Tarot Practice: Let's interpret a 3-card spread
Give it a try :)
On Saturday, we are gathering for this month’s workshop—The Art of Tarot Interpretation—where I’ll be teaching you how to deepen your reading skills by tracking archetypal flow, progressions and patterns, and the psychological tension across a spread. This is an all-levels class, with special focus on creative interpretive fluency and honing your voice in readings. There’s still time to join if you haven’t signed up yet :)
In preparation, I wanted to offer a practice reading that provides all the elements (a querent’s situation, question, spread, and cards drawn) except the interpretation. Now, you get to take on the role of their tarot reader and try out interpreting the spread.
There’s no wrong answers! The goal is to playfully engage the tarot and see what insights flow. Let’s begin!
Context
The querent has recently been offered an opportunity to turn their passion hobby and art into a formal business. Although the prospect fills them with excitement, they are feeling uncertain about the decision as it would require stepping away from their stable 9-5 job.
Question
“What’s causing me to feel stuck and uncertain, and what can support me in moving forward?”
Spread (3 cards)
Conscious perspective — How the situation is currently understood (though that point of view may be limited).
Unconscious perspective — The subtle, hidden, or unknown dynamics that are influencing the situation.
Reconciliation — Guidance for a viable path forward that integrates the conscious and unconscious perspectives.
Cards drawn
Here are the cards drawn for the reading! As you work on interpretation, consider each card (individually and together) as it relates back to the question and situation. Although the cards have fairly established meanings, they tend to shift and emphasize certain nuances depending on the reading.
Feel free to use your favorite tarot resource for reference, or, work off the imagery intuitively. Below, I’ve offered some keywords/phrases for each card, drawn from my ebook, Tarot Definitions.
Card 1 — Two of Wands: Standing at the threshold of change; imagining what could be; considering untapped potential; a tension between growth and staying in comfort zones
Card 2 — 9 of Pentacles: Self-sufficiency; ease and enjoyment; material security earned through effort; abundance and material comfort
Card 3 — The Lovers: Partnership and attraction; devotion, commitment, and cooperation; personal values and truth aligned with a higher principle; choices and moral discernment
~Share your interpretation in the comments~
How did you interpret the reading? What insights and guidance would you offer this querent? Are you feeling confused on a particular card, aspect of the reading, or the general process? Share your thoughts or questions in the comments!
Right away the hooded falcon - in training - in the grounded, comfortable, disciplined nine of pentacles - was eclipsed by the open wingspan and placement above of the angel in The Lovers card. Perhaps the union of training / cultivating with faith / trust - placing spirit in a higher position
The querent's conscious perception is open, eager, scanning for options from a wide, adventurous angle—ready to take the next step. Yet what holds them back is the unconscious, rooted in the Nine of Pentacles: comfortable, self-sufficient, content exactly where it is. A pull between two opposing forces—expansion versus stability.
Reconciliation comes through The Lovers. Not a demand to choose one side over the other, but an invitation to unite them. The choice is not between moving or staying—it's how to bring both into alignment and find the middle ground. A union of opposites. Divine unity. A marriage in between…..