An example of a Focused Reading
Question: How can I best detach from this relationship and leave it where it belongs—in the past?
Answer: The first three cards make it clear that you were truly struggling in this relationship, as shown in the Strength card. You put in desperate effort to make things work while being completely dominated by your controlling ex-partner, the Emperor. In this unhealthy dynamic, an addictive pattern was formed. When the Devil joins the Emperor, we see that the dominating power in the relationship seeks to bind the other through manipulative, lasting ties. This confirms your own sentiment, while also showing the lingering effects of the unhealthy patterns this relationship left behind, seeing as the Devil ends the line. The failure of the relationship was never up to you, but the bondage of the Devil kind convinces us otherwise, persuading us that we are the problem.
The best way for you to detach from the ghost of this relationship is to observe it from the position of your sovereignty. The Empress in the ‘Do’ position is fully aware of her domain, and from her throne she can see the dynamic below for what it is, as well as her own place within it. Once your place in the story is clear, there is no need to reach for further tools of analysis, as suggested by the Magician in the ‘Don’t’ position.
In summary: acknowledge your qualities and your place in the story, and do not overanalyze—there is no need for it.