Tarot: Voice of the Inner Light by Richard Palmer - HTML preview

The Three Card Reading

The Three Card Reading is often called the “Temporal Reading” since it relates so directly to time and is an intermediate reading technique that reveals the answer to the question asked of the Tarot in terms of its development within a natural linear progression of time. It is a most valuable technique which is easily understood and reveals the power, mystery and truthfulness of the Tarot. This spread consists of three positions, which are read from left to right:

THE PAST: This position reveals the basis of the reading; what invoked the reading - the reason that the question has been put to the Tarot. It often reflects the psychological motivation of the person asking the question. It is the “Why” of the temporal flow.

THE PRESENT: This position reveals the present development of the question – how the matter now stands. It is the “What” of the time flow – the now.

THE FUTURE: This reveals the potential future of the question – where the energies of the other two cards are headed and how these

energies seek to resolve. This is not an absolute determination of future events but only the most likely or probable resolution of the question as free will cannot be violated. An alternative path may be chosen or the Tarot’s advice may be rejected altogether.

The deck is prepared in the usual manner as described in the introduction to this volume. The question is “shuffled into the cards” and the deck is set to the right of the reader. It is then split into three separate piles moving from right to left. The top card on each pile is then turned up and the three cards thus revealed constitute the advice, guidance and insight of the Tarot – the answer to the question.

 Tarot and Real Life

It was my good fortune to perform a Tarot reading for a highly intelligent and articulate young woman who took the time to respond to my reading with her impressions of the cards drawn in her spread and how they resonated with her present life at the time of the reading. Below is my original reading followed by her response:

Hello,

Thank you for this opportunity to read the Tarot for you. I perform each reading personally in a spiritual ritual of divination and in your name. This reading was performed with the Waite-Smith Tarot, drawn by Pamela Coleman Smith under the supervision of Dr. Arthur Edward Waite. You must remember that the Tarot is advisory in nature and does not illustrate any unchangeable situation and that your destiny is determined by your choices and decisions in life. This Tarot reading may be best expressed as revealing the psychic atmosphere surrounding your question at the time of your reading. It enables you to discern the forces at work in your situation and empowers you to act accordingly.

The question that you asked of the Tarot is: “Would it be the best decision for my college career to transfer back to the United States or should I stay where I am now to complete my studies and fulfill my internship?”

The Tarot’s response to your question is the message revealed through the images of these three cards:

 THE PAST 

This card represents the atmosphere surrounding the past of your question. It’s basis. It may also represent your motivation for asking the question. It represents the “Why” of the reading.

THE FOOL

The Spirit of the Air

Elemental Air

“Choice”

THE PRESENT

This card represents the atmosphere surrounding your question at the present time. It reveals how things now stand.

THE FIVE OF PENTACLES

“The Lord of Material Trouble”

Mercury in Taurus

THE FUTURE

This card represents how your question will resolve - where the energies of the reading are headed.  It represents the potential future.

THE QUEEN OF CUPS

“The Queen of the Throne of Waters”

Water of Water

The first card drawn is THE FOOL whose psychic atmosphere is associated with “making the right choice” and through which the Tarot symbolizes the Basis of your inquiry as being the important choice that you need to make concerning which path you will pursue towards the completion of your studies and the award of your degree. THE FOOL is a card of great importance and symbolizes the very Life Power itself. Although the decision that you have to make is a very serious one, the Life Power supports your efforts to advance your education and will guide you in reaching the correct decision

The second card drawn is THE FIVE OF PENTACLES whose psychic atmosphere is associated with” economic or financial insecurity, impoverishment or lack of money”  through which the Tarot symbolizes the Present of your inquiry perhaps reflecting a lack of material resources or money being available to you due to the expense of your college education.

The third card drawn is THE QUEEN OF CUPS whose psychic atmosphere is associated with “honesty, fair mindedness, goodness and kindness of heart;” This image represents you in your Potential Future. Through its revelation, the Tarot symbolizes your need to become more in touch with your inner self and lift the lid off of the ciborium of your dreams to discover the Holy Feminine Power within you. She will speak to you in your inner self and aid you in making the correct decision.

The young ladies response to the images that were revealed in her reading was:

The FOOL card may allude to the decision I made to come to the school I am currently at because of friends who have studied at this school.

The FIVE OF PENTACLES may have come up because of the difficulty of deciding whether to transfer, which would ultimately bring about a greater financial burden upon myself and my parents who are supporting me while I am furthering my education.

The QUEEN OF CUPS speaks to the fact that the current institution I am at will allow me to return home to support my mother as she is currently going through a very difficult time in her life. I feel guilty for being so far away and not being able to be there for her as much as I can, especially during this time of need.

This example from real life points out not only the power, mystery and truthfulness of the Tarot but also the importance of the fact that the truth emerges in response to the images evoked in the reading. The “words” are a necessary but ultimately are a secondary consideration compared to the truths which an interaction with its powerful images ultimately evokes from the inner depths of the psyche.

THE END