Hi! This is my first post so layouts and such may change. Keep in mind I’m still a beginner. I may not get a clear message from this spread (I’m so bad at reading Royalty cards). I’m keeping this journal to try and get some clarity and help keep track of my progress.

Today I went for a spread I found in an old tarot book I’ve had for years. It’s a 6-card spread intended to give a quick, general overview on your life at the moment. 

Card 1: Six of Coins, reversed
Card 2: The Wheel of Fortune, reversed
Card 3: King of Wands
Card 4: Seven of Coins, reversed
Card 5: The Chariot
Card 6: Two of Coins, reversed

I can tell just by looking at it, this is a financial/career spread even if I didn’t intend it to be. Three coin cards, all reversed? Even without going into further detail, this reflects my current situation.

Card 1: Who You Are Right Now

Upright, this is a generosity card. It depicts a man giving to others, so the imagery really says it all. Reversed, the coins fall away and there’s nothing to give; no one is happy.

Put into context, I’m currently struggling with my school funds right now; I usually pay my own tuition, and I’ve been really stubborn about it, to the point that I’d dropped out for a while because I was working a job where I couldn’t afford it. When I got a new job that paid better, and finally got better hours at that job, I decided to go back, only to have a management change in the middle of the semester. The new management has not been supportive of my schooling, at all, and refuses to work with my schedule, cutting me down to borderline part-time. It’s been frustrating all around, for all my co-workers, and that’s the jist I’m getting from this card.

Card 2: What is affecting you?

This bodes well. When you’re up you must come down, and when you’re down you must come up. Reversed, the Wheel of Fortune indicates that times are tough now, but can only get better from here. Being a Major Arcana card, this is meant to happen, and it’s meant to happen now. I’m supposed to learn something from this, and when the wheel turns upright again, I’ll be prepared to face the next go-round. All I have to do is hang tight.

Card 3: What you value

Since this became a career spread, what do I value in my career? The King of Wands is creative, bold, expressive, and enthusiastic. My current career, the one I’m having problems with, honestly has none of these things. But what I’m studying in school, what I want to do? I’m a music industry major. Studying this is the greatest decision I’ve ever made, and I’m happier now than I’ve been since high school. It’s a career that demands creative, leadership types, like the King of Wands. So which do I value? Easy question.

Card 4: What’s Bothering You?

This is a patience card. Reversed, it indicates that there is a lack of patience and fortitude. I’ve been considering quitting my job out of sheer frustration, regardless of whether or not I have another one lined up. This card, which has been coming up a lot in my spreads lately, almost seems to suggest that I should suck it up and tough it out for just a little while longer. Stay patient. Maybe a better job will arrive, or maybe things will get better at the current one.

Card 5: The short-term outcome

This is good! The Chariot indicates victory, but only through control and hard work. It almost seems to refer to the Seven of Coins above it: be patient, work through this, and you’ll come out ahead in the end. But the Chariot also speaks of balance: he wears the sun on his armor, but has stars over his head. One sphinx is black, and the other is white. I use the Hanson-Roberts deck, where the chariot itself bears a yin-yang symbol. But he fights alone. I need to find my own path, my own balance, in order to keep my head above water and hold onto my patience. Like the Wheel of Fortune, the Chariot is a Major Arcana card, and implies that this is fate, an event I’m meant to learn from.

Card 6: The long-term outcome

Another balance card, how interesting. Which path is more important to be on: the path that leads to happiness in a career I enjoy, or the path that helps pay the bills? I’m taking on too much (which is not news to me; I get this card often, and the 10 of Wands as well) and need to sort out my priorities. I have one book that states that this card indicates that the answer to your question is already known, so act on it, and I feel like I do already know.

Since the Two of Coins leaves things open-ended, I pulled one more card out of curiosity: the Six of Wands. A victory card. This spread bodes well, as long as I can bite my tongue and hold my ground for just a little while longer. 

Despite most of my focus being on my job right now, hopefully all of my spreads won’t reflect that. I don’t do a lot of outside readings, mainly because I am such a novice; I mostly only read for friends. I’d love to have more variety though, so if anyone out there wants a reading, contact me! Again I can’t guarantee total accuracy, especially if you’re not a close friend or sitting right in front of me, but that’s what this blog is all about: practice. :)