Welcome Back

*At this stage of The Course, I should not have to remind you to ensure that you continue Psychic Cleansing and Protection of Self, along with Cleansing or Clearing of the Cards before, between and after final Readings. 

Congratulations on getting so far with your studies. We are getting very close to the end of Part I of this Course, but before we can move on to Part II, we must linger some time longer and follow The Four Suits as they near the Finish Line on their Individual Journeys throughout The Minor Arcana.

In this Lesson we will be looking at the Eight remaining Cards, the Four Nines and The Four Tens. We will be exploring them in-depth, and as they complete their Journey, we too should feel a sense of achievement and pride for having accompanied them thus far. It hasn’t all been plain sailing as you know, and at times we have felt exhausted by the sheer volume of information that was pouring forth as they got caught up in one sort of drama after another. From our studies so far, we should really be getting a strong feel for the Individual Elements and how they have influenced The Suits on their Journeys. This will stand to us when we venture forth into The Court Cards and meet the individual Players or Actors up close and personal.

Lesson Nine also contains information about ‘Jumping Cards’, those Cards that Jump from the Deck when Shuffling. We will be looking at various methods of dealing with Jumping Cards.

Along with the above, we will be exploring the complex area of predicting Health Issues or Conditions when Reading The Tarot. We will analyse the potential dangers and pitfalls of engaging in, or offering Specific Health Readings, but we will also see how Health Issues will pop up in a Reading whether we have asked for them or not. We will be looking at how to deal with Health Issues when they appear in a Spread, and how not to scare the Querant when they do. Offering Health Readings is an area where few Tarot Readers feel comfortable, and it will be up to you to decide if you want to include them or not. As mentioned above, Health Issues will appear and there can be no avoiding them, but there is a difference between Generic and Specific Health Readings. You will need to set boundaries and parameters for this twilight area, know when to speak, and when to leave well alone. Lesson Nine also includes detailed Information Pages about the Associated Health Meanings for each Card from Ace to Ten, both Upright and Reversed, along with an Extra Page containing information on Health Card Combinations, and a Page demonstrating Examples of Health Readings. Before you dash off to look at the Health Meanings for all Forty Cards, it is essential that you first read the information on Health Readings which you will find by scrolling down this Page. Trust me, this is not a section you should skip as Health Readings and suggestions of Health Issues in General Readings must be handled very diplomatically.

For now let us continue on our Journey with The Four Suits as they travel through The Four Nines and Tens of The Minor Arcana. 

The Four Nines

Well here we are at last, The Four Suits nearing the final stages of their Individual Journeys, so close to the finish line, their Goals in sight, their Mission hopefully on the brink of being achieved. Nines in Numerology represent the closing stages of a cycle, the winding down before the Final Goodbye. What this means is that we are nearing the closing stages of The Four Suit’s Stories. 

For The Four Suits, it is time to clear their desk, get all their affairs in order and attend to any last-minute tasks or areas they have been putting on the long finger, for their Stories are coming to an end and we do not want it to finish without tying up all loose ends. Before we can allow them to move onto their Tens, the Absolute End, before their New Beginnings, we want them to look back and reflect upon their Journey. We want both them and us to understand how it is they all arrived at where they are. We all got so caught up in their story-lines that at times we lost track of where they were, what they were up to, and why they were doing what they were doing.

In the Eights they were all so busy and had much work to do, but now that they have arrived at the Nines they are being given a bit of a chance to catch their breaths and look back on the road they have trodden so far. In the Nines they must be very honest with themselves and decide whether their journey was successful or not, and whether it turned out as they had expected. They had all started out with such High Hopes and am sure thought their mission would be much easier than they expected. In the Nines they are experiencing the near Peak of their Energy and have a fair idea how the last stretch will turn out based on how they have performed up till now.

The Wands arriving at Nine will be experiencing the results of constant activity, and at times over-activity. They will be understanding the consequences of actively seeking out challenges and viewing everything as a competition. They will certainly be feeling the pressure of being too enthusiastic about everything, and how it led them to get involved in just about everything that came their way. Let’s face it they must be very tired at this stage and wondering should they have just concentrated on a few areas in their life and not dissipate their energies in so many directions. They could have focussed better and got their priorities in order. Don’t get me wrong, even at The Closing Nine Stage they cannot help themselves continue the constant battle, for it is in their blood, it has become habitual. However, we will see them take a good look back and question everything they did to date. They are nearly at the finish line and even though they are more than likely worn out and suffering from nervous exhaustion, they are certainly no quitters. They know that they will make it across the finish line and collect their prize, but in The Nine they will have to reflect on whether they could have gone about it in a different manner, made things a little easier on themselves. They also know that once they cross the Finish Line in Ten, they will have come full circle and will find themselves once more heading back to The Ace, The Beginning of another Cycle, another Journey. What they need to do in the Nine is make sure they take a review of the plan they worked by on this current journey to see if they need to modify it, or possibly scrap it altogether for their next Journey. They will be expected to start their next Journey much wiser and better informed. They will weigh up the pros and cons, the successes and failures of this current Journey, and if clever, will only take forward with them into their next Cycle that which is of use and serves their best interests. To do this they must make decisions. There is no turning back now for the Wheel is Turning and this Cycle must be completed. With hindsight now at their disposal, they can make big changes for the next Cycle. We shall see what they do.

With the Cups reaching Nine, they have been quite certain of all they wished to achieve from an early stage, but God bless their loving gentle hearts, probably found the going quite rough at times. It certainly has been an emotional roller-coaster of a ride for them. Many times they thought they had found what they wanted, thought they had discovered true love, believed themselves to be happy, only to have it all blow up in their face. They suffered heart-break, trauma and torment, betrayal and despair. Their emotions up one day and down the next, the found it hard to understand the hurtful nature of other people. What they found hard to deal with was how sometimes they reacted to situations in a manner that was totally out of character for them, becoming cold, hateful and bitter. However, even when we thought they would completely break, or go beyond the reach of help through their abuse of drink, drugs and food, deep down inside they held fast to their search for The Holy Grail. Their Mission was to find the meaning of True Love and as they enter the Nine, their search is nearing an end. In the Eight we watched the Cups Figure, broken and deflated, but at the same time deciding to do something about his/her unhappy state. They were making a final massive effort to see what it was they were looking for. To do this they had to go on an inner and outer search in order for them to understand the meaning of Love, a word they discovered was bandied about far too often by people who it meant nothing to. In the Nine we shall see if their search brought them any closer to understanding the true nature of Love. If they have been unsuccessful in the Nine, what is to become of them for they will be soul destroyed? They are running out of time in this Cycle so we will pray all their cumulative efforts have been worth it. By the time they cross the finish line at Ten they should be the keepers of this wise knowledge and hold the Cup of The Grail firmly in their hands. They should be in a position starting off in their next Cycle to wish to share the contents of their Cup, safe in the knowledge that no matter what happens along their next Cycle, all they have learned in this current one will be put to good use, and they should be able to weather any emotional storm that comes their way. They should also have learned that, that which The Cup holds is quite magical, for it is a well that never runs dry. They will have plenty of love for themselves, and more than enough to share with others.

For The Swords, the poor Swords, will they be able to still their mind for long enough to reflect on how they have come to be so psychologically tied up at this stage of the Journey. The Nine will bring the Peak of their Mental Energies, but should they be in a bad place in their mind, it will mean that any psychological distress or anxiety they were suffering in The Eight will intensify as they reach the finish line. But will they make it across the Finish Line at Ten, or will they be carried away, demented, out of their minds and incapable of making a decision that might save themselves? Will they collapse on the Finish Line if they do make it that far? Things might have to get really bad for the Swords before it can get better. It is for certain they cannot go on as they are, and if there is any part of their mind and mental faculties working, they must understand or realise this. Is there a glimmer of hope for them? Can they sort themselves out before it is too late? Whether late or not, they must look back, reflect and take responsibility for where they have arrived at.  They certainly got off on the bad foot and seemed to make one wrong decision after another from then on. They of all people, The Swords given the wonderful gift of Mental Clarity, Intelligence, Logic and Communication. They let it all get out of control and became mentally confused and unable to express themselves. The Swords of all the Suits have had to learn some hard lessons along the way. I sure hope that is exactly what they have done, Learned their Lessons and have no desires to repeat them on their next Cycle. They will need their full wits about them next time round.

And so The Pentacles have arrived at the Nine after making steady and consistent progress throughout their Journey. Except for that brief episode in the Five, they must be feeling quite proud of their success and achievement to date. To be honest, it feels like the Pentacles crossed the Finish Line a long time a long time ago, for they seem very settled and sorted in comparison to some of the other Suits. However, they too must take a break from their persistent hard work to reflect on their own Journey and see if the results, rewards and gains were all worth it. Has material success been all it is cracked up to be? Have their expectations been exceeded? We saw along the Journey, that The Pentacles often made sacrifices to get where they where going. They started off in The Ace with High Ambition, and unlike the other Suits immediately set about putting Goals in place and setting out times frames and game plans. It was as if they could see into the future, and just by visualising all they wanted, and keeping that vision in front of them step by step along the road, it had no option but to manifest as they had envisaged it to be. But could they really have known how successful they were going to be from day one, or was it just a strong sense of self-belief and gritty determination that carried them through? They will certainly cross the Finish Line in Style when they arrive at Ten. It won’t be rushed or a last-minute finale for they have been prepared for this, and following the Tarot Rules or Contract that had to be abided by, they had to wait for the others to catch up with them so that they might all come home roughly at the same time. What they have to be honest about is whether Money or Wealth has made them happy, and if they had their time all over again would they make any changes, possibly not work as hard as they did? They will shortly be starting a new Cycle as they cross over into Ten, and will be taking all their knowledge and the key to financial success with them, or perhaps they will be passing it on to the next generation? Something tells me The Pentacles have all that sorted and already have their Goals and Long-Term Plans set for their new Cycle. Onwards and Upwards for the Pentacles.

Before we launch in to the Four Nines of The Minor Arcana, please lay them out in front of you and attempt your own interpretation.  Record your findings in your Tarot Journal.

So let us now visit each of The Four Suits as they Enter the Scenes in Card Nine. Just click on the following Links,The Nine (IX) of Wands, The Nine (IX) of Cups, The Nine (IX) of Swords and The Nine (IX) of Pentacles  or the Images below to go directly to The Individual Card Pages. However before that, take some time out to read the Four Nines Intro

The Four Nines Intro

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Jumping Cards

Most Tarot Cards by their very nature and design are quite large, much larger than an ordinary deck of playing cards. With their very size in mind, only those with very large hands will find them easy to Shuffle when first starting off. There are more and more smaller, easier to manage, easier to shuffle Decks now available. There are two areas where Querants have the most problem when coming for a Tarot Reading, other than finding my place out in the countryside. The first one is Shuffling the Cards and the second is understanding how to Reverse some as they Shuffle. It is often an awkward time as you sit watching them struggle to hold onto the Cards. I am a Reader who likes my Clients to Shuffle their own Cards because I believe it puts their energy into the Cards much better than I can. I ask them to dwell on their Question or Issues as they do so. As far as I am concerned, if you have the Querant sitting opposite you then it makes sense for them to Shuffle their own Cards. Many a time you will not have the Querant for they will be on the other end of a phone or email.

So let us come back to the Shuffling bit. There they are struggling to Shuffle the Cards, both large and small handed men and women. Very often they Shuffle for all of two seconds and want to hand over the Cards to me. I always urge them to Shuffle more, for the more they do, while they dwell on their issues, the clearer their subconscious will work with them and this leads to a more accurate Reading. While attempting to Shuffle, it regularly happens that some Cards will pop out of the Deck and fall on the floor. Sometimes they might seem to grow wings and shoot across to the other side of the room. So what are we to make of these Cards when it happens?

There are several concepts and theories based around so-called ‘Jumping Cards in Tarot’ with most Readers having their own way of dealing with these Cards. They either take note of them or ignore them altogether. Here are some guidelines for working with Jumping Cards. You may also have your own methods, which work well for you and that is fine too.

• During the Shuffling Stage, a large number of Cards fall from the Querant’s hands and land on the floor, 5/8/10, maybe more. What are you to make of these?  Ignore them. The Querant is having a difficult time Shuffling the large Cards and it is painful watching them do something that should be so simple. They get so tied up with trying to Shuffle that they drop a number of Cards in the process. The best thing to do is pick them up and hand them back to the Querant to be put back in the Deck making sure they are all Upright before continuing with the Shuffling.

• During the Shuffling Stage whether the Querant is struggling or not, 1 to 3 Cards suddenly fly out and land on the floor. Stop. Don’t just pick them up casually. Make sure you take them from the floor keeping the Orientation they fell in i.e. any Upright stay Upright and any Reversed stay Reversed. Take a look at them and describe their meaning to the Querant, what is your gut feeling telling you about these Cards. Write down the Cards on a piece of paper and then hand them back to the Querant to be put back in the Deck again maintaining their Orientation. If these Cards appear in the Querant’s Reading then their meanings are of much importance in the Reading and may be imminent. The re-appearance of the ‘Jumped Cards’ in the Spread indicates that the subconscious is literally screaming a message at you.  If they do not re-appear, it does not mean they are of no importance but could point to the fact that the Querant has other important issues they need to address, and those issues will be highlighted in the Cards that Jumped. Often the Querant will say, ‘yes they make sense to me but it is not why I came to see you, I think those Cards refer to a friend of mine’. You could do a second Reading based on the Jumped Cards to ascertain their relevance to The Querant.

• During the Shuffling Stage a few Cards Jump from the Deck and land on the floor, some land face-up, while the others are face-down. What does this mean? For me, those that land face-up are important areas the Querant is aware of, while those face-down are areas that are hidden or concealed from the Querant, but  relate to the face-up Cards.The Querant is generally not aware of their underlying influence in the situation. These too should be taken note of and placed back in the Deck maintaining the Orientation in which they fell. Should they come out again then they carry strong messages for the Querant and great attention should be paid to them.   

• When Cards Jump from the Deck during Shuffling, before you pick them up, stop the Querant from Shuffling and ask them can they remember exactly what they were thinking of, or asking about when the Cards Jumped. If they can remember, then the Cards may contain special messages or answers within.

Tip – * Before Reading for a Client I will Cleanse and Upright all Cards by dealing them one at a time into three face-up Decks so that the Cards are broken up from the previous Reading. I then re-stack them and Shuffle while saying to myself that I am now Shuffling for the Reading of (name the person). When I am finished Shuffling, I check the Top and Base Card to see what they are. I find this gives me direct information about the nature of the Querant’s visit. When my Client does arrive, I run these Cards by them first before handing them the Deck to Shuffle. They usually bear great significance to their visit. 8 out of 10 times, the Cards will re-appear in the Reading.

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Completed your Study of The Four Nines? If so you can now move on to the Final Four Cards in The Minor Arcana,The Four Tens,  before Moving on to The Court Cards in Part II. Congratulations on getting to this stage.

The Four Tens

And so, here we stand at the Finish Line excitedly waiting to see The Four Suits approach one by one, eager to get their Journey or Cycle over and done with so that they can start looking forward to the next. Once they cross that line, they will be given a momentary breather before once more they find themselves standing at the Starting Line of yet another Journey, another Cycle. Unless they choose to opt out of life altogether, they will have no choice but to start over once more, for that is the order of things, and we as humans cannot put ourselves on ice for a chosen period of time until we feel ready and prepared enough to get going once more. Life just throws itself at us on an ongoing basis, and we must deal with what comes our way, and then keep moving forward.

Some of The Four Suits may feel weary or shattered after their Journey, but when it comes to the Laws of Karma, Cause and Effect, Consequences as a Result of Action, they are more than likely responsible for the way they feel or think. Some of them may want to just hang around at the Finish Line, hoping that nothing more will be expected of them, or possibly wanting to hold onto the Old Cycle, not wanting to move on. In life, for all us, we are constantly moving through Cycles, sometimes several Cycles all at the same time, but in different areas of our lives. Some of these Cycles are welcome and enjoyable, others we just have to be grin and bear, never the less they have to be gone through. Yes, there will be those who lack courage and inner strength to deal with difficult Cycles. Unable to work through them, they get stuck in them and become paralysed and stagnant. Feeling more dead than alive, they fool themselves into thinking that they cannot move on, cannot deal with certain situations that have been forced upon them, so they remain as they as are, feeling victimised and persecuted while those around see them as weak and pathetic.

The truth is we all have the necessary tools within to deal with whatever the Universe sends our way, but it is only our limited self-belief, negative attitude and refusal to take responsibility for our lives that stands in the way of our success. As The Four Suits approach the Finish Line, there will be those waiting to interview them. They will ask awkward and very direct questions about their individual Journeys and specific incidents that were witnessed along the way. The Four Suits set out on their Journeys, aware that their every move was monitored by the spectators who had gathered to bear witness, record and comment upon their escapades. Similar to The Council of Elders who meet us when we pass over into the Spirit World, they will have taken note of their Strengths and Weaknesses, and how they performed or under-performed in certain circumstances. They will all be asked to account for their actions. Some of The Suits will be able to stand tall, feeling proud of how they handled themselves throughout the Cycle, while others will struggle to remember any ‘High Points’ along the way, just relieved that it is at last over.

One way or another they must move on once they cross the Finish Line at Ten. Ten is the Ultimate End but it is also the Very Beginning. In Numerology 10 is viewed as 1+0=1 and therefore represents both Ending and Beginning, with the 0 in the middle representing the momentary vacuum that is created when an Old Cycle is complete. That vacuum or void is waiting for 1. For anything New to Begin, something must First End. We often try to move into a New Cycle before an Old One has been completed. This is because it is generally the last stage of the Cycle that is often the hardest, and many of us just want to skip that part. For example we see those who enter a new relationship before finishing the one they are currently in. Some people set up a new business before properly sorting out the closing of a previous business that failed. We see other people hop from job to job once they have to face any difficulties. Nothing is ever wound down properly and so they forcefully enter New Cycles leaving Unfinished Business and several Loose Ends Untied. What they do not realise either is that by approaching life in this manner, they also carry unnecessary baggage with them, that gets heavier and heavier each time they take that short cut.

Over, under or through, the Cycle must be properly brought to an end before embarking on a new course of action. Imagine an author who writes novels but gets tired and fed up having to write the last chapter. They have a new story in their head they are anxious to get started with, so instead of finishing the last chapter, they just move onto the new Novel. Not finishing Cycles gets us nowhere except stuck.

Then there are those that refuse to leave a certain Cycle for one reason or another. Whatever it is, is dead and gone but they stubbornly cling on, afraid of what a new future might involve. Here we have the separated or divorced person who bitterly refuses to move on, and makes life not just miserable for themselves but for everyone around them. They just can’t let go, can’t accept that it is over, for they hold the other responsible and themselves completely blameless. Therefore they do not think they have any part in it but are the victim, totally innocent. They sit and wait to be rescued, or for someone to come fix their life for them. They moan and whine to others ‘I never asked for this, he/she has done this to me. It’s not fair’. They get stuck in self-pity, bitterness and revenge at every opportunity. The he or she who has left is quite happy to move on and are getting on with their life, despite every attempt made on the other side to sabotage that new life. It is sad and pathetic to watch this sort of behaviour in another and believe me I have seen many clients like this over the years. Those stuck in an old, out-dated and dead Cycle need careful handling, with regular and consistent work to help bring them around to eventually cutting the ties that bind so that they are free to move on.

We also find the person who cannot let go or move on after the death of a loved one, and it is particularly sad when the deceased was an elderly mother or father who is being clung on to. We can only expect to live to a certain age, and in the natural order of things, it is only right and fitting that an elderly parent should go before us. No one of us can live forever, but I have had many clients who just cannot accept the loss of a parent and get so terribly stuck in grief and mourning in which breeds a variety of unwelcome neurosis.

If we could just put the Finish Line in front of them and lead them to it. If it was as simple as that, just to magically lift them across it and Hey Presto have all the difficulties and hardship behind them. Unfortunately there is no easy way, and unless we want to come back in another life-time to repeat the particular Cycle again, maybe more challenging the next time, then it is best we put our best foot forward and call on our inner-strength to carry us across into the New Cycle where we can breathe fresh air once more, feel re-energised, and most importantly part of the human race once more, with plans, ideas and things to look forward to.

Completing each Cycle as we grow should have a maturing effect on us, and in The Four Suits we will be expecting them to sound and act more worldly and wiser after their experiences. If they have observed and learned along the way, then their next Cycle will be all the more easier. They will be able to pre-empt certain situations and take the necessary steps to deal with them as they arise, rather than being caught off guard as some of them where in this Current Cycle. They will better understand the nature and personalities of those around them, making allowances for certain traits, but also refuse to put up with others. They should all have a better sense of Self; their strengths, weakness, talents, skills and abilities. They should know how to make best use of the tools at their disposal. They should all have a new-found confidence about themselves and an inner knowing of the working of The Wheel of Fortune; what goes around comes around, that nothing ever stays the same and that success should not be based on just good luck alone, but by using their own natural resources and personal effort. They should now understand that if they want something badly, they must go out and get it, or make it happen. Sitting waiting for it to come knocking at their door is a worthless exercise.

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So with the First of The Suits coming into view, the crowd moves forward to get a better look. One by one they come, The Pentacles saunter quite easily across the Finish Line, waving at the crowds. They have brought all their family with them. They look healthy, fit. The appearance and air about them is the epitome of success and they certainly look very important indeed. The crowds flock around them desperate to get a photograph standing beside them, and of course an autograph. The Cups sail across the Line, laughing and joking, their numbers grown since they first started off back at The Ace. They have decided to finish the Journey as a family too, and hold hands as they jump across the line and cheerfully pose for family photographs. The Wands appear next looking slightly dishevelled and tense, but force a beaming smile for all the crowds to see. It is not difficult to see that they look exhausted and weary, but hey, they have made it and now stand fists pumping the air, jumping and whooping. How do they always manage to find the energy, even when they look close to collapse? They are playing to the crowd and the crowd love it. A chant and song breaks out and suddenly everyone is clapping and dancing. A festival atmosphere is quickly building. The crowd barely notice The Swords Suit as they nervously cross the line, looking pale and wan. The gathered crowds seem to frighten them and they are unsure which way to turn. They look as if they could be blown over by a feather but they too have made it, hard as their Journey might have been, at the last moment if appears they decided to be a definite contender and even though their Sword looks heavy in their hand, they manage to clear the line but need immediately to sit down on the ground. It certainly was touch and go for them. The Cups family surround them and lift them high in the air, carrying them shoulder height, wanting the crowd to see that they too have survived the Journey and are in need of well-earned congratulations as well as some rest.

For a while they will be entertained and allowed to party, but over out of sight at this moment in time some new Gifts await them. When the dust has settled and all the partying over, they will be expected to make their way to the specially erected tent where their Gifts have been ceremoniously laid out. On one table sits a strong, firm and healthy Wand. On another rests a bright shiny Golden Cup. Another table bears the weight of a glistening and glinting steel Sword and on the final table sits a solid and beautifully carved Pentacle. There will be a Special Handing Over Ceremony when the original Gifts they were given in the Ace all that time ago will be taken from them, their energy disassembled and made ready for Recycling. For a brief moment in time, The Four Suits will stand empty-handed, in no-man’s land, in their 0, until one by one they will be called forward to receive their new Elemental Gift. Once they take hold of their new Wand, Cup, Sword and Pentacle they will feel a bolt of energy course through their bodies which will make them feel renewed, re-vitalised, re-energised and re-born. Then they will leave the tent by another door and will find themselves Standing at the Starting Line of a New Journey, a New Cycle. With strengthened resolve and renewed determination, they will step over the line and head off into the distance. We shall wish them well and make sure to check in with them every now and then just to see how they are getting on, but first we must find out how the Final Stage of their Journey went, so let us now explore the Closing Scenes of the Four Tens of The Four Suits of The Minor Arcana.

Before we launch in to the Four Tens of The Minor Arcana, please lay them out in front of you and attempt your own interpretation.  Record your findings in your Tarot Journal.

Just click on the following Links,The Ten (X) of Wands, The Ten  (X) of Cups  The Ten (X) of Swords  The Ten (X) of Pentacles  or the Images below to go directly to The Individual Card Pages. However before that, take some time out to read the Four Tens Intro

The Four Tens Intro

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Health Readings

Before we go any further there are a few things to bear in mind. 

• DEFINE THE TYPE OF READER YOU ARE IN ADVANCE – IF YOU DON’T DO HEALTH READINGS, SAY SO
• NEVER BE AFRAID TO DECLINE A HEALTH READING OR BACK OUT OF A READING IF THE QUERANT BEGINS TO ASK HEALTH RELATED QUESTIONS. IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE, THEN SAY SO. 
• REMEMBER, MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS IS NOT IN THE REALM OF TAROT READING, EVEN IF YOU ARE A DOCTOR
• THE TAROT IS ONLY EVERY 70/80% ACCURATE EVEN ON THE BEST OF DAYS. YOU MIGHT BE WRONG

Know Your Cards, Your Symbols and Card Combinations

Health conditions are suggested in both the Upright and Reversed Cards but typically it is in the Reversed Cards that we find the more Negative Health associations. As with Everything in Tarot, there will always be exceptions to this rule, and the more Negative Health Associations can appear in the Upright Version, especially when dealing with Fives. There will also be several occurrences of both Upright and Reversed carrying similar Health Meanings with only a slight difference between the two. Remember with Reversed Cards in Tarot we usually are dealing with Extremes of The Upright so we can have a Health Issue Improving or Deteriorating along with the Early and Late Stage of Illness or Disease.  Reversed Cards can also indicate an Illness or Disease that has been blocked in its progress and is losing power. Surrounding Cards need to be thoroughly consulted to determine what, if in fact anything at all is going on. Heart Problems are generally associated with The Three of Swords Upright, along with many other Health Issues (you must bear this in mind when doing Health Readings). When Reversed it can suggest Surgery required, Recovery from the Heart Condition, or then again, the complete avoidance of Surgery or even a Wrong Diagnosis. The Reversed Four of Swords can imply either a worsening of a Health Condition or Recovery. The Four of Cups both Upright and Reversed often carry similar Health Messages, but this time the Reversed Aspect of it has the potential to be more positive. So how do you get to grips with Health Implications when Reading Tarot?

For starters, having a good knowledge of the meanings of the Individual Cards is vitally important. So too is your ability to see Symbolic Representations of Health Conditions within the Imagery. In the Nine of Wands we see a Figure with a bandage around his head. In The Two of Swords we see a Figure with a blindfold/bandage around her eyes/head. In The Eight of Swords we see a Figure with a blindfold/bandage around her eyes. If all these Cards are in the same Reading could they possibly be suggesting a Head Injury of some sort, or Injury to the Eyes, Problems with the Head? What is of Paramount Importance is your ability to consult Surrounding Cards in the Reading to get a clearer picture of what in fact is going on. This means you have to be used to making connections, links and identifying Card Combinations that are co-related. One Negative Health Card on its own means nothing really as it carries so many meanings. You have to, and I mean have to, take the Whole Reading  into consideration. It is not a good idea to pull just One Card when doing a Health Reading. At the very least, Three Cards should be drawn as this will give a broader view of the issue. If you were to pull The Reversed Five of Pentacles on its own then how do you go about interpreting it unless you have strong Psychic Abilities. It can indicate a return to Health, but it could also be a sign that Health is further deteriorating.

 Alcohol Addictions/Problems – Ace/Three/Four/Seven/Nine of Cups Reversed

Over the years I have dealt with Card Readings that involved suicide, murder, missing persons, violence and child abuse.  Yes, the Cards will expose them all.  We must remember that one Nasty Card, or even Two, does not make for disaster.  What I am talking about is a heavy combination of Nasty Cards or Nasty Personalities (Court Cards).  If you study the Cards in-depth and become familiar with the Personality Profiles of the Reversed Court Cards as will be covered in Part II, you will quickly learn to spot trouble, Health Issues, Unhealthy Relationships or Unhealthy Personalities when sitting along side the rest of The Minor Arcana. 

I will remind you once more that Reversed Cards deal with extremes. They can also suggest the early stages of an illness before it has manifested in the physical or the final stages. They can also indicate, depending on surrounding Cards when a condition, illness or disease is losing its power or burning out. Again, consulting Surrounding Cards is essential.  As you go through the Cards you will get to know which Reversed Cards need to be closely analysed in order to decipher which extreme or other scenario is applicable. Extra Cards must always be drawn in these cases, along with a careful examination of surrounding Cards.  Another aspect not to be forgotten is that The Querant needs to give their input too.

When working with Health Readings, unless you do Intuitive Readings, it is vital that you are very familiar with the associated meanings of The Cards as then you are in a better position to know what type of Health Condition they are typically pointing to. However there are times when you will see something that is not traditionally associated with a particular Card so keep an open mind.

A Tarot Reading, Not A Doctors Consultation or Examination

Bullying – Five/Eight/Nine/Ten of Swords, Seven/Nine of Wands Reversed

As previously discussed, repeatedly stressed in earlier Lessons, and will continue to be so in Future Lessons, no attempt should be made to offer definite diagnoses at any time to any Querant, regardless of how strong your gut feeling or how much pressure they are putting you under, unless you hold the necessary Qualifications to do so. What that means is, if you are not a Doctor, Surgeon, Psychologist or any of a number of Consultants or Specialists, you are not Qualified to Diagnose Definite Health Conditions on the basis of your interpretation of a Tarot Reading. Neither are you in a position to suggest a certain medication, or worse still, suggest that the Querant cease taking a prescribed medication. You may believe firmly in the power of Alternative Medicine or other forms of Therapy but you will find that your powers of persuasion over your Client because of a Reading may very well land you in the middle of litigation procedures should your Client follow your suggestions and suffer as a result. Even if you are a Doctor, Surgeon or Specialist, you certainly will not be using Tarot Cards to offer your Patients Health Diagnosis.

Knowing the Difference Between Generic Health Readings and Specific Health Readings

Conception – Ace of Wands/Cups/Swords all Upright, Three of Cups, Nine of Pentacles, Ten of Cups, Possibly Two of Pentacles (Twins)

Generic Health Readings are Health Issues that reveal themselves during a Normal/Non-Health Reading. They are regarded as Health Issues that are safe to discuss as one does not need any Qualifications to do so. These are certain areas you can deal with that are Health Related when Reading the Cards but are really no different from what you would say in conversation with a friend, family member or work colleague. If you see a lot of stress in your Querant’s Cards, then we all know the results of exposure to prolonged stress. We do not need to be a Doctor to advise our friend out of concern, that he/she will end up making themselves ill if they do not find a way of relieving stress. We also do not need any degrees or PhD to suggest that our friend takes it easy and tries to get more rest and sleep. We can ask about their nutrition; are they eating healthily and regularly enough to keep up their strength? We can suggest getting more exercise, such as walking or even simple gardening to feel Healthier and for stress relief.

We can express concern if we see several Swords Cards in a Querant’s Reading as these suggest Severe Stress, and possibly to a dangerous level. The Querant is likely to agree with you as you are not telling them anything they don’t already know. Stress is probably what has brought them to you in the first place. If so, you can then suggest that it would be advisable to visit their family doctor to talk about how stressed they are, or what deep concerns they are carrying. If their Reading is awash with very Negative Swords Cards then you need to be more proactive with your suggestions.

Migraines – Ace of Swords Reversed/Two/Eight/Nine of Swords

Even Doctors and Psychologists are bound to break their oath of confidentiality if they believe that their patient is a risk to themselves or poses a risk to others. We are talking here about suicide, suicide/murder, severe abuse or intention to harm another. If we suspect this might be the case, then as Tarot Readers we must not try to tackle the problem ourselves for we too may be in danger or at risk. Therefore we need to have a list of essential Help-lines and Organisations at our disposal so that we can contact them for advice in such matters, or pass on their details to our Querant if they are agreeable. If danger seems imminent, as in the Querant being intent on immediately carrying out what you see in their Cards, then you must contact the necessary authorities and discuss the details with them without initially revealing the name of your Client. Only reveal the name of your Client if the authorities inform you that you must do so. The Client in question may also be known to the Authorities and you will be doing yourself, your Client and anyone your think may be at risk, no favour whatsoever if you fail to cooperate. Then you have done all you can and cannot be held responsible should anything occur. You should have a clear conscience.

Contagious Diseases – Five of Wands, Seven/Eight/Ten of Wands Reversed, Five of Swords, Five of Pentacles, Six of Pentacles Reversed

(Personal Experience)

(In all my time as a Reader, I have never had to contact the Authorities about a Client. I did once have to contact the family of a young woman who was suicidal and very close to the edge. Her Cards were so dark, and her comments equally dark, that I could see she was in a very bad place indeed. I think she came to me as some form of cry for help because when I suggested that I call someone on her behalf, she broke down in tears and agreed, but wanted it to be her brother, for he was very close to her. When I spoke to her brother on the phone, I did it in the presence of my Client. I advised her brother that they make an appointment with the woman’s doctor as soon as possible so that she get access to the necessary professional help she so badly needed. Her brother was aware of her condition but admitted he did not know how bad things were. He came immediately to collect her as he did not want her driving. I closed the door on the two of them that day and wondered how it would all work out for them. Her brother came with a friend to collect her car the next day and just left a note in my door thanking me for contacting him. The woman’s doctor had seen her immediately the evening before, and already steps had been taken to help her. The woman had raised no objection as she wanted to get better.)

I have on several occasions had to offer strong suggestions to Clients that they should seek Professional Help or would benefit from Counselling or Psychotherapy when chronic emotional, psychological issues or phobias reveal themselves in their Readings. The same applied for Clients who as a result of separation or divorce had been unable to move on in their lives. Prolonged grief and bereavement are other areas where advice with regards to seeking Counselling can be given without being qualified to do so. These are areas we all give advice on once we care enough for someone. We all want to help where we can. Sometimes people just need it pointed out to them before they actually do something about it.

Depression – Ace/Four/Five of Cups, Eight of Cups Reversed, Three/Four/Eight/Nine/Ten of Swords, Five of Pentacles, Two/Nine of Wands Reversed

(personal experience)

(I had one Client many years ago who came to me for Tarot Readings. He came to me every few weeks with regards to a problem he had. At first I was very confused because when he was outlining his situation and issues to me, he seemed to move between two time spans quite rapidly whilst relaying the story to me. At one moment I would think the situation happened five years ago as he talked about it in the past tense, then suddenly he would be talking about the same thing in the present tense.  I found it hard to keep up. Eventually I had to stop him and ask him for the exact timeline the story referred to. The entire incident happened five years ago. I then pointed out to him that at times he was referring to it in the present tense as if it had only just happened. He had no idea he had been doing that.

It was quite simple really and his Cards confirmed it. He was caught in a time warp. His life on some level had stopped five years ago and the memory of the incident stayed as fresh with him as it did back then. It was as if it had only happened yesterday. Why he couldn’t move on from it was because he was reliving it every day. He couldn’t let go and it was destroying his current life. I suggested that he needed some form of Counselling or Psychotherapy, even Hypnoanalysis to release him from  the past so that he could move forward into the present, and look positively towards the future. I told him that whereas Tarot Cards were very useful for highlighting his problems and the challenges he faced, they were no substitute for Professional Medical or Psychological help. By all means he could continue consulting the Cards but I advised that it should be as a Complementary Therapy and not his sole one. I suggested that he seek a recommendation from his doctor.

Unhealthy Obsessions  – Two/Seven/Nine of Wands Reversed (Phobias/Paranoia), Eight/Nine/Ten of Swords (Delusional/Paranoia), Four of Pentacles (Obsessive/Possessive), Two of Cups Reversed (Obsessed/Stalking),

My Client was a bit flabbergasted that he had been mixing up the past and the present and was eager to find help so he did as I suggested and started attending regular combined Counselling/Hypnotherapy sessions. He came to me every few weeks to chart his progress with the Tarot Cards. It was wonderful to see his Cards change from depressing to uplifting during this time. He told me that he looked forward to coming for his Tarot Consultations for he knew that they would not give him any false impressions of how well he was progressing. He wanted to know where he was at and when his Cards came out strong and positive, he would leave with a renewed sense of self-value and determination to keep up the good work. Going back to where he had been was not an option. Yes, sometimes his Cards showed that the old demons were raising their ugly heads but this often coincided with a particularly intense session with his Counsellor. I reassured him that the particular Cards were coming up as a reflection of what was being worked on in his sessions and this meant that they had to be dealt with and not buried, or pushed back down. It also meant that he was now strong enough to deal with them. I can happily tell you that this Client has made a full recovery and no longer comes for Tarot Readings. He does drop me the odd line or two just to let me know how he is getting on.)

If it is a case of seeing an actual Physical Health Condition appearing for your Client in their Cards then you should discreetly question them in relation to their General Health such as eating, drinking and exercise. It is perfectly okay to ask when they last had a Medical Check-up. This is a difficult scenario as your Client/Querant is bound to be alarmed once you mention Health and doctors, but you can always say that their Cards are suggesting they are run-down or under par at present and should have a general check-up to see if they are deficient in any essential vitamins or minerals before they begin to feel any worse. This covers all areas, and if your Client does not act on your advice there is little you can do.

Dysfunctional Families – Six/Ten of Cups Reversed, Ten of Pentacles Reversed

Specific Health Readings

A Specific Health Reading is a Reading done for a Querant who asks Specifically about their Health. As a Tarot Reader you can opt out from doing any Health Readings and many Readers feel safer doing so. This does not mean they ignore the Generic Health issues that most of us suffer from when they pop up in Readings for Clients. It just means that they will not take a booking for a Specific Health Reading e.g. someone looking to book a Reading with you to see if they have cancer. Some Readers will decide to take on such Readings, and should you decide to be one of them, then you must ensure to protect yourself by providing Tarot Health Reading Literature and a Disclaimer to your Client in advance of their Reading. This could mean them reading the literature in front of you on the day of their appointment, but better still if you could email or text it to them in advance. However on the day of their Reading, should they decide to go ahead with it, you will need them to sign the Document/s, along with your own Signature. This is a Statement from your Querant confirming that you have provided them with information about the implications of having a Tarot Health Reading and they have accepted the conditions that apply to it.

Your Tarot Health Reading Document/Disclaimer must inform the Client that on the best of days, the Tarot is only ever 70% accurate and that it is also subject to Interpretation. Another Reader may give a totally different interpretation. Any action the Querant decides to take based on the information contained in their Health Reading is their own responsibility and has not been dictated to them by The Tarot Reader.   This must be stressed to your Client and not ignored just to get a booking. Better to have a Client decline their appointment then to be blamed or held responsible in the future for misguiding them, or terrifying them with Health Predictions that may or may not prove to be accurate. Sometimes it is not the Client who comes back at you, but rather one of their family who encourage them to take action due to unnecessary stress and duress they, and their family have been subjected to as a result of a Health Reading you did for them.

Hormonal Imbalances – Two/Nine of Pentacles Reversed, Ace of Cups Reversed, Nine of Swords

Health Readings About Children – Staying in The Safety Zone

Another area I would strongly advise against is the Client who wishes to enquire about the Health of Their Children. This is a potentially serious area to get involved in and I am always surprised by the number of Clients who coming towards the end of a Reading will ask if I can do a quick Reading to see how their Children are. I always ask them if they have any concerns regarding their children and if that is why they ask? Most say no, but just want to take a look. I look them straight in the eye and ask them if they are really sure about doing a Reading on their Children? I ask them if they are prepared to accept that something negative may come up, Cards that I may not refer to, but that through their imagery alone cannot be concealed from the Querant.  Will they be able to deal with any unwelcome news? Generally, I get a quick ‘no’ from them and that is that. However there are some Querants who are persistent so if I feel alright about it, I will do a quick Reading for each Child asking if there is anything their Parent should know about them for their own Highest Good. Mostly the Cards are reassuring but sometimes issues do come to light, giving the Querant a lot to think about.  Remember it is not always ethical to do Readings on people who have not asked for them. Asking about your child, your partner or a family member you are concerned about is one thing, but prying into other people’s lives just for the sake of it is intrusive.

Good Family Health – Six of Cups, Ten of Cups, Ace/Ten of Pentacles

Of course issues regarding children will, and do regularly come up in Readings but this is totally different from asking for a Reading about a Specific Child. It is not uncommon for Reversed Pages to turn up in someone’s Reading if there is a child who is unhappy or having issues. Usually I ask the Querant if they are concerned about any of their children and I explain what I am seeing. For example, I see a Reversed Page of Cups in my Querant’s Reading and I get the feeling it is referring to one of her children. I explain the nature of the Page of Cups in general as being a soft, gentle, emotional and easily upset. This Page as a child often appears delicate and quiet. I tell them that The Page of Cups can pick up on an atmosphere in the home and can be quite a worrier. He or she can also get upset in school if they have a teacher who is very strict or always giving out. Of course The Page of Cups is susceptible to harsh comments and treatment from their school pals too. I reassure them that it’s just their personality and that it does not take much to knock them off centre. When Reversed it is a strong indication that their Child is emotionally upset for one reason or another and generally the Querant will agree with everything I have said. They will have noticed the change in their personality but may not necessarily know why. I will pull a couple of other Cards to see if there is any real need for concern such as bullying or deep unhappiness. If nothing negative shows up then it is simply a case of being a bit more gentle with them and reassuring them that everything is okay as they do tend to worry a lot, even about little things. If the Querant happens to argue a lot with their partner then I advise them to make sure it is not done in front of this child for they will carry the weight of the argument with them to bed that night. Even so, The Page of Cups Reversed is bound to be picking up on any negative vibes in the house and will be acting nervous and needy as a result.

This type of interpretation is not a Health Diagnosis so you must learn to understand the difference, and know when it is appropriate to comment and when you should keep your theories to yourself. A Reversed Page of Wands may highlight a child who is hyperactive or has ADHD. You should describe the nature of the Reversed Page of Wands and you will find that the Querant is amazed you are so accurate. He/she will probably open up to you about the difficulties they are having. You can always suggest they get tested for food allergies with a properly Qualified Nutritionist as the child may be highly sensitive to certain food types. The parent generally has gone down that route or is thinking about it. So you see you are not telling them anything that they do not know already. If they seem flippant about their child, or appear to be in denial, even annoyed by your comments, then there may be a problem. Suggest they help the child now when he or she is still within their control before they get any older. All you can do is try, the Querant may be annoyed about you casting aspersions about their parenting abilities, but if they don’t want to know then they shouldn’t ask.

Protection Through Vaccination – Three of Wands (needing vaccination for travel), Ten of Wands, Six of Pentacles

A Reversed Page of Swords may be displaying signs of anger or aggression due to some incident or exposure to behaviour in the household. Arguing parents may not realise the damage they are doing in such cases, especially if they are going through separation or divorce when sometimes they lose all common sense and use their children as weapons against each other. A Reversed Page of Pentacles may highlight a child who is not getting enough exercise or eating too much of the wrong food. He may also be putting him/herself under considerable pressure to succeed or the pressure may be coming from parents.

So you see, these are areas that can be brought up in a Reading without entering into Specific Health Diagnosis. It must also be borne in mind that Reversed Pages may also be representing inner-child issues belonging to the Querant and again these are Health Areas that can be referred to, but not Specifically Diagnosed. If the Querant was continuously verbally abused as a child or suffered harsh discipline and punishments, as an adult they may be seriously lacking in confidence, self-belief and feel totally inadequate. These are certainly Health Areas that are within the safety zone and can be dealt with when Reading for others. A lot of the time it is residual problems from childhood that bring the Querant to your doorstep in search of answers or a way out of their negative way of thinking, behaving or feeling.

We will be re-visiting Health Readings regarding Children in Part II of The Course when we take an in-depth look at the Court Cards.

Children at Risk – Ten/Six of Cups Reversed, Five of Swords if found with a Reversed Page,Six of Swords Reversed if Found with Reversed Page, Eight/Nine/Ten of Swords if found with Reversed Page and other Negative Cards, Five of Pentacles (Deprivation/Hunger), Ten of Pentacles Reversed if found with Reversed Page

Choose Your Words Carefully

Always use your common sense when dealing with Health issues that reveal themselves to you in a Reading. Your aim is to inform and empower the Querant in a constructive manner, not scare them. Scary predictions belong in the realm of Fortune Telling.  Remember something vitally important, the power of suggestion is incredibly efficient. What the mind dwells upon it tends to adopt.  The power of suggestion is used to advantage, and for the benefit of the Client in Hypnosis but is also used in Stage Hypnosis to make people do things they normally wouldn’t. Taken to a more extreme level, powerful suggestions are used in a lot of Voodoo style practices. They work very well. Tell a person that they are going to die or are seriously ill, then they just might absorb that suggestion and let it take hold.  If a person is led to belief that they have an ailment, then the ailment can easily manifest in keeping with the thought field of the individual.  Tell a child often enough that they are ugly, un-lovable or stupid; they begin to believe they are and will eventually grow into dysfunctional adults with all sorts of neurosis and hang ups.  So be warned about making fatalistic or morbid comments when Reading!!!

Miscarriages/Termination – Ace/Three of Cups Reversed,  Two/Nine of Pentacles Reversed

Further Information on Health Readings

NB***I have decided to reveal certain Minor Arcana Cards that along with particular Major Arcana Cards can suggest potential Physical Death. In Part III of this course we will cover The Major Arcana Cards that would need to be present alongside a heavy number of Relevant Minor Arcana Cards if Physical Death is even to be hinted at. Predicting Death in The Cards is an area to avoid if at all possible, but if you are a Reader for long enough, as in several years, you are bound to come up against it at some stage. I have my own personal experience with seeing Death in the Cards and will share it with you in Part III.

For now let us look at The Health Interpretations traditionally associated with The Four Suits from Ace to Ten. We will cover all the Court Cards in Part II when you have learned something of their Personalities.

Falls/Accidents/Injuries – Six of Wands Reversed, Eight of Pentacles Reversed, Five of Wands Reversed, Ace of Swords Reversed, Six of Swords Reversed (accidents related to water)

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Wands Health Interpretations – Ace to Ten

Cups Health Interpretations – Ace to Ten

Swords Health Interpretations – Ace to Ten

Pentacles Health Interpretations – Ace to Ten

Health Card Combinations Minor Arcana – Ace to Ten

Sample Health Readings

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Next Lesson – Lesson 10

Lesson 1   Lesson 2   Lesson 3   Lesson 4  Lesson 5   Lesson 6    Lesson 7    Lesson 8   Lesson 9 Lesson 10

Aces Intro    Twos Intro   Threes Intro   Fours Intro  Fives Intro  Sixes Intro  Sevens Intro  Eights Intro  Nines Intro  Tens Intro

The 78 Cards – Detailed Study Version (Card Description, Keywords, Upright & Reversed Meanings)

The 78 Cards – Shortened Version (Keywords, Upright & Reversed Meanings)

Part I   Part II  Part III

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