AUTHOR’S NOTE: In his book Real Magic, Dean Radin introduced me to the idea of “time running backward” and its corollary, “retrocausation,” in which the future reaches back into the present and shapes current circumstances to align with its long-range outlook. I covered this in my previous essay “Predisposition in Tarot Reading,” and here I’m using it as the basis for a “Past/Present/Future” tarot spread.

In this spread the Past and Present positions are conventional, with the understanding that the random card pulled for the Present will be “predisposed” toward one of three potential Future cards due to being “groomed” by it as described above.

Begin in the usual manner by shuffling the deck (and cutting if you like), then deal two cards face-up from left-to-right into the Past and Present positions. Reversals may be used to add nuance to the interpretation.

For the third (“Conditional Future”) position, deal three cards face-up from top-to-bottom into a column.

Compare the three Future cards to the Present card and decide which of them the latter is most sympathetically disposed toward according to a combination of various forms of “dignity:” element, suit, number, polarity, rank and inherent nature. This call may not be straightforward and will require judgment, especially when there is a close correlation between the Present card and more than one of the Future cards. The best fit should still win out, even if only by a whisker.

If no conclusion can be reached, the reading may not be timely and should be deferred, but I don’t anticipate that occurring very often. Note that the cards involved could be unfortunate, in which case their combined influence should be treated as a cautionary message for both existing and forthcoming conditions. There may be no “easy way out” despite the seeker’s best efforts.

Once that decision has been made, consider how the status represented by the Present card can be translated into actions that address the intended outcome. Advice for the querent should be based on what can be done in the here-and-now to either crystalize the vision of a desirable future or neutralize one that is less auspicious if that is what came out of the Future/Present alignment.

Here is an example reading.

The Prince of Disks in the Past depicts complacency. There was no useful purpose in pushing this issue, so I didn’t.

The reversed Ace of Cups in the Present suggests being in a state of emotional suspension. Nothing is happening on that front.

The reversed 2 of Swords in the Future is not in the running, so the choice for the Ace’s favor lies between the Chariot and the reversed 2 of Cups. This is an instance where the decision is not clear-cut.

The 2 of Cups is the obvious companion to the Ace from both an elemental, numerical and hierarchical standpoint, but with both of them reversed there does not seem to be a way forward in that direction since emotional progress would be anemic. The pair reminds me of the title of the first Steely Dan album, Can’t Buy a Thrill, and also of the closing line of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam: “. . . turn down an empty Glass!”

The Chariot corresponds to Cancer in the same Chaldean quadrant as the 2 of Cups, and it is a card of movement toward a goal whereas the reversal of the 2 of Cups renders it aimless. The hesitation of the reversed Ace should evaporate under the Chariot’s shepherding, all it needs is to be triggered by circumstances. If this were the Tarot de Marseille card with horses pulling the chariot instead of stylized sphinxes, I could see the Ace of Cups as representing a “sugar cube” that would energize them. Regarding any action that might be taken, the element of Water along with the Ace’s reversal recommends being receptive rather than assertive in attempting to climb aboard the Chariot (in other words, wait for an invitation).

For what it’s worth, the image of the Charioteer closely resembles that of the Prince of Disks, and in preempting the 2 of Cups it is in the best position to make use of the attenuated energy of the Ace, which would only be squandered by its minor-card successor. There is momentum building that may not pause long enough for feelings to be sorted out. The train is leaving the station and I may have to run after it on two flat tires to catch up.