Interpreting a Single Card

In this lesson, we will look at how to interpret one card in a reading on its own. There are four sources of meaning:

1. The first is your unique response to the card based on your background, personality and state of mind.
2. The second is the set of meanings that have built up around the card over the years.
3. The third is the set of meanings associated with the position of a card.
4. The fourth is your question or life circumstances. This element provides a framework for your responses.

To interpret a card, you need to combine these four sources of meaning into some composite that makes sense to you.

At first, you will probably rely on the card and position meanings to guide you. Later, your personal reactions will be more important.

When you read through the actions, you are struck by the following:

• kidding yourself about the facts
• waiting for your ship to come in
• lacking focus and commitment

On reading over the meanings for Position 5, you feel a pull toward:

• your delusions and illusions
• what you're obsessed about
• what you've set your heart on

The sense of this card is beginning to take shape for you. The card seems to be suggesting that you are too busy daydreaming to act constructively.

There is never just one right answer in tarot work! Both of these interpretations make sense. You may wonder how you can decide on the best meaning when there are so many possibilities. You must trust your intuition. Your Inner Guide will give you hints that will lead you toward the ideas that are most important for you.

• TAROT LESSONS
• Tarot lessons, lesson 1 tarot: introduction to the tarot;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 2 tarot: the major arcana;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 3 tarot: the minor arcana;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 4 tarot: the spread;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 5 tarot: the daily reading;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 6 tarot: the environment inner and outer;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 7 tarot: writing a question;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 8 tarot: the question reading;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 9 tarot: the other reading;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 10 tarot: the open reading;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 11 tarot: interpreting a single card;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 12 tarot: major and minor arcana cards;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 13 tarot: aces;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 14 tarot: court cards;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 15 tarot: card pairs;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 16 tarot: position pairs in the celtic cross spread;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 17 tarot: reversed cards;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 18 tarot: creating the story;
• Tarot lessons, lesson 19 tarot: some final thoughts;