Different interpretations ?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 07 Dec 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Michelle	07 Dec 2004
I had an "in person" reading done on Friday . Overall it was a good reading. However, one thing has stuck out in my mind and I would love to hear other opinions. It was a general reading and the reader placed 3 cards down , read those, then moved on to placing the next group of 3. One group of 3 was 3 of cups, The High Priestess, 8 of Swords. She read this as " Me being stuck in a room/situation with a female I am not fond of. And that it is important for me to maintain my dignity." I do not have a tenth of the experience that some of you have - but this interpretation struck me as odd. Is it just me ?? Thank you :). Deck was Hanson - Roberts

Imagemaker	07 Dec 2004
That's a bit strange to me, too. I can understand the trapped, from the 8 swords, but the rest doesn't work for what I'd find in the 3 cups and HP. Were these the first 3 cards drawn, and how many in all? Did it seem to be a spread, or a commentary on this time in your life? Generally speaking, the 3 cups is an outward emotional joyousness with friends, completely opposite to the 8 swords entrapment of (self) doubt and loneliness. Sometimes the 8 swords is our entrapment by others, from which we haven't yet moved to escape. If there was no past/present/future orientation, or body/mind/spirit indication in her approach, I'd probably say something philosophical like: consider how intuition and deeper knowledge of your self can help you balance between emotional highs and tormenting lows. If it's a PPF, then there's an element of "use your wisdom, remember your friends' support, in facing a time of misery and thinking you're stuck" The context in which the cards speak can change a lot of the nuances.

Ace	07 Dec 2004
In my deck of choice, the WorldTree, I have sometimes found that interp arising. THe 3 of cups is 3 dolphins plus Neptune (why he is there, even the artist doesn't know!) I sometimes have come to see the 3 of cups as people trying to get serious about a situtation, trying to get others to take them seriously, or to conversely, that they need to "lighten up". So I can see where 3 of cups might give a reading like that. My feel for this reading is that others are making fun of someone who is a little different than usual, but very good at what they do (High Priestess) and you don't know what to do about it. Are you working/dealing in some way with a person who seems to march to a different drummer? Or does it seem totally unlike the rest of your life? Why do you find it odd? the cards or the message? If it is the cards, I am thinking of something I do when I get someone sitting for a reading that starts reading the cards before I get a chance: I cover the cards with my hands and arms and very sternly tell them, "DON'T READ MY CARDS!" The interp may be strange to you but it is what they saw. So just look at that part and ignore the cards.

Seed Crystal	07 Dec 2004
Or ignore the interp and consider the cards. :) Yeah I think the interpretation, unless it rang true to you, might have been for the reader and not the querent.

Phoenix Rising	07 Dec 2004
I think it's a Good interpretation. Remember her take is what she sees in it, just like yours would be yours. I probably might of seen it differently, but I can see how she interpreted it that way.

Sulis	07 Dec 2004
I think that the important thing is not what each card should be interprated as but did the reading ring true for you. Sometimes when I see a particular card the meaning that comes into my head has a very tenuous link to the traditional meaning, sometimes it bears no resemblance to the traditional meaning at all. That's when I'm usually right - that's intuition. Love Sulis xx

Michelle	07 Dec 2004
Thank you all for sharing your insight !! The reading was a general reading. I think the spread had 4 groups of 3 cards - one group was about my husband, two were about my daughters. The only part of the reading that applied to me was the bit that I described in my post. I did not mean to second guess the readers interpretation - I realize we all see/feel things differently. It just struck me as odd. I think Ace hit the nail on the head - ' it seemed totally unlike the rest of my life.' I 'felt' it meant that I was blocking myself from moving further psychically/spiritually. And that I would feel happier and more at peace when I allowed myself to move forward. Then again, that may not make sense either. Hmmm, you have all given much to think about. Was I trying to read myself through the cards ? Did I expect the reader to use 'my' interpretations ? I'm going to let my brain rest - I just spent several hours at the mall with my four daughters - but I will definitely be re-reading your replies tomorrow. Thank you again !!

The Different interpretations ? thread was originally posted on 07 Dec 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.