Getting the Answers While Shuffling

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 27 Aug 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Elle	27 Aug 2003
Does anyone ever do what I do?(I'll explain): When I'm shuffling, I'll peek at the face of the cards I am cutting. I usually start making initial interpretations right then and there because they are often relevant to my question or what is on my mind at the moment. Sometimes I try not to peek because I would rather wait for the spread and I don't want to "ruin" it. Thoughts? Warmest, Elle

Astra	27 Aug 2003
It works, right? Sounds good to me. When I'm shuffling I tend to concentrate on shuffling, so unless my hand slips and a card flips out, I generally don't notice the break cards, but I've seen several other readers who do the same thing.

Chronata	27 Aug 2003
I usually look at the cards when I am shuffling, if only to make sure that they are all still upright. But I often ignore what I see.... ...unless I keep cutting to the same card! (which happens quite often!) Although I don't exactly include that card in the reading, I have been known to use that card to represent the focus of the reading.

Alissa	27 Aug 2003
If I see a card that I'm shuffling, and it feels like I'm "peeking" I purposefully sabotage the shuffle to keep from knowing what cards are where ... usually by either riffle shuffling, or the mess-em-up-in-a-big-pile shuffle, just to attempt to thoroughly remove my own bias from the reading. Example ... the other day I wanted to read for myself, and saw the Tower at the bottom of the deck while shuffling. Sure, I don't necessarily WANT the Tower showing up, but I neither did I want my opinion biasing the reading. So I messed it all up, so I wouldn't know where the Tower was any more.

WolfSpirit	30 Aug 2003
A few days ago when I was going to do my daily reading I just saw the ace of pentacles and thought: I would like that one showing up. And then it did - in the theme of the day position :D I had shuffled the deck thoroughly and pick my cards at random from somewhere in the deck so i had no idea I picked it. Sometimes I think of a card and it shows up in the spread, but not that often though.

oceanpoetry	30 Aug 2003
When I am shuffling, I don't pay attention to where the cards are in the deck, but if, while I am shuffling, a card falls out face up, then I will pull it out of the deck and use it for my reading.

Marion	30 Aug 2003
I do not do exactly what you describe, but very occasionaly I use a jumper as a 'guiding spirit' of that throw. I take the card and stand it up against a cup, or candle or whatever is there and it sort of overlooks the throw. I keep it in mind while I do the interpretation and I find it often a very important card to pulll things together.

catti	30 Aug 2003
I just got a journey to the orient deck, in the LWB a spread is described where the querent cuts the deck and you the reader look at the two cuts to get a feel of the emotional tone of the reading, then you put the deck back together and lay it out accordion style on the table allowing the querent to pick out 12 cards which you the reader place in position....this was for a specific spread but this method could be adopted for any spread I imagine. And also it would look impressive on a table with a nice level of interaction between querent and reader. Unfortunatly I have yet to find anyone to use it on as it doesnt transalate to internet readings.

Elle	30 Aug 2003
Catti: That method you just described was almost the exact method the reader used when I went for a personal reading a few weeks ago. I was unfamiliar with the deck she used, but right away asked me, "You are looking for your soulmate?" Which was true! I did not get a look at the card and was too intimidated to ask. But it was the top card from one pile; the second pile she read the top card as well, but I do not remember what she said about that one (I was very nervous). She only read the third pile, keeping the two "cut" piles off to the side. I definetly got the impression that those two cards from the two cut piles gave her an inkling into the reading, which she went on to do with the CC. Warmest, Elle

lawguy51	30 Aug 2003
I'm always interested in the cards that I drop while shuffling. I'll take a look at it or them then shove them back into the pile. They rarely show up in my throws. Otherwise, I keep my eye off the deck while shuffling. One thing I do do...after a reading I'll look at the card on the bottom for some added insight. A little trick I learned from Rachel Pollack this summer. Lawguy51

Shadow Wolf	01 Sep 2003
It's been my experience that any cards that attract your attention are trying to tell you something. I've had cards literally jump out of the deck at me, and I've also noticed cards while shuffling or cutting. It doesn't happen all the time, so if a particular card attracts my attention for longer that a few seconds, I pay attention to it. IMHO, I think sometimes the cards that we notice or that Jump out of the deck while we're shuffling sometimes tell us more than an acutal reading might !!!

The Getting the Answers While Shuffling thread was originally posted on 27 Aug 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.