Asking for Decks and Card Names

On this forum, I have seen that after a reading has been given in "Reading Exchange" that some will ask what deck was used and which cards were pulled.

I find this curious as one point of getting a reading from someone else is to get that objectivity but if you know the deck and cards, then it seems like analysis (or over-analysis) will occur. Is this being asked for re-interpretation reasons?

One thought I had as to why this occurs, and I have only seen it at Aeclectic, is that some want to learn from others and therefore they are curious as to how you came to that interpretation so they may or may not use it in their readings.

There's also the practice of saying what cards where picked when the reading is given. I don't understand that much either.

Yes, I'm clueless here and I'm not sure if my thinking is far removed from reality so ask you: Why?

Perhaps this is partly as a consequence of the manner in which the Forum itself has developed. The 'Reading Exchange' arose out of the growth of the 'Your Readings' Forum, in which what is really (or what was, in any case) a Forum that described a specific spread, proposed and invited feedback for interpretation.

The 'Reading Exchange' is thus in some manner more than providing a reading, but also allows for a spread (or individual cards) to be seen, and thus permits ways to see how various cards and spreads may be read by others.

This does not mean that the offered reading is an analysis of the cards at hand, but rather that the narrative is a reflection of the cards-at-hand for the reader concerned given the reading-in-the-moment for the specific person involved.

Ideally, from my perspective, it therefore provides a way to see that spreads do have ways of being read other than the card-by-card analysis some prefer.

I think it's because AT is a learning arena, where we learn from each other primarily. Otherwise it might turn into more of a place to get free readings. By asking the deck and the cards drawn, we're able to learn from others, as you had guessed. And it's also a means for a lot of us to "follow along" as people might if someone were doing readings out of a book and members of an audience wanted to follow along. I don't think it was ever intended that anyone would just get readings done without there being some element of learning on the parts of both reader and "readee". At least that's my take on it.

Well, a thought

abella said:

On this forum, I have seen that after a reading has been given in "Reading Exchange" that some will ask what deck was used and which cards were pulled.

I find this curious as one point of getting a reading from someone else is to get that objectivity but if you know the deck and cards, then it seems like analysis (or over-analysis) will occur. Is this being asked for re-interpretation reasons?

One thought I had as to why this occurs, and I have only seen it at Aeclectic, is that some want to learn from others and therefore they are curious as to how you came to that interpretation so they may or may not use it in their readings.

There's also the practice of saying what cards where picked when the reading is given. I don't understand that much either.

Yes, I'm clueless here and I'm not sure if my thinking is far removed from reality so ask you: Why?

Click to expand...

Well, I must plead guilty.

But think this might provide an explanation:

Lyric said:

I think it's because AT is a learning arena, where we learn from each other primarily. Otherwise it might turn into more of a place to get free readings. By asking the deck and the cards drawn, we're able to learn from others, as you had guessed. And it's also a means for a lot of us to "follow along" as people might if someone were doing readings out of a book and members of an audience wanted to follow along. I don't think it was ever intended that anyone would just get readings done without there being some element of learning on the parts of both reader and "readee".

Click to expand...

Sorry I'm not contributing much beyond coupling these two quotes, but I do think they are worth thinking about. Most of us here are trying to learn.

~ Talisman

I think there are a number of people who'll take their own decks and lay out the same cards to physically look at the reading in front of them, as a learning experience, seeing where the original reader is starting out & trying to see how they got to what they said about the meanings.

Also, some decks have different pictures, so using the Tarot of the Animal Lords, for instance, won't have the same 'twist' on a reading as using a RWS.

Sometimes certain decks are picked for certain types of readings. A reader may have better luck or understanding with 'love' readings when they use a particular deck, but for no nonsense hard truths would reach for a different deck, so would have to wait to see what kind of question is asked before saying which deck will be used in the reading. OR the person wanting the reading may do a request where they want it done with a particular deck (more rare, but it happens).

I list the cards just in case they want to know. Why they want to know perhaps varies.

For me when receiving a reading I would rather know what the cards were. Not to second guess the meanings, but rather to fill some of the blanks in the usual tarot interation, that are created by it being an online situation. Maybe I'm just nosey, but it makes the experience more relatable. Getting advice on something important to me, with no reference to anything in the real world (no cards, no face, no voice etc...) is too cold and barren for my liking.

Its the same reason I am excessively fond of smilies in my posts ya know

I think too think Lyric summed up why why the 'Reading Echange' functions like it does. AT started off as a place where you could learn and study tarot and it has expanded in the last few years to cover other topics too but it really still hasn't moved that far from its roots and its still a place of learning. Maybe this is why Aeclectic Tarot is the biggest and best

In the 'Reading Exchange there are no free readings, for every reading offered its either for an exchange or feedback. The deck and spread used are given in the reading and help in getting another persons view on card interpretations.

I too have been to other tarot forums where readings are just that a reading, no deck given or card positions in the spread, just a pure reading - and for me being a tarot student, it isn't enough.

To me, it seems a bit strange to receive a reading on AT without the cards and their positions... that is, as everyone has very aptly put it, because we are all on the journey to learn tarot...
My take on this is that if I get a reading done, I will look at the cards drawn by the reader and then co-relate his/her interpretation of the cards, with what i would have used as interpretations... this is NOT to check up on the reader, but instead, to maybe see/learn alternate interps that i may / may not have known about...
there are so many ways to read a card and we learn so so so much more when we see / learn how others have interpreted a card / a reading...

All cards, spreads, and decks should be listed in every exchange in Reading Exchange, as it is a learning forum.

This question has never come up before abella.
But I thank you for it because it's something that needs to be tweeked in the guidelines at the top of the forum.
I'll take care of that this week.

I have nothing else to add to what's already been said.
Excellent answers all.

lark
Moderator Reading Exchange

abella said:

...There's also the practice of saying what cards where picked when the reading is given. I don't understand that much either....

Click to expand...

I'm not sure about anyone else, but I include what cards for what position because that is how i do readings even when the person is sitting in front of me. I tend to explain what each card means individually then summarise at the end.

Other than that I totally agree with whats been said about the learning part of it.