Looking for some kind of "icebreaker" spread

I read in the local tavern, for tips, from time to time. It's a great way to gain actual regular clients, and it's a load of fun. If it's a slow night, I'll spend however long with a sitter, and answer their questions, if it's busy, I'll limit myself to 5 cards or either with 5 question/answers or one 5 card spread.

What I'm looking for is this: What's a great spread for those that come up to me and ask "I don't have a question, I just want a reading!" I don't have a ton of time to sit there and commune with the aether, picking questions out of their heads, finding answers. I want something kind of light, maybe to get the questions flowing, or encourage them want to come back for more. I try use these opportunities to hand out my business cards, for appointments.

What's a good opener?

I use my take on a five card Elemental spread.

1) Center card: Where they are right now

2) East: Present Emotional State

3) South: Physical State

4) West: Spiritual State

5) North: Mental State

This give you a lot of launching places for further readings .

I normally use a 13 card wave spread to start a reading. or to know a general feel about the person.

Wands, creativity and self. how he sees himself,

1 past
2 present
3 future

cups how he relates in terms of romances and relationships.

4 past
5 present
6 future

swords how he should develop himself or about mending quarrels.

7 past
8 present
9 future

Pentacles the career and ambition of this person.

10 past
11 present
12 future.

in the centre i place 1 card which is the general feel.

13..... card of focus.

Normally using this spread you know a lot about the person.

I could summarise it and deliver the reading in about 10 mins.

link to blog removed by moderator

I've posted mine here. There are two versions, along with sample readings. I'd repost here but it would take too long to do again.

I read in a dance club on the weekends and this is the one I use. I do the 4 card for quick ones and the 8 for longer ones.

Hope you are able to find what you're looking for!

Lilija said:

What's a great spread for those that come up to me and ask "I don't have a question, I just want a reading!"

Click to expand...

I have a few.

One is the even-armed cross spread:-

......2
4....1....5
......3

1) What is the immediate issue that needs your attendion
2) Best you can aim for right now
3) your anchor (what's weighing you down)
4) history (what brings you to this point)
5) Where do you go from here.

Or there's the good old three-card past-present-future.

Or the nine-card body-mind-spirit:-

1....2....3
4....5....6
7....8....9

Read from bottom-up: 7-9 are the material world; 4-6 are what is only in the client's mind, 1-3 (read last) are soul-needs.

Or get them to pull just one card, talk around that card, then offer them a business card for a paid follow-up!

Where you've been--Where you are now--Where you are heading next--Goal or lesson in current time--Advice

AKA... past-present-future-lesson-advice.

keep it simple like a 3 card past present and future or a spread that covers general topics and expand from that

two cards

Majors only

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?p=840713

Oh, you guys are gooood.


Never read with just majors before, but the Window and Door seems like the perfect succinct thing that I'm looking for. I'll have to practice it on my stable of guinea pigs, first, before bringing it to the bar.

For now, though, there's a lot of great 3, 4 and 5 card wonders here, I'm gonna copy them all down into my spread book, and give them a shot, it'll be good to have a handful of working spreads, all sitters bring their own feeling and vibe.

Shimure, that's a very interesting, detailed spread, but a little much for a bar. I'm gonna jot it down anyway, for deeper, one on one readings. Once in awhile I need structure like that.

I think I'm beginning to like bar/party settings, better than formal appointments. It's more my style, maybe. It's not shallow or lighthearted, like I thought it would be, but it seems like people are more willing to cut right to the point, and we can dispense with much of the formalities and awkwardness that sometimes comes with the more scheduled readings. I feel like I can cut right through the setting, and just get it right away.

Bar/Parties are perfect for window-door majors only.

At parties where one ends up doing (either for fun or pay) 30+ readings in a night, it offers great succinct brilliant readings.