abuse cards

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 19 Feb 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Free Flight	19 Feb 2005
What cards would suggest the querant is the subject of abuse. and would different cards indicate sexual abuse as a youngster versus current physical and psychological abuse as an adult. Any Ideas?

Thirteen	19 Feb 2005
Well, first a word of warning, which I'm sure others will offer as well. Be very careful about seeing such interpetations in any of these cards, at least, on their own. I wouldn't dare to say to a person, "You were abused as a child," unless I got several cards working together in a spread to strongly suggest it. Which is why I'll temper all my thoughts on this subject with the word "might." That said.... The Devil might indicate at least a controlling or manipulative partner or parent. Perhaps not outright abuse, but the sort who will push every and any button to keep their child/partner under their thumb. Generally speaking, I'd say Swords and Cups for abuse. 2/Swords might indicate someone who is always forced to compromise or play peace keeper. Someone suffering, perhaps, verbal abuse. 5/Swords might indicate a child facing physical abuse (or an adult who endured it as a child)--as the card suggests, the child can't avoid a fight and can't win it. 8/Swords could certainly indicate psychological or physical entrapment. 9/Swords might indicate someone suffering the effects of emotional/psychological abuse, or even a survivor of sexual abuse--the swords hanging over their head, sticking with them for years afterwards. Cups are more likely to be indicators of emotional suffering or drug/alchohol abuse--so if you had, say, the 4/cups or maybe 5/cups in the position of "mother" or "Father" or "partner" in a spread, it might indicate that the querent was dealing with an alcholic parent or partner. Not abusive per se, but certainly neglectful. With 5/cups, it would the type to drink, maybe embarrass the querent, then be remorseful the day after.

Free Flight	20 Feb 2005
thanks Thirteen Let me qualify, I would never suggest such a thing to a Querant under any circumstances by just seeing a card. And I am definitely not experienced enough to see a few of these sorts of cards in a spread and come to any conclusions such as these. I was doing a basic 3 card spread for a friend who I know suffers from verbal abuse by a partner who takes some substances which are not good for them or anyone, and the 5 of cups kept coming up along with the 8 swords. This just got me thinking. Thanks Free Flight

Thirteen	20 Feb 2005
Free Flight wrote: I was doing a basic 3 card spread for a friend who I know suffers from verbal abuse by a partner who takes some substances which are not good for them or anyone, and the 5 of cups kept coming up along with the 8 swords. Ah! Well in that case, it makes perfect sense.

The abuse cards thread was originally posted on 19 Feb 2005 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.