Ratio of Majors to Minors in a reading?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 24 Apr 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Enchanted	24 Apr 2005
Hi All Sorry if this has been discussed before but I could not find a thread, except for one with a whole load of stats in it, and while fascinating, I have a severe lack in the mathematical department and could not make head nor tail of it. I was wondering how people read the amount of majors that turn up in a single spread. Take the Celtic Cross (10 cards) as I understand it is probable for 3 cards to turn up as majors. What if you get say 6, how do you interpret this, is it a more significant question, or a important phase in the querents life? I mean my instinct was 'whoa!' but I would love to hear others thoughts and experiences on this. Thanks in advance! :)

Citrin	24 Apr 2005
"and could not make head nor tail of it." I love that little phrase! lol ignore me... Anyway. To me I read many majors in a reading as, not really more important, but more connected to my soul or way of thinking. Minors are more about what will happen around me, which can have a lot to do with people in my life, school, material things, and so on.

Alta	24 Apr 2005
I have always taken it that the reading was less about the mundane reality of things and more about the archetypal reality of things. If that makes any sense (it does to me).

Gwynne	24 Apr 2005
If there are more than normal Majors in a reading, I take it as the issue being more important than the querant thinks, and also going deeper. If there are fewer, or even no Majors, they are making a bigger deal out of it than necessary, blowing things out of proportion so to speak. Also, I look at where in the spread all of the Majors are. For instance I did a Celtic Cross about hubby and I yesterday. The first three cards were Major Arcana (The Emperor, The Lovers and The Star) and the rest were the icky sort of minors (two fives, two eights, a page, can't remember the other two...) It told me that I was making it into more than it should have been, that I've been overanalyzing it, overthinking it and I just needed to let it go. It was a smack me upside the head sort of reading..... yeah.. I needed it... The balance of Majors to Minors is important, but not nearly as important as what cards are coming up and where they are coming up, at least to me.

cybercat	24 Apr 2005
This is out of one of my books and has a good description. The book is easy tarot guide. "Predominant major arcana When there a more major arcana cards in a layout than a dominant suit, the sitiation pertains to a considerably momentous matter. The seekers question may be extremly significant or the hand of destiny may be involved rather than the seeker." I have found this too be true in many of my readings. This goes along the lines of something that will happen or you can not avoid for your on benifit. Something like a major change so you can learn something or move on to other things. Cat

Julien	24 Apr 2005
Hey Enchanted, I liked Gwynne's point about the placing of the Majors as an indicator of what's going on. I also tend to think, when I see lots of them, that archetypal energy is all over, and something's up. What that something is depends (I keep saying this) on the framing of the question and the overall placing of the cards... It depends, but it's always worth a close look because those Majors are there for a reason. I also look for combinations: The Lovers/The Two of Cups (and sometimes the Ace, or appearing with lots of Cups); The Emperor and one or more Kings; Death, the Fool, and any minor that refers to lessons (Ten of Swords); The Empress and a queen, but especially the Queen of Pents; and so on... Minors that are related to the Majors that are occurring, or have some of the opposite energy from the majors... If that makes sense. If I see the kinds of combinations where the energy is running all in one direction, I think that this is something really important and might mark a transition in someone's life or something something... If they're conflicting, I have to think through the question that was asked -- it might be an overblown sense of the world coming through (especially if there are lots of Kings and Queens about), or it might be that the person is dealing with a really big conflict at the moment, and is trying to run against the archetypal energy... In which case, they need to chill out a bit... Am I making any sense? Julien

Elven	24 Apr 2005
Hi Enchanted!! All good advice from above ... the posts that is! I think if Majors are present they related to some Major transformations and stages within a persons life. They herald the arrival of things of significance which the seeker will experience. The trials and tribulations!. It does matter where they are situated in the reading, but I have built entire readings just around the Majors and read the spread in a totally different manner than I usually would. Blessings Elven x

Enchanted	24 Apr 2005
I appreciate all your responses, certainly given me some things to ponder and take back to my reading. Nothing like the wisdom of experience, thanks again! :)

tarotbear	24 Apr 2005
To get more than three Majors in a 10-card spread is unusual, but hardly rare. I find it matters most where those three Majors come up - are they in the Past, Present, Future? If there are only two Majors and one comes up as the final card ... how do you accept that? I always consider that the Minors deal with the day-to-day pain in the butt stuff we have to deal with, but to get a 10-card spread evoid of Majors (it can happen!) is a little distracting - will that mean the reading is a wash? It may also point to those problems as being within our control, as opposed to Majors where Free Will will have to have a bit of a struggle to change the difection of the rolling stone.

Major Tom	24 Apr 2005
as I did for many, many years. It certain provides for a more intense connection between the reader and client. ;) So my vote will go with the idea that the greater the proportion of trumps, the more depth (by which I might mean uh, sub-conscious programming? What exists below the level of the conscious mind?) the reading has. As a corollary you need to consider the strength of connection needed between reader and client. ;)

full deck	24 Apr 2005
Marion wrote: I have always taken it that the reading was less about the mundane reality of things and more about the archetypal reality of things. If that makes any sense (it does to me). Sure, that makes perfect sense in that I take such to be more about the big issues than the more "mundane" goings and comings. I hesitate to say more since right now my thoughts would sound tacky but such is an indication of greater forces at work.

Arnnaria	24 Apr 2005
My general rule of thumb is the 50% rule. If half of the cards are majors, then something "major" is going on. If more than half of the cards are majors, this is a major challenge and the querent will really grow from it. However, this isn't always optimal. To me, the more majors the more "fated" the situation is and the less free will there is. Its a two-way sword.

rainwolf	24 Apr 2005
A balanced reading would be: 51% pip cards (1/2) [indent]7.8% each suit[/indent] 20.5% court cards(1/5) [indent]5% each suit[/indent] 28% majors(1/3) I have also heard that if majors are over 50%, then it is significant--in the realm of fate. Between 28 & 50% is just hinting of spiritual matters and learning experiences. amnaria wrote: Its a two-way sword. Never heard this before--care to explain? LOL

Arnnaria	24 Apr 2005
I think I combined the phrases "double edged sword" and "two way street" hehe. Esentially, to be blunt: More Majors Pro: Big life lesson; big chance for growth Con: Big challenge (we only grow through challenges); not a lot of free will / "fated" More Minors Pro: A lot of control and options in the situation; more "free will" Con: Minor life lesson due to a minor challenge. Of course, this also assumes a very "American" paradigm that free will is a good thing. Sometimes its nice to ride the wave of fate.

Enchanted	26 Apr 2005
Thanks to all who have posted here, as you can probably tell I had a 'majoriflic' cc spread. Still working through it and I may post it in your readings as I am still not so good at putting it all together. Thanks Rainwolf, thats maths even I can understand! :D

The Ratio of Majors to Minors in a reading? thread was originally posted on 24 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.