Cards suits

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 02 Feb 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Luanna	02 Feb 2002
Hello, I have 2 questions.... Question # 1 - I am a little confused about the cards suits. My question is: let's say I ask a question pertaining work only and all I get are cards with the Cups suit. I know this suit represents emotions, relatioships,love etc, my confusion is how to apply a Suit that is supposed to represent love to a work kind of question? Or another example: If asking questions about a relationship and getting cards with other suits than Cups. I am not quite sure how to connect them. Can anyone shed some light to my question? ;-) Question # 2 - I also find confusing the different positions out there for the same spread. I read some of the postings someone asked about this subject, but I guess I am still a little confused with it. The order of the spread should be individual right? it doesn'treally matter....and what about who they face? If you are reading for someone else should they face the querent or who is reading them? Well that's it for now, I appreciate some feedback, thanks

divinerguy	02 Feb 2002
Hi, You raise some interesting questions. As to suits, it really doesn't matter whether you draw cups for a work question, because the card meanings cross those boundaries. Let's say you draw a 2 of cups. Normally a card you'd want to see if you're starting a new relationship. Applying it to a business context, you start business relationships too. Try to think about the cards in terms of their attributes, and how it would work in a different situation. Every card has transferable attributes - in tarot, they're called correspondences. Hope this helps. Gary

divinerguy	02 Feb 2002
As to question 2 - Save yourself some heartache, and start with smaller spreads - 1 to 3 cards. Focus on each question as you draw the card, and place it in the position you'd like. I have my querent sit next to me, as they can see the cards the way they're drawn, rather than upside down. As for positions which seem to have the same meaning, look closer at the question, its probably slightly different. (Sounds like a celtic cross, which has multiple future aspects). However, use smaller readings before you go to the celtic, it'll be much easier on you and will build your confidence. After a few readings, gradually move yourself up. Gary

Thirteen	02 Feb 2002
Quote: Luanna (03 Feb, 2002 07:54): let's say I ask a question pertaining work only and all I get are cards with the Cups suit. I know this suit represents emotions, relatioships,love etc, my confusion is how to apply a Suit that is supposed to represent love to a work kind of question? There are two answers to this. The first is Divinerguy's answer: Let's say you ask a work-related question. You lay out the spread. It's going along fine, until you get to the 2-cups. How do you apply this to the rest of the spread which is all pentacles and wands and swords and all relevant to work? Divinerguy is spot on. If the spread seems to be answering the question, consider this 2-cups not as a "love" relationship, but as a business partnership (depending, of course, on where it is in the spread--it could also mean, if say, in the "opposition" position, that your love-life will get in the way of your job, or, if in the "future" position, that you might fall in love with someone you work with). Other cup cards can easily be applied, like the 5-cups (focusing on what you've lost, not on what you have), or 7-cups, (possibilities that look really good, but are just illusions). 8-cups: going after your dream rather than sticking with what you know and love. These are all applicable to something like work, business or career. What you have to remember, however, is that sometimes the cards have a mind of their own. If you asked a work question and got all cups, I'd say that the cards were trying to tell you that you needed to pay attention to your love life, not your work situation.

tarotbear	18 Feb 2002
No matter what cards come up, no matter what the question is, the cards are answering the question. Do not trap yourself into thinking Cups only answer love questions or Wands cards only answer work questions.

january	18 Feb 2002
Hi Luanna - Sometimes I see cups in a work spread as doing something to make a living that follows your heart's desire, loving what you do, emotional issues with co workers, having your heart set on a promotion, etc. And I agree with Thiteen that too many cups may mean that its not work/career with which you should be concerning yourself. In a similar vein, what about Pentacles for a love reading? We had a thread about this a while back and it brought up ideas such as security in a relationship, physical pleasure, common goals, etc. Not to confuse you, but sometimes I've found that the absence of a suit can be a clue as well. For example, not a single pentacle in a work spread? Then perhaps money is not the issue, but creative expression and fulfillment may be. Many times the cards guide you in a way you never figured and point to opportunities and approaches that haven't occured to you. Isn't that cool? The possibilities truly are endless, that's the beauty of Tarot! ~ january

Flavio	08 Jun 2004
I was going to start a thread with a very similar question, but since this is started I thought is was OK to start from here. The question is only about Aces, which are the pure source of the suit, not 5s or 7s or any other as discussed previously. Ace of Wands in a relationship question, or Ace of Wands in a money trouble etc... Thank you very much for your comments

HudsonGray	08 Jun 2004
It would be a mistake to think cups only mean romance, physical love or sex. 'Love' is whatever you have deep emotions for--you can love work, love the project you're on, enjoy the heck out of the career you've got, etc. I had the 2 of cups come up regularly on readings for one of our cats in regards to his health (with the Robin Wood deck there's even a lion topped caudecus). It was all about my responsibility to him & our pet/owner relationship. Love, yes, but not romantic love. Pentacles aren't just possessions & the means to get them, pentacles in a romance reading could stand in for security & traditional routes. Swords in a love reading opens a whole meaning about words used, actions taken, etc. Wands--that's all about living life & the way it's done (as opposed to swords which tend to be more specific & immediate). Keep your options on the card meanings wide & apply it to the card position as best you can. You can have love readings with absolutely all majors, which can be something, or maybe come up all minors but no cups. Traditionally a spread is laid out so the cards are facing the reader to make them comfortable to read. Have your person sit nest to you or at your right or left hand, if you like, when you lay the cards out for them. Or turn each card towards the person as you read it for them so they end up with all the cards facing them by the end. Flavio--the Ace of Wands, I'd take that as 'the way you'd approach things in your life' in regards to money/relationships/etc. See if it makes more sense like that. A beginning focused on HOW it's done, in regards to the card position the card was placed in. Others may do it a different way, but since Wands represent the day to day living a person goes through, for me that's how it would come up. If it was Swords, I'd look at specific actions and the words used or what communication had to do with the focus.

The Cards suits thread was originally posted on 02 Feb 2002 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.