Reading the Negative Space

A recent experience reminded me that sometimes it's as important to read the cards that don't come up as it is to read the cards that do.

What on Earth does that mean? Well, quite simply that sometimes things make themselves obvious by their absence. Think about it. When you're presented with a logical sequence and one element is out of place or missing, it draws attention to itself. If I give you the number sequence 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 your first thought is not "oh, that totals 18" or "gee, here are five numbers," but "where is the 3?" You see the sequence and respond to what is not there in its usual place.

There are instances where the tarot will draw attention to something in the same way, by highlighting its absence in a reading. That doesn't mean that the cards that DO come up are not important, but it does suggest that the missing aspect of the sequence may be sending an equally important message.

Consider, for example, a reading where you draw three cards and get three Aces: Cups, Swords and Wands. Clearly this is suggestive of beginnings, a lot of new energy. My own read would focus on this newness: new feelings, new ideas, new creative energy. But the card that draws our attention by its absence, the Ace of Pentacles, adds a new spin to this tableau.

Because the Ace of Pentacles is "missing" from the sequence, this may lead us to ask questions about whether what it represents is missing from the circumstance or situation in question. In my sample three-card reading, this missing link suggests that although new ideas, emotions and energy are present, these things are not being brought to fruition: manifestation is not yet happening, we aren't yet seeing these ideas, emotions and energy in the real world as concrete results.

However, what this ultimately means is best decided in consultation with the querent, or if reading for yourself, in careful thought and review of your situation. Other possible interpretations may suggest you are somehow blocking those results, or that the steps you've taken so far need further refinement before they can manifest in the world. You might come to understand that there are additional steps you need to take before manifestation can occur; on the flip side, the cards might be telling you that you are perhaps emphasizing the drive toward results too much, and to pull that line of thought out of your own equation.

As with any other reading, only you know what a striking absence ultimtely suggests. But take the opportunity, when the cards call attention to what is missing, to consider its role in your evaluation as equally important as the cards that are present.

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