How the Purpose of a Tarot Reading Affects Interpretation

A card reading, whether it is Tarot, Oracle, or some other divination system has a purpose and the impact of the cards’ meanings are affected by this. The purpose may be predictive or energetic. When conducting a predictive reading, possible events are examined based on current trends. An energetic reading looks at the current energies and how they are moving within a certain period of time. Specific events are not examined.

Let’s take a notoriously dramatic card as an example. The Tower is associated with extreme, sudden change and upheaval. I’ve used the phrases “things could change in the blink of an eye” and “the situation may go to Hell in a handbasket” when encountering this card in readings. However, the intention of the reading may soften or intensify the interpretation.

Daily Cards

Your daily pull is simply a small-scale reading that gives you a sneak peek at the energies around you. Unless you are reading about a specific situation for the day, this is a generic energy forecast. If I pulled the Tower for my daily card, I would not expect my house to burn down, although that is in the scope of possibility. The intention of the reading was an energy read, not a predictive reading. The Tower as daily energy may tell you that your plans will be completely turned upside down. You may also surmise that unexpected events will disrupt the day-to-day routine.

Weekly/Monthly Forecast

A weekly or monthly reading is also a short-term energy snapshot. If I were to perform either reading, I would use more than one card, and these would be in a set spread. The spread designation would determine most of the context for the card, but it would still have a softer impact than if I were reading about a specific situation. Additionally, yearly readings would also be energetic. Consider a New Year’s or Birthday reading. These usually look at the year ahead as a map of the energies you may encounter. Still, the Tower as energy would be a warning to expect the unexpected.

Predictive Readings

Predictive readings are intended to show what could possibly happen within a particular timeframe. There is usually a situation specified as well. With a specific question or situation in mind, the cards show a more specific focus. The intensity of the card’s interpretation would depend on the placement within a spread and the surrounding cards. So, if I were to ask what is possible in my career over the next three months, and the Tower appeared as the outcome (I prefer to call this position “possibilities” or “possible outcome”), I would interpret this as an extreme and uncomfortable change. I could be fired. The company could go out of business. I could, in a moment of absolute anger, tell my employer to “take this job and shove it.”

In closing, keep your intention and timeframe in mind as you interpret the cards, especially when you are working with an energy reading. You may save yourself or your querent some anxiety. I hope that you can use my view of the intentions of a Tarot reading to improve your reading practice.