No spreads

Silver Crow

I must admit it, I don't use spreads anymore. Maybe it's because I didn't learn that way, I've tried spreads recently and the results were cold and dull to me. It doesn't matter the type of question, I just pull cards until the reading is done. Often I keep pulling to clarify things but the first five cards start the story and the rest goes from there.

Am I alone?
 

starrystarrynight

I think that spreads are great for newer readers because they take a lot of the guesswork out of what a card is trying to "answer." I usually encourage beginners to use them until they become more comfortable with cards. Otherwise, their readings are often all over the place, and they don't understand where they went wrong.

I still use spreads myself sometimes--particularly for online readings when no real question is forthcoming or someone asks for a general-type reading (but is really expecting specific information.) They give me better focus in those types of situations and usually come across for me pretty well. But that's just me. :)
 

Ashtaroot

You are not alone i don't use spreads either not for professional readings and sometime I make up my own thing if the client was just sitting there with no questions or anything.

On rare occasions I play around with spreads if I see something unique just for personal fun.. But very very rare

A while ago I have seen a spread by our Umbrae that I wrote down, but haven't got around to try yet.. It looks fun to do

But when doing readings I don't plan anything whatever comes
Focus
Ask
Pull cards
That is it

:)
 

Alta

I think that 'no spreads' is fine when you are reading for yourself. But when you ask other readers to look at your cards, now it is a problem. A while back Thirteen posted the following, and while I have disguised it so the poster involved doesn't feel embarrassed, it does explain how baffled folks, including me, get when trying to be helpful with this kind of reading.... and why they don't get as many or as helpful responses:
Thirteen said:
So you didn't do a spread with actual spread positions, you just laid out seven cards. That makes it easy for you, but, again, very hard for us because you know yourself and your situation and can read more into what the cards might be telling you. I mean, looking at your question: "Tell me what I need to know..." About what? I don't know what you're situation is. Do you need to know about a lover? A job? Your family? Your health? All those things? And if so...which card is telling you about what?

It's a pretty vague question. And in addition, you're doing a spread that involves no positions. So I can't look at the "10/Swords" and say, "This is in the position of work, it looks like you're going to have a tough time at your job."

Let me give you a better example of what I mean here. There's a thread in the "Using" section about someone who got the 10/Swords. She looked at the card and realized that it was simply reminding her of her acupuncture appointment. Which is pretty cool...maybe your 10/Swords is saying the same thing to you. If you did a real spread, and had a "health" position, then I might suggest back pains and problems and, yes, maybe acupuncture if you got the 10/Swords in that "Health" position. But a 10/Swords laid out with no spread? I've no idea. There are SO many things it could mean about any situation in your life at all. Swords can refer to mental activity, illness, legal issues, science, ideas, gossip....the list goes on.

You're tossing 7 cards at us, no positions, a vague question, no idea of what's going on in your life that these cards might refer to...and you asking us what we think?

Actually. I do have an answer as to what I think these cards are all about:

Ace/Swords--you get the idea to flip seven cards off the top into no particular spread with no focused question (Ace/Swords = and idea with no focus, unfocused communication--that is, not even the tarot can clearly communicate with you).

The swords freak you out (9/Swords) and you decide to consult this forum (King/Swords), which makes you feel better (Strength--what a blessing! The tarot forum is there to help me understand this garbled message).

10/Swords: you're told that us readers can't help you because what you've given us is too unfocused. Your hope for an answer is "killed".....

You need to step back--4/Swords--rest your mind, and see this from a different perspective--Hanged Man.

On-line readings don't work well if the person asking about them doesn't give the reader a clear question, a clear spread and a clear background on the situation. Even though there are a lot of experts and wise folk here--King/Swords--such a lack of information with just a bunch of cards will tend to leave communication unfocused--Ace/Swords--and likely--9/Swords--to scare you with fears that might not exist and--10/Swords--to kill communication.

What do you think? Could that be what this reading is all about? Swords do relate, very much, to communication, especially verbal and in writing and certainly over the internet.
Click to expand...
 

nisaba

Ashtaroot said:
and sometime I make up my own thing if the client was just sitting there with no questions or anything.
Click to expand...
That is a spread, new spread, that you've just invented.

A spread doesn't have to come out of a book.
 

SunChariot

Silver Crow said:
I must admit it, I don't use spreads anymore. Maybe it's because I didn't learn that way, I've tried spreads recently and the results were cold and dull to me. It doesn't matter the type of question, I just pull cards until the reading is done. Often I keep pulling to clarify things but the first five cards start the story and the rest goes from there.

Am I alone?
Click to expand...
I started off using threads cause all the books told me you had to. But it didn't take me long to drop them altogether. I also prefer to not use them. It's freer and less structured the way I see it.

Of course whatever works for you us fine, and while I can use spreads if I have to for an exchange or sonething, still I much prefer reading without them.

Babs
 

Golden Moon

I don't use spread either, the fact of making patterns and shapes with my cards it not my thing. I rather lay them out in a row or stack on top of each other one by one. It's best to keep things simpler.
 

Ashtaroot

nisaba said:
That is a spread, new spread, that you've just invented.

A spread doesn't have to come out of a book.
Click to expand...
Yes I know that's what I meant I make up a spread :)
 

Herzog

I lay down Past Present Future then follow the gaze of courts and trumps with subsequent cards if needed. This is gives me more than enough information to answer a question
 

Alta

I really like spreads. I find that they anchor the reading and add depth to the cards. Also my friend, member Orenda, has been showing me brilliant ways to create spreads where the cards feed back on each other and the meanings circle and build.

I agree with Thirteen's post, largely because the cards have such a wide range of meanings. What is the 10 of wands in a love reading? In a marriage reading? in a work reading? Does it refer to another person, you? the situation? Spreads anchor the meanings, like water in a swimming pool. You can splash all over the pool and have a great time, but without the edges water just runs everywhere and to quote Jung, more or less, you jump from meaning to meaning and eventually anything means everything and then everything means nothing.
 
Message from Fate, or Influenced Cards? How many hours a day