Card at the bottom of the deck.

I have always wondered if the card at the bottom of the deck has any significance, and if so, what is it. Everytime I finish a reading, I always glance at the card that is at the bottom of the deck. So I started wondering if that card has any value to the reading.

-Static

The last card

Part of the "magic" and "power" of the Tarot comes from your INTENT on how to use it and FAITH in the fact that it will always work for you. That said, the bottom card is the least likely card needed since you have dealt from the top of the deck for your spread. You might want to then "see" this card as being what the querent doesn't need, and even what they might want to avoid the most. Its up to you to decide if this card is to have meaning and what it will mean.

To quote a well known chain of steak restruants in the US, "No rules, just right." Do it your way. Good luck. Dave

Hi Statickitten!

I do the same thing! I developed this habit from reading a thread somewhere here. I find that the 'shadow card' adds another layer of understanding for me and helps me fine tune my readings.

All the best
Reed

I don't deal from the top of the deck - I fan out the cards and the querent chooses. At the end of the reading, I gather the cards together again (in order) and check the bottom. I call it - the hidden surprise

Though quite often it just confirms the reading.

"peek-a-boo"

I call the bottom card the "peek-a-boo" card
and always do take a peek. I see this working
with a reading because I "intend" to look at it,
and when I shuffle that card is there because
of the way I cut the deck by using three cuts.

But no matter how you cut the deck, it's there
and so to me it's that extra peek, like a gift.

Hi Dave

I was posting at the same time, so I didn't see your response until just now.

I agree that it's about intent when developing your reading style. I feel your guides speak to you in the way that you intend to receive understanding.

Reed

Hi Statickitten,

This to me in my readings is almost as important as the reading itself. I can almost do a reading from this card.
Im not sure if I can clearly explain it, but it is the clarifier of the question and the purpose of the reading. The underlying depth of depths, and truth, the secret insight, the intent, the window and the reason. I have always felt a connection with this card. To me its like a 'Nail'.

When I first learnt Tarot, this was the first card I learnt to read. So I guess to me its important, though I cant say that it maybe considered so generously by others. LOL!!

I read it as the 'very first card of the deck', before I draw even a first card for the spread - after the shuffle. You might like to try this and see how it works for you. Ive done a few readings here from the base card only. I cant express how important to me this card remains for my readings, but then again, how ever you feel about it, is correct!

Just my two cents!

Blessings
Elven x

I don't always look at the bottom card, but after reading these responses I think I might start reading it much more often.

Up until now, I only look at the bottom card if a reading is particularly complex or contradicts itself. Then, I look at the bottom card to see if it can clarify or sum up the entire reading. Usually it does, or it points me in the right direction so I can finish the reading.

I have also used it as a hidden aspect card, to explain what is hidden within the situation being read about that needs some extra attention.

I like to turn up the card from the bottom in my "major" readings--that is, the twelve-plus-card readings. I usually lay out all the cards then turn up the bottom card as the finale, placed just below and to the side of the layout. It's the card signifying, to me, what's underneath the entire reading, the unconscious, or as some folk have put it, "shadow" influence. And because spreads with that many cards can sometimes be all over the map, the underlying card often proves very useful. It can bind the entire reading together, to give me a hint about what it's *really* all about. For example, if the card is, say "Justice" then I know that whatever else I read in the spread, the real issue here is about how the person can balance out their life. This can help in interpeting the other cards and how they relate to each other.

On the other hand, I don't usually pay much attention to the bottom card if I'm only doing a short 3-7 card reading. In those cases the top cards usually do the job just fine.

I find this thread really interesting. I am always tempted to know what the bottom card is but rarely look. However, I might start doing this in readings.

As an example, for my daily draw today, I also looked at the bottom card, which was '8 of Cups'. Could this be saying, when referring to the shadow card, that if I was feeling like I may experience emotional loss of some kind today, because it is at the bottom, it is just a fear and not as likely to happen?

LB