AUTHOR’S NOTE: While contemplating the Chinese legend of Wang Hai, who lost his livestock (not once but twice!) to jealous rivals in the kingdom of Yi, I decided to create a tarot spread that addresses this possibility in present-day terms. In the past I’ve used the upright or reversed orientation of the cards in a spread to suggest upward (auspicious) or downward (inauspicious) movement in the flow of a querent’s affairs, primarily as a way to show “which way the wind is blowing.” Here I’m introducing an additional nuance to this approach that is intended to demonstrate whether the outcome of the reading will land on the “credit” or the “debit” side of the divinatory ledger. I’m also giving a nod to Benebell Wen’s translation of the oracular advice in I Ching Hexagram 57: “Do not change paths time and time again.”

Rather than predicting a turn-of-luck every time the orientation of the next card changes, I elected to just “let it ride” for one more iteration after the initial pull and only redirect the flow thereafter. (I’m alluding to the scientific principle that “Objects in motion tend to stay in motion,” at least until inertia slows them down.) This has the advantage of producing a persistent dynamic in the progress of events that can yield an abundance of one orientation or the other, reflecting a dominant theme in the reading that is variously optimistic, neutral or pessimistic

So, to flesh out this premise, if I start in “neutral” territory with an upright card, the path would not descend into pessimism until I receive two reversed cards in series, then it would drop one level with the next card; similarly, it would require two more upright cards to nudge it upward from that position. If I begin with a reversed card, it would take two more sequential reversals to send it lower, or two upright cards in a row to raise it a notch to an optimistic state. If I reach the bottom row as the deal continues, two subsequent upright cards would be necessary to escape the depths of despair. If there are no doubles but only an up-and-down “seesaw” of upright and reversed cards, the situation will stay on its present course. Obviously, if the doubled cards are in the top or bottom row, there can be no further movement either up in one case or down in the other. On balance, it is likely that a “steady state” in circumstances will be the prevailing condition most of the time, with frequent changes in outlook being the exception. This method will require a spread of five or more cards to allow for a meaningful range of possibility that will accommodate the latter when indicated, potentially creating what I once called a “roller-coaster ride.”

The idea is to open the reading by placing the first card in whichever row reflects the current status of the situation and proceed from there; if there is no present bias in the matter, either positive or negative, then that card belongs in the neutral row regardless of its orientation. (For example, if the querent is presently in a good place but fears that might change, begin in the top row, but if they’re in the dumps and hope for improvement, start in the bottom row; otherwise, go for the middle.)

To read the completed layout, first form a judgment as to whether the overall complexion of the spread is encouraging or discouraging, creating an environment that promotes eventual success or failure, then interpret the cards in the usual way. (In an orgy of platitudinous excess for which I apologize, think of it like this: as Bob Seger once sang, you might be “running against the wind,” and must find a way [hopefully revealed by the outcome card] to “pull your chestnuts out of the fire.”) The background theme should be considered secondary to the main thrust of the divination as shown by the linear testimony of the spread. (Note that this process doesn’t depend at all on whether a card is inherently fortunate or unfortunate in meaning, just on whether it appears upright or reversed as part of the background theme. The cards themselves are read as a detailed “story” after the overall “complexion” is established.)

Here is an example reading to illustrate the process:

The complexion of this series is neutral shading toward inauspicious as the flow degrades in the third, fourth and fifth reversed cards. Since the question involved the fate of an initiative I’ve been considering, the atmosphere for success is decidedly unfavorable. The cards themselves suggest unrealistic expectations followed by major setbacks on the practical front (to me, the reversed Devil always implies self-deception), with a final “reckoning” that leaves me brooding and having to lower my sights. Frankly, it’s what I anticipated based on previous readings about the subject; the cards are saying “What part of ‘no’ don’t you understand?” On the other hand, the Page of Cups implies the gentle force or “soft power” that I’m just now reading about in Hexagram 57, and its upright posture may alter the conclusion even though an official upturn is “out of range;” more to come on that subject in another essay.