When learning how to read tarot for yourself or others, yes/no readings are an awesome place to start! It’s a simple way to familiarize yourself with the cards as well as get in tune with your deck.
A yes/no reading is exactly what it sounds like. Essentially, you ponder a “yes or no” answerable question and allow the deck to answer. There are many myths surrounding tarot, but they are genuinely an amazing divination tool. However, there are some guidelines that are best followed to get an accurate reading.
Let’s dive into the best way to do yes/no readings!
Picking Your Deck
The most important part of any reading is the deck that you choose to do your reading with. Certain decks will call out to you at certain times and, if you’re anything like me, you have a deck you’re more connected with than others. My favorite deck for yes or no tarot readings is The OK Tarot Deck because it’s very simple to read.
If you’re feeling called to by a certain deck before your reading, use that deck! Your intuition is strong and plays a huge part in your readings… listen to it.
In preparation for a reading, it’s also recommended to cleanse your tarot deck. Once you have a deck picked out and cleansed, you’re ready to get to reading!
How to Ask a Yes/No Tarot Question
When inquiring, you want to be direct and specific. If you leave too much room for interpretation, you may struggle to really know what the cards are saying to you.
May seem like a no-brainer, but make sure that your ask is formatted in a yes-no style.
Ex. “What day will I be endorsed for my promotion?”
This kind of question isn’t likely to get an understandable answer, if any answer at all. What you ask is “Will I be endorsed for my promotion (in the near future)?” Although that answer may not be as specific as you’d like, it still gives you a bit of information and will leave you with a better answer than the first.
Questions to Avoid
As aforementioned, it’s best to avoid broad or unspecific questions. But there are also some things that you shouldn’t ask the cards in general.
Don’t invite inherently negative questions; if you have a challenge that has no possibility of a good outcome, you’re setting yourself up for failure. If getting a yes or a no from the cards ends up in an unhappy outcome for you either way, don’t ask. Use that energy to ask things that will give you a workable outcome.
Avoid double asking things that are secretly two questions in one.
Ex. “Will my crush ask me out soon or not at all?”
Asking this type of question leaves any response open-ended because you won’t have any idea which of the questions the cards are actually referring to. Stick to one at a time, and you can get more specific as you receive answers.
Other Things to Avoid
When reading tarot, remember that it isn’t an all-telling future game. Tarot is for you to get in touch with your spirit guides and receive a nudge in the right direction about decisions you may be facing.
Types of Yes/No Tarot Readings
Upright & Reversed
This is one of the simplest ways to perform a yes/no tarot reading. Shuffle the cards with your question in mind or after you’ve asked it out loud. When you draw the card from the deck, you’ll find your answer rather quickly. If the card is upright the answer is yes, and if it’s reversed your answer is no.
Yes or No Tarot
This is another super easy way to get quick answers. For this reading, assign each card as a yes or no. You can find a list for this, or you go through the deck you’re using personally and give an assignment based on the feeling the card gives you. It’s best to keep track just in case you forget. But after that, commence your reading and your responses will be based on which cards are labeled as yes/no!
Yes, No, Maybe Tarot
This type of reading is the most advanced, but, in my experience, bares the best answers. If you’re learning the cards, this type of reading is good for association, but it will be helpful to have a guide nearby.
In a “yes, no, maybe” reading, the meaning of the cards come into play. Yes cards are cards with strong positives, no cards are ones that are negatives. The maybe cards are ones like the Wheel of Fortune, that offer opportunity but have no positive or negative affirmation.
A good thing to keep in mind is that with any of these readings, you can draw an extra card or few. When drawing an additional card, the original answer doesn’t change, but the meaning of the card will be relevant to the first card pull.
Listening to the Cards
Depending on your connection with your deck, your answers will vary! And sometimes, the response you get won’t be the one that you want.
If you go into a reading with the expectation of a certain outcome, your reading will most likely be ineffective.
My deck likes to give me extra attitude when I’m too persistent with getting a certain answer. Rather than reading emotionally, allow your cards to be an accurate guide for you. Sometimes getting the answer you don’t want or aren’t expecting can save you a lot of time and wasted energy along your journey if you listen.
Regardless of where you’re at in your tarot or spiritual journey, yes/no readings offer a simplistic way of getting a push in the right direction. Always trust your intuition and do your best to read what the cards are saying to you, not what you want them to!
What’s your favorite type of yes/no style reading? Let me know down below!