Developing your predictive reading skills

I've been reading Tarot cards, for myself only, on and off since I was a teenager... But, when I say "reading", I mean I have never been able to do predictive readings. What happens with me is the cards ignore my questions completely and instead give me a kind of psychological/emotional snapshot of whatever is going on with me at the time. It's been like that for years and I'm not sure why... Are there some people who have a natural predictive reading ability and others who have to work hard at it? And is it possible to not ever have any predictive reading ability at all? I'm just wondering if I should bother working at it - I'm worried that it might be a waste of time.

Personally, I think it's another skill that can be developed by anyone, and it doesn't require any special 'gifts'. After all, you're the one doing the interpretation. If you ask the cards a predictive question and then stick to it when interpreting the cards, then it should work just fine. It's only that the future itself is such an unstable thing, so readings about 'if I ever...' or 'when will I...' often turn out to be unreliable.

Also, I've often found that Lenormand cards give clearer answers when predicting concrete events and facts. But it's absolutely doable with Tarot as well.

I don't think it is ever a waste of time. try a different approach, so some basic reading on tarot - yes get back to basics....you will find something is someone's approach that you have not seen before and try it - it will open doors for you. I am amazed at how at times, I suddenly see something I have not seen before with a new way of looking at it.
please don't stop, I have done that several times, it was wasted time, there is so much to learn. good luck

SelenaGomez said:

I'm worried that it might be a waste of time.

Click to expand...

Hmm, if we spent our lives (accurately) predicting what will happen, wouldn't we avoid all the pain and difficulty? Where would the spontaneity go? Life would indeed be "predictable."

To me, "prediction" is simply seeing the present, clearly. I think you are more successful with the cards than you realize

It sounds like a lot of your problem has to do with the phrasing of questions.

You could try something very simple, such as a simple ONE card flip - with a question that has to do with something in the future, such as, a yes or no question - upright would be yes, reversed would be no, and whatever the card was would tell you WHY it's a yes or a no. That's about as basic as you can get.

From there, you could try doing 3 card readings, where each position is designated either "past" "present" or "future".

Thanks so much for your advice and points of view. I just had a house inspection and I'm exhausted from being up all night cleaning (I left it til the last minute). My brain isn't working at the moment and I really need to sleep. I will be back later

It's not an expert opinion but you have to be willing to inject your interpretation onto the cards and be wrong sometimes. I doubt the cards ignore your question but you don't know how to evaluate the cards when you see other messages.

Predictive reading is not esoteric. When using Tarot it is easy to see patterns, themes and karmic cycles but to predict you must wind back these interpretations to the daily actions of life and as well put out one version of the many you could declare for the cards you are given.

Make sure your question is a specific topic. Interpret the cards only through the lens of that topic- this is what they WANT you to do.

Ace of Wands- new work coming your way versus the more esoteric "Power, declaration, initiating beginnings"
Five of Cups surrounded by swords- someone or something related to the specific question is going to bitterly disappoint you.

Do this:

Start a journal page
State in writing your predictive question.
Lay the cards
Write your interpretation of the future events down.

Close the journal and go about your business for a time (minimum 36 hours, the period relating to the question should completely pass tho)
Revisit the journal

Re-read the cards knowing what has happened.

What do you learn? What signals where there that you missed?

Record these.

Lather, rinse, repeat

Do this until you feel more confident both committing to an interpretation AND being wrong sometimes, right other times

Best of luck

This is great advice! Thanks everyone for your input.

I didn't mean that I was going to stop reading; just stop expecting that I could do predictive readings. I think the problem is I haven't been consistent with my interpretations.

I have been sticking to doing just one or three card readings, which is helping a lot.

And I think I need to trust myself more.

I will try the journaling out and see how I go. Thanks

I thought I'd give you an example of one of the problems I have with predictive reading...

Say I ask the question "Is he sexually attracted to me?" and I get the Two of Cups.

How can I tell if the card is talking about my stuff or their stuff, or just talking about sexual attraction as a topic generally? For example, it could be saying:

a) This is my stuff - I'm sexually attracted to him (which I am).

b) Yes, he is sexually attracted to me.

c) This question is about sexual attraction in general (like 'the atmosphere of the question' type of thing).

eta

I just thought of something else...

And then say I asked the same question again, just to make sure, and I got the Four of Cups - which, to me, would suggest disinterest.

Selena, two things worth noting:
1) a yes/no question
2) a repeated draw on the same question

For me, 'intuitive' interpretation of yes/no answers has never worked. If you want the deck to answer yes or no, perhaps, it's worth trying to use a precise (non-intuitive) method for interpreting the cards. For instance, there's a great yes/no/why spread that doesn't only say yes or no but also gives you some information around the situation (I can dig up the link if you're interested).

It's also helpful to stick to the question you asked and see the cards you drew as the answer. Why would the cards want to echo your question? You're the game master, you define the rules.