Tarot and Health

Most people I read for ask about love or money or both. I’ve heard that for many readers health comes in a close third. While I have had a fair number of health readings, I’m not sure I’d say it is the third most asked question.

I’m not really sure that reading for health is all that different than reading for any other question. So much depends on what the querent wants to know and simply going from there.

Some readers won’t read for health issues (or legal issues) because they are not trained in those areas. Many will read for these issues but are very clear that a reading is not a replacement for medical attention. For me, people ask because they’ve been seeing a doctor or doctors for a long time and are frustrated and scared because the doctors cannot figure out what is wrong.

In such a case, perhaps there is another underlying issue, which a tarot reading can reveal. I will usually lay five cards (simply because that is the number of cards I like to work with). If there is a significant number of any certain suit, that gives a clue about the root of the problem: cups = emotional or relationship, wands = will (or work-related stress), etc. Pentacles, of course, lets me know that the root is physical and to continue looking in that realm.

Colors can play a role, too. Sometimes a spread will seem to shout out a particular color. If so, I determine if that color relates to a chakra and if so, explore that possibility further.

Sometimes I ask that cards if the querent should seek out another doctor or try add an alternate therapy.

If a querent asks “should I go to a doctor?” I don’t even shuffle that cards. I just say “yes.”

So, if a querent has a particular issue, I just break it down and read for it as I would any question

However, when an apparently healthy querent wants a general reading about any potential health issues in the future…that gets a little hairy for me because I don’t associate cards with health issues. Instead, I use a spread that my friend Theresa Reed (aka The Tarot Lady) taught me based on the Astrological Houses to get an overview. Each House relates to a part of the body. I lay the cards in a circle reading the numbers like in an astrological chart and see if there are any concerns.

The associations for the Houses/positions is:

1. head, blood, muscles

2. throat, thyroid

3. lungs, nerves, shoulders

4. stomach, breasts

5. heart, spine

6. intestines, lower back

7. kidneys, colon

8. reproductive organs

9. hips, thighs

10. knees, joints, bones

11. upper back, circulation, ankles

12. feet, immune system, mental health