Advise cards

[yusia]

I hesitated a little about where to post - here or in Talking Tarot.
Then I asked my inner voice - and here I am with my question. (I hope our great moderators won't be too hard on my inner voice. ). I still have sometimes the real problem with the advise cards. Well, some of them are clear and straightforward - if I ask whether I should take that job, and Ace of Pentacles shows up, then, OK, I get it. Some are more tricky - if I try to figure out what should I do to accelerate my documents application, and 6 of pentacles pops out. So what? To go and to bribe a clerk? Or to donate to some fund? Or to divide my application to two parts and send them independently to different places?
Today I did a reading for a friend about her long-time rocky relationship. She finally was brave enough to tell the guy that she got tired of "who knows-what-will-be", he slammed the door, and I had to do a reading about some advise and outcome. The advise card was High Priestess reversed. If she would come out straight, I would say - OK, dear, listen to your guts, they are about right. But reversed? So, don't listen to your guts? Don't listen to them guts all the time? What do you think? The outcome, by the way, was two cups reversed (did I shuffle right )? So, whatever, what should I tell her about the advise my wonderful Cosmic deck gave her?
I would love to hear any opinion.

 

[Sophie]

In your example of the High Priestess, this would be my advice:

- upright: keep things under wraps, sit on it for the moment (i.e. the opposite of what you said);
- reversed: be clear, direct & open - move forward.

The thing about advice cards is that you need to give the advice on the card. A lot of people look at advice as: "I see the problem on the card, so I'll give whatever advice I think is best to face that problem". But it is the card itself that is the advice - you are there to read the card.

So for example, if you get a RWS 5 of Swords as advice for someone who is hesitating whether applying for a job, which a friend is also hoping to get: you might advise - "you have an opportunity to push forward, don't let false modesty or scruples hold you back. Go and apply for that job."

Or if someone asks you for financial advice - and the RWS 5 of Pentacles shows up. You might advise: "things are tough for the moment, you'll have to tighten your belt; you might find comfort among people who are in the same situation; look for some temporary relief."

If you are wondering about leaving a job and you get the 8 of Swords - the advice there would be: stay put, accept the limitations for the time being. But if it is reversed, then the advice would be - move ahead, it's time to see beyond the limitations you or others have imposed - start looking for something else.

In the case of your RWS 6 of Pentacles / speeding up application: it could mean that you look for help, there might be someone who knows someone who can speed things up; or that you try & sweet talk the clerk (short of bribery ) & ask her for help because --- (state reasons you need your application speeded up).


PS - I don't know what the moderators'd pov will be, but I asked the tarot about your inner voice - King of Cups - your inner voice is responsible, kind & mature!

 

[Pipistrelle]

I have a similar problem with advice cards, yusia. In my last reading one of the advice cards (what do I need to do to reach the next step spiritually) was the 4 of Pentacles. Was it telling me (generally speaking) to hold on, or to let go??

Helvetica - who almost always manages to convince me with her gentle wisdom - explains advice cards very well. It makes sense to read what the card is showing you. However, in my case, I opted for "let go" because it seemed to make more sense in context of the other cards. (I'm still not sure...)

Helvetica, the method you suggest sounds great, but what if you don't use reversals, like moi? Then the upright card could mean both what the card is showing and the way to deal with that problem, non?

I'm hoping to get more clarity in this area as I'm awaiting delivery of "Tarot: Your Everyday Guide". Apparently this focuses on reading advice cards. I'll try to remember to come back and let you know if it's any help yusia.

Pip

 

[Sophie]

Pip - I don't often read reversals anymore. I believe the tarot will give you the advice you need with upright cards After all there are several cards that might mean "go for it!" or "hold your horses!"

Janina Renee's book is good. She gives a range of possibilities for every card & encourages you to look at the card in an advice frame of mind. You can develop that, like any skill

Sometimes a card suggests a way to deal with a problem as well as the problem (the RWS 5 of Pents, with its two people & the light shining from above, might). But - to stay with our 8 of Swords example - not always. What you see in the 8 of Swords is a woman blindfolded & bound - though not strongly - and within a barrier of swords, suggesting a prison. If you say: "I advise you to slip the ropes & lift off the blindfold" you are effectively imposing your beliefs on the card. It might be dangerous or innopportune for that person to do that right now (advice is for now, generally). Perhaps the person first needs to accept they are stuck & going round in circles.

Whereas if the card is a description card of the querent now, then you can draw another card as advice to deal with that predicament. If you are then given the 4 of Pents - you can be sure then that the advice is "stay put" - whereas if you get the 8 of Wands, then the advice of "you don't have to be stuck like that, you can slip those bonds & take your blindfold off" would be appropriate.

Of course, there is nothing that prevents a reader from giving other kind of healing advice if they are qualified to do so: in our 8 of Swords example, you might advise a visualisation imagining the lady removing her bonds & blindfold and stepping outside the swords. But in order to do that, the person first has to accept they are "in prison". I feel some tarotists skate over problems far too quickly. Many people don't even accept their problems. If that is the case, how can they overcome them?

 

[yusia]

Oh, Helvetica, thank you - this is very insightful! Just a great reply!

 

[full deck]

. . . I feel some tarotists skate over problems far too quickly. Many people don't even accept their problems. If that is the case, how can they overcome them?

I agree with this thought. Even I have to work on these things for myself upon occasion. Regarding these types of readings, I often feel that when I put forward my reading, I ask the querent how they believe the reading relates to their situation. I try to get them involved in using their own common sense as well as reflecting upon the reading since I could do an accurate reading but if a person is not listening, then what could I do for them anyway?

 

[FaerieStorm]

Forgive me, but I kinda skimmed what people has said here; I'd like to first say that you're brave using Reversals at all--I tried...no thanks. It's just too tough (or I'm too dumb). But in general response to the Advice question, I find it a tough one to interprete as well. Generally, if the card is more on the positive side, I take as something TO DO or be; if the card's more negative, I take it as something NOT to do or be. I know it kinda sounds elementary, but that's the best way for me to interprete the advice cards.

 

[yusia]

Generally, if the card is more on the positive side, I take as something TO DO or be; if the card's more negative, I take it as something NOT to do or be.

It sounds interesting, FaerieStorm. But it should work mostly with the minors - I can't see any major as a negative or a positive, they just can't be that simple.