How to Ask Good Questions for Tarot & Oracle Readings
This post explores helpful questions you can use the next time you book a reading or pull cards and journal on your own.
Everyone who has picked up a tarot or oracle deck (or sought out a reader for expert guidance and divinatory support) has experienced that blank stare and distant buzzing between the ears that follows the standard question, "What do you want to ask the cards about today?"
This post is meant for those moments of "Uh... uhm... I dunno..." that we all experience at one time or another.
Why Ask Specific Questions?
If you've watched live or collective readings on TikTok or have heard someone say "Uh, I guess give me a general reading," (or maybe this was you!) you've seen how this can range from helpful, confusing and broad, or straight up inaccurate. One time during a "general reading" a reader told me I was going to meet my twin flame and get married in the next 6 months. I was already married, and I don't vibe with the concept of twin flames. Womp womp.
When coming to the cards, it's important to direct your intentions towards a specific question or topic in order to get the clearest, most detailed guidance possible. You can read conversationally–such as letting as many cards as you like come out in any order, and following the story they tell intuitively in a flow-style reading. But often, this technique can feel disorganized or unclear, or it can become unwieldy and lose focus. Trust me on this as an ADHD babe who loves to sit in flowing conversation with my cards and wishes I could remember exactly what I was speaking of ten cards back. 🙈
For beginning readers or those with similar working memory issues like myself I recommend using a spread or specific questions for each card to help narrow the focus so your intuition can laser in on the archetypal message appropriate to your specific concerns. This also makes it easier to remember the reading later on, especially if you take notes in a journal or write down the questions/positions of the spread ahead of time. If you like to let the reading "cook" for while on your desk as you absorb and process it, this is definitely the way to go.
So the next time you want to get a reading, consider what's happening in your life right now and what is taking up the most emotional and mental space. You have plenty of material to draw on! Below are some topics and question suggestions to get you started thinking about what wisdom you wish to receive to help you make the most empowered and self-compassionate decisions in your life.
It’s natural to seek guidance and clarity during times of transition, uncertainty, and transformation. As The Growing Intuitive, I’m here to walk alongside you in these pivotal moments.
Life Areas to Investigate
- Love & Relationships
- Work, Career, & Money
- Family & Kids
- Community & Friendships
- Spirituality & Self Growth
- Self Expression, Aspirations & Creativity
- Shadows & The Subconscious
- Advocacy & Social Change
- Healing & Trauma (Note: Not every reader is trauma-informed; choose your reader wisely.)
- Attitudes & Emotions
- Transitions, Endings & New Beginnings
- Health & Wellness (Note: card readers are not medical professionals in this role. Always consult a doctor or healer.)
Example Tarot & Oracle Card Questions
- Where am I playing small?
- How can I build self-trust?
- What am I neglecting in my life?
- What is the root cause of this trigger?
- What about me can others see but I cannot?
- How can I better accept or love myself?
- The energy of choice #1 ____ & energy of choice #2 ____
- What does my inner child/teenage self need right now?
- What does it mean for me to be good enough?
- What is the next right step in this situation?
- What are my greatest gifts, and how can I express them boldly?
- What did I learn as a child that I need to heal/adjust/release?
- What are my greatest areas of growth to focus on?
- How can I best take care of myself after going through ____?
- How can I express my most authentic self right now?
- What do I bring to the team that makes me valuable?
- What is this relationship giving me? How is it draining me?
- What limiting belief is holding me back?
- If this transforms ____ I will become ___
- I am strong enough to _____, so I can ____
- I will no longer ignore ____, because ____
- I can offer others _____, because I have _____
- What am I over-giving, and what to I need to allow myself to receive?
- What would it look like if I let this issue/regret/conflict go?
- How can I align my work with my life's mission?
- What do I need to prioritize to find my next job?
- What is the next chapter of my business going to look like?
- What is the best/worst likely next step if I continue as I am?
- How can I create more balance in my friendships?
- How do my passions meet the world's needs?
- What lesson can I take with me from this break-up?
- What needs to be addressed within myself to find love?
- If my future self could give me advice right now, they would say _____
- What advice does my Soul/Self have for me about this conflict?
- What do I need to let go of in order to welcome in more abundance/joy?
- What in the past/present is keeping me stuck in this old pattern?
- What don't I understand about this situation that would help me find clarity?
- What is something hidden that needs to be brought to my awareness right now?
- How does my religious upbringing affect my relationship to my partners, parents, kids, and myself?
Questions to Avoid
My personal ethics prevent me from reading cards about someone who has not given consent or who isn't present–unless specifically granted consent by that individual (such as my girlfriend who has given me blanket consent to pull cards for them whenever I feel inspired). If a client asks me to read the energy of another person, unless I see clear consent, I will decline.
In general, I recommend avoiding questions that remove focus and power from yourself, such as:
- Will my ex come back to me?
- What are they thinking right now?
- What are they doing with that other person?
- Why doesn't my sibling/parent/partner/friend love me anymore?
The best questions are about you in this moment and how you can participate in the most enriching, successful, and joyful life possible. Don't give your power away. Don't let someone else consume your thoughts and energy. Bring it back to center and ask how you can approach the situation and what you need to do in order to get what you need or want. The cards will meet you where you are and advise you for your highest good. You might not hear what you want to hear, but you will receive what you need in this moment.
What are your favorite spreads or questions to ask the cards? Let me know in the comments below.