A card in the left position indicates what has happened to affect your question in the past.

Meaning: The roses that tumble off the bed connect this card to love, and it may be that the question concerns itself with matters of love that bring anguish to the mind. This is one of the few cards in the entire deck that can allude to a physical death and the mental disarray of grief and bereavement. You have a deep sense that things have failed; solace is hard to find. This is the dark night of the soul. Others may have turned against you and defamed your character, but remember that what other people think of you is actually none of your business. Your sleep patterns are disturbed, and your mind, even when at rest, invokes nightmares that stir you from your sleep. In a world filled with wonder and joy, yours currently feels dark and dreadful. The world around you carries on, seemingly without a care, adding fuel to the thoughts that bind you. Depression may be a significant factor in this reading.

 Return to Top

A card in the middle position indicates what is affecting your question at this time.

Meaning: The Father (the Emperor) takes the wisdom of the soul's journey and carries it towards the center and the expression of beauty. By doing so, it must cross the great abyss beyond the High Priestess's veil. Whatever venture the question invokes must be dealt with strongly and authority must be shown, but is the question correct to begin with—and do you have the guts to see this through? Potentially you do, but be careful with the manner by which you express your strength. This can be a card of business and fi nancial ventures, material things, but it also is a card that questions your motives.

 Return to Top

A card in the right position indicates your questions future.

Meaning: This can be a hard card to swallow, and its position this late in the Major Arcana can be perplexing, but the trap of materialism and the allure of gain can overcome even the most devout and committed of spiritual seekers. This card implies that there is illusion rife within this question and that things are governed by the basic needs that so many humans crave: money, sex, power, and gain. But know also that sexual energy and spiritual energy cannot be separated. In fact, there is no separation between physiology and spirituality. The querent may feel trapped, but it is likely that the trap is of their own doing or governed by the illusion of bondage, material gain, and ignorance, all of which can lead to frustration and helplessness. Perhaps the querent has spent too many years saying yes rather than learning the power of no.

 Return to Top