Card pairs and there meanings please Help

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 30 Apr 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

SunCat	30 Apr 2005
Could anybody tell me are there any cards when they appear together always mean certain things, for example dose the 3 of swords,Tower,and death laid out side by side, Mean there is going to be a death? if so what cards would repesent an illness, what cards would represent a divorce is imment. I would be grateful if anybody could help mw with this

DoctorArcanus	30 Apr 2005
SunCat, my personal view is that the meaning of the cards, single or in combination, is never fixed. I am sure you can find on any book which card represents illness by convention. But maybe you can look at each card in your deck and decide which card suggests you the idea of illness.....4 of swords? 9 of swords? You are free to choose anything that is fit for you. There is no ultimate truth. We are free to define the meanings and the rules :) Marco

Citrin	30 Apr 2005
Yeah, I'm with DoctorArcanus. Which card do you think becomes 'stronger' with another one? On the top of my head I'd say 10/cups and The Sun are a pretty happy combination. ;o And 10/swords and tower are a bit on the negative side, so to speak. But yeah, you should just sit down with your deck and look through what cards you believe can be paired like this. There are no right and wrong meanings, IMO. ¨

HudsonGray	30 Apr 2005
If there was then it would have been documented in books as a scientific fact. But that just doesn't happen. You'll have to use your intuition, but some should be easier to discern than others. For instance: Car problems - Tower, Chariot & 8 of Wands reversed. Party (a good one with friends, or a Girl's Day Out) -- 3 of Cups, 9 of Cups.

Bosorka	04 May 2005
I also found out that when you connect a card with meaning, it will represent it all the time for you though it may have a little different meaning for others. So when you're reading look for cards that enforce what you've already found in spread. You'll find them, maybe when you won't expect it at all. Good luck ;)

mike gorth	05 May 2005
I don't usually specify what each means because it fluxuates. There is a book out there and I think it's called tarot combinations. it has 2 cards in every position possible. 2 reversed all upright 1 up one down and one down one up.

WalesWoman	05 May 2005
All three of those cards showed up in my weekly reading... so far so good. Meanings for these combinations are not cast in stone, but offer a general way of looking at things. For me these cards are learning to accept disappointment that things don't live up to my ideals and seeing the reality, looking at the foundations of my place in this corner of the world, what is working, what isn't and what needs to change in order for growth to take place. Three Swords can be hard lessons, the realization that some of the things we hold close to our heart aren't living up to our expectations but offer an opportunity to learn something of value from, it's mostly about what we think and believe, not only in love relationships, but all of them. The Tower isn't always a bad thing, it can be a revelation, seeing what is real and what can't continue. Death is the changes that come with the revelations of the Tower, what needs to change and transform in order to have real growth. Right now I'm suffering from the state of my bank account and it's breaking my heart to see it so empty, so I asked for a raise (Tower)and got it(Death). See how it can work out to be something positive?

tarotbear	05 May 2005
According to It's All in the Cards:Tarot Reading Made Easy {ISBN 1-4027-0986-2}, the chapter on 'Tarot Combinations' says: ...."The Death and Tower card together (in either order): an impending crisis or disaster. The Tower reversed:narrow escape from misfortune."

SunCat	05 May 2005
Many thanks for all you thoughts on the matter, as i am a very new Tarot reader, i only understand basic meanings for the cards, and i dont feel confident with what i say, as i am only that this moment very ridged with my card reading and see the card only as i learnt it. i know i need to loosen up and see things three dimensional. any ideas on how to do this???

Citrin	05 May 2005
SunCat: That will probably come with time. :) When I first started out I was so scared that tarot wouldn't be for me, that I didn't have the "ability". Hehe. But just relax and take it easy! Don't rush it! It took me a couple of months to get a really good reading, when I really felt that the cards spoke to me and really made sense. Practice, and you'll see a change after a while...

Bosorka	06 May 2005
Just like Citrin says, it takes time. It took also almost a year to me to find conections between cards even in simpliest spread. ;)

The Card pairs and there meanings please Help thread was originally posted on 30 Apr 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.