Practicing with TV shows really helped me understand tarot better.
It might sound odd, but I’d shuffle and pull a card during different scenes. Sometimes the Knight of Wands would show up in a travel scene, other times in a heated argument where someone’s fiery energy was at play.
Tarot cards can have different meanings depending on the situation. I wouldn’t get too bogged down with this if you’re a beginner, but if you want to take it further, it’s worth getting into.
For example, the Knight of Wands can mean actual travel or just having the drive to get things moving. As for Death + Three of Cups, I stopped trying to pin them down to just one idea. They can mean transforming friendships or even celebrating moving on from something, like a social gathering that marks a big life change.
I’ve been doing shadow work with tarot and found something that really works, just giving each card one emotional keyword.
Like with your Death + Three of Cups combination, I’d look at it as ‘release’ + ‘community joy’. I was holding onto social masks instead of connecting authentically with people. The key is keeping it simple. Don’t overthink the meanings.
Just let the words come together naturally and they’ll show you what you need to see.
F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote that ‘the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.’ That’s exactly what you’re describing with tarot combinations.
Absolutely! Position changes everything. A Death card in your past position might be that major life change you already went through, while Death in your future position could be the transformation that’s coming.
I like to think of it as the cards having different conversations depending on where they sit. Three of Cups in the past might be old friends you’ve drifted from, but in the future it could be new connections forming. The position gives context to whether you’re looking back at something or moving toward it.
Side note: Sometimes I’ll read the same cards in different positions just to see how the story shifts. It’s wild how the Ten of Swords feels totally different when it’s behind you versus ahead of you.
When I see Death with the Three of Cups, I think about what needs to end before the party can start. Like maybe you have to let go of old friendships that aren’t working anymore. Or stop trying to be the person you used to be at gatherings. The cards work together to tell a story, not just as separate meanings.
I get the appeal of structured spreads and combo rules, but overthinking them can jam your gut read. At a friend’s birthday last month I pulled Death + Three of Cups. It just meant the party was wrapping up and people were saying goodbye. Sometimes the message is plain, and forcing deeper layers makes you miss what’s right there.