Reading Tarot cards is all about interpretation. There are as many ways to interpret the cards as there are readers. This is the way it is supposed to be. There is no single right or wrong interpretation or meaning of any particular card. They were designed to speak individually to all of us. There are only seventy eight cards but that limited number can address any life situation for any individual person.

The way the cards speak is through the language of symbology – pictures. The images on the cards engage each reader personally as she or he responds to the visual symbols subconsciously. We respond differently because we each have unique life experiences that make up our symbolic language dictionary that we carry around in our heads. We all have different preferences – likes and dislikes. Where did these come from? The symbol of a red rose is usually associated with passion and romance. But for someone highly allergic to roses, the image of a rose may not be a pleasant one. We all live in different environments and areas of the world where subtle differences frequently occur in language and traditions. So throughout our lifetime we develop associations to symbols based on what they mean to us.

Designers of Tarot decks have tried to capture symbolic language by using symbols that are more universal. Many decks depict that rose as a symbol of romance because it works that way for the majority of people. Some have created a symbolic world of their own that must be memorized before the cards can be read.

It is sometimes difficult to trust our own interpretation. We feel that we need an “authority” to tell us what each card means. But the best authority is your own instincts and experiences that awaken within you an intuitive understanding the moment your eyes absorb the pictures on a card. The power of the Tarot does not lie in the seventy eight pieces of cardboard that make up the deck. It lies within you.

Teresa Sue McAdams, co-author of Today’s Journey Tarot and Today’s Journey Tarot, A Traveler’s Guide

5-23-14 Today’s Tarot is the Five of Fire. Confusion dominates this day. If you can’t work through it, get out of the way and let it dissipate on its own. Try not to get involved in the drama. This card is about chaos and competition.

Teresa Sue McAdams

5-21-14 Today’s Tarot is Key 21 Completion. A new cycle has begun. Let go of what you are carrying from the past that no longer serves you in the present. You are meant to do that. This card is about mastery and integration.

5-20-14 Today’s Tarot is the Ten of Earth. Learn from the knowledge of someone who has gone before you. There is always someone who has the same experiences as you. Seek their guidance. This card is about cycles and wisdom.

Teresa Sue McAdams