Catherine Chapman, of Tarot Elements, and Storm Cestavani, of Psychic Friends Live, both asked for techniques and unusual tarot exercises. Most of this month’s blogging has dealt with more philosophical questions regarding tarot reading. So let’s take a day and play with some more practical ideas.

Here’s an oldie but a goody:

The card at the bottom of the deck.

This is a technique I learned early on in my practice…and I cannot remember where I first heard it. After shuffling and laying out the spread, use the card on the bottom to illuminate the underlying issue or something that remains hidden regarding the question.

I have heard that some readers consider the card on the bottom as information that they are meant to know and the querent is not meant to know—something that will help the reader interpret the spread, but I don’t fully understand this and haven’t tried it.

The Missing Card(s)

Many times what isn’t in a reading says as much as what is in a reading. If there are no Cups in a reading about romance, that tells us something about the situation. If someone wants to know if their efforts will bear monetary rewards and there are no Pentacles, that tells us something. These are common and obvious examples. But it can work more subtly, too, keyed into your personal reading style and associations.

The Magically Appearing Card

This is the flipside of the Missing Card, and probably isn’t so much magical as it is synchronistic (or perhaps magic and synchronicity are the same). This is where I pick a card in my head before doing the reading and intending it to mean some sort of answer.

For example, once I read for a woman who wanted to know whether she should pursue her dream of being a dancer. In my mind I thought, well, if the World card (featuring the World Dancer) shows up, then I know it’s absolutely yes. And wouldn’t you know? Guess what card showed up?

A Bonus Tip

I recently wrote an article for the Llewellyn Journal with some tips and techniques. You can find it here. Also, if you click on my name on that page and then scroll down, there will be other Llewellyn Journal articles that could be of interest.

What are some of your favorite tarot reading techniques?

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Written by Barbara Moore
The tarot has been a part of Barbara Moore’s personal and professional lives for over a decade. In college, the tarot intrigued her with its marvelous blending of mythology, psychology, art, and history. Later, she served as the tarot specialist for Llewellyn Publications. Over the years, she has ...