A properly worded question.

I would like to hear from people regarding the importance of a properly worded question.

I find that seeking the truth takes precedence. If the truth of the matter is foremost the query will lead to the important information. We cannot think of every possible interpretation or misinterpretation of our questions and the "universe" ought to be wise enough to respond accordingly. It is not a mindless computer (garbage in garbage out) it is an intelligent and wise consciousness.

I recently had an experience with a Tarot Reader/Psychic whom I believe depends too much on the cards while she seems to have exceptional abilities independent of the cards that she could rely on. I am far less equipped to do either Tarot or Psychic readings yet I found early on that the truth that pertains to the matter in question comes through regardless of forming the "perfect" question.

There are times when you need to set up a hypothetical scenario and ask a very specific question. But more often you are seeking what is important around the matter of concern. That information is yet to be known and if you have no idea what it may include you cannot consider it when formulating the question.

Granted, you would need to be pragmatic at the least when choosing words.

Which do you consider the heart of the matter?

Is it your state of mind or the carefully worded question you ask?


EDITED TO CLARIFY AND RESTATE THE QUESTION:

One way of rephrasing it is thus:

Is the question asked so crucial to the reading that it has to be carefully crafted so as to avoid any possible misinterpretations in order to receive the information we seek?

Or, is the important and relevant information as it pertains to the subject of interest available to the reader by virtue of a wise and intelligent universe and independent of perfectly worded questions?

In practical application this would be dialed down some and not this extreme yet to get the point across it is necessary to express the concept in a manner that illustrates the implications.

M-T-M,

I think it's a mixture of both. I recently provided feedback on a reading someone did where they asked why did he do that and how does he feel about me? I don't believe that one spread (I believe it was a Celtic Cross) can answer both of those questions. Another ATer disagreed with me. (I'm not firmly ensconced in my belief that it can't do both. I have to think on that one some more.)

Yes, the tarot should know the question the Querent is wanting/needing to ask even if the Querent doesn't or can't phrase the question properly. But I think that's different than asking a compound question like the example above. I tend not to answer Yes/No questions, so if a Querent came to me with one, I would consider it improperly worded and would work with the Querent to turn it into something else. Readers who answer Yes/No questions wouldn't have to do this.

And I think that a general question is fine. More than once I've asked "Tell me about my love life" or "What do you want to tell me" and gotten quite good results.

Rodney

I don't think you need to be overly picky with each word, but you do need to be careful that the question is clear and not ambigious. Like if you ask: "How will my brother do at school this year?" and you have two brothers....you might have one brother in mind, and the cards may be answering you about the other.

The truth will of course come through either way, but ambiguities can lead us to interpret it wrong, as in the above example. I wonder sometimes with other questions, like if someone asks will they have success in life and cards come up showing a profitable career and them making lots of money and you say yes, but maybe success to them is based on relationships not money and maybe they will work so hard they will lose friends over it so the real answer would be a no. By their definition that would not be a success...As success itself can be an ambigious term and what consitutes success for one person may not be the same as for the next person. Then again I guess I would not say yes or not just tell them what I saw....

Just thinking that over now...

Yes of course seeking the truth takes precidence. That is the reason for the reading, but we interepret that truth through the question. And the state of mind of the reader is an essential ingredient as well. They need to be devoted to finding the truth and it helps to be calm when you read (at least it helps me)

And imho the questions mentioned by Rodney above are fine. They are clear enough as is and should give accurate answers.

just some of my thoughts at the moment,

Babs

I don't put too much importance on the question as I've found that the cards say what they want, whether I've asked or not.

Usually, I say, "What do I need to know about X" and that about does it. Or sometimes I ask a question, draw 3, ask another question, draw 3 and keep going that way until I think I've covered everything.

I also want to add that when I read for others, friends and strangers, I never ask for a question even if they have one in mind. I will focus on an area if they want me to and they are free to have a question in their mind as they shuffle. One of my clients is amazed that I can give her accurate readings when I don't even know what the topic is.

For me, it's important that the message is given. I don't have to know anything. In fact, I prefer to fly blind.

That is true enough, you don't even need a question to do an accurate reading. What the querent most needs to know will come out on it's own. But if you do have a question it's best if it is not ambigious...is what I meant to say. LOL

Babs

I think that how you phrase your question is important for getting a useful and empowering answer from the cards.

These are my 'rules' for getting the most out of my question - taken from my web-page:

Remember that the cards will not make decisions for you. Take responsibility for the situation you are in.

Try to avoid questions that require a yes or no answer - I don't believe that Tarot is very good at answering these type of questions. 'Open questions' are best.
For example:
Instead of asking:
Will I get that job I'm going after?
It's better to ask:
How can I improve my chances of getting that job I'm going after?

Concentrate on yourself, you're the one that you can change.
Asking questions about other people is intrusive.
For example:
Instead of asking:
Is my boyfriend cheating on me?
It's better to ask:
What do I need to know about my relationship with my boyfriend? OR:
What can I do to improve my relationship with my boyfriend?

Be as positive as you can be - this way you're more likely to get an empowering answer.
For example:
Instead of asking:
Why don't things ever go my way?
It's better to ask:
What can I do to improve my life and help me get the most out of ______ this situation?

To Summarise
1. Take responsibility for your situation, don't expect a tarot reading to make decisions for you.
2. Try to avoid questions that require a Yes or No answer.
3. Remember that your question should concentrate as much as possible on you. You have the power to change yourself, no-one else.
4. Be as positive as you can - that way you are more likely to get an empowering answer.

In some cases you can get a completely redirected reading - I did one once here for a really well worded question - but the cards were determined to tell me about a member of the sitter's family instead. She was amused; she'd been going to ask about him but thought she should really ask about herself !

You can't always win !

Once a friend asked me to read for her and couldn't come up with a question that wasn't a 'yes/no' or 'what should I do' neither of which I wanted to read..... so I pointed here at this which I think is really good

http://www.learntarot.com/less7.htm

Once she'd figured out the question, she found that she knew the answer all along (because it changed her perspective completely) and so didn't want/ need a reading on that aspect after all. So we did something else.

Sometimes I think that working out the right question gets you a very long way.

That isn't to say that a general reading isn't still useful, for myself I usually like to give it a direction even if it's only 'what can I most usefully focus on in my life right now?' or whatever.

Along with what gregory said, what I have said to people (and me!) is 'usually the cards tell you about whatever is uppermost in your mind, so do ask about that because you are likely to be told anyway whether you want to be or not'


Aerin

Aerin said:

Once she'd figured out the question, she found that she knew the answer all along (because it changed her perspective completely) and so didn't want/ need a reading on that aspect after all. So we did something else.

Sometimes I think that working out the right question gets you a very long way.

Click to expand...

I agree with Aerin on this: part of the reason it's good to write a "properly worded question" is because it helps you understand what you're really asking--and that can take you a long way, if not all the way, toward knowing the answer.

I think the question process is as important as the answer process, not because I think the cards are going to get confused and answer the wrong question, but because it helps with the introspective aspects of tarot reading.

That said, one thing I like to do in readings for myself is to not write a question, but sit down and explain the situation while shuffling, out loud, like I would explain it to an understanding friend. Sometimes I'll end it with something like "What do I need to know about this situation?", and sometimes I'll just stop talking and deal the cards.

It breaks all of the question-writing rules, but it helps me clarify what my attitude toward and concerns about the situation are before I ever deal a card, and that helps me focus the reading on what I really need.

Sulis said:

I think that how you phrase your question is important for getting a useful and empowering answer from the cards.

These are my 'rules' for getting the most out of my question - taken from my web-page:

Remember that the cards will not make decisions for you. Take responsibility for the situation you are in.

Try to avoid questions that require a yes or no answer - I don't believe that Tarot is very good at answering these type of questions. 'Open questions' are best.
For example:
Instead of asking:
Will I get that job I'm going after?
It's better to ask:
How can I improve my chances of getting that job I'm going after?

Concentrate on yourself, you're the one that you can change.
Asking questions about other people is intrusive.
For example:
Instead of asking:
Is my boyfriend cheating on me?
It's better to ask:
What do I need to know about my relationship with my boyfriend? OR:
What can I do to improve my relationship with my boyfriend?

Be as positive as you can be - this way you're more likely to get an empowering answer.
For example:
Instead of asking:
Why don't things ever go my way?
It's better to ask:
What can I do to improve my life and help me get the most out of ______ this situation?

Click to expand...

This is the approach that lead to trouble in my experience. Instead of cutting to the chase and being direct about what I needed to know I ended up being blind-sided with the situation as it existed. All of the advice in the universe regarding what I could do to grow as a person was irrelevant. The fact was that the person I was interested in was involved with someone else and that is what I needed to know first and foremost.

In this case, I ended up finding out through the concrete reality of the world in an embarassingly awkward event. It turned out much worse this way. All of the people involved could have been spared the uncomfortable event had I just received that bit of information. It forced that person to push me away as a friend as well when I could have pulled back and dealt with the revelation privately. Had I known earlier I would have immediately altered my position.

I do not think people should be on egg shells about what they want or need to know. You do not ask the cards to make a decision for you but there isn't anything wrong with asking for information whether it is about you or someone else. If it is too private for you to know why would the universe share that? Most people want to know relevant information. I suspect the cards would provide different information instead of answering every nosey question anyone might ask. The universe just isn't susceptible to being petty like this. Now if the reader is that is a whole different situation.