A question of timing...

I recently read about a timing technique where you look at the cards you have laid out and work backwards from the last card you drew until you get to a minor (excluding any courts and majors).

Cups = days (but only count when next to a pentacle)
Wands = weeks
Swords = months
Pentacles = years

As an experiment, I decided to draw six cards to try and determine when I might hear from someone. I wasn't sure six cards would be enough, but in this case it was. (I guess you could use any number of cards or just use regular spreads.)

The card in the sixth position was 3 Wands, so that was my answer, three weeks.

I guess I'll know in three weeks time! (And I'll let you know.)

Any other tips on timing?

I know suits can relate to seasons (e.g. wands = spring, cups = summer, pents = autumn, swords = winter) and also The Sun can refer to summer and The Star can refer to Christmas... but when you are looking for something a little more accurate in terms of timing, what do you do?

I'm dying to know if my experiment actually works!

Shy

I don't use timing usually, only from time to time. But there are lots of older posts about this, maybe you can search them to find other systems.

For me what has worked better is very different to the technique you are proposing. My suits correspondences, courts included:
Swords - Hours / few days. Means sudden, changing and unpredictable facts too.
Wands - Days
Cups - Weeks / few months.
Pentacles - Months. Slow and foreseeable process, stuff that seems neverending.

I don't use years, since its a too extended period, so it would be an event too far in future, subjected to changes and evolution before it actually happens.

For the majors I try to see the speed of the card, if it's active or passive, and if the character is looking at past, present or future. Also I've assigned a season to some cards: Empress (spring), Sun (summer), Death (autumn),Hermit (winter).

About your technique, you pull six cards and only read the last one for timing?
Let us know if it works!!

Inana said:

My suits correspondences, courts included:
Swords - Hours / few days. Means sudden, changing and unpredictable facts too.

Click to expand...

Oh, I like that!

Wands - Days
Cups - Weeks / few months.
Pentacles - Months. Slow and foreseeable process, stuff that seems neverending.

Click to expand...

This too...

I don't use years, since its a too extended period, so it would be an event too far in future, subjected to changes and evolution before it actually happens.

Click to expand...

I did wonder about that, thinking years was probably off the scale. I like the ideas you have there about pentacles.

For the majors I try to see the speed of the card, if it's active or passive, and if the character is looking at past, present or future. Also I've assigned a season to some cards: Empress (spring), Sun (summer), Death (autumn),Hermit (winter).

Click to expand...

Good ones!

About your technique, you pull six cards and only read the last one for timing? Let us know if it works!!

Click to expand...

LOL, I know, I decided that I would try the technique rather than focus too much on the other cards, however, once the other cards were out I did view them as a whole. For me, the 3 of Wands is waiting and looking out for something, so the card right at the end seemed to make sense and implied a wait and I took the other cards into account too.

I like your ideas here - and prefer them actually.

Thank you, I will do some more searching...

Shy

Inana said:

Swords - Hours / few days. Means sudden, changing and unpredictable facts too.
Wands - Days
Cups - Weeks / few months.
Pentacles - Months. Slow and foreseeable process, stuff that seems neverending.

Click to expand...

I like this. Sounds in tune with suits.

About your technique, you pull six cards and only read the last one for timing?

Click to expand...

From what Shy said, only the last *minor* which makes sense as it's a number + suit and the courts/majors wouldn't offer that.

OK, thanks! Now I see how this technique works. It's a way to add timming to any reading. Practical if you don't want to pull more cards and need this info.

I' m glad you find of use my correspondences!

~ Here is a timing chart you can use

... here is a timing chart you can view and use that has seasons,
elements, etc...
(see image link at bottom)
tarotlyn

I learned a method from a Tarot list I was on, but like you, I'm waiting to see if it's accurate! What you do first is choose a card to represent the person or event you're asking about. In my case, my husband wanted to know when he might receive a long-awaited promotion. He chose the Wheel of Fortune.

Once he chose it, I had him place it back in the deck and shuffle. Then you simply turn over cards until your chosen card shows up. Decide in advance (before shuffling) what increments of time each card will represent. We did months, but you could just as easily use days, weeks or years.

I turned over the cards one by one, saying each month out loud: "August, September..." etc. The Wheel showed up in the December spot, which is really interesting, because after the new year, he probably won't be eligible for the promotion anymore. The cards before and after your chosen card will give you more information about the circumstances surrounding the event.

He told me that if he actually gets promoted in December, he'll be a believer for life, LOL. I'll report back in December and let you all know if the cards were right.

Denise

tarotlyn said:

... here is a timing chart you can view and use that has seasons,
elements, etc...
(see image link at bottom)
tarotlyn

Click to expand...

Thanks tarotlyn, that's great!

elysgrl said:

What you do first is choose a card to represent the person or event you're asking about.

Click to expand...

I did this and chose King of Pents.

I then placed it back in the deck and shuffled as you said.

Decide in advance (before shuffling) what increments of time each card will represent.

Click to expand...

I chose weeks...

I turned over the cards saying one, two... etc.

King of Pents turned up as card no. 9 - so nine weeks was the answer to when I would next hear from this person using this method.

The preceding cards were interesting too... I got a reading out of them!

Thanks for that - it was interesting! Nine weeks is roughly mid October, so I will just have to wait and see!

Shy

I tried this out as well. Now as background, I was waiting for an email to advise when there might be a holiday. Did the cards and got the date. Got the email AND the dates match. Now all I need to do is wait....smiling