Need feedback on this reading please

[BLouise]

I did a reading for myself using the celtic cross layout and I would like to have anyone and everyone's input!  I combined the meanings from my book w/ the Rider waite meanings and tried to use my intuition to interpret this spread the best I could.  If anyone has anymore insite or see's something I may have overlooked please let me know.

Significator – 2 Cups – 1st card
I can interpret this card as signifying a new aspect to my marriage.  This year has been a stressful one for our family and I think we have come to an understanding with each other about our situation.  It has brought us closer together, so I guess it is a new relationship in a sense.

Crossing – Queen Cups – 2nd card
I guess I could interpret it as meaning that I need to exhibit these qualities at this time in my life.  Later in the spread I see that the Lovers card appears next to her and I wonder if this means a possible affair.

Crowning – 3 Swords – 3rd card
My book says that this card describes the atmosphere and situation which hangs over the seeker in the immediate present. But this doesn't make sense.  This card would indicate that I am currently in a state of sorrow, suffering and tension, but I am not.  If I interpret this card as Samantha has suggestion (being the 3rd card drawn, making it the distant past card) it fits more appropriately.  Since about 5-7 months ago I was in this state.

Base – Strength – 4th card
If I try to interpret this card as the base of my current situation I could say that I need to not focus so much on details and look more at the big picture.  This is a time to exhibit determination, courage, patience and self-discipline.  If interpreted it as the past (as Samantha suggests) then I can say courage, strength and self-discipline have contributed to my current situation.

Past influences – 3 pentacles – 5th card
This could represent our financial situation.  We have had to employ all of these factors to get our budget under control, ie, planning, team work, etc…

Forthcoming – Lovers – 6th card
This could signify that my relationship with my husband will only improve in the future.  On the other hand I could also interpret this as an affair, since this card appears next to the Queen of cups I could surmise that my husband will start an intimate relationship with a woman of with these qualities.

Where you are – 8 Cups – 7th card
I think that interpreted as my book suggests, this card implies that this is my mental state over a loss in my life.  I feel weary over the battle this year that has taken so much time out of our lives as well as resigned that we have to give up on this chapter and move on.  Interpreted as what I fear (as Samantha suggests), it would also fit.  I fear that things would get worse and we would have to make more sacrifices which would make me depressed and withdrawn.

Friends and Family – 7 Cups – 8th card
I guess this would suggest that others see me either as living in a fantasy land or they believe that I am in a better place than I am.  They may think that I am “living the good life” or the life that I hoped for, full of magic and possibilities.  In some ways this would be an illusion because I believe I am far from the place I would idealy like to be in my life although I am currently not unhappy.

Hopes and Fears – 6 cups – 9th card
If I use the meaning of this card from my book I can interpret it as a time of serenity which grows out of the testing of the dreams of the past.  That dreams from the past can still be accomplished.  Although, the original dream that we could all live happily ever after together isn’t still possible, I can still have my dream with some changes.  We will still have a happy family, just not as I had planned.

Outcome – 6 swords – 10th card
This card could signify a more peaceful mental state.  A time of calm after an anxiety provoking time. Also I could say that this card means that this may be the calmer period after turbulent times. My situation will improve and I will find the solutions to my problems.

I did rely on the book more than intuition.  I'm still trying to get the hang of this and I don't have all the meanings memorized yet.  Even with the keywords listed on my cards I find myself going back to the definitions for some clarification.

Thanks in advance for any input.

[Rhutobello]

Just a speedy comment.....The spread look good.....but to read for oneself is one of the hardest thing to do, in my opinion.

Why? just because you know yourself so good and want to fit everything into what you know or think is true.
With this I AM NOT saying that you have done this, I just have that feeling  so I never lay for myself

I will use the opertunity to challange your 2 classmates, take her spread and the cards she has recived and do your own interpretion of the spread.

Always have in mind that diffrent readers have diffrent approch to spreads...so even if all 3 are different, none of them is wrong in my opinion.

I am a bit bussy or I would tried to it myself....will be better in 2-3 weeks.....but for you 3 such challange can be fun

[BLouise]

That is absolutely what I did here.  I guess I can't really interpret it if I can't see where if fits in to my life so I guess I might get some better insight if others tried to interpret it.  They may see things that I don't because it didn't fit in with what I know to be true.

[George]

That is absolutely what I did here.  I guess I can't really interpret it if I can't see where if fits in to my life so I guess I might get some better insight if others tried to interpret it.  They may see things that I don't because it didn't fit in with what I know to be true.

i printed out your layout and will do it sometimes next week and try to post it as soon as i can within that work or the following.  

it looks like you layed your cross out like i did the first time for myself.    your significator card is not the first card out of the ten you will lay to make your cross and scepter.  you pick your Significator and then place first card on the Significator completely covering it (which means you will not see the significator at all when reading your cross's layout.  At this point you will have 11 cards on the table.  (although i am getting the feeling or i read it somewhere that some people do not use the significator at all).    

Did you ask a question or three before laying the cards or did you just lay the cards out?  usually, the querent  (you) asks one to three questions of the cards and then spread the cards. (of course, these doesn't seem to be a rule set in stone). i've did one with one question and two without any questions and they all seem to hit the mark.  the ones without the questions seem to be more of a general reading and not trying to answer
any questions which seems to work for me, so it goes...

fear not the cards still can be read... it seems that any set of cards can be read even if you do it differently then others, so it goes...  after all it's intuition and not rocket science!  :smt026

as for you using combined meanings of your books that is good.
keep in mind that each cards has several meanings and that is when inuition kicks in to choose those meanings.
i'm finding that inuitition will kick for me when choosing which meaning by the cards surrounding a certain cards because they all start telling the story of the querent.

for instance:  i've doing a reading right now that the card "that crosses him" is a 7 of swords meaning that the querent has had setbacks, back luck and hitting with everything at once (so my inutition tells me considering all the other meanings for this card).  my book states that if other swords cards and around that the querent is at a "stand still"   so instead of just saying that the card that cross you and is the chanllages and negative influences that he has to face has to do with bad luck and set back but i change the meaning to say you have dealt with setbacks that our making you feel like you are at a "stand still"  so he is not facing what has happen but what was the product of it.  i hope that makes some sense.

good luck  :smt006

[BLouise]

it looks like you layed your cross out like i did the first time for myself.     your significator card is not the first card out of the ten you will lay to make your cross and scepter.  you pick your Significator and then place first card on the Significator completely covering it (which means you will not see the significator at all when reading your cross's layout.  At this point you will have 11 cards on the table.  (although i am getting the feeling or i read it somewhere that some people do not use the significator at all).    

George - I followed the directions in my book.  This is how it tells me to lay it out, with the first card drawn as the significator and a total of 10 cards.  I guess there must be several different ways to do it.  Your suggestion sounds interesting though, I wonder why you would hand pick the significator?  Also, when I did my reading I just had the idea in my head of finding out where I should be focusing my energy.  If there is an affair in the future as the lovers and the queen may suggest I guess I need to focus on my marraige.  What do you think?

[George]

George - I followed the directions in my book.  This is how it tells me to lay it out, with the first card drawn as the significator and a total of 10 cards.  I guess there must be several different ways to do it.  Your suggestion sounds interesting though, I wonder why you would hand pick the significator?  

I am using a book on reading the tarot that i bought years before i even own my cards.  anyway, it explain and shows how to pick the significator (it doesn't use that word)  it just says to pick up the card that represents the person you are reading.  you pick one card from on of the four suits. you choose from the king, queen, knight, or page to get your significator.  

Also, when I did my reading I just had the idea in my head of finding out where I should be focusing my energy.  If there is an affair in the future as the lovers and the queen may suggest I guess I need to focus on my marraige.  What do you think?

i started working on your reading today.  i only read like the first two cards of your post but stopped because i wanted to read the cards cold and without you thought they meant.  i'm thinking i will compair to what i see and what you say is going on.  After i'm done with my reading of your cards i will comapir and maybe change some meanings because of your own insight in your reading and life.  i tend to believe asking question as you read can give a more rich reading for the querent.  

by a quick glance of the cards i felt overall positive because of all the cups and some hinding aspects of the reading because of the sword cards and maybe about money becuse of the pentacle.  
from the three pages of notes i have so far on your reading i woudln't say  an affair but and firendship that maybe be getting "too serious".  there for sure is a focus on marriage in the cards
give me a day or so to finish my studying of the cards and i will post my reading when i am done although i sure i already know how i feel about what they mean and the overall picture.  

btw, i think the queen of  cups maybe you. which is fun because it is showing up in your own reading but i will have to look closer at that.  ARe you medium coloring, usually blue, gray or green eyes, from sandy, blondish to medium brown har?  (even if you dye your hair those colors)


i'm having super fun doing this reading for you!  :smt006   [/quote]

[BLouise]

george - I felt that the queen card might represent the qualities that I need to envoke at this time in my life.  My hair and eyes are both brown.

So far your interpretation sounds very interesting.  I can't wait to here your reading.  I forgot how much I love to have readings done for me.

I have a hard time looking at the overall picture also.  I was overwhelmed with everything in the individual cards I didn't even think to try to interpret the cups vs pentacles, etc aspect.  Although I did take a look at the numbers, but I couldn't see anything significant.  I don't really know what they mean yet.

Also, I wanted to ask, when you draw the first card by hand what does that card tell you?  Do you just go by what that card represents to try to get a better feel for the person?  What factors do you use to choose?  Do you just go by their appearance?  How does this card help you do the reading?

[George]

george - I felt that the queen card might represent the qualities that I need to envoke at this time in my life.  My hair and eyes are both brown.

I have a hard time looking at the overall picture also.  I was overwhelmed with everything in the individual cards I didn't even think to try to interpret the cups vs pentacles, etc aspect.  Although I did take a look at the numbers, but I couldn't see anything significant.  I don't really know what they mean yet.

don't be overwhlemed with all the meanings of the cards.  just pick and choose what you need to tell your story.  not everything in their meanings are meant to be said in one given reading.
as for "didn't even think to inrepret the cups vs pentacles.  don't worry about it you are still learning and once you get into the lesson you will feel that cups seems to be positive in general the human condition, the penatcles are money issue and skills, swords and aggressive, war, worry etc.  where as wands are laborm business tilling of the soil etc.
like in your reading there are a lot of cups so a lot of the human conditions with some trouble makers thrown in for good measure.   now, to be modest about this i'm not sure how i picked up on doing it this way but it seem to be what is being tought in the lesson and its working for me.

i have not messed with learning the number meaning yet.

there are always the colors: red and black to look at which i just don't get.  my book talks about that.  way over my head for now.  just looking for the plain meaning of the cards right now.

Also, I wanted to ask, when you draw the first card by hand what does that card tell you?  Do you just go by what that card represents to try to get a better feel for the person?  What factors do you use to choose?  Do you just go by their appearance?  How does this card help you do the reading?

lets keep in mind that we are talking about the Celtic Cross layout because some layouts don't have an significator.  If you read "A Tutorial For The Celtic Cross" by samantha234 you will see she uses 11 cards like my book does so to answer your question about why do i draw the card by hand is because it seems to be the rigth thing to do so far.

My book listed several charatrisc type of the king, queen, knight, and page.
for instances the cups are people with medium coloring; usually blue, gray, or green eyes; from sandy to medium brown hair.. The pentacles are very fair; blond to light brown hair; blue, gray, or green eyes. and so on.  To make note of that the author says he uses to color scheme because it works best for him.  I've seen other meaning, but close, by other people.  right now i use it because it is the easy for me until i learn more about choosing the significator.  Right now i do nothing special in choosing it.

A Tutorial For The Celtic Cross
http://mysticboard.org/vi ... hp?t=11687

[BLouise]

If you read "A Tutorial For The Celtic Cross" by samantha234 you will see she uses 11 cards like my book does

that is funny, I was trying to use both my book and Samantha's suggestions and when I went back to make comparisons I totally missed that part.  I did read it the first time through, but missed it later

Thanks for the feedback, this is sooo helpful.  Any tips on doing a three card spread?  Do you use that one?  If so do like it and why?

[George]

Thanks for the feedback, this is sooo helpful.  Any tips on doing a three card spread?  Do you use that one?  If so do like it and why?

i haven't used the three card spread yet.  within our lessons here i'm pretty sure that it is used to start learning to read the cards and to tell the story of the querent.  well, at least i think i saw it in one of the lessons!  :smt017

[George]

I pulled all the cards out and looked at them before I even started as to get a feel for what is going on.  I do my Celtic Cross reading differently then Samantha.  She does like a round the world type placement and reading.  I do the Roman Catholic cross type placement.  Meaning that if you know how Catholics cross themselves then you know what I mean.  The placements’ meaning are the same just different wording is all.  

Card 1:  The 2 of cups that “covers you” represents the overall events, situations or influences surrounding you.  Shows a relationship, a good marriage.  Two of a kind.

Card 2:  The Queen of Cups “crosses” you and represents the current problems, challenges, and negative influences that you have to face.  The queen is a motherly figure

Card 3:  The 3 of Swords that “crowns you” represents your knowledge of the present situation and the influences affecting it. Are you feeling heartbroken, the feelings of being stabbed in the back.  This showing a personal conflict that you have had or will have.

Card 4:  Strength is “beneath you”.  It is the root.  The actual reason for the problem to occur or how you feel about it subconscious.  You feeling passion subdued, quiet determination, sweet reason over raging irrationality. You can catch more flies with honey then vinegar.  

Card 5:  The 3 of Pentacles is “behind you” (near past).  Refers to your work.

Card 6:  The Lovers card is “before you” the future (near future).  It shows a courtship and marriage, personal commitments to another human. Love and by products of affection: friendship and companionship.  

Card 7:  The 8 of Cups is “you” and represents your attitude and negative feeling regarding the question. Has material success now are looking for person or spiritual fulfillment.  

Card 8:  The 7 of Cups is “your home” and represents the options and influences of family and friends.  All 7s imply change. Difficulty in making up ones mind. General a change for the better.  

Card 9:  The 6 of Cups is your “fears and hopes” can mean a new friend that you will become too serious and become the 3rd wheel person that may complicated things for you.

Card 10: The 6 of cups that is the “outcome” implies divorce, broken friendship, parting of the ways.

Because the 2 of cups are surrounded by cups and pentacle means that the beginning of a long lasting relationship, maybe a friendship.  Which seem even true because The Lovers are near.  This is might be where the Queen of Cups comes in.   Because the 3 of swords is near The Lovers may mean a break up or divorce especially if the five or six of swords are near.  So be careful in this coming friendship.  This is where this becomes more interesting is with the Lovers on a deeper level in its meaning. A struggle between good and evil, virtue and vice, love and sex.  The difference between just a passing inflation and a permanent relationship.  A women who calls the shots. Is this the queen of cups again?   The 7 of cups near The Lovers means a change in one’s love life. A new romance, things are going to get serious.  Beware of the Six of Swords as your outcome, is a breaking away from a bad relationship.  You will have a third wheel that is going to get in the way be in an affair or a friendship.  The queen of the cups says to me a friendship.  Watch out for impulsive decisions and be aware of it of your action.  I tend to believe you control your own future especially when you are aware of certain dangers.  

Any feedback would be nice  :smt006

[Doris]

Hi Blouise,

I hope you don’t mind me doing a reading using your cards. I used the book that came with the cards to help me make my interpretations. I also laid the cards using the celtic cross as shown in my book. Can you let me know what you think?

Significator – (inner self) – 2 Cups
Love and relationships are very important to you. The focus of this card is a meeting of hearts and the power of love how it can bring opposites together and unite them.

Crossing – (obstacle) – Queen Cups
This card indicates a woman who inspires love in you, a therapist or mother. Yet I have a feeling it could be yourself.

Crown – (prevailing principle, goal) – 3 Swords
It shows heartache and suffering, however from heartache there can come healing and a maturing of our ability to love.

Base – (basis of situation) – Strength
This card could signify that you are or want to enter into a deeper relationship and yet in relationships conflict is inevitable. Strength teaches us not to avoid conflict but to handle it with compassionate awareness, trust and love.

Past – (immediate past) – 3 Pentacles
This shows you have put in a lot of effort in the past, and developed good skills and a strong foundation. Rewards or recognition of your past efforts may soon be coming your way.

Forthcoming – (immediate future) – Lovers
I think this card indicates not a future lover but a union which will bring fulfillment and purpose, but there will be choices which need to be made.

Where – (what is feared) – 8 Cups
This card indicates a time for you to move on. Our natural tendency is to want to keep and hold on to the things we have. Look inside you, your feelings find what you need to let go in order to move forward.

Family- (what others feel) – 7 Cups
This card relates to our imagination and creativity. Others may see you as a daydreamer or living in a world that is not real to them but the land of dreams.

Hopes – (wishes) – 6 Cups
You wish for love and harmony, perhaps a reunion with an old friend or lover or a re-establishing of a relationship with a person from the past.

Outcome – (what may come) – 6 Swords
There is respite. You may have felt weighed down by difficulties or stress, take a holiday or journey which will help you to gain perspective and find healing.

[BLouise]

You guys have done a great job.  I guess what I can take from this is that I will enter into a new relationship with another woman, but must be weary of this relationship.  Not only of her actions, but of my own handling of the relationship.

This gives me a great example of seeing the theme and relating the cards to it.  I had a hard time tying them all together, but you guys have done an excellent job of it.

It is interesting what you see when you are on the inside looking out verses outside looking in.

I will keep a look out for my potential new friend

Thanks to both of you I have learned a lot from this.

[niravcal]

Hi Blouise,
I do the Celtic Cross a little differently, so I am going to give my interpretation based on the series in which the cards were drawn. Here's my interpretation:

Card#1 (covers you): Two of Cups
This signifies that love and relationship is uppermost in your mind. The fact that the card means truce, love and bonding, it suggests that there is no major issue withyour current relationship for you to be worried about.

Card#2 (crosses you): Queen of Cups
This card signifies the immediate obstacle... The card could well represent you.. someone who is concerned about her family, is very romantic and tenderhearted. Given the position of the card, it means that these very qualities are your obstacle... maybe you are expecting a little too much romantically from the relationship? Is it that you are very wishy washy and want your relationship to be like a Mills and Boons romance? Or maybe it says that you are not getting what you want coz you are just too nice and loving, and have never shown your anger or impatience...

Card#3 (beneath you): 3 of swords
This signifies that in the distant past you were in a situation where you felt quite sad and morose over the relationship... you wre almost heartbroken and were not getting what you wanted out of it

Card#4 (behind you): Strength
This says that in the distant past, you have shown a lot of patience and perseverance with the situation. You have been compassionate and also been rock solid in your belief in a good future.. It is a positive card and encourages you to keep going

Card#5 (crowns you): 3 of Pentacles
This shows the best outcome too... it shows a good partnership and also tells you that you need to make sure that you are not trying to solve everything on your own. You will get good support if you ask for it. Also, signifies that you will get what you have been planning so far..

Card #6 (before you): The Lovers
Shows that there will be a good period of harmony in your love life in the future.. says that you would enjoy a great relationship and will have happiness and emotional satisfaction.

Card#7 (you): 8 of Cups
SHows that you are feeling that things are not going your way, and so you might need to leave the relationship and move on. It is showing your mental state, that maybe you are quite exhausted with the relationship and maybe are thinking about moving on

Card#8 (your environment): 7 of cups
Maybe you have a choice right now when love life is concerned. Is there someone else thatyou have been thinking about? Are you confused about where your relationship is going? You might be in a daydreaming phase, where you are wishng for something.. but you need to back it up with efforts too.

Card#9 (hopes and fears): 6 of cups
Shows that you will be in a phase of close intimacy soon, where you can enjoy life like a child... Also signifies that maybe you are quite innocent and naive and need to become a little more practical

Card#10 (outcome): 6 of swords
Signifies a period of tranquility and introspection. Maybe there could be travel involved. This card could signify that you would either leave the past behind and move on, or maybe you would change things to a completely new direction

Overall, I think you have a concern about your relationship or love life. All I can say from this reading is that you should not worry about it too much... either your current situation will improve or you will be able to move away from it, and embark onto something better.

I am an amateur like everyone else here I guess... so may not be anywhere close to reality! Was fun giving this a try... Cheers

[cybee]

Hi Louise,

It looks to me that you are trying a little too hard to get these cards read.

Let's first of all get you focused on what you are trying to achieve here. Are you just starting to learn the Tarot or just trying to read for yourself? The one thing I don't like doing is teaching how to suck eggs". :0

Usually a little story helps to clear any misunderstandings…….
First of all, nobody has ever taught me the Tarot, so basically, like yourself when I first picked up a book and started to read it. The first thing I came across in how to lay out the cards was the good old significator. Now at this time in my life I had only ever used playing cards and the odd Tarot deck that someone had let me borrow to practise with. And so when I read in the book you have to first pick a significator from the deck that resembles the Querent. In my case it was either the Emperor or the King of Wands. Many readers use the Major set to choose the Significator card. So I looked through the pack and selected the Emperor, and placed it on the table. I then shuffled the cards again and started to cast them onto the table, as George has already said, covering the significator.

To cut a very long story short, after I had finished the reading, I was still a little confused as to why I should place a card on the table and then completely cover it. It seemed to me a total waste of time, and I didn't like the thought of not being able to use that card throughout the reading. And so I practised for weeks on myself, sometimes with and sometimes without a significator. I still got the same reading either way. In my dilemma I consulted a very good friend of mine who had read cards from the age of , well, since she was born I think. Now she said to me how do you feel when you read your cards now. I told her that my talent, gift or whatever it was I had for reading the cards was at it's limits as I could not accept this card being covered all the time. She laughed at me and said, so your readings are a bit shaky then? Yes I replied. Her advice to me was:-

DO you use a significator with any other spreads? NO I replied. Well then she said, "What's the problem you're having then?" and laughed. And from that day on I have never ever used a significator card, unless the Querent asks me to, which is probably, never.

I hope that answers your question. My final thought is, do it your way, the way that is comfortable for you and relax.

You see the significator was used by the Kings, Queens and Lords to identify that it was they who were having their cards read. Maybe a bit of self indulgence on their part or it could have been the reader who thought if I don't identify who I am reading for, I might get my head cut off.

Kind regards

Cybee