The Daily Fool

Select a new draw: Single Card Reading Two Card Draw Past, Present, Future Celtic Cross Look Up a Card

Your Past / Present / Future Draw of the Day

Meanings of the cards when read in their upright position:

1. The Past

Three of Pentacles
The Three of Pentacles is a card of Mastery. The craftsman in the image is proud of his work and is happy to display it to others. You may be currently in the process of finishing a large project that you've been working on for some time and are about to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Your competence and desire for perfection are visible in your excellent work. If combined with the Ace of Pentacles, this card can represent earning an academic degree. Either way, you deserve the praise you'll receive for a job well done.

The concept of the past sounds like an obvious one, but often there are subtleties involved. While this can include the Querent's past, it can also include events or the feelings of others that have had an impact or influence on the current situation. Does it necessarily mean things that took place long ago? Maybe... or it could be a conversation that took place last week.

2. The Present

King of Pentacles
The King refers to you, or someone who strongly influences your life in the situation in question, but does not have to be male. The King's closeness with nature is apparent in the symbols of Earth's plenty, which adorn him. The flowers and grapes symbolize the beauty and bounty he enjoys, seated in his garden, reflecting on all his hard work. He gazes fondly at his pentacle: he is at ease with his status and the responsibility it bestows upon him. A successful professional, this person is practical, and can sometimes be possessive. He is content with his accomplishments. In this case, it may be his career, or his home that he is proud of.

The center card symbolizes the present–the things that are happening right now around you. Because this spread contains only three cards, many things can be read into this card that might normally be seen in several cards in other spreads.

3. The Future

Death
Death is the fourteenth card in the Major Arcana, and is given the number 13 for many reasons...both the Death card and the number 13 are widely misunderstood. Most people regard both of them with fear, when in fact they are not cursed or unlucky at all—it is all a matter of your perspective. (That goes for physical death as well, actually.) An armored, skeletal figure rides a pure white horse, symbolic of spirituality and purity of body and soul. Death passes people from all walks of life, and each is effected in different ways that correspond to their viewpoint. The King, who believed that his existence hinged primarily on his status, title, and wealth, is laid low. The Priest, full of faith in a pleasant, rewarding afterlife, faces Death straight on. The young woman turns away out of fear and sadness, but kneels compliantly, albeit regretfully. The child, completely innocent and blissfully ignorant, offers Death the beauty of freshly picked flowers. The flowers, though beautiful, are now also dead. Interestingly enough, a flower appears on the flag Death carries. We should view Death, which essentially symbolizes change, the way the child does. In this way, Death becomes less traumatic, and more the transformation that it truly is meant to be. It is a positive passage, as the sun shining in the distance indicates.

Death signifies intense change, and most people do not welcome change. In its most positive guise, Death heralds a chance to start over, a second chance in relationships, or a time of major growth. If viewed with a negative outlook, Death can indicate the unexpected, and deep rooted fears of the unknown. When you accept change as it comes and grow from it, you can release that which has gone before and get on with what is yet to come. Discoveries, opportunities, and new cycles await you. Rather than resisting out of habit, embrace them, and your worries will fade away.

Our last card represents the final outcome. It could be a long-term goal or an immediate resolution, depending on the question and the situation that the Querent is facing.

- Reading Guidance -

Before you draw: Hold a question or situation lightly in mind — not a yes/no, but an open one. What do I need to understand about this? works better than Will this happen?

Reading the spread: Look at each card individually first, then step back and read the spread as a sentence. Cards reinforce each other, contradict each other, and sometimes one card explains what another one seems to be hiding. Trust what strikes you immediately before you read the description.

If a card confuses you: Sit with it rather than pulling a clarifier right away. The card that doesn't make sense now often makes sense by the end of the day. If it still doesn't land, a single clarifying card drawn separately can help focus the energy.

Reversed cards in this deck speak to inward energy, delay, or a quality that needs to be reclaimed — not necessarily a bad omen, but an invitation to look more carefully at what is blocked or turned inward.