Opening a reading

Yesterday i was going through Mary Greer's blog and i saw glimpse of this movie
http://marygreer.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/glenn-close-gets-a-tarot-reading/

Here the tarot reader starts the conversation without being posed by any questions by the querent.

When i start a reading i generally use the past,present and future spread and then move onto questions by the reader.

But here in the link she probably starts with the celtic cross and then proceeds to tell many many things about the querent on her own

So can we start a reading with a huge spread? Can we start without a question being asked? There was no feedback from the querent, neither a nod...which usually happens the first time when we are tested.

Do you think here Calista is a psychic, or she is using spirit guide also and its not just tarot cards which are giving her so much information???

NamasteIndia said:

Yesterday i was going through Mary Greer's blog and i saw glimpse of this movie
http://marygreer.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/glenn-close-gets-a-tarot-reading/

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My computer is running very slow at the moment, and fifteen-second clips take more than an hour to load before I can watch them, so I haven't seen it. I will be replying only to the content of your past.

NamasteIndia said:

Here the tarot reader starts the conversation without being posed by any questions by the querent.

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It's easy enough to do. When I'm reading, I always give the deck to the querent to shuffle, and while they're shuffling, ask if they have any issues they want the reading to focus on. I never ask for a limited question, just an open-ended subject or area of their life. Probably two out of three ask me to read about "whatever comes up", which is effectively no question too. I use my whole of life spread unless they do have an issue and I deem another spread more suitable - this is a great spread for giving you the story of what's going on in different areas of their life. Once the cards are on the table, I take a deep breath, and start talking.

NamasteIndia said:

When i start a reading i generally use the past,present and future spread and then move onto questions by the reader.

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So you're basically doing two readings? One without a question, followed by one or more than one with a question?

NamasteIndia said:

But here in the link she probably starts with the celtic cross and then proceeds to tell many many things about the querent on her own

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Or expanding from the cards on the table. That's where your intuition comes in: the pictures on the table give you a starting-point, then your gut picks it up and continues it from there.

NamasteIndia said:

So can we start a reading with a huge spread?

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I do. I get repeat business. I get referrals. I get few if any complaints. So it must work most of the time, and work well often enough for people to recommend me to others.

NamasteIndia said:

Can we start without a question being asked?

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Yes, absolutely. In fact, I'm more comfortable with that - the person will get what they need to hear that way, not what they think their mother will want to hear later when they tell the story.

Listen, why not go into the reading circles sub-forum, and just read through all the threads there? There, you will see a whole HEAP of readings done without a question, where the client just says something like "no question" or "general", and the reader goes off and does it. The readings all have full feedback, too, so you will be able to see how appropriate they are. Reading through that sub-forum should reassure you that it's possible in fact likely that you get a good reading using any spread and not asking a question.

And perhaps joining in, into some of these circles, will help you develop your own skills in this area.

NamasteIndia said:

Do you think here Calista is a psychic, or she is using spirit guide also and its not just tarot cards which are giving her so much information???

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I repeat that I haven't seen the clip, but based on what you've said, I think she is probably a card reader. <warm smile>


___________
"Turn without haste," said a voice like black silk. "Or kiss your kidneys goodbye." (Terry Pratchett)

I usually go blank when someone ask me to read in person. Also i become nervous .

I am part of the reading circles from a long time now and practising there as helped me considerably.

I lack in confidence and proper approach plan...sometimes going blank, sometimes getting confused with questions and many times not knowing how to open a reading..

Then I would probably recommend that you work on your confidence before you go professional. After all, clients come to you as an authority-figure, and if you can't feel like, look like, or act like an authority-figure, you are going to do your clients no good at all.


___________
Smile. It's more difficult to think negatively when you are smiling.

nisaba said:

Then I would probably recommend that you work on your confidence before you go professional. After all, clients come to you as an authority-figure, and if you can't feel like, look like, or act like an authority-figure, you are going to do your clients no good at all.


___________
Smile. It's more difficult to think negatively when you are smiling.

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i have stopped on face to face readings
its just online readings sometimes
just for close friends

NamasteIndia said:

Here the tarot reader starts the conversation without being posed by any questions by the querent.

When i start a reading i generally use the past,present and future spread and then move onto questions by the reader.

But here in the link she probably starts with the celtic cross and then proceeds to tell many many things about the querent on her own

So can we start a reading with a huge spread? Can we start without a question being asked?

Click to expand...

The depiction of the card reading is filled with cliches--the strange reader who lights a candle for no apparent reason, the Celtic cross, and lots of unhappy cards (devil, swords). In the film, the reader flips the cards from top to bottom when she lays them down, reversing them. Also, she gets a stack of cards from the questioner, what order are they in? How they handle the cards is not how I would do it, that's for sure. As for the Celtic cross, I've given it up. Magpie9 told me--too much past, not enough future, and she's right!

When people don't have a specific question, what I do depends on the situation and whether the person is open to a long reading or wants to keep it short.

Usually I start with a basic body-mind-spirit reading, then see where they would like more information. We draw more cards on that topic. Starting with body-mind-spirit is useful because it helps them organize their own thinking about their lives right now.

If they want a thorough general reading, I'll draw 12 cards or more in an organized layout (for example, past-present-future for body, mind, heart and spirit = 12 cards, or the four quarters of the coming year for body, mind, heart, spirit = 16 cards).

Ok so Nisaba as suggested a opening spread. And debra you feel celtic cross wont be so good enough.

The body mind spirit would be good opening spread but that would vary from person to person what if the person is not a spiritual person and they are not interested to know about mind or spirit rather more about money,love so would a spread addressing those issues be good?

Yes, sure, of course! Family, career, love, physical well-being, travel, all are good topics