Readings
Three Cards
The three card tarot spread is one of the oldest methods. You can get to the heart of your question with a simple three-card Tarot reading. In this spread, there are three different positions which can be changed by to your preference, Past – Present – Future (or Situation – Action – Outcome, Situation – Obstacle – Advice and etc.).
The meaning of the card you choose varies according to it’s position.
This opening provides a GENERAL perspective to the period you are in. Or you can evaluate the comments in the frame of your question.
Four of Swords
Upright
Rest, relaxation, meditation, contemplation, recuperation
The Four of Swords suggests you take a pause before you take on the next challenge. You have arrived at the first milestone and must renew your energy before the next period begins so you are restored and ready to go. Even if you are highly motivated, take time out from your busy program to recover your energy and rejuvenate the body and the mind. Persistent stress and tension will break even the strongest of people but short periods of relaxation allow you to refresh your energy and focus.
If you have been going through hard times recently then the Four of Swords appears as a hint to take a step back and reacquire viewpoint. Take a day off, go for a walk, or spend time with your friends – whatever you need to take a rest.
In fact, the Four of Swords offers a new trial: to stay silent and still. Now is the time to strengthen up your mental health by cleaning your mind of stress. Meditate and stay in a place that creates peace and calmness for you.
In a functional sense, the Four of Swords is a sign that you need to take some time to evaluate your journey so far. Make time and space to assess what has worked properly, what has not, and what you need to improve. Delaying to evaluate after each significant challenge will support you well for achievement in the future.
Reversed
Exhaustion, burn-out, deep contemplation, stagnation
The reversed Four of Swords carries a message that you need to take time out to rest and restore your power. You may be working extended hours, giving all of your time and energy to other people, or included in a very stressful and difficult task. You are close to fatigue, and your energy resources are running low. If you do not pause and take some rest now, you may burn-out entirely, making yourself completely incapable.
The reversed Four of Swords can tell that you are very restless and trying to do all of your tasks at once. Even if your body is notifying you that you need to stop and rest, your mind may force you forward, and making you unhealthy as a result. Some ‘busy time’ is good but be mindful not to force it so far that you end up damaging your health and happiness.
The reversed Four of Swords can also signify stagnation leading to prolonged failure. For example, marriage has become empty after a long time has passed. You may need to take a pause and come back to it when the love is flowing again.
Furthermore, the reversed Four of Swords could sign that you are disappointed with the absence of flow and change in your life. This lack of change may be because of your passiveness.
The Empress
Upright
Femininity, beauty, nature, nurturing, abundance
The Empress implies a strong connection with femininity. Femininity is explained in many ways, such as elegance, sensuality, fertility, creativity, nurturing – and is necessary for creating a balance between your masculinity and femininity. Create beauty in your life. Connect with your senses through taste, touch, hearing, smell, and sight. Be drawn on these senses to experience pleasure and joy. Explore different methods for expressing yourself creatively, be it through painting, music or other kinds of art.
You are in a period of growth; your all dreams and purposes could come into fulfillment. When the Empress appears in your Tarot readings, take a moment to think about the generosity that surrounds you and offer gratitude for all you have created so you can continue to build on this energy and create even more wealth in your life.
Like the Mother Earth model, the Empress urges you to be in nature to be in flow with the earth by grounding your energy. Take a trip to your favorite places such as forest, beach, mountain or lake and explore beauties, breathe in good energies. Receive the grounding spirit of nature into your heart and mind. So, you can reach higher planes of consciousness.
By being are in tune with the energy of the Empress, you will simply take on her mothering nature. You feel a strong urge to nurture and care for others, with deep compassion and care. You see it as a gift and an honor to help others. You may step into the role of ‘mother’, perhaps as the mother of a newborn, caretaker of other people’s children, or spending more quality time with your kids.
The Empress can also hint pregnancy or birth. This may be an actual pregnancy or childbirth, or a metaphorical ‘birth’ of a new idea. Bring your creative ideas into being by nurturing them and supporting their growth. Allow those designs and their demonstration to flow through you, acting with compassion and love.
Reversed
Creative block, dependence on others
Reversed, the Empress inspires you to make self-love a priority. Now is the time to bring your loving energy and focus to yourself, especially if you have been giving away your power by placing too much weight on another person’s emotional or material needs, therefore ignoring your own needs.
You may also need a more powerful connection with nature. Now is the perfect time to spend even just a few hours in a natural setting such as a beach, park or garden.
The Empress reversed can suggest that you are feeling a creative block, creating a new idea or expressing yourself.
The reversed Empress may call your awareness to problems around body image. Are you very critical when it comes to how you look and the shape of your body? Learn to love your body again and rediscover your beauty, inside and out.
Or you may take the ‘mothering’ role too far in your relationships, by becoming overprotective, co-dependent and controlling. If this resonates, it is time to shift your focus from the mother-child relationship to an adult-to-adult relationship by creating freedom and trust.
Three of Cups
Upright
Celebration, friendship, creativity, collaborations
The Three of Cups is a card of party, friendship, and creative collaborations. Your friends are here to encourage you and lift you to even higher levels of achievement. Rejoice with them and appreciate their friendship.
When the Three of Cups appears in a Tarot reading, you are urged to meet with your closest friends and have a pleasant time together. Together, you give and accept the love and empathy. Your energy is high, and you’re here to do astonishing things together.
The Three of Cups often indicates a sociable gathering – such as a anniversary, a marriage, or a holiday with friends. See it as your possibility to forget about your daily responsibilities and duties for a while. Spend good time with friends and family and have a fun!
This card also invites you to cooperate with others on a productive project and encourage one another to attain new aims. Collectively, you are working towards a common purpose, and by reaching out to others, you can accomplish a great deal of work.
Reversed
Independence, alone time, hardcore partying, third-party
While the upright Three of Cups is a card of friendship and social situations, the reversal of this card implies that you would like to go it single right now. You may have lately spent a lot of time with other people and now just need some lone time. Or perhaps you are no longer ‘matching’ with a social group and are willing to move on. Or sometimes, you might find yourself excluded from other people’s gatherings and feeling isolated. Acknowledge your desire to be out of the social groups for a while and enjoy this time by yourself.
If you are involved in a project, now may be the time to work individually rather than in a gathering. Your creativity is being blocked, or you are being made to adapt to the group. You may be one who does things a particular way and is not open to modification or alternative methods. You need to consider whether you are ready to surrender your creative skills in favour of the group’s wishes.
On the other meaning, the Three of Cups reversed may signify overindulgence. You may be out most nights partying, doing drugs or drinking heavily when what you need is balance in your life. Take a break from the social scene.
The reversed Three of Cups can show up in a third-party situation. You may be connected with someone who is already in a relationship with someone else, whether you know it or not. Check the other cards for more detail. The Seven of Swords indicates a deception and possible cheating. If Five of Swords is in your reading, you likely already know about the other connection, but you are trying to neglect. If there is the Devil, recognize the nature of the connection.