Pulling cards from the deck

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 07 Jan 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

pozt	07 Jan 2003
I do past/present/future spreads and the books always tell us to cute the deck into three piles and draw from each pile. But I tend to prefer pulling the cards from one single pile instead. Is this ok?

wavebreaker	07 Jan 2003
Yes, why not? Whatever works best for you! ;)

Khatruman	07 Jan 2003
I'm with tarotlady in saying it's what works best for you. Please do not take books as gospel. You will find, as you get into reading these forums more, that there is much disagreement on procedures and even such things as reversals. I remember a book that dealt with the issue of how to determine a reversal: from the reader's point of view or the querent's. The book's answer was for the reader and querent at the time of the reading to agree on which was up or down. I know that I let tarot reading intimidate me for the longest time because I worried about correctness: Was I shuffling the cards right? Was I drawing them right? When I flip them over, do I flip top to bottom or turn it like Vanna White would turn a letter? These questions of correctness can go on forever. The amazing thing you will discover is that the tarot will get it right no matter how well or poorly you follow the book rules!!! There's the magic. Just concern yourself with following your gut instinct. Peace!

HudsonGray	07 Jan 2003
I've never used the 'pile' method or even 'cut' the cards, it's just shuffle & lay.

Eowyn	08 Jan 2003
Well, I own only 1 deck. So I dont like people go shuffling my deck around becouse I just dont like it. Is not something very "energetic", is more practical: I already have a pair of cards with some -I dont know how to say it in english- but something like scratches maybe, that are not of the aging process of shuffling paper cards exactly, but nails, you know what I mean? so I shuffle while I hear the querents problem and question, and then I ask him or her to deal out the cards I need. I have know tarotist who ask you to "feel" a lot the cards, to cut the decks I dont know how many times and in special ways, not to cross your legs and to use the left hand cos its near to your heart or to use the one you dont write with, ETC! ....But I have noticed that how much time the querents is in direct touch with your cards doesnt make any difference at the end. In fact, when "I" started shuffling the cards while hearing and talking with the querent, I started to get much more clear readings.

Diana	08 Jan 2003
You could also try fanning out your cards and choosing them that way. I always do it that way. I tried the "flip" method from a pile, but it doesn't work for me.

The Pulling cards from the deck thread was originally posted on 07 Jan 2003 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.