I Wonder What the Odds Are On VIII Swords ?

[widuem]

My mother has been ill for a very long time, and I had done a number of readings in recent weeks on how long she would live.

Six times in a row, the last minor card I placed was the VIII Swords (months), and this was after I took the last 3 readings with a very shuffled deck.

What are the odds of basically getting the same card 6 times, or do the minor cards hold less weight than the majors ?

 

[MeeWah]

Widuem: I am sorry your mother is ill.
It seems to me that the possibility of getting the same card 6 times is rather unlikely. If it appeared in the *same position* such as that representing a time element--I am relying on your indication of "months"--that would be even more unlikely. The repeated appearance of the same card would be significant, modified by its position to the rest of the spread & depending on whether it changes position with each throw or what the position represents. Without knowing the specifics of the spread or the other cards (I doubt all 6 throws themselves were repetitive), it is difficult to generalize.
The appearance of the same card may indicate there is no change in the particular status quo.
Even if it appeared in a position representing "time", I would also examine the possible meaning of 8/VIII-Swords in relation to surrounding cards. It could mean the information is not available, cannot be determined at this time.
Since minor cards & Major cards each perform a function, minor cards do not necessarily carry less weight than a Major card.
Minor cards generally pertain to details; they assist in telling a story. They may be thought of as "adjectives" that describe a person or a situation. They are an aspect of a Major--as in all Aces may represent the particular elemental aspect of The Magician, so on.
Major cards generally refer to a concept; a theme; cosmic law.
I understand this is a difficult time & you have a certain interest in your mother's prognosis, but under any circumstances, it is counterproductive to do readings on the same subject frequently. The cards may react to the repetition & prove less than helpful. Also, readings on health matters are tricky, as are certain types of questions.

 

[Thirteen]

Quote:widuem (05 Feb, 2002 03:28):
My mother has been ill for a very long time, and I had done a number of readings in recent weeks on how long she would live.

I have *very much* been in your shoes, so believe me when I say I know exactly how you feel. It's terrible, not knowing. And equally terrible to know, from any source, if knowing is possible.

Here's my question, why did you do this reading now, in particular? What is your mother ill with, if I may ask, and has it gotten worse? What spread and deck did you use, and why do you believe the 8/swords means 8 months not, forgive me, 8 weeks, 8 days or 8 years for that matter? And if you feel this was the answer the first time, why re-do it 6 times?

The thing is, the Tarot is not the place to search for hope or miracles. It's what you use to find out inner truths. Tarot tells you things you don't want to hear, or that you've over looked, or not considered. It's not always bad news, but if you ask it if someone will die, well, yes, because we all have a finite amount of time, and the tarot isn't going to lie to you about that.

My point is, perhaps that 8 of swords isn't a message to you about your mother, so much as a message to you about how you are living your life right now, bound in, trapped by fears, laying out those cards again, and again, and again, preoccupied with her illness and death, and not your life, or her life for that matter.

It's certainly something to think about. Having been in your shoes, I urge you to consider what you can do not only for your mother's comfort and happiness at this time, but for yourself as well. Your life matters, too.

 

[Geenius at Wrok]

Quote:widuem (05 Feb, 2002 03:28):
Six times in a row, the last minor card I placed was the VIII Swords (months), and this was after I took the last 3 readings with a very shuffled deck.

What are the odds of basically getting the same card 6 times, or do the minor cards hold less weight than the majors ?

If you were looking for a literal answer, the odds of the same card's appearing in six consecutive 10-card spreads are 1 in 225,200. The odds of the same card's appearing in the last position in six consecutive 10-card spreads are about 1 in 107 billion. Different probabilities for different spreads, naturally.