how to use verification cards in a reading

Sometimes, you've done the reading and it doesn't make sense. Although you understand the meaning of each card, you can't apply the meanings to the question and outcome. One of the things that's missing in these scenarios is a lack of verification cards which can add a lot of clarity to your process.

The purpose of verification cards is to verify and clarify information that is brought out in the reading. Verification cards are chosen before shuffling. To choose verification cards, you must listen to the seeker’s concerns and then think of cards to represent those concerns. What I call verification cards is often called "charging" the card in some systems. However, I don't believe the verification card needs to be taken out of the deck at all. You simply need to consider it as a possible card that might appear in the reading. This is all part of setting your intention for the reading.

Let's say the seeker wants to know if she should continue dating Rick or begin a new relationship with Bob. With Rick she has an on-again, off-again relationship. He's not ready for a commitment and is always on the go. Bob seems more stable. He's a hard worker and ready to settle down. Verification cards will help us decide how to interpret the final card for the answer. There are several verification cards to consider here.

Continue dating = 2 of Cups, 4 of Wands

New relationship = Ace of Cups, Ace of Pentacles

New possibility with someone else = Knight of Cups - this card may signal a new romantic interest

Walking away but not starting anything new yet = 8 of Cups

Thinking things over a little while longer = 4 of Swords

Rick = Knight of Wands

Bob = King of Pentacles

As I stated, you don't have to pull these cards out of the deck to "charge" them. You can simply keep them in mind before you shuffle the cards. However, if you're still learning the cards, it's helpful to go through the deck, card by card, and pull out a few. Write them down and what they will verify along with the question. Then put them back into the deck. If a verification card shows up in a reading, you know exactly what it means.

Let's say these cards are chosen for the seeker's concern.

Tarot Everywhere deck

 
The only verification card in the reading is the 4 of Swords which relates to thinking things over a little while longer. Since it's in the first position of the 3-card spread, we know that she's asked this question because she's not ready to make a decision. The Knight of Pentacles reinforces this. This Knight looks back at the past and isn't quite ready to focus on the future. The character in the card looks toward the 4 of Swords.

The answer is the Moon. This is a card of mystery and suggests that she will remain in the dark or unsure of what to do about this for a while longer. As an answer to her SHOULD I question, it says that now is not the time to make a decision for either choice. There's not enough clarity about it.

The seeker isn't ready to give up her relationship with Rick in favor of Bob but the reading doesn't suggest she should continue dating Rick either. It may be wise to have a time-out to get her priorities and direction together.

If you find that no verification cards show up in a reading, then there may be concerns other than the ones the seeker spoke of. This is often the case when there are underlying issues the seeker  doesn’t mention but which have a stronger impact on the circumstances than the surface issues.

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