Can a General Tarot Reading Really Feel Personal?

If you have just started watching tarot readings, you may be wondering how it works. One video, watched by thousands of people, and somehow it is meant to be relevant to you. It is a really good question, and a lot of people ask it. So let’s talk about it.

What a general reading is

A general reading is for everyone with a certain sign. There are similarities between people of the same sign, and that is the whole idea behind a horoscope. A general tarot reading works in the same way.

Yes, it is general. That is the point. It means the energies and the card themes can show up in your life in your own version, and that is why you hear me say things like “you will know exactly what I mean”. It is your version of the card.

Tarot speaks in energies

Take the Nine of Pentacles, which is about financial independence. Your version of it will look very different from someone else’s. The same goes for the lasting happiness of the Ten of Cups. For one person, that happiness and connection may be harmony at work, or opening their own business. For another, it may be a home full of kids and family, the classic reading of the card. Even you and the person living next door may picture it differently.

Ultimately it is the same idea, the same feeling and the same energy, showing up in different ways. That is why a general reading can work for you and for thousands of others.

Why it can still feel personal

A general reading covers many parts of your life: where you have been, what is around you, where you are heading and the action the cards point to. Take the Knight of Swords. It is about swift action, and that applies to you as much as to anyone else.

We also speak in a universal language. We all carry emotions and archetypes, and a card can describe a feeling most people recognise. This is also why I like adding clarifier cards: they add detail and can touch on a part of the story the main spread hasn’t covered. If you haven’t met them, I explain them in what clarifier cards mean.

How to find your own version

When you watch a reading, I invite you to ask how that energy applies to your life, and to find your own interpretation. In a general reading I can’t possibly cover every scenario, and I don’t know your circumstances. That is why in my videos I often ask you to tell me in the comments what is going on in your life, so I can tailor future readings to what you are saying.

Pay attention to the imagery too. When you see a card on screen, notice how it makes you feel. Images are very powerful. They bypass the thinking part of the brain and go straight to emotion. The colours, the gestures and the poses of the people on the card can tell you something the reader may not even have put into words. In my experience, this is where a general reading becomes tailored to you, without needing a private reading.

And to learn more about getting the most from a reading, see how to get the most out of your tarot reading.

When a reading doesn’t fit

Sometimes a reading just doesn’t fit, and that is completely understandable. It is the same reason a general reading can resonate in the first place. If I say, for example, that a card may point to a wedding, a date or a trip, and you are in a relationship or none of that is on your mind, it may feel like it is not for you.

If that happens, there are a few things to try:

• Try your moon or rising sign reading. You may be focusing on your emotional side or on the action you are taking, and a different sign’s reading can speak to that better. I explain how in which zodiac reading should I watch.
• Come back in a couple of weeks. I publish weekly and monthly readings, and a later one may land differently.
• Consider a private reading for your specific situation.

What a general reading is good for

I like to treat a general reading as a horoscope in tarot form. It is good for the overall energy, and it can offer a little guidance and structure. It can also confirm ideas you already had.

It is most useful when you are willing to see how an energy translates into your own life. For example, the Four of Swords is a card of rest and restoration, of giving yourself time after a big disappointment. A disappointment can be many things: someone not meeting your expectations, a breakup, not getting the job you wanted. If you can translate the card into your own circumstances, a general reading is perfect for you.

General readings and private readings

If you are looking for an answer to a specific question, and you want a reading that speaks to your own situation, that is when a private reading is the way to go. You can ask a specific question, and the reading is shaped around you.

One note on timing. Timing in tarot can be challenging. I can bring it into a reading, even a private one, but time is not a concept that translates well into energies, so it is always hard to pin down.

A general reading is not less accurate than a private one. It is differently tuned. Think of it like a car with its default setup, compared to one tuned to your own needs. A general reading gives you the overall energies, but not an answer to a specific situation. A private reading is tuned to you. General readings are good at what they do, though they can feel a little impersonal, because you have less interaction with the reader. And sometimes, when the reader happens to be describing exactly your situation, they feel spot on.

Frequently asked questions

Is a general reading less accurate than a private one? No. It is tuned differently. A general reading covers overall energies for a sign, and a private reading is tuned to your own situation and question.

Why does each sign get a different message? Each sign has its own themes and its own cards in a given week. You may also find the message that fits you is in your moon or rising sign reading.

Can I watch the readings for other signs? Yes, and it can help, especially if your own sign’s reading doesn’t fit this week.

Why does a reading sometimes feel spot on and sometimes not? A general reading speaks to themes, and a theme can match your life closely or only loosely. Try translating the energy into your own circumstances, and notice what the imagery on the cards says to you.

Can a reading tell me when something might come up? Timing is the hardest part of tarot, because energies don’t come with dates. I can look at timing in a reading, but I treat it as a rough guide.

Watch this week’s readings

Pick your sign on the readings by sign page, or open this week’s readings for all 12 signs.

General guidance for reflection and entertainment. Not financial, legal, medical or any other professional advice; please seek that separately from a qualified professional.