✦ Guide · asking well ✦

How to ask
a good question

It is the one lever entirely under your control. A closed question gives a thin answer, however good the draw or the reader.

Open the question instead of closing it

openone thingabout you

“Will he come back?” answers yes or no, and you leave with one word. “What have I not seen in this yet?” answers with a whole reading.

This is not a stylistic trick: a closed question gives the cards a single axis. An open one leaves them room to say what you had not thought to ask — and that is usually where the thing you came for is hiding. Closed questions have their place, but for deciding quickly rather than understanding. If that is what you want, a yes or no draw is built for it.

One thing at a time

“Should I leave my job and should I move?” is two questions. It will get a blurred answer, because the cards drawn have to cover two territories.

Split them. Draw twice, or pick the one that weighs most today. A precise reading on one subject beats two half-answers.

Bring the question back to you

“What does he think of me?” puts the reading inside someone who is not here and was never asked. In practice you will get a projection.

“What keeps me attached to this?” or “What am I waiting for from him that I do not give myself?” are about you, and produce a reading you can use tomorrow.

The rule is simple: a question whose answer depends on a third party teaches you nothing you can act on.

Before and after a few examples

“Will I find love this year?” → “What is it about me that makes meeting someone hard right now?”

“Will I get the raise?” → “How is my value seen in this job, and what would make it visible?”

“Is she angry with me?” → “What actually happened between us, and what part of it is mine?”

“What is coming for me?” → “What is ending, and what is beginning?”

Frequently asked questions

Can I ask tarot a closed question?
Yes, and sometimes that is what you need. A yes or no draw is for deciding quickly. But to understand a situation, an open question will always produce a richer reading.
Should I write the question or just think it?
Write it, for two reasons: an AI only reads what you type, and more importantly, phrasing forces precision. Plenty of people discover their real question while trying to type it.
Can I ask the same question again?
Yes, but not immediately. Asking straight away usually means you did not like the answer. If it was unclear, it is the question that needs reworking.
Can I draw for someone else?
You can, but the reading will mostly describe your place in the situation. It is often more useful to say so in the question: “what is my part in this?” rather than “what will they do?”.

Try it with a real question

Take the one that has been sitting with you for days, rewrite it as an open question, and draw three cards.

Try your free reading ✦

No account needed · Free to try

Explore more

See also the yes or no draw, is AI tarot reliable?, AI or a human reader, and tarot for beginners.