Have you ever felt the querent has murdered someone?

tarot heart

I once read in a post that a reader doing a reading about someone who had passed on, turned up a death card reversed and interpreted it as a suicide. I have to wonder about the nature of these types of questions from querents sometimes. If the querent had actually murdered the person or had in some way been responsible for the death of a person, would the Death card come up or some other card? We can't expect the querent to always be honest about the questions in their readings. If a murderer felt guilty, which card would come up. Just curious about this.\

ETA: oops, I mean the Devil Card came up not the Death card
 

celticnoodle

well the death card doesn't necessarily mean a physical death. but, depending on the question regarding murder, and possibly if the death card came up with the 7 of swords, it could mean that the querent got away with murdering someone. as far as feeling guilty, perhaps the 6 of swords? just a few thoughts on this.
 

tarot heart

Really, why the 7 of swords? oh, by the way I made a mistake in my original post it was the Devil card, not Death. I will go edit that now.
 

starrystarrynight

Any of a number of Swords cards (I though of the 7 first, as celticnoodle did. That's because the Seven of Swords can bring the connotation of lying-cheating-stealing or other nefarious energies along with planning something out.) I could also see the Ten of Swords (hey, there are a bunch of swords sticking out of a guy who is lying on the ground...how much more explicit can that be! :)) Or how about the Three of Swords? The Eight, Nine?

The Tower comes to mind (though if that came up with the Devil, I would first think of a drug overdose.)

I did a reading for a guy one time who had admitted committing a serious crime (though he didn't say what it was), and his question was whether or not he was going to get away with it or get arrested and go to prison. I remember Judgment and Justice came up, and I told him justice was going to be served. (I never heard from him again, so, he may be in prison right now.)
 

tarot heart

Wow SSN that was a great story. I'll have to remember that. The tower and the devil, overdose, or maybe even suicide? I always thought that the tower and devil in close proximity meant suicide. What about you.

Also, what about cards that show guilt. Which cards would show guilt about cheating in a relationship? Or guilt about a crime? What about the severity of the crime...stealing vs. murder vs. telling a lie?

I am still new to tarot readings so that's why all the questions.

What about the ethics involved in what a client tells you? If they tell you they committed a murder or theft are we obligated to call the police. I would feel inclined to do something especially if it was a murder. I don't think I could sleep know someone was dead at the hand of the person I just read for...
 

willowfox

10 swords is pretty convincing, bullets, knives and the body laid out on the floor.
 

Luna_Star

I would say the nine of swords is a good card to depict this since the person will be consumed with the guilt and anxiety of their actions. in many tarot decks the nine of swords shows a person sitting in bed, unable to sleep. They're so stressed by whatever is happening, they're reaching the point of desperation, their darkest hour.

For me the ten of swords is more about them deciding to either abandon the thoughts that are causing them anguish or deciding to take action to end their distress. Their anxiety, guilt and pain in my opinion, is better described by the nine.

Another very good card is the ten of wands. In the RW deck, it shows a man carrying a very heavy load (the ten wands). This could be similar to the feeling this person has, they're carrying a heavy load by keeping quiet about their actions.
 

MareSaturni

Luna_Star said:
I would say the nine of swords is a good card to depict this since the person will be consumed with the guilt and anxiety of their actions.

...or not.

What if the person is kinda psychopath and feels no guilt? Or if they come a culture in which murdering another can be seen as a rightful way to pay for an offense? (honor killing still exists in many places)

Not all criminals feel guilty for their actions or regret what they have done.

The 9 of Swords would be appropriate for a person who commited a crime of passion, accidentaly murdered someone or killed someone else in self-defense, I think.
 

Luna_Star

Marina said:
...or not.

What if the person is kinda psychopath and feels no guilt?

If we're going by one of the questions posted by the original poster (if they feel guilty) then yes, the nine of swords applies.
 

chrissydogz

i"d probably say either the 10 of swords,the devil,the 9 of swords,6 of swords(in a way)or the hierophant reverse could fit this type of situation if the muderer is pretending to be the good guy.