As Tarotists, what do we focus on when we read for our sitters? Speaking from my own experience, I focus on providing a flowing narrative based on the cards in front of me. At all times, I aim to provide accessible, meaningful interpretations of the cards in the spread for my sitter so that by the time they leave, the sitter has a greater understanding of their situation.
However, for the last few years, I’ve been using another useful technique and one, hopefully, that will appeal to Doug’s sense of Zen!
Focus On The Cards That Aren’t There
I know, it sounds a bit bizarre, but when I explain when and how to implement this tip, it will make perfect sense. I hope.
The time to use it is when you are nearing the end of your reading and you are in the summary stage. At the point where you don’t need to refer to the layout of the spread any more, simply take the spread cards – and this technique works for large spreads and small ones too – and flip them into suit piles.
A balanced reading will be one that contains a smattering of Major Arcana readings and some cards from each of the Minor suits. What you will tend to find is that there are inequalities in the piles – perhaps a surfeit of Swords; perhaps no Wands.
You can point out these imbalances to your sitter – an excess of a particular suit may indicate an over reliance on that suit’s qualities. To extend the above example – lots of Swords might indicate an over reliance on the mental faculties; the sitter trying to solve the problem inside their head; over-thinking a situation.
For me the really interesting part is where you look at what is missing or low in quantity. This ‘missing’ technique indicates areas of weakness in the client’s approach to solving the problem/handling the issue.
To get you started, here are the associations that I use for the suits when they are missing or only present in small amounts in a reading.
- Swords – the client is not engaging their natural mental abilities for some reason (perhaps the suit that shows a surfeit might explain why)
- Cups – the client is not allowing their emotional seat or any significant emotional input into solving the issue.
- Pentacles – the client lacks grounding. Again, refer to the suits that appear in excess to perhaps explain this.
- Wands – the client is not taking action or being as expansive/outward looking as they could be regarding the situation.
Here’s The Really Interesting Bit
For the areas that are weak or missing altogether from the reading, you can suggest incorporating some of these low energies into your sitter’s life to help bring in a better balance.
- Swords: your client would benefit from engaging more with his/her rational side. THINK more.
- Wands: your client would benefit from being more pro-active and outward looking. DO more.
- Cups: your client would benefit from allowing/acknowledging greater emotional input. FEEL more.
- Pentacles: your client would benefit from grounding activities. BE PRESENT more.
It is vital to remember that you are not telling your client what decision to make here. You are, however, encouraging them to draw upon their other natural resources so that when they do make a decision, it is from the most balanced position available to them.
I have found it useful to develop a short mental list on suggested ways on how they can introduce those missing or weak energies into their lives – just as a fall-back resource for yourself. For example – someone with lots of Swords and few Pentacles might be encouraged to get ‘out of their head’ and into their bodies by undertaking something that really grounds them – gardening, meditation, walking in the park…. you get the idea.
I’ve focused purely on the suits and their appearance or non-appearance. However, you can, if you wish, gather the cards together and flip them into number piles and gain an additional dimension….are all the twos present bar one? What might that missing two bring to the client’s table? Can they see a way to introduce that missing energy in a helpful way?
If it transpires that your sitter has loads of Majors and hardly any minors – what might that mean? Is there one suit that is completely missing? How might the introduction of those energies help your client.
I hope that this blog post has now got you buzzing with the possibilities of this technique into your own reading style. Good luck!
About the author
Alison CrossChairman, Tarot Association of The British Isles
I became seriously interested in Tarot in 2002 when I joined the Tarot Association of The British Isles (TABI). I have worked professionally as a Tarotist since 2003 and currently hold down several administrative positions within TABI – Chairman, Editor of the quarterly e-zine, and TABI’s Twitterer in Chief!
You can find out more about TABI at their website and follow us on Twitter at @TABItarot (I try to keep the tweets relevant, but fail miserably).
I just wanted to thank Alison Cross for this awesome article 
I’d love to hear your thoughts – do you already use this technique? Do you use a variation of it? We’ll see you in the comments 
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for this informative input on missing suits. I’m actually applying this on my readings now.
I also look at lacking court cards. Sometimes if there’s none of them, I think that he’s not reaching out with his family, friends or other resources.
Thanks again Alison for sharing this!
You’ll find that you can apply it in all sorts ways, depending on what techniques you use already within readings.
I like your take on the Court cards, I’ll incorporate that into my own system, thanks AJ!
Ali x
This is really helpful…I always note which suits are in abundance but then…never quite know what it means or how to use that imformation in the reading…so thanks for these tips!!!
I think it does provide readers with another tool to help round off a reading, Ginger. It gives your client some positive steps to take to help them make their decision from a more balanced centre.
I did a reading last night – 10 cards – a romantic reading – no Cups and no Swords, no other obvious patterns. So, in addition to what was present in the reading, I could suggest that she start getting some facts together; start communicating openly with the other person AND HERSELF, and start looking at why she is suppressing her emotions about the scenario. By taking these steps, she will be much better placed to make her decision.
The feedback from the querent indicates that these statements based upon what was missing were just as *useful* and accurate as what was present.
Ali x
You can take this a step further and look at what is missing from groupings of cards within the spread as well. Obviously it depends on your spread choice and having enough cards to make it meaningful.
In terms of the energies, I would also add that a lack of Swords could suggest a lack of objectivity, an inability to step back from events or people; and a lack of Pents might suggest a lack of practicality or pragmatism.
Old fashioned fortune-telling references for playing cards (cartomancy) often have a lot more to say about multiples (e.g., 4 Kings) than modern Tarot books, which often ignore that aspect, though I am not convinced by some of the interpretations offered by these
Hi Gwiazda *waves* – I totally agree that a lack of Swords could indicate a lack of objectivity and lack of distance.
I’m in two minds about multiples (that’s a wee joke lol!) numbers wise.
Yesterday’s sitter and two 7s, and lacked 7 Cups and 7 Swords. Rather than try to remember what 7s mean – which I am completely pants at – I drew upon the interps of the missing two cards. What could the 7 Cups and 7 Swords say that could help bring things into balance for her? That she may have more choices than she thinks? That she has it within her own power to save herself from the enemy camp’s swords. So to speak
Ali x
The danger, of course, is that to the nth degree you can see what ever you want if it is either there or not there
Sevens usually relate to the spiritual, so I tend to see them as things that relate to the less obvious and more ethereal aspects – things you can’t quite put your finger on or the hard to express or quantify. FWIW. Both the presence of 7P and 7W and the absence of 7C and 7S might suggest that sitter was not giving herself enough credit for hard work (7P) and application/determination (7W), perhaps focusing too much on the drugery and not enough on the opportunities resulting or even feeling undeserving of the recognition due.
I don’t really go a bundle on the numerology (3 Queens signifies Y) but rather on (my) interps of the missing cards (who is the missing 4th Queen and what could she bring to the party?)
You are right, extrapolated to the nth degree, you could say anything about anything present/missing. It would just be silly to rattle through the other cards in the deck that weren’t in the reading *grin*
I guess that’s where training/experience come in, isn’t it? I’ve never had a problem about knowing when to stop – usually it’s just a couple of things that can usefully be adopted.
Ali x
Interesting post Ali. I also find it useful to look at the suits present or missing at the beginning of the reading – gives a hint of any underlying problems or issues and can steer the reading in a certain direction.
Never tried to do it at the beginning! I suppose that I do it at the end because I want to offer them something positive that they can hook onto right at the end of the reading.
Might give that a go though, Lor
AX
Hello Alison,
I too find that the missing suits are very important. Not only to help restore balance, but in identifying any unknown strengths or talents. Likewise, any non-expressive vortices will require this knowledge for the prediction of likely problems within the greater cycle manifestation. Nice post.
Love and Light,
Bulal
I was keeping up with you right up to ‘non-expressive vortices’, Bulal!
By non-expessive vortices, do you mean those areas where the client is blocked or suppressing – in my example – emotionally and mentally? If so, yup, completely agree.
If not, tell me what non-expressive vortices are *grin*
Ali x
Non-expressive vortices are instances when Karma manifests indirectly. Usually just, (V) and (XV), where The Devil manifests in the lesser cycle and The Heirophant manifests in the greater cycle, but have no minor key representation. A vortex that is being manipulated or is in the process of manifesting circumstance is identified by, (I). Manifest karma, (IV), or Karma’s manifestation, (VI), occur in the in the lesser cycle and find balance in the same. Likewise, in the greater cycle with a base resonance of (X), karma manifests an element in suspension. The penetrating lesser cycle energy being the product of a permeating greater cycle energy and vice versa, except when otherwise indicated by, (I). It is worth noting that one should never interchange components from incompatible systems of divination. To properly visualize these aspects it may be necessary to think outside of your usual philosophy. After all, it normally wouldn’t do to try and zip up the buttons on your new levi jeans, or light the burners on your electric stove with a match. *shrug*
Hi … I enjoyed this article immensely. Very interesting to consider the negative spaces within a reading and excellent observations as to how the cards may fill them.
D~
Donna!!! *big hug* thanks for taking a look.
It’s a bit Zen, isn’t it? Seeing how the negative space is in the reading is just as important as the lines and shadows actually present in the cards drawn.
Hey, I’m quite enjoying this blogging lark
AX
Alison, what a fantastic article. Like Lori, I’ve done something like this at the beginning of readings, but it was more casual than how you describe. It is interesting how what isn’t there can be as important as what is there. Thanks for sharing!
Barbara – lovely to see you! Try doing it at the end so that you give your client a mini ‘prescription’ of positive action just before they leave you. Especially if the content of the reading has been harsh, it provides a shard or two of positive energy
Ali x
What a fantastic, in-depth article. At the moment I have only been able to give it a quick “once over” but intend to absorbe it in depth.
Many thanks Ax!
Kind regards
Celia