What's Up with the Bad Reading
A lot of times when I am reading people on the site I notice
people talking about having a "bad reading." By that they
usually mean that the psychic pulled a so-called "bad" cards,
such as the Devil, The Tower of the Ten of Swords, in answer to
their question. First of all, you need to realize that there is
no such thing as a "bad" reading. Usually "bad" means that the
reader pulled cards that don't agree with your idea of what the
desired answer to your question should be. Many of the "bad"
cards are cards that indicate change. Most people fear or resist
change as we all have a basic fear of the unknown. There are a
few cards in the Tarot that I know put the fear of God into
trembling clients. These are the Tower, The Devil card, the Ace
of Swords, the Ten of Swords and the Nine of Swords. Of them
all, possibly the worst one, in terms of sheer bad luck is the
Ten of Swords, which can indicate cruelty from another person.
The Ten of Swords usually indicates that a strange twist of fate
as well as the wresting of control of your life into another's
hands. The Nine of Swords, on the other hand, indicates an
emotional anguish that may be perpetrated by the questioner. In
other words you may be doing it to yourself by holding on to a
drama or an emotional drama from the past. In some ways that
card is actually lucky as it shows that you hold the key to your
own psychological prison and have the power to let yourself out.
When I see the Nine of Swords in a reading, I know there is
still hope for the individual to regain control over his or her
life. It usual indicates that the person is willingly
relinquishing or giving control to someone else. This is much
different than the Ten of Swords indicates that the questioner
is truly more helpless, may be suffering a genuine loss or is
the victim of genuine cruelty. Saturn, the planet of discipline
and limitations, rules the Ace of Swords. Although this card can
represent a loss, it is also a card that bodes the swift, just
and righteous conclusion of a matter. There is not usually great
suffering along with the Ace of Swords although the changes it
can bring can be a bit of a shock to the nervous system of the
questioner. This card also has a positive twist to in the sense
that it can mean that you have paid a huge debt to your Bank of
Karma. Ultimately, the Ace of Swords represents a change. For
better or worse, this change is usually the right one for you.
The Devil card does not always bode gloom and doom. Sometimes it
means fun and games. It represents the most playful part of
human nature. It represents all Seven of the Deadly Sins. If you
don't like food, sex and material things, then you might
definitely see the devil card as being bad. In a love reading it
can mean that a relationship will finally be consummated or the
beginning of an affair. It can also be seen as a good card in a
business reading as it can mean the signing of a contract. It
can also represent a manipulative move that is about to be made
that is actually to one's advantage. As it is a card that
represents civilization and man's triumph over nature (often
interpreted by many as God's intentions), it bodes well for
creativity, innovation and invention. Also where the card is
positioned in the spread can have a great impact on the severity
of its meaning. For instance if you are asking about having an
affair with a married man and you pull the Devil card in the
immediate future, then that card would be good news for you.
However, if you were the wife asking, "is my husband cheating on
me" the answer would have more negative implications. If you
pull the Tower card, but positive cards surround it, it can mean
the collapse of a situation for the better. If the Tower card is
in the position that describes, "How others see you" you might
simply be a drama queen rather than facing any real trouble in
your life. This is why it is important not to jump conclusions
or react immediately if the psychic seems to pull a card that
has a reputation as a 'bad card'. These cards are like clouds.
Many of them boast silver linings. Also, after getting a reading
it is important to remember that what you are hearing is not
necessarily "absolutely gospel." The true purpose of Tarot is to
allow you to conceptualize the situation, so even if you get
"bad cards", you have the opportunity to prepare for these
changes or even in some cases, completely avoid them. Ultimately
there is no such thing as a "bad" reading and if you fear the
outcome of a reading, there is really no point in torturing
yourself. Many people so fear the so-called "bad" Tarot cards to
the extent that they actually manifest them in the spread as the
psychic can attach to their hopes and fears. The best thing to
do is ask the question and then be prepared to be accountable
for your own reactions to the cards as the psychic is not
"liable" ethically or emotionally to suffer your displeasure or
anxiety. Asking a question of the Tarot, without fear, desire or
anxiety attached to the matter, is the best way to receive the
most accurate answer.