We know the Major Arcana cards often represent the bigger concepts in life; the energy that transcends the day-to-day. These greater topics often touch on spirituality, self-development, growth of consciousness, the nature of reality, and so on. Because of this, tarot can be an excellent tool not just for divination but also for exploration. Although, by that same token, sometimes in readings, we can be thrown when we draw a Major as it isn’t always easy to see how it fits into our daily lives.

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!

I have written a bit on tips and tricks to learning the tarot, but I’ve been having so much discussion around the idea of other aspects of life influencing our ability to read the cards well, so I wanted to add to those posts.

It is my perspective that our spiritual growth moves in tandem with our development in all other areas of life. I also believe that tarot is a tool that works through us as much as we work with it. This is why, for as many books as we read or people we consult, we can only go as far as our inner guide is able to take us.

For example, I can learn what the cards mean, but I also recognize that there is much more happening in these scenes than just the basic definitions that we find floating around. To see how the cards play off each other, to grasp the symbolic and visual significance, to be confident in your intuition to know which bits are relevant…well, that’s more an art that evolves over time.

With that in mind, I wanted to present a few ideas with the following concept in mind: It is one thing to read a definition and it is another to have lived it. In this way, I am placing emphasis on integration over memorization (though both are important) and Inner Guide over “must-do” advice.