General speaking, how long..

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 25 Sep 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

katie_here	25 Sep 2004
does a tarot reading last for? Is there a life span on them or is it impossible to predict too far into the future?

Shalott	25 Sep 2004
I've heard a maximum of a year out. Sounds about right to me considering how good Tarot is as seeing into the present (recalling a Simpson's episode...LOL)

Diana	26 Sep 2004
It depends whether you are going forward to the future or back to the future. (When you play with the Tarot, you are playing with Time. Can be fulfilling. And can be dangerous too.) Few things are written in stone. (Some are.... if there is a meteorite only a hundred metres above your head, there is little you can do stop it from falling on you, even if you did have the time to do a tarot reading about it.) We can probably read thousands of years into the future. But this would give us more time to change that future. So if you take actions now to change that future (let's say you don't like at all what you have read is going to happen in 20 years), then in a week or even less, you will do a reading and wonders of wonders: You have modified your future!!!! Like if the cards tell you "You will be divorced in fifteen years time". GASP!!! You don't WANT to divorce. You love your partner. So you take steps to make sure that your marriage/partnership gets back on the rails. You make sure that humour and love never get forgotten in the routine mundane life couples can fall into; you make sure that the sex remains exciting; you make sure you don't become a complaining, boring person. And wonders of wonders, you ask the cards a year later: "What will my marriage by like in fourteen years". And the cards you pull are: The Lover and The Star. Another example: The Tarot tells you you're going to be crippled with arthritis when you are 60. So, you reckon "Okay, so I'm going to start changing my diet, my way of thinking and find someone instructed in holistic medicine who can follow me regularly to help me get my body and mind back in shape." And two years later, once you have got rid of all those toxins, have stopped eating your rubbish food, have changed certain mental patterns, the Tarot will tell you that you are moving away from this dire picture of pain, and into freedom and light. I said in another thread recently that The Tarot is not constricted to our little narrow viewpoints of time and space. It transcends them. Wonderful little 78 page book! :)

closrapexa	26 Sep 2004
I've found that with reading too far into the future, you ca't always understand what the readings means or says. About ten years ago, I did a reading for myself what things would be like ten years hence. Now, from what I remember of the reading, it was accurate, and many of the things I foresaw came to pass, but at the time I didn't really see the connectivity, the chain of events that would allows these things to occur. So, yes, I beleive you can read as far into the future as you would wish, but the question is will it be beneficial? And Diana, what would a reading about a meteorite falling on top of me say? That a big change was about to occur? Death? Judgement? Maybe even the Wheel of Fortune?})

katie_here	26 Sep 2004
I've always wondered this. Especially if you do a reading and something is predicted to come to pass, but say, 6 months later, it hasn't. That made me wonder whether the cards are wrong, you've done something to alter the course of action, or there is still time.

Alta	26 Sep 2004
I find it helps to be specific about the time you are asking about. It helps because it keeps it clear in *your* mind. If you want a long range reading, write it down. The palest ink is more enduring than the strongest memory. :)

MeeWah	26 Sep 2004
I rarely look to include a time element in a reading because some readings contain it "naturally"; can indicate anytime from the immediate to years hence. Seen this occur in personal readings & in readings for others. In each case, no time included in the query & no particular spread used. For instance: many years ago, I did a general reading for a client. Afterwards, she asked if she would ever marry. At the time, she was not in a relationship. Do not recall now what card(s) in the same throw prompted me to tell her she would marry, but later in life. & so it was: years later & after a couple of aborted relationships, she wound up marrying at 50 years old. I tend to see the Celtic Cross as capable of encompassing the immediate to within 6 to 7 days or far longer, depending on one or more cards. Occasionally I use an extended Celtic Cross with a timing card position that may refer to aspects of the reading. I base the sense of time on the type of card that appears in that position.

Diana	26 Sep 2004
Quote: Originally posted by closrapexa And Diana, what would a reading about a meteorite falling on top of me say? That a big change was about to occur? Death? Judgement? Maybe even the Wheel of Fortune?}) How about Judgement reversed?

lunalafey	26 Sep 2004
Quote: Originally posted by katie_here does a tarot reading last for? Is there a life span on them or is it impossible to predict too far into the future? I believe it depends upon the issue. I did a 12 card reading in '98. 3 cards represented for each; issue, past, present & future. Each set of three told a story that was accurate- except the future, for it had not happened yet. My mistake was to apply the future to myself when the question was about another. I did not understand the future cards at all- at that time. Just last year- a major turn of events with this issue had me dig out the reading I had done 4-5 years before. I took a look at the future cards and they described exactly what had just transpired and a touch of what was to come because of it.

shelikes2read	28 Sep 2004
Quote: Originally posted by closrapexa I've found that with reading too far into the future, you ca't always understand what the readings means or says. About ten years ago, I did a reading for myself what things would be like ten years hence. Now, from what I remember of the reading, it was accurate, and many of the things I foresaw came to pass, but at the time I didn't really see the connectivity, the chain of events that would allows these things to occur. So, yes, I beleive you can read as far into the future as you would wish, but the question is will it be beneficial? And Diana, what would a reading about a meteorite falling on top of me say? That a big change was about to occur? Death? Judgement? Maybe even the Wheel of Fortune?}) How about the Tower? ;)

The General speaking, how long.. thread was originally posted on 25 Sep 2004 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.