As I was driving along one day....

[Witchy Cowgirl]

....the image of Nine of Pentacles popped into my head. Then I started thinking. Now what would the meaning of this card be if were in a certain position for a certain reading. Then I started seeing other cards and figuring out a meaning for them in hypathetical (sp?) situtations.

Does anyone elese do this too?
If so, does it affect the way you view that card in the future?
Do certain cards just pop in on you or do you have to think about a card?

[Flaire-FireStar]

I see the cards in dreams when I sleep with them under my pillow.... And I sometimes see flashes of different cards in my mind - none of which I can think of right now. :rolleyes: But I never thought much of it before. :dis:

[Mithrea]

I've been thinking about this for a while and I honestly can't say that I have. Hmmmmmm. :huh:

[tarotbear]

Well, I think the best thing is that we all keep an open mind when it comes to reading cards. Tarot is very fluid, and we should be able to 'go with the flow'.

The problem with only reading or using one tarot book as a reference is that you only have that author's point of view for a reference. You need to be able to adapt.

When I teach tarot classes, one thing I stress to beginners is NOT to think of reading cards as 'Five Easy Pieces' - that is 'The XXX card means 1,2,3,4,5- only'. This is the problem I have with the LWB ( little white book) that comes packaged in with a deck - it has the card 'explained' in 8-10 single words! What does any one of them have to do with the cards spread out in front of you? Possibly nothing. The Querent asked a 'love' question and all the cards turning up are Pentacles....where do you go from there?

What you might consider in your exercise, Witchy Cowgirl, is to take any card and ask yourself what you consider the meaning of the card. Then ask yourself 'How would this apply in a reading about ---------?' Remember, no matter what you ask, there are really only FOUR questions in Tarot that everyone asks: Money, Job, Future, and Sex. How would you read your Nine of Pentacles card in each of those four situations?

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Can you tell I teach? Does it show? Can you believe I actually give my classes homework to do?

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[Witchy Cowgirl]

Yes, Tarotbear! That was what I was doing.

Let me explain why I think the Nine of Pentacles showed herself to me. I had her that morning in my daily drawing and I seemed very connected to her.

So as in your question~
"....Money, Job, Future and Sex. How would you read your Nine of Pentacles card in each of those for situtations?"
That would depend on which position she took in the lay-out. As I'm a newbie I'd have to say that I'd be dealing with the Celtic Cross layout as that is the only one I'm familar with at this time. (I'm beginning to study some different lay-outs now though.) and who the reading was for.

*Please remember these answers are just general observations because there are no other cards to finish the story.*
Money? - If she were in the past I'd say that the querent's hard work is over. Either mentally or physcially. If she were in the present I'd say that the hard work the querent has been doing to reach they're goal is about to pay off.
Job? - I'd say it would read about the same as above. But then again it might read differently if the person were asking about finding a new job or the chances of promotion in their current one.
Future? - There again it would depend on the position. If she were the opposing factor in the Celtic Cross of course how she is preceived would have to do with the card in the first position. Most likely she would show that the person probably enjoys thier life as it is now, but maybe there is something that's missing to that's keeping them from enjoying life to its fullest.
Sex? - If the Nine of Pentacles showed as the guidance card I'd precieve this as telling the querent that with they should get in touch with themselves. To go about things a little differently than what they consider to be the normal. Take some chances.

I can't believe I did all that and never once refered to my book!:D What do you think? What would you tell me about my answer if I were one of your students?

[tarotbear]

I'm sorry- I thought the reply was rhetorical-- so I'll try to answer you now!:bigredgri

Money - yes, everything you said, but it also can refer to money being put into 'things that show'...a kind of 'Keeping up with the Joneses' attitude; also, someone who may be a 'social climber'.

Job - To me this card hints at accomplishments over and now reasting on the laurels..i.e. the hard part is over and the enjoyment is about to start. If this came up in a 'new job' position, it could also suggest they will need no 'breaking-in' period and be comfortable in their new position.

Future-- well, this will depend on the deck you use, I suppose, but there is a touch of the down side on this card. In some decks the garden has a large LOCKED metal gate and says to me that you have worked and want to keep the riff-raff out; it hints that you are isolating yourself - does that gate keep them out, or does it keep you in?

Sex- This card can also hint that the woman being read for is someone's mistress or 'kept woman'!!! After all- that lovely house and garden and it doesn't seem like she has to work to keep it -- so just WHO is paying for it all? hehehe :eyebrow: In the Connolly deck, I believe, the woman is inside the house looking out over the garden, but the window is barred-- another suggestion that she is not as free as you may think. :ahhhh:

[Witchy Cowgirl]

OH - Thanks for the reply!
I find you interpurtations interesting. Espcially the part that the NINE OF PENTACLES could suggest that the querent is a "kept women". I never would have seen her that way. And that part certainly doesn't apply to me!:lol:

I see that the money reading and job reading we see her about the same.:)
I didn't think about the card having different meanings depending on the deck your using. I find that interesting too.
More things to think about. Good, good, good!

[tarotbear]

Oh Yes! If you can get your hands on the Rider, Robin Wood, and Connolly decks and look at the 9 Pentacles, you will see that the first two are almost the same card, but there are subtle differences- mostly the large gate. The Connolly deck is an entirely different slant.

One way I teach cards is to take the same card from each suit and lay them side by side and look at what things are the same about ( let's say - The Aces). What ideas pertain to all the Aces? Then look at what makes each card unique to it's suit. You can use this same process with comparative decks- how did the different artists see their card? You may gain more insights that you can use in a reading, even if not using 'that' deck at the time.

Remember- older decks have no pictures on the Pip cards - the pictures are strictly devices to jog your memory. Thank Goddess for Pamela Coleman Smith!

[Dagda Moon~Lily]

I think this is a great exercise! I would think of a card, it wouldn't just pop into my thoughts.....I did it alot when I was first learning the cards. Now, if a card just pops into my head....I have to wonder what it's energy is signifying in my life at the moment. I feel it's my subconscious trying to tell me something! ;)