How do YOU read the final four in a GT?

I typically read a 9x4 spread when I attempt a Grand Tableau and that's largely bacuse I've never known quite what to do with the final four cards. I have heard them called both the line of fate and the suggested advice (which seem to be polar opposites). So how do you make use of those four cards?

Having read almost everything I could find in English when I first started (books, blogs, forum posts, etc.), I got a range of opinions on this. "Fate" or "destiny" seemed to be the most common traditional meanings, but also potentially the least helpful. Rana George had the most complete and practical observations on it: the last word or final message from the GT; the summary or wrap-up of the reading, read as the last line in the spread; advice or information regarding the querent's intention. I read them as a kind of addendum or coda to the rest of the reading, so I guess "parting advice" would best describe my approach. It allows me to step back from the detailed analysis of the different focus areas and make a few general comments in closing. I read the card combinations in the same way I would any other series, but I tend to "broad-brush" the outlook without putting too much emphasis on them.

I read the last for cards as a wrap-up/theme of the read. At times I read the last four cards as advice. It all depends on what the last four cards hint at.

I find the last four cards difficult to read at times when paired with the houses. I stopped using the 8x4x4 and now use the 9x4.

I read the last four as the main theme of the month to come, the thing that most stands out or affects the person.

Rana also said she sometimes keeps these four face down and then gets the client to pick four cards they want more information on then you place the four cards over them and read them like that

That's a good tip! I will try that next time I do a GT.

I read Rana's book when it came out, but I haven't read it recently. So I must have forgotten this! Thanks, Tarotlova

Shade said:

I typically read a 9x4 spread when I attempt a Grand Tableau and that's largely bacuse I've never known quite what to do with the final four cards. I have heard them called both the line of fate and the suggested advice (which seem to be polar opposites). So how do you make use of those four cards?

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Hi Shade,

Just as Barleywine put it, as Rana George says in her book the last 4 cards can be read as the final say and tie-up to the reading, they can be read as final advice in a general sense for the client, or, a technique developed by Rana George and of course explained in her book, you can actually withhold those last 4 cards (so do not lay them down) and you can use them for something called Crowning. Rana explains Crowning as keeping the last 4 cards off to the side unrevealed until the end of the reading, where you will have the client choose 4 different issues from within the reading that they would like clarification on. They will then choose 1 card for each issue by placing the card on top of that issue card in the GT. So, if they wanted more clarification on their love life you might choose to place one card on top of the Heart card, or if they wanted to know more about their finances you would pick a card and place it on the Bear. After you've placed all 4 cards, turn each card up and read them in combination both with the cards below and with the houses they're in. So say you turn up the Scythe card on the Heart card in the house of the Ring, you might say Scythe and Heart look like a painful separation of a relationship (Ring's house).

Me personally, I prefer to keep them as a nice tie-up ending to the reading. I've noticed that where the first 3 cards of the reading are my general feel and tone of the reading before I dive into it, usually showing me some main points of interest that will be touched upon in the reading, the last 4 cards wrap up the reading nicely for me.

But the most important thing to remember is that if you're going to use a 8x4+4 GT, make sure you consciously choose what role those last 4 cards are going to play! Like charging a card, pose to the cards that they are going to act as this or that, etc. Enjoy!

What about simply allowing the 4 to dictate to you, the reader, what it is -they- want to offer? ya know cuz they can go a myriad of ways if we just listen to them.. I'm sayin' we don't necessarily need to fit them in a box, so to speak, or do we?

As mentioned, there are different 'traditional' methods of reading them but the most important thing about the last 4 cards is to decide in advance *exactly* how you want to read them. And stick to it.

Remember that the structure of the GT is what you read and when you deviate from that structure, all you get is mush.

Tag_jorrit said:

Remember that the structure of the GT is what you read and when you deviate from that structure, all you get is mush.

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Exactly what I was thinking, but I couldn't find a way to say it so precisely. In my experience, there is very little "slop" in how one approaches the GT. There just isn't much intuitive "wiggle room."