Short small spreads are all the rage these days.

While longer, more in-depth spreads are where you build your reputation, change lives, and help serious (repeat) clients solve real-world problems, no one has time for those now! Everyone wants to give short readings, even though you get your biggest tips from expertly executed in-depth sessions that produce real results. SHORT READINGS ARE MORE FUN! (for the reader)

So how do we make any money from this? Even more important, how can we give our clients real value in 5 to 15 minutes? After all, we can't compress time (well . . . can we? Come to school to find out how, but for the sake of this free lesson . . .) HOW DO WE make a 5–15 minute reading stand out in someone's mind? That's what today's lesson is all about.

We go DEEP into what makes short and long readings work. This session isn't a simple "do this to make people like you" lesson. We want you to understand this instinctively so that ALL of your readings from now on are twice as good as they were before today. Long, short (but especially short) readings — all of these will be better. Too much to say here, but definitely take notes! Also, ask questions. That's what we are here for!

Thanks for being here.

The eight of wands is easily one of the more confusing cards in the tarot. The visuals are simplistic: eight sticks are seemingly floating in air, and in the background is a small river and a house. The lack of people or determinable action gives this card something of a generic feel,, and as a result forces too many tarot readers to memorize keywords or key phrases in an attempt to make sense of this when this card comes up in a reading.

But it is the simplicity and synchronicity of this image that reveals much of its true meaning. This is what we discuss in today's tarot card meaning lesson.

notice how each stick is perfectly parallel with each other, and they are all approximately the same distance from the edge of the card. Given the nature of the rest of the sticks in the tarot we can assume (and correctly so) that all of these sticks are of the same or similar length. The variation in their horizontal location implies these were all launched (thrown or catapulted) at roughly the same time, given a slight allowance for human error and strength (force of throw). This implies both a human element, but also organization, teamwork, and a controlling factor such as a leader.

Come join us in our examination of this card and learn why I can mean in any number of instances. All of this and more is available at easytarotlessons.com

The seven of wands shows us a young man standing on a hill that ends in a cliff, and what seem to be stick-wielding assailants are coming at him. He doesn’t have anywhere to go, as he has been backed into a corner. His only choice now is to stand and fight.

The 7 of Wands shows us when we are forced into a position, or forced to make a choice. We are under pressure, or we are put upon by others. This is a card of open conflict, but there is not a fight yet — just the threat of implied violence. All too often the threat of implied violence is enough to make most people behave or acquiesce to our demands. But in this case, this young man has chosen to stand and fight.

He doesn’t look prepared. He is wearing mismatching shoes. No one knows if this was one of the many accidents pam made in drawing the art — as she said her self that she was underpaid and rushed to completion. But to be fair, Art only wanted the “major” Arcana scene-illustrated, so in some ways she just went over budget — but the fact that she did changed history, and it is too bad how her story played out.

But back to this guy . . . in the 7 of Wands we see implied conflict. We are experiencing peer pressure, whether it is an open mob or conversion therapy. We are being hunted, punished, or shamed for not going along with the “group think.” We may have earned this ire (we insulted someone, or we we a menace to society), or this could be any one of the countless cases of being wrongly accused of an action or belief we never took part in.

The seven of Wands doesn’t tell us “why” or “what” — it only shows us the consequences of previous actions or general unpopularity. To fully understand this card in a spread we need to know the context in which we are reading. We need to have a question this card answers, or we need other cards that *do* state what happened, and how we go to this place.

Lastly, if this card is the very last card and indicates the final outcome, it implies that someone is getting their comeuppance (whether that is deserved or not), but without another card that shows “how that Tuens out,” it leaves us to believe that justice served is enough information, and that we should ask no more.

The Six of Wands shows us a hero returning from some kind of victory — or this is celebrating his promotion or raise in status. No matter whether this is earned or if it is stolen valor, this card shows someone riding high in life. This is what it is like to be popular, in demand, and having people cheering you on.

This can be a moment in time, like when you receive your diploma at the graduation ceremony for college, or the announcement that you are “employee of the month.” But this can be an event, a circumstance, or an environment. That means that the 6 of Wands as a tarot card in a spread can represent something that is lasting or something that comes and is gone before you are ready for it to fade. The 6 of Wands doesn’t tell us what you are popular or famous for, only that you are. Also, it does not tell us how long you are famous. For these answers you need to carefully examine the tarot spread you cast, and compare that to the question you asked.

Also, this card shows how exposed you are. As unfair as it is, when you are riding in life, far above the common masses, you are like the United States President John F. Kennedy riding in a convertible in Dallas Texas in November of 1963. His head made an easy target for an assassin’s bullet. And as horrific as that event was, it remains a stain on United States history. But this card shows the moment before it all happened, including that guy in the back of the parade who is not happy that someone else gets to ride on a house while he has to walk.

This card is both a celebration of popularity and a warning not to trample on others. If you are the only person on a horse, it is your job not to step on people, not their job to move out of your way. There is not a lot of depth to this particular card, but its secrets can be teased out through careful observation and deep rumination. Come join our mystery school at easytarotlessons.com and learn ALL of the secrets of the tarot — not just the superficial ones we reveal to the public. This is a lifelong skill you will benefit from. And we are here to show you the hidden pathways.

Tarot card Keywords for study: hero, victory celebration, parade, fanfare, high horse, leader, returning hero, being on display, praise, promotion, equestrian show, horses, dressage, virility, sexual prowess, machismo, boasting, narcissism, influence, popularity, social influencer, going viral

The 5 of Wands is a deceptively complex tarot card that deals with the intricacies of social hierarchies and how we all fit in with various groups, don't fit in with others, and what we can expect when we try to manage discordant affairs. While the base art is ridiculously simple, we can glean layers of information from this card by our understanding of sociology and comparing the positions and placements of each participant in this card.

The five of Wands shows us a gang of boys on a slight rise, examining each other more than themselves, and seeking either acceptance or validation, but most of the boys do this by looking outward. Only one examines his own place in life rather than seeking the approval of — or a sense of superiority over the others in this group.

In todays' session we explore all of this and more.

Keywords to study: activity, enthusiasm, disorder, chaos, clown show, youth, youth sports, comparison, uncertainty, seeking acceptance, peer pressure, mob mentality, small groups, discordance, loud noises, inclusion.

This card has a split focus, and it shows us three layers of activity. In the first layer we see that we are looking at a stage. The only thing real are the four sticks and the garland that is tied between the outer two of those.

While the outer two sticks create a frame, the inner two create a narrow gateway that allow one or two people to pass through at a time. This makes this a checkpoint or a border crossing, but this works on a metaphysical scale just as it would on the physical plane.

This could just as easily represent the gateway between the human world of awareness and the faerie realm. The four sticks are the tangible part of reality in this card, and we can see that by the horizontal lines that mark the intersection of the stage and the painted curtain that serves as a backdrop for the play.

In truth, the entire scene is an illusion. This is both a warning and a goal. The girls welcoming us in and the people dancing in the background — even the bridge — these are all illusory. These are goals to aspired to, but they also can show how people of wealth and taste lose their way once they have money and they turn their attentions and interests to self-pleasure instead of making their world a better place.

This is the intermediate layer, but in the background we have the looming castle that serves as a representation for the nature of this walled garden. Unlike the Ace of Coins, which is a highly personal view of the walled garden, this image shows us the estate or state of affairs for what it is. This is an empire or a civilization. This could be a family or a company, a government, or a region.

This card, taken as a whole, shows us a walled garden at peace and also prosperous. While we are being beckoned to enter, we must leave our baggage behind if we are to pass through the gates, as there is only so much room. Also, we must find a way through the veil that separates our tangible existence from the permanent lands of happiness. And the answers to this are hidden in the courses we teach at The Academy of Divination.

Tarot card Keywords for study: parties, welcoming, house warming, celebrations, weddings, square, fixed energy, fortress, family, friends, activity, enthusiasm, generosity magnanimity, brand, branding, market dominance, reliability, inclusion, sunshine.

The 5 of Wands comes up in your tarot spread. What does it mean? How do you know how to read this card? What do you tel your client if this card comes up in the past, present, or future? What if the 5 of Wands is an outcome? What kind of circumstance, environment, or attitude does the 5 of Wands represent? All of these answers and more are explained in today's mystery school tarot lesson by Dusty White.

• The visuals on this card are so minimalistic that we have to really dig for meaning. But in the process, we can’t simply make things up. Whatever we say about this card, it has to match what is in the image.
• So we have a bunch of boys in a tight group, and they seem to be friendly to each other, but we have to examine the group as a whole, as well as the posture and attitude of each one, if we are to understand the various meanings of this card in a reading.
• I want to start with the central figure. He is wearing red in the Rider version of this card. He is also the only one wearing a hat.
• Notice how he is the only one of the five who is completely in his own world. Everyone else is looking at someone else, or someone else’s stick. This one individual is confident, self-composed, and examining his stick like someone would examine the cards life has dealt them.
• Notice his stance. He is balanced and upright. His body language reinforces the notion of his self-assurance and stability. He hols is stick with both hands, but away from him as he examines it. If this boy represented your client in a reading, it would sho that they are an island of sanity and calm in the middle of chaos.

Tarot card keywords for study: activity, enthusiasm, disorder, chaos, clown show, youth, youth sports, comparison, uncertainty, seeking acceptance, peer pressure, mob mentality, small groups, discordance, loud noises, inclusion.

The 3 of Wands comes up in your tarot spread. What does it mean? How do you know how to read this card? What do you tell your client if this card comes up in the past, present, or future? What if the 3 of Wands is an outcome? What kind of circumstance, environment, or attitude does the 3 of Wands represent? All of these answers and more are explained in today's mystery school tarot lesson by Dusty White.

The main thing we are looking at in this image is a relatively simple image of a man on a hill or cliff overlooking ships sailing off into the sunset. This man is not impoverished, but then again, in the tarot almost no one is visibly destitute. He doesn’t look wealthy and he doesn’t look poor, so this does not help us understand whether he is the foreman or someone who woke up late for work while everyone else is already on their boats.

There is a huge clue that the sea is golden and the sky is yellow. This gives us time of day and the direction he is facing, and therefor it limits the number of places in the world this can occur — if we need this card to tell us where a thing will happen. But don’t read too much into that unless and until you are specifically asking for that level and type of information.

Tarot card Keywords for study: oceans, bays, sunsets, west facing beaches, ships, voyages, watching, missing the boat, progress, momentum, early stages, management, overseer or foreman.