Reading In The Flow - Cards in Combination: Emperor, 8 of Cups, 2 of Cups

This is the third edition of our series “Reading In The Flow: Cards in Combination”. If you missed the first two posts (can be found via Resources), “Reading In The Flow” is a term I use to describe taking a bird’s eye view of a spread in order to observe all the ways in which the cards interact.

Similar to the last combination, I will be working with my partner Tim to break down the possibilities within a set of 3 cards. We will explore elemental distribution, note-worthy observations, how the cards Qabalistically correlate, and what the message may be with all things considered.

The three cards we’ll be using for today’s exercise came about through “random” shuffle. They are The Emperor, the 8 of Cups, and the 2 of Cups (again!). I have arranged them sequentially in a horizontal manner and have not ascribed a question or positional meanings. This is a general reading where the cards are meant to be read in tandem.

Similar to the last time, I am asking readers to take a step back and observe the landscape at large. Consider what is similar about the cards, what is different, how they interact, what the figures are posturing, the colours, repeated imagery or anything else that stands out! There are no right or wrongs about this approach. Bring in any elements you personally work with (numbers, astrology etc.) whether I’ve mentioned them or not. This isn’t about guessing what I’m going to see, it’s about expanding your own unique vision. So, take a look at the image below, and using the prompts above, note what you observe!