Nisaba's Timing Method

nisaba

<grin> You're right, it's been asked (and answered) in this very thread more than once, but I'm happy to explain.

Pentacles are years because they are Earth, and of all the four elements Earth is the slowest-moving.

Cups are months, because they are Water, and water is more fluid and mobile than Earth, but less fluid and mobile than either air or fire, and so is second-slowest.

Swords/Air comes next, because it is faster-moving than Water and so represent weeks.

And lastly Wands are fastest of all, at days, because Fire is the underlying energy that powers the movements of everything else: Earth, Water and Air. Fire can also be seen as Light, and scientists tell us that nothing can move faster than light.

This is all just common sense applied to periods of time.

Sometimes there is a little room for overlap. I suppose, this is just a function of how many cards are in each suit. When I talk to clients, I always express time in terms such as "approximately four days" or "about eight months". You couldn't double-check a chronometer with it and it's not an exact enough stopwatch to time an Olympic race, but it is accurate enough.

I decided on this method some time in the late 1980s, I think, and I decided it was much more accurate when you used a separate deck to the one you are actually doing the reading with, a few years later, probably in around 1993 or 1994.
 

LittleOne

I don't think I phrased a very good question. Say for example, right now it's the start of May and I know something is going to happen at the start of July - that could be represented as two months from now OR eight weeks from now. So what is the significance of drawing two of cups over eight of swords or vice versa? Another example, if something is going to happen exactly a week from this very moment, what would be the significance of the seven of wands being drawn over the ace of swords? Or does it not matter, time is time no matter which way you measure it?

EDIT: Actually I'm probably just being pedantic. I have this argument in head about many things... why does my Dad say 10mm when he could say 1cm. Silly things like that. It's all the same. However, if there is more to it I would be interested.
 

nisaba

I don't think I phrased a very good question. Say for example, right now it's the start of May and I know something is going to happen at the start of July - that could be represented as two months from now OR eight weeks from now. So what is the significance of drawing two of cups over eight of swords or vice versa?

Sometimes there is a little room for overlap. I suppose, this is just a function of how many cards are in each suit.

<smile>
 

Simple

This has actually been my method of timing b/c it's easy and simple.
I now realized why my timing is sometimes off.
I just ordered a mini TdM just for this. I hope it'll work out. Thank Nisaba for the tip!
 

nisaba

Say for example, right now it's the start of May and I know something is going to happen at the start of July - that could be represented as two months from now OR eight weeks from now. So what is the significance of drawing two of cups over eight of swords or vice versa?

No significance. They both give you the same timing.
 

nisaba

This has actually been my method of timing b/c it's easy and simple.
I now realized why my timing is sometimes off.
I just ordered a mini TdM just for this. I hope it'll work out. Thank Nisaba for the tip!

You're welcome.

I hasten to add - I don't actually use it very often. My preferred method of timing is just seeing what rolls out of my mouth automatically. But if a client wants an idea of a time-frame and I can't come up with something instinctively, I'll reach for my Bologna deck and pull a card using this method.
 

aurafields

I've shared this timing method a few times, but always inside other threads, so that it's more difficult to find on a search. This should make finding it easier.

I have a deck that I only use for timings, with unillustrated pips and with Majors I don't care much for. You are never going to actually READ with this deck, so it's better if it is a deck that lacks meaning for you. During the main reading, if there's an issue that I want a timing on, I shut my eyes briefly, and if I don't hear my voice coming out with a time-interval, I'll hand the querent the timing deck, get them to shuffle it briefly, then cut it at the point where the deck wants to separate (rarely the middle). I'll then look at that card.

I'll start with the Minors:-

1) The time intervals are predicated on the speed of the suits.

Coins, as Earth, is slowest-moving, so represents YEARS.
Cups, as Water, is second slowest, a little faster, so it is MONTHS.
Swords as Air, is faster still, so it is WEEKS.
Wands, as Fire, is fastest and most energetic of all, so it is DAYS.

Aces through to tens are that time-interval multiplied by the face-value (ie, the Two Coins would be two years, the Six Wands would be six days).

Pages are eleven of the time-unit, Knights twelve, Queens thirteen, and Kings fourteen. This already provides the deck with a bit of overlap. (If I was using an ordinary playing deck instead of a Tarot deck, I would make Jacks eleven, Queens twelve and Kings thirteen).

Drawing a Major tells you this, and I usually say exactly this to clients: "The Tarot doesn't know how long it will be. It is entirely up to you. This card is about [name the principle issue of the card]; when that has been resolved and dealt with in your life, then and only then will it come to happen. If you want it to happen faster, then work through your issues concerning this card faster".

NOTE WELL!!!

This method DOES NOT WORK if you simply pull a card from the remainder of the deck you've already done the main spread with. It also has a track record of occasional failure if you use a second deck that is accustomed to being used for readings - it will keep trying to tell you stuff instead of just figuring out timings. Keep one deck entirely separate, one you have never read from. I recommend very simple decks - Marseilles-style decks are excellent.

Playing cards are also excellent - far better than Tarot decks you actually like or have used for readings - but be careful about Court Cards: the Jack is 11, the Queen is 12 and the King is 13. The only problem is that if the timing REALLY is completely dependent on your completing other important stuff first: say, for example - you're never going to meet the love of your life or land the perfect job until after you front Court on all our traffic offences or even that old rape charge and get that dealt with, then a deck of playing cards won't be able to tell you that, but a Tarot deck will, by presenting you with - say - the "Justice" card.

In short, playing cards do timing well, but not as well as single-purpose unillustrated Tarot decks that are only used for timings.


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Honourable people will keep your secrets whether they like you or not. (Jo)
Hi Nisaba, I have been looking for a reliable timing method. Thanks for posting this. I will be giving it a good try. Has it been reliable for you? I have a time of year method,such as Pentacles =winter, but this seems to vary from one persons experience to another. Any suggestions for months of the year? would appreciate reliable method. Thanks again for your post.
 

AnemoneRosie

I like that the Tarot seems to know when majors are necessary. Clients seem to want to know when major life changes will happen ('when will I get married?' or 'when will I start a family?') and I keep getting majors.

I'm starting to experiment with incorporating this into larger life-path spreads.
 

Girl Archer

Hi Nisaba,

I have a question. Like you advise, I always use a separate deck for timing and one time recently, I pulled out Six of Cups and my mind immediately on gut feeling went to Six Weeks. Rather than six months... I follow your method religiously and yet this was one time when six months felt so "wrong".

Could you maybe explain this, please? Has it happened with you as well?
 

nisaba

<grin> I remember two instances where I was with clients, pulled a timing card, and had a "slip of the tongue" giving them the "wrong" timing for that card, but in retrospect my slip of the tongue turned out to be correct.

It doesn't happen often.

The important thing to remember is, that this is *my* method. I share it, because it works well - for me.

But *you* are the reader. YOUR intuition is paramount in your own readings.