Been trying to ask the tarot yes/no questions and the cards keep giving me essays instead of answers. Asked about the job offer yesterday - pulled Three of Pentacles. That’s not a yes or no, that’s “yes but make sure you vibe with the team” or maybe “only if you want to collaborate.”
Starting to think that’s the whole point, though. When we ask the tarot yes/no questions, we’re usually dealing with stuff that’s way more complex than binary answers. The cards know we need the full story, not just a thumbs up or down.
Anyone else given up on getting straight answers and just embraced the nuance?
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I started using the ‘Option A, Option B, What You Need to Know’ spread for those either/or decisions and the readings got clearer. Instead of philosophical essays about my job offer, I’d get cards showing what each path looked like.
The Three of Pentacles you mentioned, that card might have had something relevant to say, just not in yes/no terms.
You can use the element associations (wands = fast yes, pentacles = slow yes, cups = emotional yes, swords = complicated no) that pretty much turns any card into a complex yes/no answer. It’s sorta like giving the cards permission to be both binary AND storytellers at the same time, which feels way more natural than trying to force them into simple answers.
The question kind of contains the answer. When people come at tarot with strict either/or thinking, they get confusing readings. The cards pick up on that limited mindset and give it right back to them.
When I do yes/no readings, I focus on the card’s image and see what jumps out at me. Sometimes the answer feels obvious, sometimes not so much. Just trust what comes to mind first.
Sometimes I catch myself using tarot like a magic 8 ball, just wanting yes/no answers about whether things will work out.
The readings get more useful when I ask about specific actions I could take. Otherwise it’s just vague predictions that don’t really help with anything.
I had yes/no personally. I think the Tarot (or whatever system/deck you choose) is sooo good at giving us the information we need that we shouldn’t force it into a whole of just yes/no.
I mean it’s possible but just such a waste of opportunity.
I tried doing tarot readings with only Major Arcana cards flipped upside down.
Even wore a blindfold thinking it would somehow force clear yes/no answers from the universe. Didn’t work out like I hoped. Now I just use a basic 3-card spread and count the positive cards. Two positive cards means maybe, three means go for it.
Much simpler than trying to get straightforward answers from cards that are meant for storytelling anyway.
Tarot can answer yes/no questions but it tends to be more complicated than that.
The Sun is a pretty obvious yes. Five of Pentacles, not so much. Sometimes you get in-between cards though, Two of Wands might mean you need to plan things out, Eight of Pentacles could mean it’ll take work.
For decisions I do 3 cards: what happens if yes, what happens if no, and what I’m missing. Gives you more to work with.
The cards can be confusing sometimes. I’ve found it helps to think about what emotions are behind your question, makes the meanings clearer.
I’ve started keeping a coin with my deck for when someone wants a simple yes or no. I flip the coin first, then pull cards to explain why that answer makes sense.
It helps because they get a straightforward answer, and the cards can still tell a deeper story. My trusty RWS and a quarter have become my go-to tools for any question.
The thing with yes/no questions in Tarot is that the cards weren’t really designed for that.
Each one has so many meanings depending on context, position, what’s around it. When people ask ‘should I do this?’ I wonder if they’re looking for permission or someone else to blame if things go wrong. Not judging - I’ve done it too. But the cards work better as a mirror than a magic 8 ball.
I’ve had more luck asking open-ended questions. Like instead of ‘should I take this job?’ try ‘what do I need to know about this job opportunity?’ You get way more useful info that way. Some readers do have yes/no systems they swear by. Usually involves assigning positive/negative values to suits or using reversals. If that appeals to you, pick a method and stick with it.
Consistency matters more than which system you choose.
Funny you mention this, deck choice makes such a difference for yes/no readings.
My Marseille with the basic colors and simple pips works great for quick answers. Something like the Shadowscapes though, with all those detailed watercolors? Not so much. You end up staring at fairies and trying to figure out if that’s a yes or a no. Even the cardstock affects it.
Thinner cards let you shuffle fast for rapid questions, but those premium decks with the thick linen finish slow everything down.
Yeah, getting straight answers from tarot can be tricky. I’ve been working on trusting my gut more when I read. When I draw a card now, I try to notice my immediate reaction first, what vibe it gives me, before I check the traditional meaning.
Sometimes that first feeling tells me way more than any guidebook. Not saying it always works, but it’s been more helpful than trying to memorize every possible interpretation.
So, if you look into the history of card reading, you’ll find that yes/no predictions have been used long before Tarot got popular.
The Lenormand deck, which some mix up with Tarot, was meant for clear answers. These days, it seems like folks are too focused on dissecting every card. When using Tarot for yes/no, it’s helpful to know that Fire and Air often mean ‘yes,’ while Water and Earth can mean ‘no’ or ‘hold on.’
Started giving each card a yes/no/maybe value based on traditional meanings and it’s actually been working well for quick reads. Still lets you do both though. Get the immediate answer from the assigned value, then dig into what the card’s really saying. Your Three of Pentacles was probably pointing to all that collaboration stuff underneath the surface answer.
It could be that asking yes/no questions doesn’t allow the cards to give the best guidance. They might need more than just a straightforward answer to be clear.
Yes/no questions are fine for tarot readings.
Here’s what I do:
- Draw an odd number of cards (3 or 5 usually) and count how many are upright versus reversed.
- More uprights = yes, more reversed = no. What’s nice is that each card still tells you something about why you’re getting that answer.
- Some readers give each card a yes or no value (like Cups always mean yes), but I think the upright/reversed method works better. Just make sure you answer the actual question before you start going into all the details the cards show.
- Sometimes I catch myself rambling about the card meanings and realize I never gave them the yes or no they asked for.
