London Tarot Study Group

Yes / No readings
1 - Three Piles of Aces

Shuffle the deck as normal, asking the question as you shuffle. Sort into one pile.

Start dealing the cards into the first of three piles... stopping at the 13th card, or whenever an Ace
appears, repeat this for each of the three piles.

If all three piles reveal an Ace, then the answer is definitely “YES”, and each ace can give you more
information, depending on their suits.

If 2 out of 3 piles have Aces, then the answer is generally “Yes, but...” ; with the third card explaining
what may be an obstacle, or something you really need to know.

If only one Ace appears, the answer is “probably not, because...” ; with the other cards explaining
the reason.

If no Aces appear, the answer is “NO”. With the other cards revealing why not.

A useful spread, because it allows for maybes, and give a little advice and background as to
why the answer is the way it is.

0 Aces / 3 non = No
1 Ace / 2 non = probably Not,
2 Aces / 1 non = probably Yes, but...
3 Aces / 0 non = Yes

(Ator tarot cards © Robin Ator; http://www.meetup.com/London-Tarot-Study-Group/ )

 April 19th, 09
2 - Ace vs. Tens

Shuffle the deck as normal, asking the question as you shuffle.

Start dealing the cards into on pile of 22 cards.

Stop if you reach an Ace (YES) or a Ten (NO) and count how many cards it took to reach the
answer card.

e.g.) Ace of Cups came up as the 5th card dealt (with 4 other cards underneath it).

The “position” or number of the answer card is associated with the major Arcana card of the same
number, and gives some background as to why the answer is yes or no.

e.g.) Ace of Cups is the 5th card dealt.. associated with the Hierophant card; so the reason the
answer is yes is likely due to traditional values, school or church associations, etc.

Aces (I) = Yes

Tens (X) = No

If you do not get an Ace or a Ten within 22 cards then the Answer is unavailable or the Question
was incorrect. So instead of just a yes or No you get a little background being the answer, perhaps
a Why or Why not - as discussed on The Tarot Connection Podcast (Episode 28).

3 - Use of reversals as “no” and upright cards as “yes”.

4 - Other sources - Mary Greer’s Yes / No spread (Tarot for Your Self, p. 134)

5 - Personal observations... what cards are symbolically “yes” and “no”? Let’s discuss!

(Ator tarot cards © Robin Ator; http://www.meetup.com/London-Tarot-Study-Group/ )

 April 19th, 09

4 - Personal observations... what cards are symbolically “yes” and “no”? Let’s discuss!

Yes cards Maybe cards No cards

The Sun King of Swords The Hermit

The Empress Temperance The Hanged Man
Aces (all) 9 of Pents The Devil
Fool (if you take that risk) 3 of Pents The Tower
Magician - if you use the power High Priestess (is silent) The Moon
The Emperor The Lovers (Choice) Judgement
The Chariot Justice 10 of Swords
The Star - but slowly Wheel of Fortune 10 of Wands
The World 7 of Pents 3 of Swords
5 of Cups

I always try and frame a yes/no question as clearly, and as positively, as I can. So if I'm wondering whether the
company I contacted the other day will have a positive response, I will ask these kind of questions:

Will I get what I want from Company X?

Do I need to do anything else in order to obtain it?

(if the answer to that is "yes", I would then draw cards in a spread to see what I should do.)

I avoid questions like: Does the fact I've not heard from Company X mean they are not considering me?

It's not perfect, but it works far more often than not. Yes/ No questions act as clarifiers for me, they never replace
full spreads to look at the ins and outs of a situation.

(Ator tarot cards © Robin Ator; http://www.meetup.com/London-Tarot-Study-Group/ )