Mastering Spencer’s Tarot Cards: Expert Techniques
Spencer’s Tarot, often referring to decks with non-traditional or highly artistic interpretations, requires a nuanced approach beyond standard Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) readings. To read them like an expert, focus on integrating the deck’s unique iconography with established divinatory principles.
1. Understand the Deck’s Unique Language
- Iconographic Deep Dive: Before reading, spend significant time studying the artist’s choices. Spencer decks often shift symbology (e.g., Swords might represent thought differently, or Pentacles might be stylized coins/gears). Understand what each suit and Major Arcana signifies within this specific system.
- Color and Tone Association: Note the dominant colors and emotional tones. If the Eight of Swords is rendered in vibrant reds instead of muted blues, the interpretation shifts from helplessness to potentially aggressive self-imprisonment or passionate stagnation.
- The Artist’s Intent: Research the deck creator’s companion book or stated philosophy. This provides the essential ‘key’ to unlock the non-standard imagery.
2. The Expert’s Reading Methodology
2.1. Layered Interpretation (The Three-Tier Rule)
An expert never relies solely on the book definition; they stack interpretations:
- RWS Core: What is the established, traditional meaning (e.g., Three of Swords = heartbreak/separation)?
- Spencer Visual Override: How does the unique image modify that core? (If the Three of Swords shows mending hearts, the reading shifts toward recovery or necessary pain.)
- Intuitive Synthesis: How does the card relate to the querent and the adjacent cards (contextual intuition)?
2.2. Contextual Flow Reading
Focus less on individual card definitions and more on the narrative sequence:
- The Narrative Arc: Read the spread as a story. The cards are verbs and adjectives describing the querent’s journey. If the High Priestess (wisdom) is followed by the Tower (sudden upheaval), it suggests knowledge leading to a necessary collapse or a profound secret being exposed abruptly.
- Shadow Cards: Identify the card that represents the querent’s avoidance or fear. This often appears reversed or as the final card in the past position, indicating an unresolved issue driving current circumstances.
3. Advanced Techniques for Spencer Decks
3.1. Elemental Pacing
When suits are represented differently (e.g., Air is stylized differently from classic Swords), use the elemental pacing to gauge the speed and type of energy:
- Fire (Wands): Speed and action. If a complex scene is shown, it’s a high-energy situation requiring immediate focus.
- Water (Cups): Emotional flow. Analyze the direction of the water or liquid shown—is it stagnant (stuck emotion) or flowing (emotional movement)?
3.2. Integrating Minor Arcana Numerology
Expert readers lean heavily on numerology, especially when the imagery is unfamiliar:
- Aces (1): New beginnings, raw potential.
- Fours (4): Stability, structure, stagnation, or foundation.
- Eights (8): Movement, progress, or necessary restriction (e.g., Eight of Wands = movement; Eight of Swords = restriction).
- Tens (10): Completion, burdens, or the end of a cycle.
Applying this numerical structure to the Spencer art provides a mental framework, anchoring the artistic freedom to a reliable divinatory structure.
4. Developing Intuitive Trust
The final expert step with highly stylized decks is allowing the visual impact to guide the reading. If a card visually makes you feel anxious, even if its RWS definition is neutral, trust the emotional resonance generated by the specific Spencer artwork. This is the difference between reading a book and reading the soul of the deck.
