The Complete Story Method
Most tarot readings give you a snapshot. One card, one moment, one angle. You're looking at a single frame pulled from the middle of a film you haven't seen.
The Complete Story Method reads three decks at once — not for more information, but for narrative. You get the before, the during, and the after of whatever you're asking about. One story told from three points in its own timeline.
The Three Decks
The Lead-Up
The Before Tarot by Corrine Kenner and Pietro Alligo reimagines each RWS card as a scene moments before the traditional image. The Fool hasn't stepped off the cliff yet — he's walking toward it. The Tower hasn't been struck — lightning is gathering overhead.
In a reading, this card shows what built the current situation. The decisions, the tensions, the slow accumulation of energy that led to where you are now. It answers the question "how did I get here?"
The Core Truth
The standard Rider-Waite-Smith deck — 78 cards illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith in 1909 — is the anchor of the reading. This is the moment itself. No narrative spin, no softening. What is actually happening right now.
The RWS card in the center position is the one you interpret most carefully. The Before and After cards expand its meaning, but this card is the truth the reading is built around. If you can only read one card, read this one.
The Outcome in Motion
The After Tarot, also by Kenner and Alligo, shows each card moments after the traditional scene. The Fool has already jumped — he's in the air. The Tower's occupants have landed and are getting to their feet.
This card shows what's already happening next, whether you've noticed it or not. It's not a prediction — it's a direction. The energy is already moving this way. You can work with it or resist it, but you should know it's in motion.
How to Read It
Shuffle all three decks separately. Ask your question once, clearly, then pull one card from each deck. Lay them left to right: Before, RWS, After.
Read left to right. The center card (RWS) carries the most weight.
Start with the RWS card. Read it the way you normally would — upright or reversed, the imagery, the standard meaning in context. Then look at the Before card for what created this moment. Then the After card for where it's heading.
The three cards will often tell a story that a single card can't. A Three of Swords in the center hits differently when you see the Before card showing a deception in progress and the After card showing the swords being removed. Heartbreak that was caused by a lie, already beginning to heal. That's a complete story — not just a snapshot of pain.
Why Three Decks Instead of Three Cards
A standard three-card spread (past / present / future) pulls three cards from the same deck. That gives you three related moments but the visual language is identical — all 78 cards were drawn by the same artist in the same style.
The Complete Story Method uses three decks designed to show different moments in the same card's narrative. When you pull The Tower from all three decks, you don't get three different cards — you get three moments in one event. The storm gathering, the strike, the aftermath. That's a different kind of reading.
When to Use This Method
Use the Complete Story Method when you need more than "what does this card mean." When you want to understand how you got into a situation and where it's going. When a single card reading keeps giving you the same answer and you need the context around it.
For quick daily pulls, a single card from the RWS is enough. For deeper questions — relationship decisions, career crossroads, patterns you keep repeating — the three-deck method gives you the narrative arc that a single card can only hint at.
Ready to try it with individual cards? Start with the full card meanings, practice with different tarot spreads, or use the free reading tool on the homepage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Complete Story Method in tarot?
It reads tarot using three decks simultaneously — Before Tarot for the lead-up, Rider-Waite-Smith for the present truth, and After Tarot for the outcome already in motion. Instead of reading one card's meaning in isolation, you get the full narrative arc of a situation.
Do I need three tarot decks for this method?
Yes — the method uses the Before Tarot, a standard Rider-Waite-Smith deck, and the After Tarot. Each deck was designed to show a different moment in the same card's story. If you only own one deck, start with the standard spreads and add the Before and After decks when you're ready.
Can beginners use the Complete Story Method?
Beginners can try it, but you'll get more from it once you know the RWS deck well. Start with learning tarot basics and single-deck readings. Add the Complete Story Method once you're comfortable reading the RWS on its own.