Tarot Cards Giving Confusing Readings: How to Fix Interpretation Problems

Tarot Reading Doesn't Make Sense: Why Is This Happening?

You pull tarot cards for guidance, clarity, or insight—but instead of a clear message, you get confusion. The cards seem contradictory, the spread doesn't make sense, or the reading feels completely disconnected from your question. You stare at the cards, trying to force meaning, but nothing clicks. You're left wondering: am I reading this wrong? Are the cards broken? Why can't I understand what they're trying to tell me?

Confusing tarot readings are one of the most frustrating experiences for both beginners and experienced readers. But unclear readings aren't random—they're usually telling you something important, even if that message is "you're asking the wrong question" or "you're not ready to hear the answer." Understanding why tarot readings become confusing and how to clarify them can transform frustration into insight.

Why Tarot Readings Are Confusing

1. The Question Is Unclear or Too Broad

The most common cause of confusing readings is an unclear, vague, or overly broad question. Tarot responds to what you ask—if your question is muddled, the answer will be too.

Examples of unclear questions:

• "What should I do?" (About what? In which area of life?)
• "Tell me about my future" (Too broad, no specific focus)
• "What's going on?" (Vague, no clear direction)
• "Should I or shouldn't I?" (Missing context about what you're deciding)

Why this causes confusion: Tarot tries to answer multiple interpretations of your vague question at once, creating a scattered, contradictory reading.

Solution: Ask specific, focused questions:

• "What do I need to know about my job situation right now?"
• "What energy should I focus on in my relationship this month?"
• "What's blocking me from achieving [specific goal]?"
• "What will happen if I choose [specific option]?"

2. You're Not Ready to Hear the Answer

Sometimes tarot gives confusing readings because you're not ready—emotionally, mentally, or spiritually—to receive the truth. The cards scramble the message to protect you from information you can't handle yet.

Signs you're not ready:

• You feel resistant or defensive when looking at the cards
• You keep re-pulling cards hoping for a different answer
• The reading makes you anxious or upset in a way that feels protective
• You have a sense of "I don't want to know this"
• The confusion feels intentional, like a veil

Solution: Respect the boundary. Put the cards away and revisit the question when you're in a stronger, more open place.

3. Contradictory Tarot Cards: The Situation Is Actually Complex

Sometimes readings feel contradictory because the situation itself is contradictory. Life is rarely black and white—tarot reflects that complexity.

Examples of complex situations:

• A relationship that has both love and toxicity (cups + swords)
• A job that's financially good but spiritually draining (pentacles + reversed cups)
• A decision with no clear "right" answer (multiple court cards, no major arcana)
• A situation in transition with multiple possible outcomes (lots of aces, pages, or knights)

Solution: Instead of looking for one clear answer, look for the nuance. The cards are showing you "it's complicated," which is often the truth.

4. You're Too Emotionally Attached to the Outcome

When you desperately want a specific answer, your emotional attachment clouds your interpretation. You either can't see what the cards are actually saying, or you misread them to fit what you want to hear.

Signs of attachment interference:

• You keep pulling cards until you get the answer you want
• You ignore cards that don't fit your desired outcome
• You twist interpretations to support what you hope for
• You feel panicked or devastated by certain cards
• You can't be objective about the reading

Solution: Have someone else read for you, or wait until you're less emotionally invested. Desperation creates distortion.

5. The Deck Needs Cleansing

A tarot deck that's absorbed too much energy—from multiple readings, intense emotions, or environmental negativity—can give muddled, unclear readings.

Signs your deck needs cleansing:

• Readings have been unclear for multiple sessions
• The deck feels heavy, sticky, or "off"
• You haven't cleansed it in months (or ever)
• You've done intense or emotionally heavy readings recently
• Other people have handled your deck

Solution: Cleanse your deck with smoke, moonlight, crystals, or by knocking on it three times. Reset its energy.

6. You're Reading in a Distracted or Chaotic State

Tarot requires focus, presence, and a calm mind. If you're distracted, stressed, or in a chaotic environment, your readings will reflect that confusion.

Environmental/mental blocks:

• Reading while watching TV, scrolling your phone, or multitasking
• Reading when you're exhausted, drunk, or emotionally overwhelmed
• Reading in a noisy, chaotic, or energetically messy space
• Reading when you're rushed or don't have time to focus

Solution: Create sacred space. Light a candle, ground yourself, clear your mind, and give the reading your full attention.

7. You're Overthinking or Forcing Meaning

Sometimes confusion comes from trying too hard. You're intellectualizing, overanalyzing, or forcing connections that aren't there instead of trusting your intuition.

Signs of overthinking:

• You're consulting multiple books and websites for each card
• You're trying to make every card fit a predetermined narrative
• You're ignoring your gut feeling in favor of "correct" meanings
• The reading feels like a puzzle you can't solve
• You're in your head, not your intuition

Solution: Step back. Look at the cards as images, not concepts. What's your first impression? What story do the images tell? Trust that.

8. The Spread Is Wrong for the Question

Using the wrong spread for your question can create confusion. A three-card spread can't answer a complex question that needs a Celtic Cross.

Spread mismatches:

• Using a simple spread for a complex question
• Using a relationship spread for a career question
• Using too many positions for a simple yes/no question
• Not understanding what each position in the spread represents

Solution: Match your spread to your question. Simple question = simple spread. Complex question = detailed spread.

9. You Don't Know the Cards Well Enough Yet

If you're a beginner, confusion often comes from not yet understanding the cards' meanings, symbolism, and how they interact with each other.

Beginner confusion signs:

• You have to look up every card
• You don't understand how cards relate to each other in a spread
• You're overwhelmed by the symbolism
• You can't tell a story from the cards

Solution: Study, practice, and be patient with yourself. Confusion is part of the learning process.

10. The Answer Is "Wait" or "It's Not Time Yet"

Sometimes tarot gives confusing readings because the answer is literally "the situation is unclear" or "wait for more information." The confusion is the message.

Signs the answer is "wait":

• Lots of reversed cards or cards about waiting (Hanged Man, Four of Swords)
• No clear direction or outcome cards
• The reading feels suspended or in limbo
• Multiple readings on the same question all feel unclear

Solution: Accept that you don't have clarity yet. The universe is saying "not now." Trust the timing.

How to Fix Confusing Tarot Readings

Step 1: Clarify Your Question

Rewrite your question to be specific, focused, and clear:

Vague: "What about my love life?"

Clear: "What energy should I focus on to attract a healthy relationship?"

Vague: "Should I quit my job?"

Clear: "What are the potential outcomes if I leave my current job within the next three months?"

Step 2: Pull Clarification Cards

If a card or reading is confusing, pull 1-3 additional cards specifically to clarify:

• "What does the Seven of Swords mean in this context?"
• "What am I not seeing about this situation?"
• "What's the core message of this reading?"

Clarification cards often unlock the entire reading.

Step 3: Look at the Reading as a Whole

Instead of interpreting each card individually, look at patterns:

• Suit dominance: Mostly cups = emotional issue. Mostly swords = mental/communication issue
• Number patterns: Lots of aces = new beginnings. Lots of tens = endings/completion
• Court card patterns: Multiple court cards = other people involved, or different aspects of yourself
• Major vs. Minor arcana: Mostly major = fated/big picture. Mostly minor = day-to-day/your choices
• Reversed card ratio: Mostly reversed = blocks, internalization, or things not yet manifested

The pattern often reveals the message individual cards obscure.

Step 4: Trust Your First Impression

Before you look up meanings, ask yourself:

• What's my gut reaction to these cards?
• What story do the images tell?
• If I had to explain this to a child, what would I say?
• What feeling do I get from this spread?

Your intuition often knows before your mind does.

Step 5: Simplify

If a complex spread is confusing, pull just three cards:

• Past/Present/Future
• Situation/Action/Outcome
• Mind/Body/Spirit

Sometimes less is more.

Step 6: Take a Break

If you've been staring at the cards for 20 minutes and still don't understand, walk away:

• Take a photo of the spread
• Come back in an hour, or the next day
• Fresh eyes often see what tired eyes miss
• The answer may come to you when you're not trying

Step 7: Journal the Reading

Write down:

• Your question
• The cards you pulled
• Your initial interpretation (even if it's "I have no idea")
• How you feel about the reading

Often, the act of writing clarifies what was confusing. Plus, you can look back later and see if the reading made sense in hindsight.

Step 8: Ask for Help

Share the reading (anonymously if needed) in tarot communities, forums, or with a trusted reader. Fresh perspectives can unlock meanings you couldn't see.

Common Confusing Card Combinations and What They Mean

Death + The Sun

Seems contradictory: Ending + Joy?

Actually means: A painful ending leads to happiness. The death of something makes room for joy.

The Tower + Ten of Cups

Seems contradictory: Destruction + Happiness?

Actually means: A shocking event or breakdown leads to emotional fulfillment. Sometimes things must fall apart to come together better.

Three of Swords + Ace of Cups

Seems contradictory: Heartbreak + New love?

Actually means: Heartbreak opens you to new emotional beginnings. The pain clears space for fresh love.

The Hermit + Three of Pentacles

Seems contradictory: Solitude + Collaboration?

Actually means: You need alone time to prepare for teamwork, or you're working alone within a group.

Four of Swords + Eight of Wands

Seems contradictory: Rest + Rapid movement?

Actually means: Rest now because things are about to move fast, or you need to rest despite the chaos.

When to Stop Reading and Try Again Later

Stop and come back later if:

• You've pulled cards 3+ times on the same question and they're all confusing
• You're feeling frustrated, anxious, or desperate
• You're too emotionally invested to be objective
• You're exhausted or not in a clear headspace
• The cards keep telling you to wait (Hanged Man, Four of Swords, etc.)
• You're trying to force an answer the cards aren't giving

Tarot works best when you're calm, open, and receptive—not desperate and demanding.

FAQs About Confusing Tarot Readings

Why do my tarot readings never make sense?

If ALL your readings are confusing, the issue is likely: unclear questions, lack of card knowledge, emotional interference, or a deck that needs cleansing. Work on these systematically.

Can tarot give wrong or confusing answers on purpose?

Tarot doesn't lie, but it can be cryptic if you're not ready for the truth, asking the wrong question, or need to figure something out on your own first.

What if the cards contradict each other?

Contradiction often means the situation is complex, you're seeing multiple timelines/possibilities, or different aspects of the situation are in conflict.

Should I pull more cards if I'm confused?

Pull 1-3 clarification cards maximum. More than that usually creates more confusion. If clarification doesn't help, stop and try again later.

How do I know if I'm interpreting cards wrong?

If your interpretation feels forced, doesn't resonate, or requires mental gymnastics, you're probably off. Trust interpretations that feel like "aha!" moments.

The Bottom Line

Confusing tarot readings aren't failures—they're information. They're telling you that your question needs refinement, you're not ready for the answer, the situation is complex, or you need to approach the reading differently.

The confusion itself is part of the reading. Instead of fighting it, ask: "What is this confusion trying to tell me?" Often, that question unlocks everything.

Tarot is a conversation, not a command. When the cards are unclear, they're not broken—they're asking you to listen more carefully, ask better questions, or wait for clarity to emerge naturally.

Trust the process. Trust your intuition. And trust that even confusing readings have something to teach you—even if that lesson is patience.