Interpreting The Cards That *Aren't* There

Exploring the cards that are visible in our spreads is the obvious way to approach any reading. But what about the cards that didn’t make an appearance? Could they also lend some insight into the bigger picture?

I’ve talked a lot about the concept of “reading in the flow”, which is essentially looking at any reading from multiple angles and perspectives. It is a way of observing how the cards interact with each other, where they connect, and also where they repel. Using this method, which examines many variables, we combine intuition with what is visible and ultimately walk away with a much broader understanding of the message.

One aspect of this approach is noting the cards that didn’t show up and considering what implication if any, that may have to the interpretation of the reading.

Let me highlight exactly what I mean with some scenarios below and then we can play around with two visual examples!