Reading about him

The reading about him separates what usually collapses into a single question. Five positions: who he is right now, what he feels for you, what he intends to do, what holds him back and where this ends up. Most people asking about a man are really asking two different things at once — what is inside him, and what he will actually do — and those answers frequently disagree.

It suits an existing relationship, an undefined stage, and someone you have only just met. There is one thing it won't do: if your question is "do I love him", this spread is looking at him, not at you, and will be useless.

Who he is right now is his state independent of you: what he is dealing with, what period he is in. A court card describes character; a Major Arcana card means he is going through something large, and then his behaviour isn't about you at all.

What he feels for you is emotion, often not admitted even to himself. Read the suit: Cups for warmth, Wands for interest and excitement, Swords for thinking more than feeling, Pentacles for weighing you as part of his life — which sounds cold and usually means the opposite.

What he intends to do is the practical position. This is where feeling and behaviour part ways: warm Cups in position two with the Four of Pentacles in position three means he feels it and will not move.

What holds him back is the obstacle, and it is worth separating from your suspicions. Swords: thoughts, fear of error, past experience. Pentacles: circumstances, money, work. The Devil or the Eight of Swords: he believes he has no choice.

Where this ends up is the outcome on the current course, not a verdict. If the fourth position is heavy and the fifth is bright, read it as: the obstacle lifts, but not on its own.

Name him and ask neutrally: "what is going on with Sergey in relation to me". Accusatory wordings — why does he act like this, why is he doing this to me — will be answered, but the answer will be about your hurt, and the "what holds him back" position turns into a list of grievances.

Who he is — Knight of Swords. Feels — Two of Cups. Intends — Seven of Cups. Held back by — Eight of Swords. Ends up — the Star. The reading: he is in a fast, sharp period; the feeling is real and mutual; his plans are fog and too many options; what holds him back is a sense of being trapped that he built himself. It ends well — but not quickly, and not on his initiative.