What do you actually do?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 29 Mar 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Aoife	29 Mar 2004
You're reading for another... In your own particular order, I presume you: - choose the deck - decide on the questions to be asked and/or spread to be used - shuffle the cards - lay out the cards I presume you then read the cards in relation to the questions asked and/or card positions. But what is it you then actually do? Do you have a particular style? And my most important question is..... What are you hoping to achieve?

Astraea	29 Mar 2004
Hi, Aiofe. I usually choose the deck and start shuffling, "floating" the issue or question in my mind (as opposed to focusing intensely on it) as I shuffle; then I lay out the cards, usually face-up so that I can see their relationships and get a feeling for how they interact. My goal is clarity and an understanding of the major themes behind the question or concern; if there is a definite answer to a question in the reading, it tends to leap out at one and insist on being noticed. That said, each reading is different, even if only in subtle ways -- so my basic procedure is flexible and tends to reflect the needs of the moment.

Aoife	29 Mar 2004
Thanks Astraea, What I'm particularly interested in, is what happens next? How do you convey what you want to convey to the querent? What do you hope to achieve? And how do you know you've achieved it?

Astraea	29 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Aoife What I'm particularly interested in, is what happens next? How do you convey what you want to convey to the querent? What do you hope to achieve? And how do you know you've achieved it? Oh, I see what you're getting at. In terms of conveying information to the querent, I look for a central message or theme within the reading (predominance or relative absence of suits/courts/numbers/majors/minors/cards that especially grab the eye). My words are couched in terms of "might, may, could, possibly," both because the querent usually completes the thought in more definitive terms, and in order to allow for error on my part and to convey the important idea that my reading of the cards is a personal interpretation. I want to create an environment that is confidential, warm and positive, and I choose words that create space for many levels of meaning, without being smarmy or wishy-washy where an answer seems clear. I try to present the information along with a series of choices, attitudes to adopt and/or possible courses of action, adding that the querent will probably come up with many more of his or her own. My goal is to speak what I see in the cards with clarity and sensitivity, knowing that words -- even ones spoken innocently and with the best of intentions -- can wound, especially because querents often seek readings at vulnerable moments in their lives. And I do not support dependence, striving instead to imbue the querent with a sense of self-sufficiency. When the querent needs help beyond the reading, and beyond my capacities, I have a referral list of psychologists and doctors to whom I refer him or her. We don't always know when we have succeeded in our aims, but in general I receive feedback in terms of language, demeanor, eye contact, facial expression, and body language reflecting resolve, resolution and relaxation.

sagitarian	29 Mar 2004
Glad you asked! I just got done writing a manual called "Developing your intuition" where I break down what I think Intuition is, and my explanation I feel, also helps develope the intuition. I believe your intuition is triggered by internal truths, and symbolism. Internal truths is what we feel to be true inside ourselves. For example, to one person snakes may be nasty and scary, and to another, they may be beautiful creatures or even a power animal. These two people would read the symbolism of a snake differently, while one would presume the snake would represent some kind of negative occurence whether it be poisonus friends, or "demon" like something in the querents life, the other person may see the snake as wisdom and courage. Internal truths has an external expression through symbolism. Symbolism is a noun representing another noun. So in our example above, there is a picture, and in this picture there is a snake, this snake then represents a noun taking place in that persons' life. Whether it be a friend, job, boss, relationship, child, etc. We already know the meanings of the symbols in the cards when we ask ourselves the question of "what does this symbol mean to me?". This is the essence of divination whether it be through tarot, scrying, palmistry, clairvoyance, clairaudience, etc. It's a matter of reading the symbols and relating these symbols into a message for the querent/client. Soo, symbolism is the key to contact the deeper aspect of ourselves in order to understand internal truths. Through understanding these internal truths, and defining these for ourselves, we then also define more about who we are, what we've been through and our life experiences. We can see where we have come from in a more defined detail prospect and see what we still have to learn, what hurdles we are currently facing, and then it's up to us of whether we want conflict or to understand. Conflict I believe is created when we refuse to accept something the way it is, normally caused by not understanding "what" is going on. An example of this is "I can't stand that person, why does s/he do those things, they make me so mad!" This is an emotional expression of anger (conflict) due to not understanding the person or situation involved. When we decide we want to understand and help clairfy things for others in some way of helping them, I believe is when we first have our desire to divinate for people, in order to help them understand their own life "better" in order to heal the past, find the courage to continue with the present, set goals for the future and the internal strength needed to make changes in the life where we see needs to be changed. We see all of this through symbolism, and through these symbols we truly sometimes feel our clients pain, and we better understand them, and try to give them advice that is realistic to their situation. I hope this wasn't too long winded! Great subject, like I said, I just finished writing a manual on it, and working on a tarot book, I plan on combining them together and publishing them together in a book. Only 56 more cards to decipher in detail...lol.

smokey	30 Mar 2004
Sagitarian, That was great! CAN'T wait to read your book when published, especially re: intuition/symbolism.

firemaiden	30 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Aoife But what is it you then actually do? [...] And my most important question is..... What are you hoping to achieve? Thought provoking question Aoife --in my short time of doing reading experiments ... I've noticed after the cards are laid out, I go through a few stages, like this: 1) waiting 2) receiving impressions -- listening 3) giving the impressions "voice" 4) noticing more questions 5) treasure hunt 6) simmer on low flame 7) stir, cook and serve. :) However - these "stages" can happen simultaneously, out of order to a degree, or not at all... 1 and 2) : Waiting and Receiving impressions: first I just "look" at the cards all together. I look and wait to see what strikes me as unsual, for example: coincidences of images that mirror eachother, or somehow participate with eachother, or linguistic constructs, especially puns. Then I might spend some time with each individual card, looking at it and just "waiting" --- something I learned from the abstract images in the Margarete Peterson tarot -- that if I just look and "wait" for a while, eventually, I will begin to see something concrete in the abstract image. When the image is not abstract it works too -- there are always little hidden things one doesn't see until staring at the picture for a long time. Call it a period of receiving impressions, or call it "scrying". 3) "Giving them voice": I start putting what I see in the card into words, "giving them voice" as Umbrae teaches, and usually find that the act of "giving it voice" tends to make the card suddenly seem alive, and ideas start to flow out from god knows where. 4) Notice questions: In the process of mining these little pockets of insight triggered by the cards, questions arise - usually vague references to something -- that I want to look up -- what was that thing about Ishtar going into Hell? -- so I look up Ishtar. What is that plant that this severed head looks like - a mandrake? what's a mandrake exactly... so I look up mandrake. 5) treasure hunt: In the process of doing research, I begin to notice a cluster of coincidences, that things seem to be related to eachother in odd ways -- why do Tulips come up when I look up "queen of the night" and what does a tulip have to do with the concept of "descent into hell"??? Following the cluster of coincidences is like a treasure hunt. Sometimes it is a wild goose chase, but sometimes it is a fascinating unfolding. 6) simmer on low flame: It usually takes me a long time to put all the ideas together. They need to stew for a while, before I can make sense of it all... 7) stir, cook and serve.: Write, write, write...the process is sometimes arduous, but it is only in this stage of putting it all together that the importance of all the little details and coincidences, and how they color the reading finally come to light. however, perhaps more important than the cards pulled, or their interpretation, is an examination of the Querant's question, and the questions surrounding the question!! What are they really asking? what are the deeper, more existential questions, underneath this question? If I do this, there is a sense in which the reading happens, long before the cards are ever laid out! What am I hoping to achieve? Ah... entertainment, enlightenment, fascination, healing, a visit to a strange new world, and as Umbrae says, to "touch the mystery"....

ros	30 Mar 2004
I try to find the one little piece of info that will put light on the situation that we can find our own answers to our questions. For me a reading is trying to get that last puzzle piece so we can move on to the next puzzle. Cracking open the door of darkness to see the sunlight. Also firemaidens post is great!

DewDrop	31 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by sagitarian Glad you asked! I just got done writing a manual called "Developing your intuition" where I break down what I think Intuition is, and my explanation I feel, also helps develope the intuition. I believe your intuition is triggered by internal truths, and symbolism. Internal truths is what we feel to be true inside ourselves. For example, to one person snakes may be nasty and scary, and to another, they may be beautiful creatures or even a power animal. These two people would read the symbolism of a snake differently, while one would presume the snake would represent some kind of negative occurence whether it be poisonus friends, or "demon" like something in the querents life, the other person may see the snake as wisdom and courage. Internal truths has an external expression through symbolism. Symbolism is a noun representing another noun. So in our example above, there is a picture, and in this picture there is a snake, this snake then represents a noun taking place in that persons' life. Whether it be a friend, job, boss, relationship, child, etc. We already know the meanings of the symbols in the cards when we ask ourselves the question of "what does this symbol mean to me?". Sagitarian: Do not forget that even if the "snake" means one thing for one person and something else for another, the matter is also the time and space in witch the cards are handed out. Where the snake would appear for one reader, an other card would appear for another, depending on the symbolism "of" the reader; but the interpretation, and the messages to the Querent would still be the same. These two persons will get the "snake" in very different situations depending on the Querents guestions.

sagitarian	01 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Ellie79 Sagitarian: Do not forget that even if the "snake" means one thing for one person and something else for another, the matter is also the time and space in witch the cards are handed out. Where the snake would appear for one reader, an other card would appear for another, depending on the symbolism "of" the reader; but the interpretation, and the messages to the Querent would still be the same. These two persons will get the "snake" in very different situations depending on the Querents guestions. Exactly! But these symbols that relate to our internal truths can not be defined by books. Books can lead us out of blocks, and give us a perspective to start from, but I've found too many students that think just because a book said something other then what they felt inside, they disregarded how they felt and think they can not read tarot. All because their intuition didn't tell them what a books said it means, and this isn't right. So i teach students how to read intuitively, and to use the books in conjunction with their intuition, not as a block. It's easy to get dependent on the book to search for what the cards mean, it's not that i'm against tarot books, but i am against depending on books for definitions. You don't learn what love is by looking up the definition, you learn it by feeling it, experiencing it, same with the tarot. Experience them, feel them out for yourself, turn to the book when you are blocked but try to work through the block first. In my book I have excercises a person can do in order to work through these blocks.

DewDrop	02 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by sagitarian In my book I have excercises a person can do in order to work through these blocks. Thats so cool :) I myself have a hard time to learn the cards one by one becase the books i have are telling very different stories of each card. But u realy gave me a clue that was there all along, i just didnt se it; i have to feel the cards by my self and apply only simple keywords as startpoints just showing the way, is that right? Do u have an exercise to share, that u think would help me in this matter?

The What do you actually do? thread was originally posted on 29 Mar 2004 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.