Tarot School No. 2.0
Let's learn Tarot, in context
Welcome to our second Tarot School! I’m very glad that you are here with me, and I hope that you’ll jump right into the comments!
I’ll post a spread today, and some questions that come to mind when looking at the cards within it. Specifically, we’ll focus on one single card, and its possible meaning when viewed in the context of its position within the spread, and the other cards within the spread.
In upcoming days I’ll post my own thoughts about what the spread is communicating to us with a special focus on the specific card we are considering. It is important, when reading Tarot, that we view each card in context. And I hope that by looking at spreads in this way, we can see how context changes meaning.
With that, on with our reading!
Our querent is a woman in her late 30’s, asking about her existing romantic relationship.1
The card we will be exploring in the context of this spread is the Page of Cups, positioned to Crown our querent.2
I’m using the Celtic Cross spread because I believe that most people are familiar with it, but perhaps with my own twist. Very specific information about the spread and how I use it can be found here.
I’m also using a version of the Tarot designed by A.E. Waite and created by Pamela Smith. It is long out of copyright, and a deck that I believe most should be quite familiar with.
The Page of Cups. In a question about an ongoing romantic relationship. In the Crowning position for our querent, or what I see as her conscious desire. It’s what she’s thinking about when not distracted by temporary issues or problems, it’s what she wants at a high level.
In relation to the question, the spread as a whole looks quite positive to me. There may be some current strife, and she may have hurt her partner recently. But, things look to have been good in the past, with potentially a bright future ahead. And our Page of Cups certainly doesn’t indicate anything contrary to that.
Some questions come to mind:
How would you read the Page of Cups, in this context? What does this card, in this spread position, for this querent and her question mean?
There is only one Major Arcana card (The Sun) in the entire spread. That seems to indicate that the energies it symbolizes are reigning supreme overall. How do you think those energies might color the spread as a whole?
The suit of Cups dominates the spread, taking fully half of the card positions. How do you think that impacts the reading? Does it bode well for our querent and her situation, given her question?
No particular Minor Arcana card number is overly represented in the spread, but it does contain four Court cards. A King, a Knight, and two Pages. Do you find meaning in the fact that there are so many Court cards represented in the spread?
There is quite a large contrast between our querent’s present state as indicated by the 5 of Wands and the Knight of Swords, and her past state as indicated by the 10 of Cups, and her future state as indicated by the Ace of Cups. What do you read this to mean?
There is also an apparent disconnect (but also a connection) between how our querent sees herself, indicated by the 2 of Cups, and how her partner sees her, indicated by the 3 of Swords. What do you read this to mean?
That 5 of Wands and Knight of Swords right there in the heart of the matter indicates quite a bit of strife, but that strife is not indicated anywhere else on the side of our spread illustrating generative energies. Why do you think that is?
What else do you see in this spread? How do you see the Page of Cups interacting within it?
What would you tell our querent? What do you think she can learn from all of this? What advice would you give her?
Let’s discuss all of this in the comments below!
I’ll jump in with my own thoughts about these questions and more in future posts, over the next handful of days. This will be fun, and an excellent way for us to learn from each other!
Please do remember that Tarot is an intensely personal art, there are no universally right or wrong answers, only right or wrong answers for ourselves.
Let’s chat…
Gender and age of the querent is randomly generated, using a weighted formula based on actual querents in the real world. Likewise, the question is randomly selected, via a weighted formula.
The specific card selected as our focus is randomly selected, using a non-weighted formula.
In the context of the card layout as I see it, the Page of Cups stands out as a youthful and imaginative figure.
King of Cups: Represents emotional maturity, wisdom, and compassion. The Page of Cups could be learning from or aspiring to embody these qualities.
Page of Swords: Another youthful figure, but more focused on intellect, curiosity, and communication. The Page of Cups might be contrasting with or complementing the Page of Swords in terms of their approaches to learning or expressing themselves.
Three of Swords: Symbolizes heartache, emotional pain, or sorrow. The Page of Cups could be encountering or trying to understand emotional challenges or disappointments.
Two of Cups: Represents harmony, connection, and mutual understanding in relationships. The Page of Cups might be experiencing the beginnings of emotional bonds or partnerships.
Ace of Cups: Signifies new emotional beginnings, love, and spiritual fulfillment. The Page of Cups could be exploring or discovering new emotions or creative inspirations.
Ten of Cups: Indicates emotional fulfillment, happiness, and family harmony. The Page of Cups might be seeking or envisioning this ideal state in relationships or personal life.
Five of Wands: Reflects challenges, competition, or conflicting interests. The Page of Cups might be navigating conflicts or disagreements in a creative or emotional context.
Knight of Swords: Represents action, determination, and decisiveness. The Page of Cups might be inspired or challenged by this energetic and assertive figure.
The Sun: Symbolizes joy, success, and positivity. The Page of Cups could be experiencing or seeking happiness and contentment in emotional or creative endeavors.
I'm strongly feeling a youthful, imaginative approach to emotions, creativity, and relationships. It may suggest a period of emotional growth, exploration, or learning, influenced by various aspects of joy, challenges, intellectual pursuits, and emotional experiences depicted by the other cards on the board.
I think they either want a baby and she's having trouble conceiving or she wants a baby and he doesn't (or doesn't yet). She wants an apology and an end to the strife. There's an energetic discrepancy. She wants things to either go back to what they were prior to the strife, or she wants what she thought the relationship was going to be but isn't, and she's having trouble rectifying that. The partner sees her as heartbroken and there's either nothing he can do about it or nothing he's willing to do about it based on his perception of the situation.