What To Do If You Receive A Negative Tarot Card

Take it as a warning

One interpretation of many negative tarot cards is that they are there to warn you about potential futures based on your current circumstances. If you receive a negative tarot card, it may be a sign that you need to pay more attention to the aspects of your life it refers to. 

For example, if you receive a negative card related to your love life, it could be warning you that you need to spend more time with your partner or resolve tensions in the relationship. In these cases, the cards aren’t saying that a negative outcome is guaranteed, but rather that your current choices and life path could potentially lead to a negative outcome. 

Look for places of growth

Receiving a negative reading doesn’t mean that your entire life is going to be bad forever. Sometimes, changes we don’t want to happen are necessary in order for us to learn, grow, and achieve a happier life. They lead us to new life chapters. 

A negative reading could symbolize that, though times may soon be tough, you’ll achieve new growth because of the obstacles you overcome. If you receive a negative reading pertaining to your career, for example, this could eventually signify that you’ll find a better career path, will be pushed to achieve new projects or promotions, or that you want to challenge yourself to do better at your job. 

Look for additional interpretations

Though you can’t always interpret the negatives of a tarot deck positively, you might want to consider other meanings a negative card could have for you. For example, if you pull a card that often signifies bad news romantically, you might immediately feel anxious about your relationship. But the card could be talking about you more than about future heartbreak; it might mean that your relationship anxiety is weighing you down, that you fear a breakup, or that your worries are preventing your relationship from reaching its true potential.

It’s important to remember that tarot cards don’t mean your future is set in stone. It’s not always clear what the cards are trying to tell you. If you’re truly concerned that you’ve pulled deeply negative readings about your future, look within to see what else the cards might be talking about; your own stressors? Fears? Anxieties? Past life events that you haven’t healed from? 

Ask the cards for more clarity

There’s nothing wrong with pulling more cards to help you understand what your initial reading means. Consider what you have questions about and choose a specific question to focus on first. Hold this question in your mind as you draw a new card or several new cards. These cards can then be used to interpret the initial card.

You might choose to generally think about seeking clarity regarding the negative card(s) you pulled. This will give you more room to interpret the initial card based on the other cards you pull. You could also ask specific questions about how you can best deal with the negative reading or how you can improve it (how can I deal with my finances, what do my partner and I need, what will prepare me for change).