If you’re anything like me, you consult with your cards frequently. I work with tarot and oracle cards daily, often pulling random cards for my own questions, and of course, using tarot and oracle cards to advise clients. There are times when I start noticing stalker cards in my readings. What is a stalker card and what does it mean when you notice you have a stalker card?

What is a stalker card?

A stalker card is a card that keeps coming up over and over in your readings, in card picks, or even as the bottom card in the deck (The Shadow Card). You start to see the card so often, it starts to feel like the card is actually following you around or stalking you.

There are times when I pick up a deck, shuffle it, and choose a card. I note what the card is, return it to the deck, and shuffle again. Then I pull another card from the deck and… it’s the same card I got the first time!

And it’s often not just one day that the card comes up; stalker cards can follow a person around for weeks. A stalker card will keep on coming up again and again, though, for what feels like an extended amount of time.

If I’m working out some sort of issue in my mind and end up examining it from a variety of different angles with different spreads on different days (#dontjudge), the same card might appear over and over again in a prominent position in my readings.

Why do stalker cards stalk you?

Stalker cards are often ideas or concepts that you need to deal with in order to move forward in your life or get to the next level. They serve as reminders of the point you might be purposefully missing or honestly overlooking.

Sometimes, the cards are reaffirming a message they gave you the last time you asked. Sometimes, they are reminding you that you have to do that one thing before you can succeed.

There are also stalker cards you might associate with the “season” of life you are in or a personality trait that is holding you back.

If you are co-dependent, for example, or need to hold on to your sobriety or work on your addictions, the Devil card might become your stalker. Or, if you need to step up and claim more power in your life, either Strength or the Nine of Pentacles might start stalking you.

If you start to get the same deity or idea coming up while using a deck (or a few of them), that is an indication that that entity has a special message for you. For example, if Athena comes up when you use the Goddess Guidance deck and then you get out your Goddess Power deck she comes up again, I think it’s safe to say that Athena has a message for you.

Read about my experience with a stalker card here: Pele, My Goddess Stalker

What you should do if you get a stalker card

If you start to notice a specific tarot or oracle card stalking you, or coming up more frequently in your readings, you should explore what it means to you and your current situation.

  • Get out your tarot journal and either go to the page devoted to that card or find a blank page to note your ideas on.
  • Take the card out and really look at it. Are there any symbols on the card that trigger your intuition? Do the colors evoke any feelings for you?
  • Brainstorm a list of ideas related to what it might mean for you.
  • Free-write in your journal. Let yourself connect with the energy of the card or of the deity shown on the card.
  • Get the Little White Book from the deck and see if the deck’s creator lists any new or different information about the card.
  • Spend some time studying what other people say about the card, what it means, and how that ties in with your current life situation.
  • Make note of any direct hits in your life or your tendencies that the card might be addressing.
  • Note WHERE in the deck it is or how it comes up. Is it a card you pull or one that is always on the bottom of the deck?
  • If the card is a deity, place the card on your altar with some libations to thank it for helping you in your life.
  • After you’re done working with the energy of the card, thank the card for the advice and guidance and return the card to your deck.

In Summary

Stalker cards are cards you notice coming up over and over again in your readings. When you feel like a card is following you around or stalking you, it’s a good idea to examine its message more closely and really think about what it means in your life. You can write about your stalker card in your tarot journal or make a special note of it. Oftentimes, stalker cards have a special message for you—that’s why they show up often enough for you to get either creeped out or intrigued by seeing them over and over again!

Have you ever had a card stalk you? If so, please share your experience in the comments below!