Two-Card Tarot Draws

[balsamandash]

I've been sort of not doing anything for a while now, and while there's reasons for that, it's beginning to eat at me. I may try and put up a post for prompts at some point, but for now, have a Tarot post, since it's been a while. Fair warning: My responses may be slow -- I will try and get to anything posted by the end of next weekend at latest, to give you an idea how slow -- so you may not want to ask about anything super time-sensitive.

So: Comment and receive a two-card reading. Why two cards? Because honestly, interpreting based on some kind of rough spread is easier on me than interpreting one standalone card. If you really have your heart set on a single card, though, I can do one-cards too, just let me know. I can choose the deck or you can; I can do a specific option you'd like for the spread (see below) or figure out what's best myself; I can go general or you can pick a focus/question. I am happy to PM you if you'd like to receive your reading privately instead of publicly; let me know, because the default will be public. (You can also PM me if you'd rather not ask or reveal details publicly.)

All readings are free this time around, and I am not offering options for extra cards or paid readings right now. (Though if you really want to tip, you can go through my partner's paypal into our moving fund. Also, feel free to signal boost if you'd like.) Also, some background, if you're new or unaware of it: I have sixteen years of experience with the Tarot, and I've read frequently for people over the internet, both professionally and for fun, especially in the last five years or so.

Decks: Links go to website for the deck or to Aeclectic so you can see the art style if you'd like.I default towards the middle three unless the situation really seems to call for G&S or WTNV, or they're specifically requested.

• Ghost and Spirits
  
• Linestrider Tarot
  
• Omegaland
  
• Raven's Prophecy Tarot
  
• Welcome to Night Vale Tarot

Some examples of two-card spreads:

• Heart of the Situation/Challenge (The "Two-Card Cross", the first two cards of the Celtic Cross)
  
• Do/Don't
  
• Pro/Con
  
• Short Term/Long Term
  
• Keep/Let Go Of
  
• Now/Later
  
• Yesterday/Tomorrow
  
• Strength/Weaknesses
  
• Pay Attention To/Ignore
  
• Stop/Start
  
• Stop/Continue
  
• Start/Continue
  
• Help/Hinder
  
• Internal Influence/External Influence
  
• Conscious Influence/Unconscious Influence
  
• Worst Case Scenario/Best Case Scenario
  
• Outcome of Option #1/Outcome of Option #2 (for choices)
  
• What You Want/What You Need
  
• What Should You Know/What Should You Do (best for a specific situation)
  
• What to Work For/What to Leave Behind
  
• What's Causing a Block/How to Resolve It
  
• What You Know/What's Hidden From You
  
• What You Can Change/What You Can't Change
  
• What Needs to Change/What Needs to Stay the Same

Comments

[alexseanchai]

I would like a Keep/Let Go Of wrt my parents, please and thank you :) not with Night Vale or Omegaland decks but I am not sure a preference past that?

[teaotter]

Linestrider, please. I have a difficult conversation I've been putting off, and I'd like the What to Know/What to Do about it, I think.

[tomakeanoffer]

What's causing a block/How to resolve it in regards to my brain and being terrified of words.

(Yes, I know I'm not being original, shush. I feel like this is not a bad thing to ask considering my plans.)

[worlds_of_smoke]

I would love a What You Want/What You Need regarding my love life, with the Raven's Prophecy deck. Thank you so much. ♥

[chaoticasphyxia]

I'd like a Pay Attention To/Ignore draw concerning family life/relationships, with the Ghosts and Spirits deck, please.

[ng_moonmoth]

A Now/Later with the Linestrider deck, please.

[balsamandash]

I went with Linestrider -- it's a deck that doesn't necessarily pull its punches, but also doesn't shout in your face if it doesn't have to, and I thought that was the best energy for your question. To start with, a card fell out while I was shuffling, and while I didn't get the feeling it suited for either side of this equation, I always treat that as significant. In this case, it was the Five of Cups, which signifies regret and loss, but also a need to focus on the positive and what you still have over what you've lost. It's easy to focus on the things that hurt you, or that you've lost, but that can mean ignoring things that need your focus or your nurture in order to grow. Paying attention to what's there does much more for you in the long run.

Keep: Knight of Swords. There's a few ways this could go, especially in re: parents, considering the Knights often stand in as an adolescent/young adult phase; but whatever those things are, they are heavily logic-based rather than creative- or emotion-based. Are there things that you find they actually help you with when you talk it out with them? Because if so, this might be telling you that you can still go to them for those conversations. Alternately, if there's ways of thinking of things they've helped you to form - not necessarily beliefs or opinions, but ways of breaking things down, of looking at things head-first, or even ways of putting yourself first and being heard that you've picked up - it may be saying to take the good parts of that and salvage them for yourself.
Or, a very different take on it is that it may be saying that you need to keep making yourself heard with them. Don't let them talk over you or play on your emotions to get what they want from you; use your head first, and do what you think will be best for you, not what will temporarily keep you from feeling bad. (To be honestly, this is the interpretation I lean towards based on how you discuss things, and the influence of the Five of Cups, but the other is something to consider if anything jumps to mind.)

Let Go Of: Four of Wands. This may be hard to hear, and I'm sorry if I'm stepping outside my bounds a little bit, but: the Four of Wands is about family unity, happiness, stability and comfort in the home - things that it is completely normal and natural to want to have with your parents, but that you don't get from yours. I think the message here is that, if there's any part of you that's still holding on to the hope that one day, your parents will turn around and be what you want them to be - will understand the things they don't get, and be completely supportive of the places where you differ from them - then you need to try and accept that it's unlikely it will ever happen. You don't have to cut them out entirely, but know what you can and can't get from them.

[alexseanchai]

*eyes the Four* well fuck

...I mean I think I knew that

but

anyway thank you and I will ponder

[balsamandash]

What Should You Know: Ten of Pentacles. I will be honest here: without knowledge of the situation, it's hard for me to be sure exactly what the message is here. My first thought, however, is to keep in mind that the person you need to speak to isn't out to harm you (regardless of whether or not they are, I don't necessarily think that is their intent); if they're aware of the situation, they want it to be resolved in a way that benefits you both, and if not, I don't think they have ill will towards you.
If that doesn't sound appropriate to the situation, in general, the Ten of Pentacles represents harmony and happiness, a stable home, and financial security; if the conversation has something to do with your home or financial situation, keep in mind what it is you want or your driving motivation behind bringing things up.

What Should You Do: The Hierophant. The Hierophant can be a card of traditions and hierarchy, so if there is some sort of institution in place, I'd say the message is to try and fit what you have to say inside those values and use it in your favor, rather than working against it. I think it's also worth noting that the Linestrider depiction of this card has a bear on it, specifically because, as stated in the book, it "brings strength and confidence and is associated with standing against adversity, taking action, and leadership" -- strength and confidence can be hard to find in yourself sometimes, but do your best to tap into your strength and do what you need to do.

[balsamandash]

Now: Three of Wands. This card often heralds a time of beginnings, especially for things intended to be long-term. Often it's new projects of some kind -- wands are a very creative suit, so this goes double if it's some kind of creative project -- but it can also be some kind of a travel, a new opportunity, studying a new thing, even new relationships (not necessarily of the romantic kind). In general, if you're considering starting something new, I'd say this is a big "DO IT" from Linestrider, and if you've recently begun something, this may be a sign that needs to be your focus for the moment.

Later: Ten of Wands. I'd say this is likely tied to the state of newness in the Three, so I think it's talking about the same endeavor. On the one hand, this card is about completion of something -- but it can also be about burdens and taking on too much. Either what you're working on is going to end up being something very heavy on you, and you need to remember to take care of yourself and call in help when you need it; or you're going to be finding yourself at the end of it, and it may be hard to let go, or feel like you've put in a lot for less of a reward than you expected. It may still be worth it -- but it may not necessarily feel that way at the time.

[balsamandash]

Sometimes the Tarot exists to remind you of things you know but don't want to accept, hard as it is to deal with. (I spent I-don't-remember-how-many years being told the same thing over and over that I already knew but was having issues accepting, and man did the Tarot get snarky a few times.)

*offers love*

[alexseanchai]

♥

[balsamandash]

You get a Night Vale reading, because somehow it seemed suited to creativity? I don't know, man, I go with what feels right, which is also why I'm doing this to Velodrome.

What's Causing a Block: Queen of Pentacles. Pentacles are the suit of stability, financial success, security, and practicality, and the Queen in particular is confident and in control of her domain. (The description for the Queen for NV even suggests she might be a business owner of some kind.) So my take on this is that, now that you've started trying to do thing professionally and succeeded a couple of times, you feel like you have to fling straight into being the Queen of Pentacles -- super successful, stable and constant in your output if not in the financial sense, etc -- and that's making you freeze up. The truth is, it's a transition, not a jump, and you don't have to be there yet, but your own brain expects you to be there, and that's giving you problems.

How to Resolve It: Ten of Wands. I... am totally confused, Night Vale, why do you do this to me. If I had to take a guess on its own, I'd say that the message here is to rely on other people more: Ask for help, do communal writing things, ask people to make you accountable, even just ask for reassurance. You don't have to do things yourself; you have people who love and want to support you, so let them do that. (Other options include: Try and cut YOURSELF a little bit of slack. Also, since the illustration here is somebody running away from the grabbing hands and yellow ties of Strex, let me suggest: Focus on output and productivity is your enemy here; focus on enjoying yourself and the rest of it will come naturally.)
Clarifier, because I still buh: Four of Cups. Sometimes it means rest and reevaluation; sometimes it's boredom and apathy. It can also have something to do with daydreams. In this case, I think it's boosting the message of being kinder to yourself, maybe taking a break for a while, and also maybe doing things just for fun rather than for submission for a bit. Try and relax, and see if that helps you find your way through.

[satsuma]

Alright for What Should You Know/What Should You Do (whichever deck you think fits best)

I've been helping out with a group that's trying to start a community governance based social media network (specifically a fork of an existing open source project, called mastodon) but there's been several factors keeping us from being able to make progress (it turns out setting up community governance is hard, and most people want the rewards but not to put in the work.)

I was tempted to ask for Outcome of Option #1/Outcome of Option #2 (for choices) on walking away, but I don't want to walk away unless its completely hopeless so: what do I need to know, and what can I do to make this project work?

[itsamellama]

May I request a general reading, please? :D

[teaotter]

That makes sense with the situation, thanks!

Thank you

[ng_moonmoth]

If the endeavor is what I suspect it is, the Ten is worth listening to. I will need to remember to take care of myself, and expect to need to call in help -- despite my tendency to believe I can muddle through on my own. Knowing that I actually have reached the end may be hard. I will be putting in a lot, and will keep reminding myself that I'm doing it for myself, and the reward that will be worth it is the improvement in my own outlook, despite any other costs that may show up.

[siduri1959]

May I have a reading with the Raven's Prophecy deck? And What's Causing a Block/How to Resolve It with regards to my trying to make new relationships? (Not romantic.)

Thank you so much! And no worries about it...if you can.

[analise010]

I'm going to be supremely ridiculous and ask if I can read for you? I'm trying to adjust my style to be... softer? More thourough? Also, I just started my new job and am trying to move myself, but I could probably throw you some cash in a couple weeks.

[umanothing]

I would really appreciate a What's Causing a Block/How to Resolve It regarding my romantic feelings always being unrequited. With the Ghosts and Spirits deck. Thank you so much for doing this :)

I’ve never done this before

[mashfanficchick]

What to work for / what to leave behind, please. Either in general or in regards to education and/or career. Feel free to choose the deck you feel suits best. Thanks!

[silveradept]

I think I want a Stop/Continue about how my life is shaking out right now.

[ephemera]

If you are up for one more (and as a friend-of-fiend reader, I utterly understand if you're not) then a Pay Attention To/Ignore draw for a workplace situation, using the deck of your choice, would be awesome.

[balsamandash]

I am always more than happy to have you read for me. (And don't worry at all about the cash; like I said, I'm not really doing them for pay this time around anyway, and I totally understand you position right now.) I can try and throw you something specific if you want or if you just want to roll with a general thing, I could use whatever I can get right now, honestly. XD

Let me know if you want one as well? I'm happy to do a swap or just sit back and let you do it, whatever works for you.

[analise010]

I'll take whatever works for you. You know better than I do that specific questions get specific answers, buuuuut, sometimes specific questions just bring up more questions. XD Feel free to email me about what's going on and I'll choose a spread that works. Is Welcome to Night Vale okay?

I just got some fucking CURVE BALL news this week, so I'm going to a reader in town I met a few months ago. BUT THANK YOU FOR THE OFFER! I would have taken you up on it if I didn't already have the appointment.

[balsamandash]

Email is sent <3