Event-Oriented Meanings

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 24 Jun 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Lee	24 Jun 2002
Although I mostly use psychologically-oriented meanings for the cards, I'm intrigued by the authors I've read who use event-oriented meanings to predict specific events (Sasha Fenton is one such author). I've noticed that these meanings tend to take the card's image very literally; for example, the Tower could mean structural problems in a building, or the Chariot could mean transportation. I would love to know whether anyone here ever uses these kinds of meanings, and if so, how they work out in readings, and whether predictions made with such meanings seem to turn out to be true. -- Lee

cricket	24 Jun 2002
Every once in a while something like that will turn up in a reading for me. Since I personally use plain ol' intuition (no reversals, very few traditional meanings - more a sense of what a card means) they can be pretty obvious. For example: Just before going to see faunabay, the Chariot came up in a reading in the near future position. The first thing that came to mind was 'something's wrong with the car!' At the time, it wasn't true. Just as I was leaving there to come back home, my car overheated. Since then we've replaced the thermostat, fan belt, one of the fan rotor-motor-thingies, have had the air conditioning worked on three times, fixed the radiator, and had to put two new tires on! *L*

MeeWah	24 Jun 2002
Occasionally, the event-oriented meanings have been true in personal readings & in those for others. The associations have been with both Major Arcana & minor. The following are the ones that I recall. Several years ago, I saw 5-Pentacles as a warning with hubby's upcoming new job--that it would begin well but mismanagement would result in losses in a few years. For about 2 years, it was lucrative. Subsequently, budget over-runs forced changes resulting in a reduced base pay & less commissions. 2 years later, his department was eliminated at his office & at its sister locations, resulting in the loss of a few dozen jobs. The Chariot in a reading for a client led me to see a car problem/accident. She experienced a blow-out of a tire later that week. Due to the warning, she was driving slower than was her habit & thus was able to maintain control of her car. The Chariot for another client meant a car accident. I cautioned him "to drive defensively" which he laughed at because he considers himself a good driver. About a week later after a night out, he fell asleep at the wheel, ran into the rear of a trolley. The Tower in a client's reading spoke of a house-fire. Oddly, I did not actually connect it with her residence & told her so; also that it seemed to concern something electrical. Shortly after, it was her sister's house that sustained major damage in an electrical fire. The family stayed with my client for a week then lived in a hotel for a couple of months whilst the house was virtually rebuilt. The Moon in another reading warned of danger & treachery at night where I saw a particular location (though not one I actually knew). I advised it was time to bail out of a situation due to betrayal within the ranks. The client was working a special assignment & it confirmed a recurring disturbing dream.

tigerlily	24 Jun 2002
I usually don't "see" event-related meanings, probably because I don't look for them; a personal blind spot. There was one instance where I specificaly looked for them, when I was on a Tarot list that specialized in such readings (I believe they called theselves "Tarot sleuths" or something; it was really fun). The "case" was the disappearing of Chandra Levy - we wanted to see if our readings overlapped. I remember that I mentioned the "mixing bowl" of the Page of Cups and they got all excited because there was an area called Mixing Bowl in the vicinity (not being American, I had never heard of it). After September 11, the whole Levy thing vanished from our thoughts (naturally) and later I left the list, so I don't know how accurate my readings were (I do have my notes somwhere ... if you could see the chaos in my room...); I vaguely remember that I said she was near water, with power lines in the south. Well, it was all very morbid and very fascinating. Blame it on my Pluto/Ascendant conjunction!

Umbrae	24 Jun 2002
Usually event oriented comes from an intuitive reading, as opposed to direct card (lwb) meanings.

tigerlily	24 Jun 2002
Umrae, you're not suggesting that I use little white books? I only use big, heavy tomes! :D

Kiama	25 Jun 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae Usually event oriented comes from an intuitive reading, as opposed to direct card (lwb) meanings. I've often found the opposite to be true actually... (Not saying you're wrong... We've just been reading different books!) I alway come across meanings such as, 'The querent will receive a letter... A message of love...' Or, 'There are lots of secrets being hidden from you...' I hardly ever use these type of meanings... like Lee, I tend towards the Psychological meanings, which can be awkward, cuz lots of querents actually exect the event-oriented ones... :( Kiama

Starfish	25 Jun 2002
I did a reading Tuesday of last week for my husband and in the health portion of the spread the :T3S 3 of swords (Robin Wood deck - heart pierced by 3 swords) showed up. I did this reading again the following day (same spread) and it showed up again in the health section. Low and behold, DH (who was admitted to the hospital last Wednesday and released late Friday evening) was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrallation - irregular heartbeats caused by a congenital heart defect (previously undiagnosed). When I told DH about the card (upon bringing him home from Hospital) he was shocked (and a little "creeped out" (his wording)). :TSUN Starfish

MeeWah	26 Jun 2002
Starfish: The occasion of the 3-Swords does seem to fall under the event-oriented category. I trust hubby will be ok. I have seen it represent "heart trouble"; also heart attack.

Diana	26 Jun 2002
edited

MeeWah	26 Jun 2002
Diana: I agree that sometimes the meaning is of a mundane, ordinary nature. I have also experienced The Moon in the same way. The Chariot has referred to needing a new vehicle or acquiring one; a road trip. The Tower appeared when my washer broke; also when a major plumbing problem occurred as well as referring to other joys of home ownership!

Starfish	26 Jun 2002
Quote: Originally posted by MeeWah I trust hubby will be ok. I have seen it represent "heart trouble"; also heart attack. He's home and on lots of medications. He's seeing a surgeon next month for a consultation of putting in a pace maker (of sorts). I did his spreads with my Robin Wood deck - I just love this deck! :TAC Starfish

Kazz	29 Jun 2002
a friend of mine used the the "event" spread and the tower came up in the "event about to happen" position and that day she was Zapped by her electric fence in the paddock, so there you go!!!

Diana	30 Jun 2002
edited

Kazz	30 Jun 2002
Yes it was my Tarot tutor that it happened to and she also told us that sometimes in "mundane" day to day things, look at the card and everthing in it as sometimes it's the hidden things in the card that will come out from time to time, Like me with a daily card that was "death" nothing about the day was relevent to this card until the afternoon when i had to run up the shop for milk etc...then on the way home i run up the gutter in front of my house and busted my tyre BIG TIME, so that was the END of my tyre......and thus was the death card ....so there you go there is more to these cards that we love so much!!! Cheers Kazz :TQC

The Event-Oriented Meanings thread was originally posted on 24 Jun 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.