Tarot Tutorials: Timing in the Cards + Readings for Every Sign
How to Give a One Card Reading + Your Tarot Reading: Jan 20-27
Dear Reader,
Happy Pluto in Aquarius! And Happy Birthday season to all Aquarians!
Speaking of all things astrological, today’s post is primarily about how to identify timing in the cards. Next, we will explore how to give a basic one-card reading with tarot. Finally, I will show you an example of one-card readings by writing unique, original astrology-themed tarot readings for each of your Sun Signs. Some of these readings include suggestions or exercises.
All of my readings and posts are created manually by me and there is no AI involved. I am old-fashioned in that way and a little more analog than digital! So far, robots have not proven to be capable of psychic channeling, precognitive dreaming, connections with the spirit world, or empathy based on shared human experience. These are qualities you can get from genuine psychic tarot readers and psychic astrologers that you will not get with AI, whether you choose to come to me or someone else for readings. Another psychic astrologer who does not use AI for writing her original readings is my friend and colleague Jessica Adams. The same can be said for hypnotherapy—there are skilled and trained hypnotherapists who can offer empathy, compassion, connection, and understanding that is not available with AI.
I hope this post will be the beginning of many tarot readings for each of your Sun (as well as Rising and Relationship) Signs. If you know your Rising Sign, you may also want to check the predictions and interpretations for that sign. These 12-part readings will combine tarot interpretations, psychic channeling under self-hypnosis, and astrology. Some will be in writing with previews for all subscribers. Others will be available on video for premium subscribers.
And if there is someone in your life you are wondering about, you can read about their present or future by looking at the card for their Sun or Rising Sign. You can also check if and how their astrological tarot reading relates to yours for a Relationship Reading. If you are a premium subscriber, you’re invited to ask how your charts connect in the comments.
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May you find many moments of joy this week,
Kyra
General Tarot Reading: Jan 20th-27th
Imagery
The Moon card features a wolf and dog howling at the moon. They are close to the edge of a body of water. One of them matches the path and the moon. They both match the rocks that rest between land and water. A crab or crawfish emerges from the depths and also seems to be lifting itself towards the moon. There is a mountain range in the distance. A long trail connects from the edge of the water, over the land, and through the mountains. As the landscape changes from rugged to smooth as we journey towards the mountains, two towers are almost equidistant from the path. As the path is the colour of the moon, those who choose that path rather than explore the wilderness alone will be guided by the light of the moon.
The wildness of howling at the moon is calmed by a more structured landscape in the background. That structure is represented by human-made towers or gates. Perhaps the towers alse serve as gates, as tarot card symbols can carry multiple meanings. The light of the moon seems to shine closest to the end of the path…at least the end that we can see in the world of the card.
One-Card Readings: Past, Present & Future Stills
One of the benefits of a one-card reading is that you may have time to consider what took place before the images in the card, and where it is headed after. There will not be one answer to this every time you draw this card. Your psychic skills combined with the inspiration of a card may guide you to see or sense an image or feeling from the past or future that changes depending on when you conduct the reading or the situation you are asking about. Alternatively, if you are not using a one-card reading you can use one of the many tarot card spreads that include a position representing the future.
If you are reading into the future of a card, this can give you (or the person you are reading) clues about where you are headed next if you continue to take the same actions.
Conversely, if you want to go beyond a one-card reading, you can ask, “What will happen if I take a different action?”, and then draw another card.
In terms of interpreting a possible past and future from the narrative that a card suggests, imagine your tarot card is akin to a movie still. What do you think this ‘still’ looked like before the crab, wolf, and dog entered the picture? How do you think the landscape may have looked before the gates in the background were constructed? What happened before the moon was visible?
The moon is the primary focus of this card, but you can also see an image of the sun behind the moon. Before the night and moon appeared, there must have been day and sunlight. After the story of the moon, there will be daylight and sunshine again. The 78 cards do not just tell a linear story; they can also be read cyclically. If your client is experiencing something described by The Moon (or any other card), you can also explore hints in the card to anticipate what might follow it. So what are those descriptions in The Moon card?
Interpretation
This card tells a story in at least three stages, from a water-bound being emerging towards the land, to land beings in a more rugged domain, to what looks like the entry of a city yet features no human figures.
In general, this story can be about facing hidden feelings (emerging from the water), exploring and expressing them deeply (howling at the moon), and then bringing them on a journey back to material reality (the background landscape framed by towers). Psychologically, this card can be interpreted as a tale about the evolution of emotions. It is also a story of ideas we bring with us on a path from dreams or daydreams, to a wilderness of unstructured feelings, and finally back to the ‘city of humankind’, where we can share or exchange creative material. The collaboration that is suggested by the third phase of the path of The Moon is very much in alignment with Pluto in Aquarius. The beings are not there yet, but by the time you reach the city, you will find or rediscover a group (or groups) that aligns with your values.
When you get this card in a one-card spread, a hidden truth may be coming to the surface. Alternatively, you might be ready to develop a creative idea that will eventually have the power to be tangibly shared with others. If the question is about a career, hobby, volunteer work, or spiritual calling, The Moon points to a path guided by meditation or dreams that ultimately bring about inspiration or creative solutions.
When you get this card after asking a question about a specific situation, things might not be as they seem. And that’s okay because often they are better than we imagine! If you can go of preconceived notions or expectations and continue on that path with faith that you will be guided, you might find delightful surprises along the way. As Joseph Campbell posited, “I say, follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be. If you follow your bliss,
doors will open for you that wouldn't have opened for anyone else.”
Some cards contain messages of action (or non-action). The Moon gives the following message: if you are still seeking clarity about a situation and there isn’t an urgent decision to make, perhaps you are being prompted to wait until you can gather more information. More will be revealed and things will become clearer in the ‘light of day’.*
The Moon in Astrology & Relationships
The Moon can represent a Water Sign, usually Pisces or Cancer (the latter of which is ruled by The Moon). This could be an aspect of your chart that is being activated, someone in your life who is a Water Sign, or a more general theme suggested by the story of the cards. Since anyone can get any one of these cards, they don’t always represent a person. The Court Cards and some Major Arcana cards more clearly represent people than the Suit Cards.
Conversely, cards featuring people (Court Cards and some of the Major Arcana) can represent an aspect of your psyche. It is also possible for a Court Card or Major Arcana card to signify both someone in your life and an inner characteristic of your own that is being brought to the surface or healed through that relationship. You may be reflecting each other, at least for now, as the image of the ever-changing moon is reflected in the water.
If you ask a question about relationships in a one-card spread and receive The Moon, one of the interpretations might be that there is a path that must be followed before true emotions are revealed.
A Full Moon in Leo is coming up this week. As this happens, the creativity, self-expression, or hobbies that Leo is known for are supported by the inspiration and revelations offered by The Moon card. This is an example of how tarot can connect with astrology; I like to search for commonalities between the symbolic images in the card and astrological trends. Sometimes they overlap, and sometimes they don’t. When they don’t, please carry on with the tarot interpretation! Not everything has to connect to be meaningful, and not everything will connect. You can still find meaning in the cards.
There is a mystery to the ways the cards work, and that’s part of what keeps some of us coming back to them. Like The Moon, there is always more to be revealed. Tarot cards can be an ever-changing relationship that shifts with us through different phases of our lives. When it comes to intuition, we are absolved from having to figure it all out right away! As with so much of life, more will be revealed in time. Sometimes a mystery unfolds overnight or throughout the passage of many nights, as dreams are guided by the light of the moon and other forces of nature…
Extended Article Includes:
Psychic Pro Tarot Tutorials:
Whether you’re a professional or just doing this for enjoyment (or a professional who enjoys it!), today’s post includes the following tutorials to guide you in reading for yourself or giving readings to others!:
-How to Identify Timing in the Cards
-Pendulums vs Astrology
-Reversals in Readings
-How to Give a One-Card Reading
Tarot-Astro Pro Predictions
-This Week’s Tarot Readings for Every Sign!
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*Psychic readings are for entertainment purposes only and are not performed by a licenced medical practitioner. Please consult with your medical doctors regarding all health concerns. Please consult with your financial advisor regarding all financial decisions. Comments are public and may be searchable on websites and search engines. Any consultation you receive is subject to your interpretation and you agree to take full responsibility for your interpretation, decisions, and actions.
Psychic Pro Tarot Tutorials:
How to Identify Timing in the Cards
Astrology is more specific about timing than tarot for several reasons. One of those reasons has to do with possibilities: there are 78 cards in a frequently-used Rider-Waite deck, and their timing clues are limited. When it comes to astrology, there are more possibilities because your natal chart can be compared with current and future transits.
Another reason has to do with mathematics: astrology is a temporally and spatially-based system that relies on dates, times, and calculations. The tarot is more visually oriented. Each image tells a story, but the narratives of every one of those images change throughout our lives and according to new circumstances. The cards offer an infinite variety of answers because there will always be new questions or new days during which readings can take place. That variety multiplies with every card we add to a spread. If you use psychic channeling or self-hypnosis in addition to tarot, those meanings expand further and become more specific.
So how is it possible to identify timing in the cards? One of the answers is through astrology, in addition to numbers. If the card is one of the suits (Wands, Cups, Swords, or Pentacles), and you are also reading into astrological meanings of the cards, they will generally indicate the following signs:
Wands=Fire Signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius)
Pentacles=Earth Signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn)
Swords=Air Signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius)
Cups=Water Signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces)
If you conduct a one-card reading that might not be enough information to tell you about timing. However, a longer spread (such as a Celtic Cross or Kabbalah spread) will help you see trends. Are there many cards from one suit? This can point to the theme connected to those signs…or it might be a sign of the timing.
For instance, many Fire signs might point to a shift in the situation that is being asked about which will occur when the Sun is in a Fire Sign. Ah, but which Fire sign? That might depend on the reader’s intuition and interpretation. Some readers might check for numbers on the card. For instance, the 7 of Wands is this week’s card for Aries. Some readings might point to that as a clue about possibly resolving the situation in 7 weeks or months if that matches up with a Fire Sign, but it might not be. If you try this approach, the next Fire Sign that is about 7 months from now would be Leo. If we interpret the 7 of Wands to be about 7 weeks from now, we’d be looking at Sun in Aries timing.
Of course, this technique only works if the situation is likely to be resolved within the year.
Then there is the matter of encountering Major Arcana cards. Each of those represents a Sun Sign, which makes it easier to know the timing it might refer to. However, the Sun Sign on the card might refer to a person or an aspect of your inner self, rather than a timing prediction. Court Cards are particularly more likely to represent people (whether yourself or others or both if you are mirroring and learning from each other).
Another issue is that you might be working with one of the many other decks that are available out there. They won’t all match the Smith-Waite or Rider-Waite format.
Pendulums vs Astrology
There is also the option of using a pendulum to check the timing of the cards. You can write different dates, months, or years on a paper, close your eyes, and let another person whose eyes are open tell you where the pendulum is pointing. However, this is not as solid of a system as astrology, and you can’t replicate the experience in the same way as you can with charts.
Due to these limitations of tarot and pendulums, I recommend combining tarot with astrology when looking for timing. Astrology can help confirm the most likely timing clues not only for your client but also for you. This is especially helpful if you are reading tarot without practising psychic channeling or self-hypnosis. Even if you are searching for timing clues as a channel or self-hypnotist, being aware of general trends in astrology can help.
How do you search for timing clues as a psychic channel or self-hypnotist? I do have exercises for this, and I find them to be fun and interactive! However, I will save those psychic tutorials for another post, as I want to stay focussed on the theme of this week: one-card readings…
How to Give a One-Card Reading
Most of you have probably given one-card readings, and I know some of you are professional tarot readers so this section might be basic for you. If so, feel free to skip to the predictions! :)
There are advantages and limitations to one-card readings. One of the advantages is looking deeply into a card. A spread of many cards takes the chance of missing some of the meanings calling out to be heard in one of the cards.
One of the disadvantages of a one-card reading is that it is possible to miss additional aspects of a prediction that other cards can show more clearly than the card that was drawn from the deck.
One-card readings may be convenient when time is limited (for instance, if you want to save time for looking at astrology charts). Perhaps the card gives so much clarity that there is no need to pick another card for that particular question.
In terms of technique, I like to ask for guidance before shuffling the cards. I also ask for my ego and biases to be removed and to be of service to the person I am reading for. That doesn’t mean I will be 100% unbiased every time (is it humanly possible?), but by setting the intention I am more likely to be unbiased.
After I shuffle the cards, I read them facing me rather than the person getting the reading (the querent). So if the card is reversed when it’s facing me, I read it reversed.
Reversals in Readings
Some people don’t want reversals in their readings, and that’s fine, too. It limits the number of possibilities (156 versus 78) but exclusively upright readings also work, especially if you are also using psychic channeling or astrology. Every card has a story to tell so you will get a lot out of the upright meanings alone.
I do recommend learning the reversed meanings, though, as it’s like being literate in twice as much of a language. Many reversed cards offer ways to work on oneself that wouldn’t be as apparent in the upright version. For instance, The Devil Upright can be about a materialistic or superficial relationship. Reversed, this card offers suggestions about cultivating healthy self-esteem, setting boundaries, or breaking unhealthy relationship cycles.
What do you think? Do you prefer one-card readings or more complex spreads?
As an example of the first of future one-card readings for each of your signs, here are the one-card readings for this week…
Tarot-Astro Pro Predictions
*Your Weekly Tarot Readings for Every Sign
Aries
Aries, the 7 of Wands can be about standing your ground or setting a boundary to keep the stability of your position: whether that is in a work, volunteer, or learning situation. This may also be about having what it takes to hold your own in a debate. If someone challenges you, you’ve got what it takes to rise to the occasion. If you are feeling pressured, or if you’ve been seeking help to no avail, you can call in protection or an ally to help you advocate for yourself. If you’ve already been through this, the 7 of Wands is congratulating you for what you accomplished.
Taurus
The 10 of Cups Reversed can be about getting things back into harmony. This card asks what it would take to either compromise or try a different approach in a situation to make you happy. While the 10 of Cups often represents family (whether chosen, created, or family of origin) or other relationships, this can also be about work or volunteer connections. Taurus, the land and home in the background create a happy scene that connects to the concept of nature and natural homes, or nature retreats in your sign. This card sometimes points to a pause or respite before reconnecting to the people you feel closest to. When you do, the cups that turn upright become full again as dreams resurface.
Gemini
A conflict or difficulty might be in the process of being resolved or was possibly recently resolved (at least in part) when you get the 5 of Wands Reversed, Gemini. This is a story of peace following a period of stress or duress. A resolution is on the horizon.
The 5 of Wands R can also be about clearing up a misunderstanding or getting more clarity for yourself, both of which could bring some relief. The 5 of Wands R sometimes prompts the question, “How important is it?” If something isn’t a big deal but I keep going back to it I like to do an exercise: I imagine handing the thought or feeling over to the Universe, asking for guidance, and then focusing on a task or being helpful. If I do this earnestly, I find that the feeling or thought will be transformed more quickly than if I hadn’t done the exercise.
Cancer
Cancer, The Hierophant is a significantly symbolic card in this deck and can denote traditions, formal rituals, or belief systems. The keys at the base of The Hierophant’s feet signify that you can get something you need from a formal practise or place. This is a sacred card that could reconnect you with a meditation practise or other ritual or hobby that is supported by a structured system and brings you meaning. While the card appears to be in a religious setting, the setting may be an educational or other formal institution. The underlying theme of this card is the contentment that comes from connecting with people who share your morals or values.
Leo
The Magician initiates transformation, whether internal, external, or both. His table is set with objects that represent all 12 signs, through each of the suits: Wands, Pentacles, Swords, and Cups. There is an astrological aspect to this card that encompasses the qualities and potential meanings of all 12 signs. As such, this card suggests that there are many tools for creating change. The red roses above him are joined by other flowers below him. The flowers match his garments, and the ones growing from the ground that are not above match his headband and wand. There is a message within this card about the magic of creating something new in life, represented by the material Earth from which these new flowers grow. Transformation starts with an idea, inspiration, or revelation before it becomes reality. The nature of the flowers that emerge in your life from new ways of thinking may be surprising. Things might not turn out as planned. They are often better than what we imagine.
This card can inspire you to transform ideas into reality, and as such is related to visualisation, affirmations, prayer, or, sometimes, hypnosis. The Magician’s objects say that you’ve got what it takes to create the life you want, Leo.
The magic wand he holds to the sky, countered by his other hand which points to the Earth, mimes the saying “as above, so below”. The Magician tells us that changes start with ideas…or sometimes inspired revelations from above. The infinity sign is the eternal connection you have to the divine. This infinity sign is a sign that it’s never too late to form beliefs that will bring you more of the life you want. According to The Magician, you can start this new life at any time.
Virgo
Virgo, the Knight of Swords shows a part of you (or someone in your life) who is charging forwards with energy and enthusiasm in the pursuit of a goal or intellectual stimulation. Their expression exudes energy and enthusiasm. While the figure in this card might not be ready for commitment in areas outside of their current goal, their confidence and ambition attract success in the realm of what they seek to accomplish. As a Court Card, the Knight of Swords can sometimes represent an Air sign, or possibly a younger man.
Libra
The Ace of Wands can bring inspiration, new ideas, or moments of fun your way, Libra. If you have a creative idea, it is a big one because the wand in this card is more prominent than the castle far in the background or the trees and the stream below. Your ideas could be inspired from above (represented by the hand emerging from the cloud) at this time. Connecting or reconnecting with your emotional life or something you’re passionate about is one of the themes of this card.
Scorpio
The Four of Pentacles features a crowned man on a throne holding coins, in front of a city that he either rules or holds a position of decision-making power. This card may bring up feelings of being connected to or wanting to seek security and safety. The figure may be frugal, or he might be saving for something.
One of the themes of this card is that true security in oneself comes from within. Sometimes that feeling of security or contentment comes from affirmations, “acting as if”, or acts of service. Overall, this is a card about the ever-present option to reconnect with inner contemplation whenever the external world becomes distracting. As a Scorpio, you may have a natural tendency to deeply explore inner states of consciousness, so that’s a bonus!
Sagittarius
Judgment is a major card on a spiritual journey, Sagittarius, and can signify that you’ve overcome a challenge and not only risen to the occasion but transformed the situation against all odds. You turned what could have been a troubling outcome into something that is working out in your favour.
The horn blown by the archangel Gabriel is a congratulatory call that brings those who have suffered back into a state of living freely and fully. Even if everything may still seem grey like the clouds and figures in this image, they are dancing to angelic music that cheers them, and snow-capped mountains await them to be climbed someday in the distance. This card may be a recognition of having passed a spiritual test and assures that there is a new life awaiting you.
This can be a time to reflect on personal values (represented by the angel) and higher purpose (signified by the mountains), and to make adjustments when needed so you continue to be aligned with your beliefs and callings.
Capricorn
The King of Swords (as with all Court Cards) may represent a person, an aspect of your psyche, or a phase in your life. He can be strict or disciplined and may have high standards or expectations. This is a productive figure who tends to be led or to lead by intellect (Suit of Swords) more than intuition. He may have leadership qualities, and it is important to him to be ethical, responsible, and consistent. He may benefit from or appreciate routines. If you get this card, leadership, routines, and self-discipline may be one of the themes of your week.
The King of Swords may represent an Air sign. While Capricorns are more often represented by the Suit of Pentacles (Earth) in tarot, the King of Swords also has some of the empowering and leadership qualities that overlap with Capricorn.
A note about astrology: a lot is going on for Capricorns this week and throughout the month! Venus moves into Capricorn on Jan 23rd. Mercury entered Capricorn on Jan 13th, and Mars moved into Capricorn on Jan 4th. Pluto also moved out of Capricorn and into Aquarius on Jan 20th.
Aquarius
The 10 of Wands features a figure carrying 10 wands towards a town. Based on him being hunched forwards, they look pretty heavy! This card can be about duty and responsibility, but he seems to have taken on more than his body can handle. After the 10 of Wands, we imagine he takes a break and finds respite from this hard labour. He has worked a long time to gather all these wands, but what does it mean when he can barely see in front of them and can hardly walk as he holds them? He deserves a reward for his efforts, and I can’t imagine seeing this image and not wanting to help, or at least cheer him on!
Will the town in the distance bring him the peace, freedom, and merriment he no doubt seeks? If he feels burned out from being overworked, is there anything he can do to change that? How and when can he make the space for things that bring him happiness?
Astrologically, the Sun and Pluto just entered Aquarius. Uranus, your ruling planet, goes direct in Taurus on Jan 27th. If you’ve been feeling any burden from the 10 of Wands, these astrological shifts may bring some relief!
Pisces
The King of Cups represents water signs and Pisces, so your sign is in alignment with the card of the week! What a delightful way to wrap up this week’s reading. But wait, there’s more!
The King of Cups is compassionate, emotionally mature, creative, and diplomatic. He may be a spiritual teacher, teacher of the arts, mentor, counsellor, spiritual seeker, or a tarot card reader himself. He is understanding and intuitive, with a reasonable yet flexible balance between intellect and emotions. He may be older, or at least has plenty of life experience. He takes responsibility for his actions and makes amends when needed.
This card is a reminder of the listening skills that are essential for understanding your own emotions and, by extension, other people’s feelings. One of the King’s feet is about to be dipped into the water on which his throne floats. A fish (representing Pisces) leaps forward to the left and behind him. A city awaits him on the shore opposite the leaping fish. When you get this card, you are close to the pulse of the unconscious and world consciousness. As the King, you can bring your exploration of emotions back to the city, where you will lead others to connect with their feelings and compassion in the same way you so naturally connect to yours.