Learning Curve with Courts: Person, situation or action/advice card?

FemaleRonin

Hello!

So recently I had began to realize that I don't really have a full grasp on the court cards and how to go about interpreting them in certain positions and or situations. As of late, I have been getting more court cards appearing in various readings. NOT just one subject or same/similar question, but in general, more
often than I am really used to. Usually, I get around 1-3, but recently it's been more around 2-5 (5 being on the max side).

I like to think I have a good grasp on interpreting them as a person when they appear in most readings, but there are times when I am unsure or have the slightest clue as to whether or not it's referring to another. The biggest area I am having trouble is when they appear in the outcome position. Again, sometimes I know when it's referring to someone in particular but then at the same time; how can I make sure it really is?

Obviously some positions are clearer than others as to whether it's a person, but when it isn't a person, what does it become? A situation? Action or Advice? How do I approach interpretating them correctly?

I've been trying to research online on how to interpret them more accurately but I seem to be getting a lot of info that I already knew or is more geared to reading them as a person more than anything else, which from how I've understood it, usually is referring to another more often than not?

Any help, advice, or possibly some insight on what I can do to help fully understand these cards or where I can get the best insight would be very much appreciated. With them showing up in the outcome position more often as of late, I figure this is prolly the best time to finally figure them out!

Thanks in advanced!
 

Scarlet Woodland

Hiya FemaleRonin,

Funny you mention it as I recently noticed the same gap in my tarot skills. Was forever having to pull clarification cards when they popped up in odd positions, which does help but would be nice not to have to! They too seemed to appear more and more often once I realised this; I swear its like they can smell your fear :D

I'm still working on it but this book is definitely helping: http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Tarot-Special-Topics-Series/dp/0738702862

Only bought this very recently, so mostly using it as a reference as I go at the moment but have high hopes for when I put the proper study in :)
 

Grizabella

I've been using the cards for 17 years now and sometimes I still get stumped by the court cards. I get annoyed when I put out seven cards and 5 of them are courts.

What helps me is to think of them as facets of someone's personality. For instance, at one time or another, each of us is like any one of the court cards, so if I ask what someone likes about me and I get a Page and a Queen and a King all of different suits, then I can say to myself, "Well, sometimes I act like a child (Page of Cups) and they actually find that endearing but I'm quite well able to communicate what I want in a strong and decisive way (King of Swords) and I'm able to manage money well and keep a household running well (Queen of Pentacles)" just for some examples.

I don't use reversed cards, so sometimes the courts will come up and I just know they're meant to be reversed but to make sure I don't mistake that, I often add in a position or two in the spread where the cards that fall there will be interpreted in the way as if they were reversed.
 

FemaleRonin

Great advice!

Hiya FemaleRonin,

Funny you mention it as I recently noticed the same gap in my tarot skills. Was forever having to pull clarification cards when they popped up in odd positions, which does help but would be nice not to have to! They too seemed to appear more and more often once I realised this; I swear its like they can smell your fear :D

I'm still working on it but this book is definitely helping: http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Tarot-Special-Topics-Series/dp/0738702862

Only bought this very recently, so mostly using it as a reference as I go at the moment but have high hopes for when I put the proper study in :)

Hi Scarlet! Thank you for the book suggestion, I'm definitely gonna look it up as soon as I finish this!

I couldn't agree more, they definitely seem to throw their weight around more when I'll be doing a reading and I pull the 3rd Court card out and it's only the 5th position in the spread "uh oh..." Sure enough another one or two have been following suit (excuse the pun :joke:) but having to pull clarifies is something I did a lot when I began tarot, and I am trying to cut it out almost entirely bc I don't want to rely on that soley to understand them anymore when I hit a wall, so I am right there with you.

Thank you again for the suggestion and for helping give me some guidance on this!



I've been using the cards for 17 years now and sometimes I still get stumped by the court cards. I get annoyed when I put out seven cards and 5 of them are courts.

What helps me is to think of them as facets of someone's personality. For instance, at one time or another, each of us is like any one of the court cards, so if I ask what someone likes about me and I get a Page and a Queen and a King all of different suits, then I can say to myself, "Well, sometimes I act like a child (Page of Cups) and they actually find that endearing but I'm quite well able to communicate what I want in a strong and decisive way (King of Swords) and I'm able to manage money well and keep a household running well (Queen of Pentacles)" just for some examples.

I don't use reversed cards, so sometimes the courts will come up and I just know they're meant to be reversed but to make sure I don't mistake that, I often add in a position or two in the spread where the cards that fall there will be interpreted in the way as if they were reversed.

Hi Grizabella!

Yes exactly my feelings and current luck as of now, and I think Scarlet was right, it's almost their way of getting in my face and saying it's time to finally tackle them and get a better understanding on them if I want to have any future with understanding tarot.

That's a great way of putting it, and I had given that some
Thought initially but now that you've reiterated that idea to me I will
Definitely make sure to trust my gut on that fully now (Still getting to know my intuition as well, but new concepts in my life). I'm also REALLY trying HARD not to let the astrological associations dictate the cards and who they are for me as well. Don't get me wrong, I always double check and make sure it matches my intuitive interp, but I always see a court card in regards to someone and automatically I think to myself "King of Cups? Ok, who's the water sign?" Although I'm not always wrong of course in thinking that, I just get annoyed with myself for allowing that one sided way of viewing them to be a block at all, if that makes sense?

Another reason why I wanted to ask the forum, bc I know this is a subject not only myself is still figuring out, but I also wanted to get some real insight from how others handle and approach reading them as well.


I personally don't read with reversals, but I've been known to do readings and
Use them with other decks but they don't sit right with my intuition and It seems to be a personal block. I figured after I have a solid understanding of
Upright and all cards in this form, that I'll turn to reversals and give it another
go but until then I have been working on using Elemental Dignities to help with getting more in depth in my interpretations. Which, is a whole other curve ball.

You've given me the idea of needing to add a position in spreads tho to
Incorporate that lacking aspect. Trying to picture going about that should prove to be interesting for me as well


Thank you seriously you've helped me so much. I now have a direction of where to go from here and how to go about understanding them more!
 

CornissMagorniss

Yes. Very, very happy with the Mary Greer book. Huge help.