Being misrepresented as a reader by the message of the cards.

Amanda

I just gave a reading where I felt that what *I* believe was totally side-swiped by the message of the cards.

Basically, the person asked a question about their future, and the card's message was essentially, "Future information is scary and dangerous, and you shouldn't ask that."

And that is not what I believe at all. In fact, I'm quite disgusted with this set of cards now.

I am of the mind that there is always *something* that can be said about the future to appropriately guide a person in the present. I've *never* had a reading or a card flat out say, "Don't ask that, it will mess you up worse by knowing."

So, now I'm wondering: Is this the deck creator's fault for putting such a blatantly close-minded card in their deck... or should I be more open-minded to the possible fact that there simply isn't always a helpful answer? Because I really don't like the idea of that...
 

NikkiB

That does seem strange, I don't really like that either, rather tarot as a tool to look at the worst at how you can best cope and learn from something...

Out of interest what deck is it? I suppose decks can be so individual, the sarcastic ones.. shadowscapes turns me into mills and boons and everythings lovely and fluffy...

I wonder in a situation like this if there is some other energy affecting the reading... I've had that before and I didn't like it one bit.. xxx
 

Zephyros

I wonder... what is the card that came up? And what made you see what you saw in it?
 

Amanda

It was an oracle deck- but still I wonder how this incident might affect my taroting! I've witnessed others not promoting future readings with tarot, but I was under the impression that was more of a personal choice and not something that would ever actually come out in a deck of any kind!

Now for instance, in the past I've seen future questions with the 5 of Swords answering. Sometimes that card has meant, "Don't even go there. Don't go down that road, you know better." But I've never had any card from any deck insinuate that gaining the knowledge from a question about the future could possibly be more harmful than helpful. To me, that just seems scarier than having something more valuable to say.
 

NikkiB

It was an oracle deck- but still I wonder how this incident might affect my taroting! I've witnessed others not promoting future readings with tarot, but I was under the impression that was more of a personal choice and not something that would ever actually come out in a deck of any kind!

Now for instance, in the past I've seen future questions with the 5 of Swords answering. Sometimes that card has meant, "Don't even go there. Don't go down that road, you know better." But I've never had any card from any deck insinuate that gaining the knowledge from a question about the future could possibly be more harmful than helpful. To me, that just seems scarier than having something more valuable to say.

Yeah I agree!! The only similer thing I have had in terms of not being told was regarding a choice... The cards will not and have not told me which choice - to the point they will give me the exact same cards for each one despite manic shuffling in between.. it was very interesting but there was no way the cards were going to give me a thing on that one!
 

Amanda

I wonder... what is the card that came up? And what made you see what you saw in it?

The Lady of Leprechauns from the Heart of Faerie Oracle. And it straight up says in the book, "The crystal ball represents knowledge of the future. Many of us would give a great deal to know what the future holds, and yet such knowledge can be dangerous. The gift of clear sight may be a wiser choice, for who does not want to see life clearly?" But then, even clear sight isn't good enough when it goes on to say, "The crystal horn is faceted: you can see through only one facet at a time, each giving a different view of the same thing. What to choose? Remember that her gifts are not what they appear to be. Knowledge of the future and clear sight proffered by someone as tricky as this lady may be no more than a glittering illusion."

Then: "If you come upon this lady, think carefully about what you wish for. You may be wiser to thank her and walk away empty-handed. The choice is yours."

ETA: Here is how I interpreted the card for the question, #3 in this spread: http://www.tarotforum.net/showpost.php?p=3162200&postcount=5

But still, just thinking of the card as a stand-alone thing... just doesn't seem very helpful or offer much else.

And I wonder if anyone with any deck has been side-swiped like this, because this is not what I believe about the future or questions regarding the future.
 

tarotbear

On another thread we are debating if cards can be wrong or give you wrong messages...

I find that book interpretation to be skewed in a very odd way. If an Oracle (or a tarot deck) is supposed to give you answers ... this is a non-answer! It's like that famous comment between Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson: 'I want the TRUTH!' - 'Truth? You can't HANDLE the Truth!' Works great in a movie but not so sure in a reading.

Then again, by your reporting it, the cards meaning is: "Think carefully about what you wish for. You may be wiser to ... walk away empty-handed. The choice is yours." That is not quite the same as "Don't ask that, it will mess you up worse by knowing."
 

GoldenWolf

This message is one of the reasons that I avoid oracles. Most of them seem to have pat "answers" that are often not really answers. This "message" seems something like a Magic 8 Ball type answer frankly.

However, does this card reflect the sitter's belief about readings, either consciously or subconsciously? My SO maintains that card readings are best at reflecting the sitter or querent's current state of mind. If the sitter thinks that the cards are evil or dangerous in some way, then it actually is accurate in this regard. Even if she claims not believe this herself, you might want to ask if her family or close friends hold this belief or tried to drill this into her. If so and she grew up hearing this sort of thing, she may hold that belief subconsciously. Just a thought since this is not your mindset on the matter.
 

Disa

I don't see what the problem is or why this is blind siding you. That interpretation given to you in the book is the author's interpretation and there are times when that whole thing might be true. If a sitter wants to know for sure what the future holds with the idea that the future is something that is just dropped in their lap, maybe they need to hear that they need to take action and trust themselves to make a decision, as opposed to relying on the cards. The way you read the card in the spread seemed fine (though I didn't read whether or not the sitter left any feedback)

Or is it that you are considering this quote to be an indication of you as the reader? "Remember that her gifts are not what they appear to be. Knowledge of the future and clear sight proffered by someone as tricky as this lady may be no more than a glittering illusion."

Then: "If you come upon this lady, think carefully about what you wish for. You may be wiser to thank her and walk away empty-handed. The choice is yours."

As with any reading, I say go with your own instincts when reading the cards. The description of the card doesn't ALWAYS mean what's written in the book for every single card in every single position in every reading- and I'm quite sure you know this.

So again. I guess I'm just not seeing what you're seeing.
 

Amanda

On another thread we are debating if cards can be wrong or give you wrong messages...

I find that book interpretation to be skewed in a very odd way. If an Oracle (or a tarot deck) is supposed to give you answers ... this is a non-answer! It's like that famous comment between Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson: 'I want the TRUTH!' - 'Truth? You can't HANDLE the Truth!' Works great in a movie but not so sure in a reading.

Yes, yes! That's exactly what it is, a non-answer!

Then again, by your reporting it, the cards meaning is: "Think carefully about what you wish for. You may be wiser to ... walk away empty-handed. The choice is yours." That is not quite the same as "Don't ask that, it will mess you up worse by knowing."

If you go to that link, you'll see that I interpreted it kind of like that. I didn't really know what else to say, because my mind was so rejecting the "sorry, can't help ya" aspect of this card. LOL

I may have over-exaggerated a teensy bit with the "Don't ask that, it will mess you up worse by knowing." But it's kind of implied, yes? All I know is I had a negative reaction to this card and took offense, like it made me feel that I should not be reading the future, and my sitter might think I was trying to cut her off without a sufficient/more helpful answer.

Have you ever felt misrepresented as a reader by the message of the cards?