In music and other disciplines, daily practice exercises for learning and bettering one’s skill with the chosen instrument or activity are sometimes called five-finger exercises: hands-on, practical training until (or after) basic skills are ingrained.

Here is a nice way to practice the Lenormand which I’ve seen described by a couple of authors. Reading the Lenormand requires reading the cards in combination, and this exercise will strengthen the imaginative or intuitive faculty that combines the cards. All that’s required is a deck and optionally a list of meanings.

1. Lay out a card. Look at it, and think about it’s meaning. If you’re just beginning look up the description or primary keywords for this card, so you start to build an association. Some people suggest speaking the card name and meanings aloud — some tarot authors advocate this as well — but I admit I never do that myself.

Ring

First card: Ring — Relationships, partnerships, contracts.

2. Now that you’ve identified the first card — I often think of this is the theme card — think about what you want to know regarding that card. You may have a specific question if you recognize the card in your life, or you can simply ask what the card is saying to you about its subject matter.

Question: What is this card Ring telling me about my relationship? (Which could be marriage, committed, or even a business partnership.)

3. Draw a second card, and it will be the answer to the question. Refer to your meanings if you are still learning the cards, and relate it to the keywords or description you have. Read this second card as telling you about the first card, or answering your question regarding the subject of the first card. I often think of this as the modifier, because it gives a specific scenario to the theme of the first card.

Ring + Whip

First card: Ring — Relationships, partnerships, contracts.
Second card: Whip — Arguments, fights, conflict, competition.

Answer: This suggests I am in a relationship of some type that currently is undergoing arguments and discord.

4. Optionally, draw a third card and treat this as the outcome of the two cards you’ve already examined. Again reference meanings if you need to.

Ring + Whip + Clover

First card: Ring — Relationships, partnerships, contracts.
Second card: Whip — Arguments, fights, conflict, competition.
Third card: Clover — Happiness, luck, opportunity.

Outcome: Although I may be having some trouble with a relationship as described above, things will likely turn out okay.
Note that you might want to let your intuition talk to you before referencing your card meanings. Who know what your inner voice will have to say!

You can try this whenever you have some free time. The main thing is to relax and have fun. Reading cards should be enjoyable, not a daily grind. That’s what work, school or other stressful endeavors are for! So it makes sense to only spend a few minutes at a time on this exercise.

I hope you find it helpful!

The Lenormand Heart card speaks of love, feelings and emotions. The Whip for me is about strife, conflict and discord.

Heart + Whip: Fight with a loved one.

Whip + Heart: An emotional argument.

Metóda s deviatimi kartami je vhodná pre všeobecné otázky.

Balíček kariet zamiešame, sústredíme sa na položenú otázku.

Balíček položíme na stôl, zdvihneme jednu časť a polžíme ju vľavo, zo stredu zdvihneme druhú časť a položíme ju vpravo (B1, B2, B3).

Tieto tri kôpky otočíme, z každej polžíme vchnú kartu pod kôpku a spodnú nad ňu.

Stredná karta = hlavná téma

B1 – ďalšie vysvetlenia a údaje k rade K1

B2 – ďalšie vysvetlenia a údaje k rade K2

B3 – ďalšie vysvetlenia a údaje k rade K3

As anyone who’s been reading my blog knows, I’ve been searching for a home to buy, and doing readings related to the hunt for a house. Not all of them have been posted here.

I did finally fall in love with a house. The only downside I could see was its location on a busier street. I did some readings regarding this house and its suitability, and none of them were ever really positive. Cross had shown up to describe this house, even when next to Heart, making me think of “the burden of ownership.”

Garden had popped up a couple of times, and the best I could figure was to relate it to the busy location. The reality turned out to be quite different. The house is settling too much, indicating a likely problem with the foundation. In retrospect, Garden seems a good representative of the foundation itself. In this light, here are two card combinations that came up.

Garden + Mice: something “eating away” at, or eroding, the foundation.

Garden + Bear: the foundation needs to be strengthened; needs a lot of work.

Sometimes readings do make more sense after the fact, and this is one of those cases. The upside of this is that particular pairings will have more meaning for the reader in future. I’ve certainly expanded my repertoire for the Garden card!

A helpful exercise for getting better at any deck of cards is to work in reverse. That is, come up with the message or answer that the cards have to tell, then figure out which cards would say it. Over at Art of Cartomancy, we are currently practicing this exercise as a game, just for fun.

Here is an example of this exercise. You can certainly create scenarios with less drama, although they may not be as entertaining for others. This question is on behalf of Monica, a woman who comes to you in tears.

“I just can’t take it anymore! *sob, sob* My office job is boring. I can’t stop eating cake. I’m addicted to soap operas. And I got a bad perm! *sob, sob* But I need to know the truth about my relationship with Brad. Are we heading for marriage?”

The answer for this poor lady is no, because Brad is two-timing her. He’s seeing one (or more) other women, and looking for someone he can take financial advantage of. A marriage proposal would be unlikely, and would only be for ulterior motives. Brad’s more interested in stringing his women along at this point.

You’ve heard the question and you know the answer. The challenge: say it with a line of Lenormand cards! There is no right or wrong here, as long as the basic answer is conveyed, along with any embellishment that doesn’t change the answer.

Nas últimas semanas não há um dia em que este senhor não me apareça em alguma leitura que eu faça. Pelo nosso exessivo número de encontros, acabo não tendo mais prazer em suas auspiciosas visitas.
Tenho refletido no porque desses nossos encontros e, até mesmo sem muita reflexão, penso que suas visitas têm a mim como interesse.
Tenho andado irritadiço, propenso a discutir sobre qualquer coisa, atropelando os outros quando procuram expor suas idéias, impaciente com a lentidão de alguns raciocínios e, principalmente, impaciente comigo mesmo por estar me acomodando numa situação supostamente confortável, sem me arriscar, como sempre fiz, a buscar “novos ares”.
O CAVALEIRO DE ESPADAS é muitas vezes a lembrança de que devemos e precisamos usar nossas mentes para encontrar soluções inovadoras do nosso dia-a-dia. Grande parte da sua força reside exatamente em ver as coisas sob uma ótica diferente do habitual, sempre efervescente de novas idéias, opiniões e soluções. Apesar de ser muito rápido e ativo, o equilíbrio está entre as suas qualidades e lhe é bastante necessário pois ele “cavalga” os ares, os ventos, brandindo sua espada, cortando excessos, velhas estruturas, idéias arcaicas. Só mesmo com muito equilíbrio para não despencar!
O CAVALEIRO DE ESPADAS tem um temperamento muito explosivo que quase sempre revela uma enorme raiva reprimida sob a couraça da sua armadura; armadura essa que ele usa para se proteger dos outros, para evitar que o firam, sem perceber que assim procedendo impede que as velhos machucados cicatrizem completamente…
Pois é, penso que esse intrépido jovem tem sido tão presente em minhas leituras que é para lembrar-me de amar mais e amar-me mais, também. Fazer aquilo que considero o mais difícil: perdoar-se.
Osho, no volume 1, capítulo 13 de seu livro “Take it Easy” diz o seguinte:
“Num momento estava lá, no momento seguinte desapareceu. Em determinado momento estamos aqui e em outro momento já passamos. E por este simpres momento, quanta confusão nós armamos: quanta violência, ambição, luta, conflito, raiva, ódio.
Apenas por um momento tão breve! Estamos tão somente aguardando o trem na sala de espera de uma estação e criando tanta confusão! Brigando, machucando-nos uns aos outros, tentando possuir, tentando comandar, tentando dominar – quanta política! Então o trem chega, e você se foi para sempre.

Desde que, há muito, comecei a me interessar pelo tarot e a estudá-lo sistemáticamente, tenho por hábito, todas as manhãs, perguntar-lhe “o que devo aprender hoje”.
Ando num período de reflexão sobre coisas que têm me incomodado, principalmente no trabalho. Não estou totalmente satisfeito, nem produzindo o quanto eu sei que posso e gosto, e, o que é pior, tenho tido uma visão bastante pessimista sobre isso.
O Eremita é “a carta” para esse tipo de situação.
Me lembra que devo assumir uma postura menos pessoal e olhar o conjunto da situação tanto com a razão como com o coração, sem precipitações, sem dogmatismos, impensada ou friamente.
Provavelmente fosse interessante eu viajar por uns dias, sair da cidade, passear em outro local, sentir-me “desligado”, forasteiro. Parar, ainda que por pouco tempo, de repetir padrões, lamentar as mesmas coisas e apoiar-me nas mesmas “muletas” de sempre.
Esse afastamento poderá trazer uma nova perspectiva sobre o todo e talvez me forneça novos subsídios para continuar ou então… encerrar esta fase e estar aberto para novidades.
Mas, e o tempo? E os recursos, as responsabilidades com os compromissos? Como deixar isso tudo por uns poucos dias sem nenhuma outra séria justificativa que não seja: “eu preciso de um tempo pra mim”?
Meditar sobre isso, sobre essas defesas, sobre a culpa, sobre a insatisfação e, principalmente, sobre o medo ou a preguiça (sim, preguiça!) de enfrentar os fatos de frente e resolvê-los, é preciso.
Valeu, Eremita.

O tarot é mais do que uma “mancia” (ex.: cartomancia, quiromancia, etc). É uma verdadeira arte onde a intuição e o conhecimento andam lado a lado (e viva a Sacerdotisa!).
Decifrar símbolos e correlacioná-los com as escolhas aleatórias (será???) das cartas é o trabalho do estudioso desse oráculo.
Eu dediquei os últimos 20 anos ao estudo, à pesquisa e à coleção dessas arcanas cartas e hoje disponibilizo o resultado desse aprendizado a quem desejar conhecer muito de si próprio.
As consultas são realizadas em Copacabana, com horário marcado antecipadamente e têm a duração média de 60 minutos.
Agende uma consulta e venha descobrir, através do conselho oferecido pelas cartas, escolhidas por você em sincronicidade com o Universo, como utilizar mais e melhor os seus potenciais.
As consultas custam R$60,00 e devem ser agendadas através do e-mail: alextarologo@gmail.com

This was a draw from Friday October 16th.

The Storks shows movement, or improvements around something.

The Ship/Bear seem to say foreign money, or money at a distance…

Sylvie Steinbach gives these meanings to the Ship/Bear: money transfer, international investments, foreign currency. I didn’t realise at the time how correct this was.

We received word on Saturday, and again today that there is a transfer taking place of foreign funds on Monday morning!

I’m going to have to remember to think of the Storks card as sometimes being like the Journey card in the Kipper deck; showing action/movement…

I had mentioned in a reading using the Gypsy cards on The Card Lover, that I would receive a gift that would bring unexpected joy. I didn’t believe it at the time, to be honest mainly because I couldn’t think of anyone or anything.

The next day I got the really unexpected joy of finding out that a friend of mine had ordered something to be sent to me, but I didn’t know what. She gifted me with my very own copy of the Lenormand Arlo deck! To say I am tickled pink would be putting it mildly. I just love the illustrations on this simple, traditional deck.

Arlo and his wife Christine, are the wonderful team behind Lavengro. Be sure to check out their other unique items.

I will be featuring this wonderful deck regularly ~ I love it so much that I’m being exclusive with it, lol, I don’t want anyone else fiddling with it!

Fox – Rider – Bouquet:

The Rider/Bouquet combination heralds wonderful news! The Fox card, for me, has to do with work/employment. I grinned when I saw these and crossed my fingers, that we would finally be receiving the happy news we’ve been waiting for .

I drew these Wednesday morning, I think, just before I sprained my ankle……only a few minutes ago I  actually received the news: the bank has cleared the funds and they should be transferred on Monday! so being in limbo is about to come to an end! hooray! Work is going to begin in earnest, next week.

The cards have been insisting that good changes were on the horizon, sometimes it’s just hard to be patient

On Oct 14th (2 days ago) I drew these cards with the Gypsy deck:

I remember laughing and saying to my husband that it looked like I was going to be the one to receive the good news! That statement seemed pretty unlikely since I rarely get to the phone before my husband does! seriously-

This morning, he headed out to the local bakery to pick up a freshly baked loaf of Raisin bread (yumm). While he was out, sure enough the phone rang and I was the one to get the message from our business partner that the money was on the way! I never pick up the phone!! it just cracks me up that the Gypsy cards foretold that I would be sitting in the office at the computer just when he would call….amazing!

I had mentioned in a reading using the Gypsy cards on The Card Lover, that I would receive a gift that would bring unexpected joy. I didn’t believe it at the time, to be honest mainly because I couldn’t think of anyone or anything.

The next day I got the really unexpected joy of finding out that a friend of mine had ordered something to be sent to me, but I didn’t know what. She gifted me with my very own copy of the Lenormand Arlo deck! To say I am tickled pink would be putting it mildly. I just love the illustrations on this simple, traditional deck.

Arlo and his wife Christine, are the wonderful team behind Lavengro. Be sure to check out their other unique items.

I will be featuring this wonderful deck regularly ~ I love it so much that I’m being exclusive with it, lol, I don’t want anyone else fiddling with it!

Fox – Rider – Bouquet:

The Rider/Bouquet combination heralds wonderful news! The Fox card, for me, has to do with work/employment. I grinned when I saw these and crossed my fingers, that we would finally be receiving the happy news we’ve been waiting for .

I drew these Wednesday morning, I think, just before I sprained my ankle……only a few minutes ago I  actually received the news: the bank has cleared the funds and they should be transferred on Monday! so being in limbo is about to come to an end! hooray! Work is going to begin in earnest, next week.

The cards have been insisting that good changes were on the horizon, sometimes it’s just hard to be patient

Best wishes,

Spiritsong

This seems like a generally straightforward combination pair today. Ring is the card about relationships and partnerships, whether romantic or otherwise. Thus it can talk about a marriage, a partner, a business deal or the negotiation to purchase a home. Key is typically the Lenormand card that says, “Yes!” If this appears, it’s usually a good omen regarding any question under consideration.

Ring + Key

A relationship will be successful. If there are any questions or concerns regarding this relationship, I’d expect them to be worked out.

Key + Ring

Success in some area will lead to a relationship being formed.

The Lenormand Ring is the card for relationships and partnerships, whether romantic or otherwise. Thus is can talk about a marriage, a partner, a business deal or the contract involved with purchase of a home. If reading about a romantic relationship, Ring is one of the primary cards to consider, as it speaks to the relationship itself.

In question of romance, the Heart can be considered as well, and this is about someone’s actual feelings. So the Heart is a person’s heart, or emotional state; versus the Ring representing the actual relationship. This is important to distinguish because not all relationships are happy ones. Think of the happiness of a mutually enamored couple who are recently engaged, versus a married couple with both spouses having affairs. Both people might show signs of commitment by the Ring, but very different circumstances around the Heart.

For questions about a business deal involving a partnership or contract, Ring would be a primary card, although looking into financial aspects — for me, the Fish — would also be helpful. Think of a business contract worth thousands: the Ring could show mutual satisfaction with the deal itself, but the Fish could be near cards that indicate loss of money, to warn of the outcome.

Generally, more than one “key” or “significator” card can be considered for any given situation, and looking at more than one allows the cartomantic detective to apply proper due diligence, hopefully achieving a more accurate answer for the questioner regarding any situation.

I drew these just the other day, and I’m still not sure about them!

The Rider is news coming, or someone new coming into my sphere.

It’s the possibilities with the Lily & Book that make me wonder. It makes me think of extensive knowledge, or pleasing knowledge.

Traditionally it’s the combo for a librarian as well! Am I simply going to meet a librarian, or a researcher? or a learned gentleman who possibly is a bit older and has gray hair?? lol  You never know!

Simply strung out as a sentence this could say that I’m going to be receiving very pleasing, satisfying news that comes as a bit of a surprise.

The Lily card representing a gentleman, could in our case either my ex-husband, or the other parties’ lawyer; so maybe we’re going to hear from one of those men shortly.

I hope for the surprising pleasing news, frankly! I need a lift!

update: I didn’t meet a librarian or researcher especially since I was incapacitated with my ankle and unable to go anywhere; but this did come true in 3 different ways.

Two days after posting this, I was able to get a membership to an “occult” sharing group online that’s very hard to get into They had lots of goodies I was eager to look at, and couldn’t believe my luck at getting in.

I drew these on October 11. I played with all the possibilities, maybe a small family trip in the car? Moving home shortly? haha

House/Ship can denote “moving away” & Ship/Child can refer to a foreign born child, or a child at a distance from us.

My first thought was that the house was talking about family, and specifically about one of the kids who lives far away.

At the very least, I thought we might be hearing about one of my husband’s daughters in England.

Sure enough, late last night (Oct 12), my husband received a very terse email from the mother of his 10 year old daughter saying that she was cutting off webcam visits! We normally play Nintendo DS games with her once a week while visiting on webcam. The mother was angry about late payments and said “that’s it”. Nice. She knows our circumstances at the moment, so I thought that was pretty mean.

No matter what issues I’ve had with my children’s father in the past, I never used my children in that way. They’re relationship was just that, theirs, and I never interfered with them.

This too shall pass

The Letter refers to either news on the way, or documents…..Crossroads tells me that I’m either facing a choice between two things, or there are multiples involved.

Crossroads combined with the Bear hints at multiple sources of cash flow….(hmmm, I’d settle for one at the moment!)

Most likely we are presented with paperwork or news that needs a decision from us, which leads to money coming our way.

Today is the the Debtor’s Exam for the defendant in my husband’s legal case….maybe they will present an offer rather than being grilled. We shall see.

I have a question for you regarding my Lenormand Combination posts.

Do you find it helpful to see each combination examined with both pairs? That is, when examining the Tree and Bear cards together, do you like seeing Tree + Bear followed by Bear + Tree in a single post?

Or would it be more helpful to focus on a single pair, such as only doing Tree + Bear, in one post?

My original rationale for including both is to allow a compare-and-contrast between the order of the two cards, and how I see this as affecting the interpretation. I worry that newcomers to Lenormand might find this confusing.

So what do you, my readers, think? Keep these combination posts as they are, or only focus on a single pair at a time? Please let me know in the comments.

I appreciate your thoughts on this.

This is a potentially tricky pair that I recently saw in a relationship reading. Tree is most often read as health when following Lenormand traditional readings, but if reading about a relationship, it’s likely appropriate to put a different spin on the card.

Tree + Bear

Tree, besides health, speaks of something that is long-standing; it has “roots.” This longevity can mean a meaningful or karmic connection; and on the flip-side it could show boredom, and perhaps inertia. The Bear is often an authority figure, and can indicate strength, fortitude, courage or conviction. It may also be jealousy, or being indistrious.

For this pair, cast in terms of relationships, I’d say there is a long-standing and strong relationship.

Bear + Tree

In general terms, I’d be thinking about the health of a person — perhaps an authority or boss — who is represented by the Bear. More generally it could mean that someone or something has been strong for a long time. For a relationship question, this could mean that someone has been strong and faithful; similar to the first pair, but more emphasis is on a person (or the people) rather than the relationship itself. I would also be more inclined to see the boredom meaning from Tree sneak into this one.

What do you think?

Today I am pairing the Snake with the Ship.

Snake is one of those tricky cards, because it means different thing to different people, and varies by tradition. Harking back to “traditional” (German and Spanish from my studies), this card is read primarily as a woman, or an indicator of intelligence. However, the French-based sources (including the English language works by John Dee and Sylvie Steinbach) see this card in a more negative sense: lies, backstabbing and treachery. This makes sense as the Lenormand cards with club suit inset tend to be negative. I believe the cards with poems inset warn of the person depicted by this card.

For me, Snake is a blend of these. In a Grand Tableau (the 36-card layout) I will first regard the Snake as a “generic” woman with no special attributes or traits. Her relationship to the questioner as well as her character would be indicated by surrounding cards and location in the spread. In a relationship reading, she could be “the other woman.” When I do a smaller reading such as the no-layout, then I consider the Snake as a detour of some sort — a winding road, literal or figurative — or perhaps a backstabber, if appropriate.

Without further ado:

Snake + Ship

Snake is a woman or a detour. Ship is a journey, trip or movement. This combination could be a detour in travel plans; or could represent escape from a certain woman. It could also represent a foreign woman, due to the Ship’s connotations of distance and “from afar.”

Ship + Snake

This could be traveling to meet a woman, or taking the long way around — which could be literal with physical travel, or it could be a figure of speech applied to an action where a person does things methodically and maybe redundantly, not taking any shortcuts.

At the risk of making things confusing, I think both pairs could be interpreted to mean a detour on a journey. The first pair emphasizes the detour, which would in this case occur during travel. I would see this as the unexpected detour caused by an accident blocking the road, for example; or if a cruise ship needed to re-route for unexpected repairs. The second example would be more of choosing to take a detour, and again, this is reminiscent of going the “long way around.” For example, taking a road trip and deciding that a side trip to stay overnight in an area known for wineries would be fun.

Normally I wouldn’t read the same meaning in both pairs of cards, but I think it fits in this case, keeping in mind the emphasis (or theme card) for the pairs. Again, context in a reading is going to be the ultimate arbiter.

Agree? Disagree? Want to share your own take on this combination? Please post a comment if so.

Today’s combination would be a very pleasant one to receive in a reading, I think! Sun and Clover are both very good cards, and combined it’s hard for me to separate them with distinguished meanings according to card order. Let me see what I come up with.

Sun + Clover

The Sun speaks of warmth, energy, success and vitality. The Clover is happiness and good luck, usually quick and short-lived. Combined, this speaks to me of happiness in some activity or venture.

Clover + Sun

Clover is a bit of good luck. The Sun is success and happiness. Together, Clover + Sun could be a sudden lucky streak, for something big. It will bring happiness and success.

Again, these combinations are very similar for me, because I find that these two cards echo each other. The main difference is that the Clover has more of an aspect of luck, whereas the Sun is a more lasting success, and yet combined either way they seem to reinforce each other.

Here’s a good way to summarize this pair. If it’s a big windfall, Clover + Sun is the better combination. Joy in life would come out of Sun + Clover.

These 4 cards were the Trigger row of a reading I did this morning with Madame Seaqueen’s Trigger Spread. It shows the crux of what the reading was about.

The Bouquet card is either describing the Woman or is an action card. Since it is my reading, I hope it is both! lol

Describing the woman, she is a kind lovely woman…good energy as a separate descriptor it could be saying that she is receiving a gift, or a wish is coming true; the two remaining cards tell what about.

The Lily and the Moon read separately would say to me that the woman (me) is going to be given the gift of emotional peace/serenity; calmer waters are coming.

It’s in combining them that my eyebrows raised, especially because of the remainder of the reading. The Lily/Moon combination describes clairvoyance, meditative spiritual experiences. It’s the combination that denotes visions and psychic experiences.

I have had drawings recently showing my impatience and angst at having that part of my life seemingly to have gone on sabbatical for awhile, and once you’re used to having visions and other experiences, you miss them when they’re gone!!! at least I have:)

I have been offline because of personal pressure and stress. I didn’t feel that I had much to write about, frankly. I don’t know about you, but when I’m really ‘off’ personally, my connection to the cards goes off too. So I’ve been silent.

In the last week, especially, I’ve noticed while I’ve retreated, that I’m starting to experience little things again. I’ve been seeing auras each day, and have been seeing beautiful colored spheres of light at night. I’ve also been hearing things ( in a good way) – so it’s very possible that I’m about to have some kind of spiritual experience that will be noteworthy and the cards are letting me know it. There was a hint in the reading that this experience is linked to an emotional crisis/or upset. I don’t like that, but will report back once I know more.

Please forgive my absence as of late, but I’ve really needed to pull in my energy. I’m a bit in Hermit mode this too shall pass and then I will breathe new life into my cartomancy.

fondest wishes,

Spiritsong

Today’s post is a look at how I currently interpret a combination involving the Scythe. Different readers have different ways of looking at this card. Generally it’s a card of pain, danger, cutting, and suddenness or impact. Not a very pleasant card in most circumstances! The question is, how does the Scythe affect its neighbor(s)?

In the traditional methods as I learned them, the Scythe is seen as cutting the card which the blade faces. In my deck, the Scythe blade is on the right, so it is primarily affecting the card to it’s right. If the card to the right is Clover, I would suspect someone’s happiness is going to be short-lived, or over before it begins. On the other hand, if Mountain is to the right, then I envision the Scythe as cutting right through any obstacles, effectively clearing them.

Let me take a particular pairing, Scythe and Ring.

Scythe + Ring

The Scythe is pain, danger and cutting. The Ring is relationship or business partnership. Scythe + Ring most likely speaks of a severing of a relationship, whether personal or professional. I think this is compatible with the theme and modifier technique I sometimes use: the Scythe’s cutting is the main theme, and the modifier is a relationship: the cutting (or ending) is of a relationship.

Ring + Scythe

The reverse seems to suggest a painful relationship: the Ring is the relationship, and Scythe is pain and danger. Because the blade of the Scythe is facing to the right, it is not actually severing the Ring, so it’s not bringing and end to this relationship. This is also compatible with the theme and modifier technique: the main subject is the relationship, and the modifier is pain and danger. For the severance to occur, it (represented by Scythe) would need to be the main subject.

There are other ways that readers handle pairings with the Scythe. Some ignore direction of the blade, and read the cards in a linear flow of energy. They determine the Scythe’s impact according to how they perceive the sequence of action, which may be the opposite of what I’ve written here. Others generalize the placement such that negative cards on the right have greatest impact to their immediate left. It can get confusing if a person starts comparing all the styles and techniques!

I think the most important way to handle the Scythe and similar cards is to pick one technique that works, and be consistent.

How do you like to read the Scythe? Do you have a favorite technique other than this method I’ve described? Please post your comments or questions.

These 3 cards were part of a larger spread, in the position of what is about to leave.

The Mice and the Whips describe perfectly the state that my family has been in for quite some time: chronic stress. It could also represent stressful activity, or stress caused by arguements or a dispute.

The last card, the Key is welcome relief, literally. It says that there is about to be a resolution to the situation that has caused long term suffering. The Key says we’ve arrived, this is it! fate is about to take a whirl.

Now funny enough, I just posted an Oracle Ge reading over on my sister blog, about psychic matters. This almost could mirror that reading, in that the Key represents the Third Eye and clairvoyance. I wrote about my upset on what I perceived as delays. The Mice and Whips could have also been referring to my extended angst over this matter…but thankfully again it’s on the verge of leaving.

Being that the rest of the reading was on more physical matters, the latter is probably not relevant, but I note it anyway