Help with a relationship reading

I have a partner but I'm in love with another person. And decided to do a general reading on the other person. I'm very new to the thoth deck and tarot in general and I need a lot of help getting deeper meaning from these cards.

It's a 3 card spread:
9 of swords cruelty
Art
4 of disks power

I know 4 of disks is the weakest cards and therefore puts a negative spin on things. But I'm not so sure what I'm meant to get out of cruelty in relation to art. Any ideas? Thanks

Hi Marseilles Welcome to the Thoth section! Could you please post some details of your own interpretation first, and then the other posters will be able to offer some more comments or ideas. Many thanks!

Cruelty could represent his situation before he met me, maybe lack of fulfilment.
Art represent how he feels when he is with me, balanced, creative.
And power could mean he may over indulge in our relationship, since it's element is earth it represents the down side of the card. Maybe he is willing to have me despite all costs and consequences.

Marseilles said:

I have a partner but I'm in love with another person. And decided to do a general reading on the other person....

...Cruelty could represent his situation before he met me, maybe lack of fulfilment.
Art represent how he feels when he is with me, balanced, creative.
And power could mean he may over indulge in our relationship, since it's element is earth it represents the down side of the card. Maybe he is willing to have me despite all costs and consequences.

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I'm a little unsure how to read this Marseille. I'm finding your question and spread a bit undefined, which makes it harder for me to read as I like specificity in a reading. From the question it seems the reading was about this other person, but your interpretations are more about this other person in connection/relationship with you. I think you'd get a better response from the reading if you really defined what you want to know in a solid question, and also the meanings of position you draw a card for. I frequently use one card readings with the Thoth, which might help you also as you get used to using this deck.

It's a 3 card spread:
9 of swords cruelty
Art
4 of disks power

Click to expand...

Whenever I see a three card spread with Art in the centre, I tend to think of it as a balance between the other two cards. So my first inclination here is to think how the 9 of Swords is at odds with or different to the 4 of Disks, and then consider the position of Art as balancing or mediating between these two extremes.

I know 4 of disks is the weakest cards and therefore puts a negative spin on things

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I consider the 4 of Disks quite a positive card. It's certainly structured and controlled, but this isn't a bad thing. This is Sun in Capricorn, strong, powerful, but also contained. In connection to an affair it makes me think of a secret hideaway, that downtown hotel room, locked away and fortified against everything else. Capricorn is also the Devil, so all the vigour of the goat and such comes to mind for me. I'd read this as the positive aspect of this as a sexual relationship, and am inclined to think of this as an affair, and not a new relationship. At odds with this is 9 of Swords, an ugly situation that could happen if the affair doesn't stay in it's secret location (i.e. other partners or family find out). If the reading was about the other person and not the relationship with you, I'd be inclined to think they are likely attached themselves, know about your interest, but are balancing against commitment elsewhere (either theirs or yours). so I'd read them as 'Art' in the spread, and the other two cards as the situation facing them.

But again, maybe way off as I'm making some assumptions that I'd usually clarify in the question and spread before starting the reading.

Grigori said:

I'm a little unsure how to read this Marseille. I'm finding your question and spread a bit undefined, which makes it harder for me to read as I like specificity in a reading. From the question it seems the reading was about this other person, but your interpretations are more about this other person in connection/relationship with you. I think you'd get a better response from the reading if you really defined what you want to know in a solid question, and also the meanings of position you draw a card for. I frequently use one card readings with the Thoth, which might help you also as you get used to using this deck.

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I should have made it more clear sorry, it was a general reading about him in connection to me.

Grigori said:

Whenever I see a three card spread with Art in the centre, I tend to think of it as a balance between the other two cards. So my first inclination here is to think how the 9 of Swords is at odds with or different to the 4 of Disks, and then consider the position of Art as balancing or mediating between these two extremes.

Click to expand...

It is very interesting that the card is called art also, he is very into that. But that makes a lot of sense that there is conflicting cards on either side of this one.

Grigori said:

I consider the 4 of Disks quite a positive card. It's certainly structured and controlled, but this isn't a bad thing. This is Sun in Capricorn, strong, powerful, but also contained. In connection to an affair it makes me think of a secret hideaway, that downtown hotel room, locked away and fortified against everything else. Capricorn is also the Devil, so all the vigour of the goat and such comes to mind for me. I'd read this as the positive aspect of this as a sexual relationship, and am inclined to think of this as an affair, and not a new relationship. At odds with this is 9 of Swords, an ugly situation that could happen if the affair doesn't stay in it's secret location (i.e. other partners or family find out). If the reading was about the other person and not the relationship with you, I'd be inclined to think they are likely attached themselves, know about your interest, but are balancing against commitment elsewhere (either theirs or yours). so I'd read them as 'Art' in the spread, and the other two cards as the situation facing them.

But again, maybe way off as I'm making some assumptions that I'd usually clarify in the question and spread before starting the reading.

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That was very helpful thank you, we haven't touched each other it's more of an emotional affair if that helps, but I like your suggestion that the card represents the time we have together. So could this also mean I have a very positive effect on his life, do you think?

Marseilles said:

I have a partner but I'm in love with another person. And decided to do a general reading on the other person. I'm very new to the thoth deck and tarot in general and I need a lot of help getting deeper meaning from these cards.

It's a 3 card spread:
9 of swords cruelty
Art
4 of disks power

I know 4 of disks is the weakest cards and therefore puts a negative spin on things. But I'm not so sure what I'm meant to get out of cruelty in relation to art. Any ideas? Thanks

Click to expand...

ANY ideas ? Okay;

9 swords ... you decide; one way is just being cruel and nasty because one is like that ... for a variety of possible reasons ... but sometimes (in the rational intellectual mercurial world of swords {in tarot = air / mind, intellect} ) one needs to be 'cruel' to be kind (as they say) either with another or ONESELF.

ART two seemingly disparate things CAN be blended but it needs skill and an understanding of the processes and the qualities (reactive or not) of the 'ingredients' - I relate this to your first sentence.

4 discs - not weak; POWER ... how to maintain your power; keep those 4 elements balanced (as they are represented in your psyche) ... see that draw bridge? It is up or down ... you are the one that needs to control that, it lets people in to your sacred space or not - be discerning . It also lets you in our out into the world ... again be discerning on wheter time place and people are suitable.

How to put that all together ? - 'compose thyself in Holy Meditation' upon it.

One suggestion; don't just decide from the 'water tower'; a 'partner' and 'being in love with someone' can be very different things ... decide from a perspective in balance of all elemental parts of the psyche.