Finding clarity and comfort with tarot’s intense cards

We go to a tarot session or we do one for a friend, and we pull The Tower, The Devil, or any card from the Swords suit. What are we supposed to do with that? How are we supposed to feel any clarity or comfort? Why should we be suffering???

The Devil, The Tower, and the Hanged Man, Oh My!

Remember to stay grounded and see the full picture.

Pulling any number of intense cards can bring up a lot of anxiety. And when we connect to our friends or clients, that connection goes both ways. If we can feed off of their energy, they can feed off of ours. We don’t need to start right off the bat with doom and gloom, but we don’t want to leave them in anticipation the whole time either. 

If you have a lot of thoughts going on at once, press pause real quick. Give yourself a moment to separate your own thoughts from your intuition, and stay grounded in your body. Tell the person you're reading for that you’re looking for the best words or that you want to be sure you say it right. They’ll understand your want to be grounded while working with them, and you’ll have a much better reading. 

If specific cards come up in a reading, but you want to give other cards’ contexts first, let them know you see it and you’ll get to it in a moment, and guide the reading with all the context before getting to the intimidating cards.

Connect with any feelings that might come up.

Tarot readings are often happening during times of questioning, not just when everything’s hunky dory. People might have specific anxiety about receiving “bad cards” during the reading. If it’s looking like the person you're doing a reading for has been through the ringer, leave space for them to process those feelings and acknowledge their pain and strength. If we’re pulling Devil, Tower, Hanged Man, Three of Swords all in the same reading, then that’s where we are.

Resist the pull to barrel through the heavy feelings and take a second to connect with the question. Acknowledge your querent's experience and validate how they’re feeling. Sometimes, things just really suck, and sometimes we need someone to sit with us for a second. Then, you can move on to other cards or topics together when the person is ready.

Context is key when it comes to tarot.

Let's say you have the 3 of Swords right before an Ace of Cups — and you read this as a painful conversation and breakaway that leads to new relationships and a new emotional journey. And after the gruesome Tower card, we’re immediately greeted by The Star as its successor: Hope, wishes, and a renewed sense of power. Those pairings make the 3 of Swords and the Tower much less charged—they fit into a full narrative.

Looking at each card’s context with the spread, the suit, and the rest of the deck gives fuller and more nuanced readings. We get more perspective on where the person is coming from, and we can show them where they’re heading. Context is key when it comes to tarot.

If it weren’t a universal human experience, it wouldn’t be in a 78-card deck that’s been around for hundreds of years.

Sometimes shit happens.

Everyone has Tower Moments. If it weren’t a universal human experience, it wouldn’t be in a 78-card deck that’s been around for hundreds of years. Archetypes, trials, hardships, and joys are all part of being human. And by embracing that, we allow ourselves and our clients and friends to take in the entire human experience.

Whether we’re reading for ourselves or others, we want our readings to be empathetic. No one likes being told bad news! Remind yourself what you needed when you were in your 3 of Swords Era. What helped, what didn’t, and how you can translate that message to people you read for.

Sometimes tarot readings bring up hard truths and a lot of emotions. And at the center of every reading is the connection between reader and querent. We should never underestimate the power of helping someone find clarity and support when the cards feel (literally) stacked against them.