Hi, Tarot love buns. Are there certain Tarot cards in the deck that you pray don’t show up in a Tarot Reading? Do you feel like a Tarot card is stalking you? Today I will share some reasons that a Tarot card may be coming up a lot for you. As with everything I share, take what resonates with you and leave the rest.
1. One Dimensional Interpretation
Let’s face it; it is pretty hard to be optimistic about getting the Three of Swords if you only believe that it has a heartbreak to deliver and not anything else. I have come across readers who will see a Swords card and only ever negatively interpret them. I still stand by what I say about there being no wrong way to read the Tarot. This way isn’t wrong; I find it limiting. There are light and shadow in everything, everyone, and every situation. If you find that a card freaks you out, firstly, don’t hide from the hard stuff, but also look at the other side of the coin. Look for the positive. Expand your understanding of the card. Often this can help you move forward too.
Some examples of the ‘scary’ Tarot Cards are below. I only go into one aspect for both the harder and lighter side of the cards. They are complex and have a lot to offer; my goal in sharing the meanings below is to give you an example of the positive side to some of the scary cards in the deck.
The Tower – Yep, looks like a crappy situation; I fear falling, so I get why this card can be scary. Yes, the card does mean sudden and swift change outside of your control, but it also means liberation and the shattering of illusions.
The Devil – If you are religious, I totally get why this card can be THE WORST. Traditionally the Tarot Card may mean enslavement to the material realm and addiction, but it also means the material realm, you know where you and I spend most of our days. It is a place for learning and choice, that is a positive thing indeed.
Death – Most of us understandably so don’t like the thought of dying, and there are so many stereotypes of this card in movies, etc. that it gets a bad rap. Death means death, but rarely, very rarely an actually physically death. It can mean that we have been freed from a shitty job we hated (death to our current employment status) or the end of a relationship. These things require adjustment, but also they give you freedom.
The Three of Swords – Heartbreak sucks, and the imagery is in your face about it, but the positive side to this card is that we only truly heal through feeling and grieving. We can’t hide from our pain, but we can learn to understand it and heal it.
The Five of Swords – People can be dick heads; they can be rude and mean. Strangers and friends alike. On the positive side, you know who your real friends are, and you also can choose whether to walk away or engage in this guy’s bullshit.
The Seven of Swords – Hey, where the heck are you going with my shit? People who steal….urgh. Here is the thing, are they stealing, or are they escaping from the empire with tools that the rebellion needs?
The Eight of Swords – The person is trapped, but did you know you were? The lighter side to this obviously binding card (on more than one level) is that it is a wake-up call. You are stuck, and now you at least can’t use that blindfold as an excuse to keep doing what you are doing.
The Nine of Swords – One doesn’t want to hear it, and the other doesn’t want to see it. Or they both have hangovers and ringing headaches. People can still turn the tide; they are close to the 10 of whatever is happening being resolved and have woken from the Matrix.
The Ten of Swords – No, that dude is not getting up. He is more dead than Jon Snow, and ain’t no Red Priestess gonna help him. The good news. It is over; no more looking over your shoulders waiting for those swords to cut you down. Everything is out in the open; now you can move on without any secrets.
The Five of Cups – I know that was some good wine you spilled over there, you lush, but it will be alright. Just look, there are more waiting for you if you would just put your attention to something more positive than moping, maybe after your bar nap.
The Five of Pentacles – Bilbo Baggins just booted these guys out; he meant it when he said official party business only. Seriously though, it sucks to be out in the cold and face to face with the dangers of the night. The bright side to this one, and one of the harder cards in the deck, in my opinion, money troubles are the WORST. If what you are doing is clearly not working, it is time to change it or end wolf food. #choices
See how I talk a lot about choice in my more positive interpretations of these cards? We all have choices. Empower yourself and your Clients to see opportunities where there is a challenge. Also, I love the Swords’ suit; I feel it doesn’t get enough love or understanding, like sharks.
2. Too Close
If the Tarot is hitting too close to home, it can get a little uncomfortable. If you find this to be the case, take a step back. Look at it like it was a friend going through it. Talk to another trusted reader about it to get a reading from someone else, so the message isn’t coming from you. Being too close can also result in you having NO idea what a card means when it keeps coming up. You are literally too close to have an objective point of view.
I have seen Clients look at a card and burst into tears. Clearly, there is something in the words or images of the cards that have triggered them. There is always a breakthrough offered by the Tarot. There is never just doom and gloom; if that is the case, I would say you need to find another Tarot Reader or work on finding the balance in the cards’ energy and messages.
3. Too Illuminating
This is when the Tarot shows you something you don’t want to see. The Tarot is a mirror, and sometimes the truth can be a little hard to take. If this is happening, reflect on why it is triggering you. Journal or ask yourself where your fear is coming from. This is classic Shadow work, where there is something confrontational in the cards. You need to acknowledge your darker side and integrate it into your being, becoming more whole and aware in the process.
4. Patterns and Lessons
When a Tarot is pulling a Stalker move, it can indicate that you may be stuck in a pattern or not learning the lesson life is offering.
One way you can move past this is to take out the card, shuffle the rest of the cards and pull a new card to help you move forward. Another great way to look at the patterns and lessons is to take the cards in the progression of your stalker card, the one before and the one after, and see what you are missing.
For example, say you are getting the Four of Pentacles, ALL THE TIME. Take the Three of Pentacles and the Five of Pentacles. Then, take the Three of Pentacles’ knowledge, either through your intuitive interpretation or from a more classic interpretation. Have you been organized? Have you looked at collaborating and putting the work in (effort does affect)?. Then look at the Five of Pentacles. Have you addressed your fears around poverty or not having enough? Is this why you keep holding on to things too tightly or why your friends call you a scrooge?
5. Too Much Power
I really hope that this is not news to you, but the Tarot Cards are just cards. Even the shitty, hard, and scary ones are just cards. If you find that you are afraid of a Tarot card, you may be giving the cards too much power, like really scared. Belief is a powerful thing. Don’t give something outside yourself too much power over your life and choices. In so doing, you are also giving away your potential for happiness.
6. Too Hard and Confused
This is when a Tarot card or cards are hard to interpret and get us generally confused. I actually like it when this happens because the Tarot is forcing you to learn the card. Not just memorize what the card means, but also what it can mean in life, love, work, and our spiritual journey. When I started reading the Tarot, I hated it when the Court Cards showed up as hard to understand. But by this happening, it forced me to get really comfortable with them.
I honestly believe that knowledge is always a great way to transform fear. Love too. Knowing yourself, your tool, and your limitations, and continuing to learn about the cards is such a great way to overcome your fear of any Tarot card.
Do you fear certain tarot cards coming up in a reading, not just, oh man, I don’t want to see it but pray to the Tarot gods for it not to show up? I hope that some of this has been helpful. Did I miss anything? Let me know, sugar plums.
3 thoughts on “6 Things We Can Learn from the ‘Scary’ Cards in a Reading”
I like your approach to tarot you are very good
Blessed be
Diva
I really do resonate with your approach to Tarot, and your blog. Peace, love and Power!
Thanks for a wonderful tutorial! I LOVED the song