Working with a new deck

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 05 Oct 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Red Emma	05 Oct 2003
Quite a while back a couple of people posted their methods of beginning to work with a new deck. My particular interest is in the initial questions they asked the deck....which, of course, I can't remember. Something like, "What will I learn from you." But that's the only one which lingers in my brain. If it's even one of them. All suggestions gratefully accepted. Goddess Bless.

Astraea	05 Oct 2003
Hi, Red Emma. This might be one of the threads you're thinking of -- hope it helps! http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3869

Red Emma	06 Oct 2003
Thanks, Astrea, it was indeed. Now I have an additional question. Since I only read for myself, mostly, I just shuffle, lay out a 3-card spread left to right and read them. I never have understood the way people picture lay-outs as in this one: ---- 3 ---- 1 ---- 2 Would you lay out the first card you draw (after shuffling appropriately) in the middle on the top row. Then lay out the second card on the left margin, then a space (----) then the third card on the right margin? When you read them, read the left margin (1) as the first card, the right margin (2) as the second card, and the top card (3) as the third? If that's true, ---- actually the whole concept of the layout pictured confuses the hell out of me. Help!!!!!!! Red Emma

Astraea	06 Oct 2003
I only read for myself, friends and family, and almost never draw more than five cards -- usually, I limit myself to three. I shuffle and either draw the cards off the top, laying them left-to-right (and reading them in that order/direction), or cut the deck three times and draw the first card off each stack. I can understand the logic of laying down the middle card (the archetypal "present" position, in a past-present-future spread), with the second ("past") to its left and the third ("future") to its right, but in practice that isn't how I do it. Everyone finds his or her own method that works best, and it will be interesting to hear how others approach the issue.

Dark_angel	06 Oct 2003
Hi, just thought I'd say how I do it. With 3 card spreads like Past, Present, Future, I always start with the past and work forward - how can a person truly know their present if they don't know where they came from? The past shapes a person, helps to make them who they are. I think my favourite spread is probably the 4 card one that everyone learns, but I also like relationship spreads, decision spreads, and of course, 3 card spreads. However, I just can't get along with the Celtic Cross - too many cards; my poor brain gets swamped with information!

Red Emma	07 Oct 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Dark_angel Hi, just thought I'd say how I do it. I think my favourite spread is probably the 4 card one that everyone learns, I missed that lesson. What is the four card spread? Goddess Bless

Dark_angel	07 Oct 2003
Well, I read about it in the LWB for my first ever deck; the Adrian tarot. There are several variations in which card represents which, but the way I do it is: 1 2 3 4 1. The present situation 2. What you should avoid doing 3. What you should try to do 4. The current probable outcome I tend to use it for specific questions, eg. Why am I having difficulty at work at the moment?. It seems to give good answers, so you'll find it crops up a lot in my readings! xxx

Hedera	07 Oct 2003
Never heard of it - looks good! :)

The Working with a new deck thread was originally posted on 05 Oct 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.