What cards indicate that a person is known / unknown to the querent?

This is something I've always wondered about. What criteria do you use to determine whether a person who shows up in your querent's spread is known to them or not? For instance, when someone asks, will I have a relationship soon etc and a court card pops up. At first glance I think, "good news! Looks like someone's coming up for you!" Then they ask, " Do I know him/ her already or is this someone new?" What cards indicate whether this is someone from the past, (past meaning they have been previously involved with this person), or whether this is someone that they already KNOW but have NOT been previously involved with, such as a friend or associate, OR whether it's somebody brand new that they have never met before?

Ask?

obsidian_queen said:

What criteria do you use to determine whether a person who shows up in your querent's spread is known to them or not?

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Heh. I ask. I mean, unless I know the person very well and can sense that this is someone they know (i.e., intuition tells me the card is a mutual friend of ours, something like that). If I don't know the querent well, then I just ask. I say, "I'm seeing this guy/girl in your future who is..." and I start to describe the court card to them--like, say a Knight/Wands. If they don't recognize the person from my description, I may ask, "Do you know any Sagittarians?" just to be sure, but usually, if they say, "No, I don't know any optimistic, fiery guys like that..." then I'll assume they're going to meet someone new.

Now, of course, if the card is in a certain position, that can help. In the Zodiac spread, for example, there's a position for a "father figure" or boss. So I can usually say, "You know this person, they're in some parental position in your family or career..." So if the card turns up in the position of relation or friend, I can usually suppose they know the person...but if it's in the "future" position...the only way to find out if they know this person is to ask them. At least, that's the only method I've found. I'll be interested to know if anyone has another, better way.

Ask for Clarification

Hah! Just yesterday I did a small spread for myself (RWS) and could not tell if the King of P I pulled was someone I knew or not, so i asked the deck to show me, and it did! I laughed, it showed the Chariot and the 3 Wands - oh, I thought, a friend who lives near me whom I watch out for on the road (local shopping, etc.); I look for (3 W) his car (Chariot)! I love when tarot speaks the obvious to clarify my denseness.
So I would ask the deck for clarification; one or two cards can clarify the details for familiarity, or not.

I suppose you try and figure out who the court card is, then you can ask more questions, like; 'do I know them already?', or 'is this a new person I have never meet before?', keep the cards down to a two or three card answer. Quite a few cards will indicate someone from the past or someone that you already know, and lots of cards to indicate a brand new person. So, if the answer is confusing, ask another one.

obsidian_queen said:

This is something I've always wondered about. What criteria do you use to determine whether a person who shows up in your querent's spread is known to them or not? For instance, when someone asks, will I have a relationship soon etc and a court card pops up. At first glance I think, "good news! Looks like someone's coming up for you!" Then they ask, " Do I know him/ her already or is this someone new?" What cards indicate whether this is someone from the past, (past meaning they have been previously involved with this person), or whether this is someone that they already KNOW but have NOT been previously involved with, such as a friend or associate, OR whether it's somebody brand new that they have never met before?

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I could say this would be everyones reading style, but if I see a 6 of Cups in the spread - then it is someone they know that they havent seen for some time - and often this card relates to someone from overseas, born in England (my interpretation for this card with other cards surrounding)

I look for associated cups more than other suits - even if it relates to business, relationships, siblings ... its possible to gather the querants perspective on how they have dealt/felt with the person before ...

for example: 6 cups + 3 pents ... knew them from school or uni ...

The Fool for example, could indicate someone they dont know yet ...

Just some thoughts

Blessings Elven x