A Sample Tarot Reading

A Sample Reading

I've created a template for tarot readings which I used below.    The template shows possible positional influences of the Celtic cross on each card . I then looked up the meanings of the card and selected the one (highlighted in red) that I thought pertained and then included a commentary. It's very important to include your commentary since that allows you to go back to a reading later in time and see what it was really telling you. For example this reading was done at the start of a turn around in my work situation. It wasn't clear at the time were it would lead hence my question.

July 15, 1998
Questions: What's going on in my life right now

Page of Wands

heart of the matter
central issue
major concern
basic worry or upset
primary focus
focal point
fundamental problem tackle a challenge
say "Yes, I can"
believe in yourself
stretch your envelope
move beyond doubts
focus on success
know that where there's a will, there's a way "Look for an opening that excites you, feeds your talents or dares you to be great. " I desperately want to have an opportunity to do the kind of work I'm good at. I'm passionate about my work and I love it but I seem to be struggling to find the right opportunity

7 of Pentacles

opposing factor
"that which is crossing you
contrary element
source of resistance
balancing tendency
moderating influence
rival or subversive agent considering a direction change
weighing a different approach
pondering alternatives
thinking about change
opening to a new strategy
questioning your choices
standing at a crossroads
evaluating your status
reflecting on progress to date The 7 of pentacles is one card where there are two distinct meaning depending on who you read. Crowley lists its meaning as failure which I've never been comfortable with. I do think that failure or futile effort can be one interpretations of the card reversed and here as the opposing factor it's telling me that I perceive all of my effort and energy has gone for naught which is very true

8 of Swords

root cause
source of the problem
basis of the situation
why things are as they are
childhood or past life (karmic) influence
reason behind events
starting point feeling restricted
being fenced in by obstacles
staying in a limited situation
feeling trapped by circumstances
experiencing few options
feeling persecuted
"The 8 of Swords is a sign that you are in a situation in which you will feel a lack of freedom and choice."   I clearly feel trapped, but since the 8 of swords is reversed it occurs to me that it can mean one of two things. Either I'm less trapped then I feel or that my underlying belief that there's a graceful way out of this situation is in error and in fact I'm more caught then I know

Queen of Swords

something related to the past
quality
person
belief
event
orientation
concern has seen and done it all
has strength due to life's hard knocks
is direct and open in all dealings
gets to the heart of the matter
sizes up a situation quickly
understands hidden motives and desires For what ever reason I've not been seen correctly at work. The criticism I receive are so far from my normal faults that I sometimes wonder who they're talking to. The Queen of Swords turned on her head is a wonderful metaphor for what I've gone through for the past year

2 of Swords

alternate future
"what could come into being" - traditional
potential development
different possibility
another option
what you think will happen
future you are consciously projecting being at a stalemate
feeling afraid to act
reaching an impasse
staying stuck
refusing to decide
being unwilling to rock the boat
staying on the fence
being safe in the eye of the hurricane I've gotten to know the 2 of swords well over the years. It's the "I'm in a really shitty situation but if I just stay cool no permanent harm will come to me" card. I've been through a variation of this twice before with jobs and I survived both times. I'm also struck by the fact that this is one of my lesson and opportunity cards for this year.

Strength

something related to the future
valid approach
what will be useful
coming focus
opportunity
orientation showing strength
knowing you can endure
having a gallant spirit
feeling an unshakable resolve
taking heart despite setbacks
having stamina
being a rock This card is opposed by the 8 of cups. There seems to be a pattern in this reading of cards offset by other cards but it all resolves around the same issue: I perceive myself to be in a difficult situation that I want to get out of but without compromising my integrity or my reputation.

Page of Pentacles

you - as you see yourself (traditional)
your self-image
your beliefs about yourself
your sense of where you are
your fears about yourself
your assumptions about yourself
how you limit yourself Be Practical
take a realistic approach
apply the tools at hand
find a solution that works
use common sense
stop daydreaming
work with what you have
accommodate uncertainty
accept others at their word "Pages are messengers.   The Page of Pentacles offers gestures of prosperity, wealth, abundance, security and solid achievement."
In terms of how I see myself and where I want to be the page of pentacles reflects it. The question is why the page? Why a messenger card? I'm struck by the possibility that the message is that I'm limiting myself by being unable to accommodate uncertainty. That my impatience is undermining who and what I am and what I want

8 of Cups

Outside environment
"that which surrounds you" - traditional
emotional climate
physical and social milieu
setting for the situation
context in which you must operate seeking deeper meaning
focusing on personal truth
leaving the rat race
looking for answers
concentrating on what is important
starting on a journey of discovery
finding out the facts
devoting more time to the spiritual "The 8 of Cups stands for those moments when we realize, once and for all, that the past is gone. What was true is no longer true. It is indeed time to move on." I've recently made the decision to leave my job and I'm struggling for the best way to transition out of this situation.

3 of Pentacles

what you might do
how best to proceed
how you can make a change
truth of the matter
different approach
helpful suggestion
honest assessment
underestimated influence being competent
getting the job done
meeting your goals
proving your ability
achieving more than what's expected
knowing what to do and how to do it
being up to the job The three of pentacles is one of my life time lesson and opportunity cards. I've always valued it and always felt that it represented my commitment to my work as a driving central theme of my life. To have it here can mean a number of things. 1) that being who and what I truly am is the right approach 2) that this aspect of myself is being compromised by or threatened by the 8 of swords.

2 of Cups

outcome - overall
the most likely result
what may come to pass
how the situation may be resolved
where everything is leading
probable resolution calling a truce
healing a severed relationship
bringing together opposites
letting bygones be bygones
coming to a satisfactory agreement
declaring peace
forgiving and forgetting
helping and being helped "look for connections in your life, especially those that are one-on-one. . It is the time to join with another and work as a partnership". I'm very unclear of what the 2 of cups might mean in this position. It's another of my lesson and opportunity cards for the year. If I look at from that perspective I would say that the answer I'm really looking for is one I need to find in connection with my husband. That I'm not in this alone.

Copyright © 1995-1998 by Joan Bunning for the tarot material

Page of Wands	heart of the matter central issue major concern basic worry or upset primary focus focal point fundamental problem	tackle a challenge say "Yes, I can" believe in yourself stretch your envelope move beyond doubts focus on success know that where there's a will, there's a way	"Look for an opening that excites you, feeds your talents or dares you to be great. " *I desperately want to have an opportunity to do the kind of work I'm good at. I'm passionate about my work and I love it but I seem to be struggling to find the right opportunity*
7 of Pentacles	opposing factor "that which is crossing you contrary element source of resistance balancing tendency moderating influence rival or subversive agent	considering a direction change weighing a different approach pondering alternatives thinking about change opening to a new strategy questioning your choices standing at a crossroads evaluating your status reflecting on progress to date	The 7 of pentacles is one card where there are two distinct meaning depending on who you read. Crowley lists its meaning as failure which I've never been comfortable with. I do think that failure or futile effort can be one interpretations of the card reversed and here as the opposing factor it's telling me that I perceive all of my effort and energy has gone for naught which is very true
8 of Swords	root cause source of the problem basis of the situation why things are as they are childhood or past life (karmic) influence reason behind events starting point	feeling restricted being fenced in by obstacles staying in a limited situation feeling trapped by circumstances experiencing few options feeling persecuted	"The 8 of Swords is a sign that you are in a situation in which you will feel a lack of freedom and choice." I clearly feel trapped, but since the 8 of swords is reversed it occurs to me that it can mean one of two things. Either I'm less trapped then I feel or that my underlying belief that there's a graceful way out of this situation is in error and in fact I'm more caught then I know
Queen of Swords	something related to the past quality person belief event orientation concern	has seen and done it all has strength due to life's hard knocks is direct and open in all dealings gets to the heart of the matter sizes up a situation quickly understands hidden motives and desires	For what ever reason I've not been seen correctly at work. The criticism I receive are so far from my normal faults that I sometimes wonder who they're talking to. The Queen of Swords turned on her head is a wonderful metaphor for what I've gone through for the past year
2 of Swords	alternate future "what could come into being" - traditional potential development different possibility another option what you think will happen future you are consciously projecting	being at a stalemate feeling afraid to act reaching an impasse staying stuck refusing to decide being unwilling to rock the boat staying on the fence being safe in the eye of the hurricane	I've gotten to know the 2 of swords well over the years. It's the "I'm in a really shitty situation but if I just stay cool no permanent harm will come to me" card. I've been through a variation of this twice before with jobs and I survived both times. I'm also struck by the fact that this is one of my lesson and opportunity cards for this year.
Strength	something related to the future valid approach what will be useful coming focus opportunity orientation	showing strength knowing you can endure having a gallant spirit feeling an unshakable resolve taking heart despite setbacks having stamina being a rock	This card is opposed by the 8 of cups. There seems to be a pattern in this reading of cards offset by other cards but it all resolves around the same issue: I perceive myself to be in a difficult situation that I want to get out of but without compromising my integrity or my reputation.
Page of Pentacles	you - as you see yourself (traditional) your self-image your beliefs about yourself your sense of where you are your fears about yourself your assumptions about yourself how you limit yourself	Be Practical take a realistic approach apply the tools at hand find a solution that works use common sense stop daydreaming work with what you have accommodate uncertainty accept others at their word	"Pages are messengers. The Page of Pentacles offers gestures of prosperity, wealth, abundance, security and solid achievement." In terms of how I see myself and where I want to be the page of pentacles reflects it. The question is why the page? Why a messenger card? I'm struck by the possibility that the message is that I'm limiting myself by being unable to accommodate uncertainty. That my impatience is undermining who and what I am and what I want
8 of Cups	Outside environment "that which surrounds you" - traditional emotional climate physical and social milieu setting for the situation context in which you must operate	seeking deeper meaning focusing on personal truth leaving the rat race looking for answers concentrating on what is important starting on a journey of discovery finding out the facts devoting more time to the spiritual	"The 8 of Cups stands for those moments when we realize, once and for all, that the past is gone. What was true is no longer true. It is indeed time to move on." *I've recently made the decision to leave my job and I'm struggling for the best way to transition out of this situation.*
3 of Pentacles	what you might do how best to proceed how you can make a change truth of the matter different approach helpful suggestion honest assessment underestimated influence	being competent getting the job done meeting your goals proving your ability achieving more than what's expected knowing what to do and how to do it being up to the job	The three of pentacles is one of my life time lesson and opportunity cards. I've always valued it and always felt that it represented my commitment to my work as a driving central theme of my life. To have it here can mean a number of things. 1) that being who and what I truly am is the right approach 2) that this aspect of myself is being compromised by or threatened by the 8 of swords.
2 of Cups	outcome - overall the most likely result what may come to pass how the situation may be resolved where everything is leading probable resolution	calling a truce healing a severed relationship bringing together opposites letting bygones be bygones coming to a satisfactory agreement declaring peace forgiving and forgetting helping and being helped	"look for connections in your life, especially those that are one-on-one. . It is the time to join with another and work as a partnership". I'm very unclear of what the 2 of cups might mean in this position. It's another of my lesson and opportunity cards for the year. If I look at from that perspective I would say that the answer I'm really looking for is one I need to find in connection with my husband. That I'm not in this alone.