my first time reading and confused

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 14 May 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Danielkirk1	14 May 2005
Hi everyone i finally got my tarot cards! I Asked a question based on my future girlfriend/wife on what her personality will be like. I shuffled the cards 3 times, then i did the following layout: 2.........3 .....1 Position meanings: 1.self. 2.the negative side of her. 3.the positive side. The cards i got were position 1: The devil Position 2: The tower Position 3: knight of swords I felt confused when i saw the knight of swords as this card useually represents a man.. (and i'm not gay in any way! lol). I interpreted like this: The devil represents that she is a powerful woman, the tower i interpreted that she will be very argumentive and very intense. The knight of swords confused me. Do any of you guys have an idea of what the knight of swords mean? or Have a diffrent interpretation on what these cards could mean? I would be extremly greatful for feedback as I am excited for my first reading:)

Fudugazi	14 May 2005
Hi Daniel, congratulations! First steps are always a bit wobbly, but you got straight into it :) Which deck did you use? Now to your reading: Knights are not always men. Rather they represent a young person with the characteristics of the card (Kings and Queens are often, but not always, men and women). The Knight of Swords is someone with the caracteristics of the Swords - brainy, cool-minded, with a good sense of fairness, but applied to Knights - therefore passionate and impatient. So here we have a young woman who will be clever, fair and quick-witted - but perhaps too much so (a cutting tongue can be uncomfortable to live with for others); and with a tendency of riding rough-shod over what stands in her way. However, since this position describes her "positive traits", you can take from it the clever and fair element, and possibly someone who talks fast and a lot and makes up her mind quickly. The Tower could mean she keeps things too much to herself, doesn't let them come out, and when she does, it all comes out at once in angry bursts which can be hurtful to herself and others. The darker side of the Knight of Swords is likely to come out during those Tower bursts. The Devil suggests she is at base a powerful, daring person with not many taboos, who loves the physical side of love, but that she still has lessons to learn about her shadow side - possibly her problem in expressing her feelings, the fact she bottles things up; and something with over-intellectualising things. The dark side of the Devil will possibly come out during some of her Tower conflagrations. Do you know such a person? ;)

closrapexa	14 May 2005
Hmmmm... interesting question. Usually I don't go in for questions like that, that the answer is "You will meet a tall, dark stranger" and things like that, for the imple reason that you usually see what you choose to, and objectivity is difficult when dealing with love and romance. Anyway, the reading itself is a powerful one, with two rather tempestuous Majors and a strong Court. Not that I am the authority, but if I read for some one on that question and those were the cards that come out I would see that there is an element of trying too hard. In the self position we have the Devil, which I normally see as fears or a kind of blackage. Why is there fear of that woman? Or, if it relates to her, then it could mean that she is reticent, and not ready to commit. Nest, we may see that fear as a fear of change. She is going to shock you, change you and undermine the foundations of what you thought that you knew. The Tower is not always a bad card, but it never lacks in drama. Next, the Knight of Swords. Courts can be either a person, or a situation. If it is a person, then it can be a strong willed person, one that is not to be crossed. If it is a situation, then there may arise some conflict, relating to the previous cards. Now, when reading about these subjects, which I feel that at times it is better not knowing, it is important to think about where the question comes from or why it is being asked. Say you meet some one tomorrow. Will she be your future wife? Will you look in her for the things you see in this reading, and apply undue pressure on the relationship to make a commitment as soon as possible? Or, on the other hand, will you decide that she is the woman in the cards and end it prematurely? It owuld be another matter if you asked about a certain some one, about your compatibility, but asking about a mystery lover is never a good way to go, in my opinion. Just my 2cents!:) Good luck with you new deck! Which deck is it?

Danielkirk1	14 May 2005
closrapexa wrote: Hmmmm... interesting question. Usually I don't go in for questions like that, that the answer is "You will meet a tall, dark stranger" and things like that, for the imple reason that you usually see what you choose to, and objectivity is difficult when dealing with love and romance. Anyway, the reading itself is a powerful one, with two rather tempestuous Majors and a strong Court. Not that I am the authority, but if I read for some one on that question and those were the cards that come out I would see that there is an element of trying too hard. In the self position we have the Devil, which I normally see as fears or a kind of blackage. Why is there fear of that woman? Or, if it relates to her, then it could mean that she is reticent, and not ready to commit. Nest, we may see that fear as a fear of change. She is going to shock you, change you and undermine the foundations of what you thought that you knew. The Tower is not always a bad card, but it never lacks in drama. Next, the Knight of Swords. Courts can be either a person, or a situation. If it is a person, then it can be a strong willed person, one that is not to be crossed. If it is a situation, then there may arise some conflict, relating to the previous cards. Now, when reading about these subjects, which I feel that at times it is better not knowing, it is important to think about where the question comes from or why it is being asked. Say you meet some one tomorrow. Will she be your future wife? Will you look in her for the things you see in this reading, and apply undue pressure on the relationship to make a commitment as soon as possible? Or, on the other hand, will you decide that she is the woman in the cards and end it prematurely? It owuld be another matter if you asked about a certain some one, about your compatibility, but asking about a mystery lover is never a good way to go, in my opinion. Just my 2cents!:) Good luck with you new deck! Which deck is it? It's the original rider waite deck :) The only reason i came up with that question because I didn't know what to ask, so I just asked what came to mind. I do find it a silly question and it would of made more sense if i would of asked about a girl i liked then asked about my chances with her. Thank you both, helvetica I like the way you explained the cards and how it relates to the question really well :) More feedback is welcome, this is very intresting to me;)

Ace	14 May 2005
So are you asking about a real person or not? if not, then it can't really be answered. So the spread may have been telling you about you: repression or resentments bottled up. Waiting for a good person then GOING for it full force! Instead try the spread again on someone you KNOW. and see what you get. Ace

Danielkirk1	14 May 2005
Ace wrote: So are you asking about a real person or not? if not, then it can't really be answered. So the spread may have been telling you about you: repression or resentments bottled up. Waiting for a good person then GOING for it full force! Instead try the spread again on someone you KNOW. and see what you get. Ace Exactly what i stated last time i posted :) And you are right also.

Fudugazi	14 May 2005
Danielkirk1 wrote: It's the original rider waite deck :) The only reason i came up with that question because I didn't know what to ask, so I just asked what came to mind. Well, whenever I get a new deck I do a reading about it. I ask: 1. How should I approach you? 2. What will you teach me? 3. How will our relationship be? This serves as breaking the ice and as a learning question for my new deck. Original Rider Waite will teach you a lot :)

Tetrflare	14 May 2005
First, I feel all cards do not have a gender. Knight of swords is a warrior card and a card of rescue. She will be independent and can fend for herself. She will also come to you when you need her most.

SunChariot	14 May 2005
I don't blame you for being confused. :-) The Court cards are almost always the hardest part of the deck to learn to understand in a Tarot deck for most people. It depends on the deck you have. A card does not necessarily have the same meaning from one deck to the next, and there is a big difference often between the meanings of a specific Court card in one deck and another. As for me, I tend to read intuitively using all the card's symbolism to give me its meaning. And a card's meaning is personal and changes from moment to moment what a card means to me would not be what it means to another. All that being said, and hopefully that has not added to the confusion any more, generally a court card represents someone in your life. A real person (in this case the woman you asked about) and often as well and aspect of yourself. Maybe some thing(s) or some quality you will share with this woman and have in common with her that will help make you more compatible. No it does not mean that she will be masculine of a male because a male card came up. It just means she will have the qualities of that card. Very generally a knight is can be said to be someone who is still learning...(as its counterpart, the paige, is in some decks. Swords=the intellect, reasoned thought....Generally speaking it could show an intellectual curiousity on her part, and/or a love of learning. Maybe on your part as well. And, and this is what I do, see what the card's symbolism is telling you, as that to me is where the majority of the answer comes from. And I know there are people who do it differently, but that is the way I read. Bar PS. Sorry I really don't know your deck,so I have no idea what the image looks like on it. I have 12 decks, but yours is one I never tried.

HudsonGray	14 May 2005
I agree with the cards being 'genderless', you look at the aspect that the card represents & apply it to a person or situation. Women can get Kings & the Emperor just as often as men get the Empress, High Priestess & Queens. But I feel that since tarot can only look a short way down the future (since the future is not set in stone) you'd be only looking at something coming up in the next 6 months--after that things get too diffuse & can't be as clear cut. If you had someone in mind as a potential girlfriend, then the reading would be stronger, but if you aren't even to square one yet, this sort of thing won't help much. You'd get better info to work with if you did a reading on what you need to do to attract or meet someone with a relationship in mind. Without a person already there making the first steps towards the future with you these 'what are they like' questions are the same as 'when will I die' or 'will I be rich' questions--those can't be answered either.

The my first time reading and confused thread was originally posted on 14 May 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.