Tarot Tip #14 – Addressing Illness in the Cards

Before we even get into the actual card combinations that I use in my readings to predict illnesses, often quite accurately, I need to address the elephant in the room.

     You are a tarot reader, not a doctor.

     You are not licensed to engage in any kind of medical diagnosis, unless you have a medical license of some kind.  Being a tarot reader, even a psychic, does not give you that authority.

     You can get into serious legal trouble offering a medical diagnosis, but even more importantly, if you offer an incorrect one, and your client does or doesn’t act on their health issue because of what you’ve told them, they can be severely harmed and you will feel guilty for a very long time.

     So the most important thing you should always tell your client BEFORE you offer any medical advice, is that although you will tell them what you see in the cards, they should definitely see a medical doctor for confirmation; your reading does not replace a medical evaluation.

     That said, here is how I see illness and health problems in the cards.  Keep in mind, that other tarot teachers may have their own way of doing this that work well too, so keep an open mind and experiment until you find what works for you.

     For me, the suit of Wands represents physical action and activity, so where there is illness, injury, or a health issue, there will always be some Wands surrounding the person with the problem, who if they are sick, will usually be inverted in the card spread.  But by themselves Wands only tell you that person has a lot of physical changes and issues going on. The inverted position of the card representing them only tells you they have a problem or are unhappy.  These cards don’t necessarily relate to the person’s physical body.  So, I use the Major Arcanum ‘Temperance’ as my ‘health indicator’ card.  When it, as well as several Wands, are present, near a Court Card representing the person in question, I know there is a health issue.  If Temperence is upright, the health issue is under control, the person is currently healthy.  If it’s inverted, the health problem is active, and the person is ill.  The meanings of the surrounding Wands can give further insight, and their upright or inverted positions can help to determine the severity of the problem.

     To determine what the actual health issue is, we look to the surrounding cards. Here’s a quick list: The Devil can indicate a chronic condition such as diabetes or cancer.  The 9 of Wands can be a head injury or illness such as migraine, or an illness or condition that keeps returning.  The 9 of Cups can be a weight problem or an addiction or allergy.  The 3 of Cups can be a drinking problem. The 4 of Pentacles can be a weight problem too, or something that limits mobility.  The 10 of Pentacles might be an inherited illness or condition. The Magician or Ace of Wands can be a prostate or erectile dysfunction problem. The 7 or 9 of Pentacles can be something like poison ivy, from being outdoors or working in the garden.  The Chariot can be a car crash resulting in injury, The 10 of Swords often indicates surgery, and another card nearby will tell what the surgery is on, and if it is voluntary or not.  The Moon indicates female problems, or mental or emotional ones.  Other nearby cards will help you define that. The Knight of Cups indicates dehydration.  The 10 of Wands is often a back issue. The Empress can be a problem with a pregnancy, or with a ‘mother figure’.   The 5 of Wands indicates a head issue or injury, or sometimes the loss of a limb.  The 8 of Swords is a problem with the eyes.  The 3 of Swords is usually a problem with the heart, blood or circulation.

     I often see the 3 of Pentacles as a team of doctors – upright they are doing a good job, inverted means it’s time for a second or third opinion.  The 7 of Cups can indicate that a true diagnosis is currently not available, either from the cards or the medical doctor.

     I always tell my students it’s a good idea to take the time to learn these ‘connections’ because inevitably you will have a client who asks you about their own health, or the health of a loved one.  Just remember, this is only intended as a guide, you must always tell the client that you are not a medical doctor, and that they need to see their doctor for a proper diagnosis.

    Let me leave you on this note.  Using this method of health interpretation in the cards, I have been able to predict illnesses accurately and have actually been able to save a few lives.  My favorite story was when my long-term client Mr. Campbell, who was 95 at the time, called me from the hospital to let me know he was alright and had narrowly averted death.  He called to thank me.  Six months earlier I’d told him that if he felt any pain in his arms or chest, he needed to immediately drive himself to the hospital, and not to wait.  I even told him it would be about six months from when I did his reading.  Of course, I also told him to get his heart checked out and that although I was not a doctor, in the cards I saw a possible problem with it. He did do that, but at the time it checked out fine.  I got the timing from the Celtic Cross spread I was using.

     Keep enjoying your journey through the Tarot.  I’ll be back with another Tip soon.