions about court cases or similarly unstable situations - however, i always give my clients a heads up on the nature of such things. i might change the way that questions are asked to provide more useful information. And, here, the tarot should be seen as a *guide* throughout the process, as opposed to a fortune teller. So, i also often recommend regular follow up readings - when energy changes so quickly, that never hurts.

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​How Does He/She Feel:
So, this is actually an area of heated debate within the tarot community. It's an ethical matter, really. We call it a third-party reading - asking questions for or about another person. If you think about it, despite feeling as though you deserve or truly need those answers for your own purposes, knowing how someone thinks or feels is pretty sensitive and private information. If you aren't willing to ask and/or they aren't willing to offer that information willingly, perhaps it should be left at that.

​However, as with most things, i take this issue on case by case. i might simply ask your question in a way that's less intrusive or just override and not really subscribe to the privacy policy. Why? Because, all that people are usually doing here is trying to get a better understanding of their situation. That seems fairly innocuous to me. Besides, life is a million shades of grey. And, in all honesty, i think people have a tendency to take things too seriously. i don't like being the ethical police. If you genuinely want to know something, i'm *usually* happy to help. i will let my clients know if i don't feel comfortable with something - but, that rarely happens. All we're doing here is gaining information. i don't see the harm - however, thought i'd put it out there as food for thought.

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So, What ARE Good Questions to Ask?
i don't want to scare you off! Lol... Ask the cards literally anything! It's like when you're in school and the teacher says that no question is a bad question. It's actually true.

Just know that the tarot's language is conversational in nature. This means that the best questions are open-ended and find a good balance between being too broad or too narrow.

Think how, what and why-led inquiries... How can i get that job? What is my greatest strength? Why isn't he calling?

Yes/no, who and where questions are simply too case-specific and narrow to be answered effectively by the tarot. Unfortunately, there isn't a card that says 'Tommy', 'June of 2019' or 'Mexico'... So, if you're looking for that sort of thing, a psychic is your best bet. The tarot is an amazing tool - however, this simply isn't in the scope of her communication with us. 

​Giving your reader a detailed understanding of your situation is always helpful, though. Some people hold back here for fear that their reader is somehow using this information to dupe them. In all honesty, each card has a vast number of meanings and people/places/situations/energies that they represent. Filling us in on what's going on simply allows us to understand the message of the cards as they relate to your specific situation. Trust me, you'll get a *much* better reading. So, make sure to give us all of the important information.

In that vein, tailor your question a bit. You could ask the tarot what your purpose in life is. But, you'll get much better results if you do the groundwork and give her distinct options, asking which best suits your path. This falls in line with each card having multiple meanings and being pretty open - if your question isn't specific enough, you can expect a vague answer. 

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​Finally, the focus is more spiritual in nature. The tarot is like having a conversation with the Divine. She's not a party trick to be taken lightly. Consider that in both the questions you ask and how you receive the messages. And, here, we branch out into a few things...

If you could ask God for advice, what would you ask? Because, that's exactly what you're doing when you go to a reader, psychic or medium. There's nothing wrong with wanting to know about everyday things - after all, absolutely everything is connected. But, in general, the tarot has bigger fish to fry and you probably do, too. 

Conisder this with the answers you receive, as well. i find that the tarot's much more concerned with what is best for our higher selves. This means that she might direct us into situations and realizations that don't leave us feeling as comforted or supported in a 3D sense - but, know that it's what's best overall. i've been good friends with the tarot for over 20 years. She's never steered me wrong and i trust in the timing of every message i receive.

And, adding onto the whole spiritual end of things, please be respectful of both your reader and the lovely gift that they are sharing with you. There's an old saying 'When you visit a witch, bring a gift'. The word witch has been incredibly stigmatized and diluted - but, trust me, your spiritual workers and communicators are indeed witches. The only gift that they require is positive energetic exchanges. 

Now, go make the most of your reading...
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Author: Nin of Silfren Circle

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