UPDATE: I revised the table to reflect that certain cards in combination can indicate that the anticipated event won’t happen without extra effort on the part of the querent.
Timing of events with the tarot is the proverbial “tough nut to crack.” None of the various methods I’ve explored (and some of those I’ve created) work very well, primarily because they don’t pass the “giggle test:” you may be asking about a situation that has a reasonable expectation of resolving itself within a week or two (for example, the outcome of a job application) and the cards tell you “ten years.” Uh huh, right. The only rational assumption is that you will never hear back (which might be true if they’ve hired someone else and you don’t inquire to find out). Unfortunately, there isn’t a “no way, no how” default in any of the timing models I’ve seen, so we have to improvise by deducing that from the card meanings. Here is my latest attempt at compiling the grab-bag of techniques I’ve been using for the last few years into a single table. I’d say it can’t be worse than anything else that’s out there, and it might prove to be better when I’ve tweaked it some more. Right now I’m contemplating how to convey “it ain’t gonna happen” via a single card or combination of cards.