An answer to "when" questions

[Imagemaker]

This was new to me, I found it at www.tarotinstitute.com:

"When" questions are answered by a card that identifies the last thing
that needs to be done before the event in question will occur.
As soon as this last thing is done, the event will happen. One tarot card can always answer "when" questions and describe for you exactly when something will happen.
That's when.

This fascinates me and I've never read anything like this in AT posts. Or is this a discredited idea?

All the systems for timing (suits for seasons, etc) never worked very well for me or for my view of life in general. I think that timing of possible future events includes too much free will and unknowns to be predicted. But it makes sense to me that something has to be accomplished before an event can fall into place.

And that if it's not done, the event may not happen.

Has anyone else had experience with this one-card "when" method?

 

[iseekserendipity]

i like the idea! but, and note that i'm just asking, what about the "other things that need to be done"? What i mean is: if you have, let's say a 5 cards spread that goes along the lines of: 1) the basis of the situation, 2) the obstacles to resolve the situation, 3) the recent past, 4) the future/lesson of the situation (once resolved), 5) the last thing needed to resolve the situation (i just wrote whatever went through my head). Now, just because you've achieve/done/complete the last thing doesn't mean there weren't other things needed to be done, you know? Am i coherent or absolutely illogical? Sorry. Just wondering. All the same, i find it a fascinating idea since i've never had any success with Seasons, etc. timing solution... Until now, i've just inserted the time length i estimated in the question, as in "What steps must i take to solve situation A in x months?"

 

[Umbrae]

Oh I remember once posting something very similar. I think my words were, "an event will not happen, until you are ready for it to occur..." or some such verbiage.

I was torn to shreds.

Such ideas were not popular at the time I suppose.

I guess that’s why I recommend journaling as opposed to timing systems.

Your statement, and my poorly worded one are neither, but imply participation in ones own life…kinda like journaling…

 

[Imagemaker]

I totally agree with iseekserendipity that there may be way too many complexities for a simple "do this and all will be clear." But then maybe a person asks when (whatever the event may be) and the card that turns up represents a graduation 4 years away, or a move you never considered (and don't choose) or any number of big/distant accomplishments.

Depends totally on the question: "when will I have lunch?" is very different from "when will I find a secure home?"

I'll try this, anyway, and let you know what happens.

 

[Flidais]

Not too long ago I decided this is the system I would use for these types of questions. In the past, when a querent asked a "when" question, I usually worked with them to rephrase it. I was never comfortable trying to give a specific month or even season.

However, if the deck I am using offers specific correlations, I will sometimes tell the querent what those are (after I provide what I feel is a more suitable answer), with the caveat that I don't place much stock in them.

 

[iseekserendipity]

I'll try this, anyway, and let you know what happens.

Please do! i'd love to hear how it goes... maybe i'll try it sometimes too! For one of my "when am i going to fall in love and live a positive romantic relationship" issues!

 

[Sophie]

It's an interesting idea - I like it. But doesn't it suppose - as a premise - that the event WILL occur?

Some things won't happen, no?

Let's see:

"George will only come back to you when he falls out of love with Mary and back into love with you" - the "last event before" being George falling back into love with the querent. Which begs the question - answered by "out of love with Mary". Yet George might fall out of love with Mary, meet Celine and fall in love with her, and the querent is still waiting....So isn't it a mite irresponsible to say "he'll come back when"?

Or maybe the answer is - George will only return to the querent when he's finally realised that falling in love every 6 months is getting him nowhere. Still - how is that a guarantee he'll come back to her, and not to someone way down the line - or simply stay with Mary?

Of course the empowering answer would be: the querent will mend her heart when she has accepted that George might be lovely but he is also flighty and she is better off with a more constant man. But that would suppose the reader asks the cards for that question. Or maybe - as is my preference - lets the cards guide her to the real question - and therefore the answer she can give her querent. In my experience, however, most broken-hearted people who consult don't want to know when their heart will mend: they want to know WHEN HE'LL COME BACK.

So: I like the idea but am baffled by some of its practical applications at the same time. Human behaviour is so unpredictable, human desires so overwhelming. Unless we and our querents happen to be philosophers!

 

[psychic sue]

In my experience tarot doesn't like time frames. In the many spreads I have done for people over the years, events have happened 2 days later or 2 years later.

 

[iseekserendipity]

i completely understand what you're saying Helvetica (guess what, as soon as i saw Mont Blanc i guessed where you live, but it took five looks at the handle Hlevetica to confirm! talk about a slooooow mind today!). If i take myself, i can say that it is unreasonable to ask a question like "when will i meet someone that i love and that truly loves me" because many thing play/influence the potential result. Self growth/ego/circumstances/and so much more. But i can't help wondering and wanting to ask, and however much the rational me tells me to grow up and let things take their time, i have to fight with myself to not ask the question!
Seven years of celibacy is a long time, even if it's very much due to my own behavior/fears/more. Ideally, it's true, you want to ask the right question(s). In this case "Why am i so affraid, what am i affraid of" etc. But i can do that because i can take the time to rationalize (even though i 'still' have to ask myself those questions! probably too darn scared of the real answers!), not all do. Even i irregularly get a 'spoilt child that wants to know when she's going to get xx (whatever the xx may be) !' syndrome.
i think people are reassured by dates. If you have a timeframe, you can tell yourself "well, i only have to wait for x months/years/days/whatever". It makes the journey or struggle or whatever seem more tolerable...
But i'm going on and on and on again... sorry!

 

[caridwen]

Interesting question. Tarot changes as quickly as life. You can't properly predict a date because there are so many other causal factors and the web of wyrd to take into account. However, it doesn't stop me asking 'when' questions. I have just asked such a question: When will I meet my future SO? My answer was Ancestral path Tarot Six of Staves. As soon as I saw this card, I thought award/success. When I am nominated for an award perhaps? I have asked this question before and a similar card came up. Sio, although I don't have an exact date or season. I do know that when I get nominated/published ie have been successful at what I want to do, I will meet my SO. I most certainly know that that will be several years from now. A year at the very least, my advice/guidance card was AP Two of Staves which means, chill out, things happen in their own good time, have patience.

You can probably 'programme' your cards for dates/times. I have read many methods and ways of doing this and the one you cite is fascinating and also tallies with my reading