Successful Question Wording

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 26 Feb 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

FaeryGodmother	26 Feb 2005
I'm curious as to exactly how everybody words their questions. Do you think the exact wording of a question is important or is it enough just to know what the intent is? What is the best type of question in your experience? ie how..., what..., why..., who..., should..., other? FGM

Imagemaker	26 Feb 2005
I think the wording is important. If you include too many options in a question, it's harder to tell which thing the spread is responding to. Like: "should I move to Vegas and become a showgirl or stay in Toledo and run for governor?" And you draw a King of Wands--what's that mean? Which option, or does it mean move to Vegas and run for governor? I try not to give the tarot any wiggle room. I need clear answers! I also think that any choice offers possible valuable rewards and maybe scary challenges. So I ask "what are the prospects for . . ." a situation or choice or problem. And see what the general mood of the spread is, positive, warning, energized, loving, filled with strife . . . only if my question was clear can I expect to get a clear response. Maybe I should be a showgirl in Toledo . . .

mnemosyne7	26 Feb 2005
The best questions for me are usually more open-ended, and I tend to get more insight if I break my queries down into smaller readings. About ten years ago, faced with two job possibilities, instead of asking which job I should take, I did two readings: 1) If I take the job at the newspaper, what will my life be like in 6 months to a year? 2) If I take the job with the attorneys, what will my life be like in 6 months to a year? Both readings were very informative, and I didn't have to guess which job the cards were talking about, since I had done two separate readings. The rest of the story is that I did a third reading that night. 3) Is there a job out there that I could be very good at - something important - that I'm not paying attention to right now? I was going to do a Celtic Cross, but I never did finish the reading, because the first card I pulled was the one I pulled the day my son was born, the second card was the Empress, and the next four cards were all four Mothers (Queens) in my deck. I stopped right there, thanked whoever was listening, drove home and kissed my baby. Honestly, I've learned not to ask the cards what I should do - free will and all that. But I will ask for the most probable outcome for a specific action. Most days I don't ask any question. I just say, "Great Grandma, tell me a story." I never met her, but she read cards and was a medium, and whether she's over my shoulder or just in my DNA, she's one of the best guides I've got, so I pretty much leave things up to her. And, Faery Godmother, since you opened this thread, what questions work best for you? Mnem

FaeryGodmother	27 Feb 2005
Personally I think the wording of the question can be vital to the reading, but not in all cases. Like Imagemaker I try not to give the cards to much wiggle room when theres something in particular I want to know. In my experience with sitters, I have found it best to clearly define the question with them. I'm not as confident with my readings if I don't know exactly what it is the sitter wants to know about. For decisions I like the wording "What is the most likely outcome if I choose option A or option B". My most common question is "What do I need to know about....?" So most of my questions are "what" sort of questions. I think the hows, whys, shoulds and whos can be dealt with as part of the spread but for the overall question, "What...." works best for me. But thats just me. I am hoping to be able to expand my ideas about the nature of the Question and its relative importance in Tarot, hence this thread. :) On a side note, I'm least successful with yes/no type questions. But I'm under the impression that thats the case with most of us. Is that true? FGM

tarotbear	27 Feb 2005
First of all - there are spreads for questions with multiple answers. There is a Horseshoe spread where one side answers 'what if I stay?' and the other side answers 'what if i go?' However - back to the question: Bad: Will I ever have a million dollars? Better: In two years can I save enough money for a downpayment on a house? Bad: Will I ever get married? Better:Will I be able to find a stable, workable relationship? Bad; Why can't I get a raise? Better: Is there some way I can improve my job skills? The worst type of all - the run-on question: When will I get married and what will he look like and how many kids will we have and what are their names and will we have a big house with a picket fence and a dog and am I getting any sex this weekend? The more specific your question is, (and the shorter) the better your answer will be.

contradiction	27 Feb 2005
i use a combination of everything that has been discussed already. depending on the question being asked. i avoid yes no questions, breaking them down into what happens if...(i go, or i don't go, i ask her out, i don't ask her out). i only have one outcome to a question, (vegas, or toledo, btw you should see me in a feather boa). if it is a situation, that i am completely confused or don't know how to ask the question properly, i will just ask, "tell me what you want me to know about the relationship (the job, move, date).

Fudugazi	27 Feb 2005
tarotbear wrote: When will I get married and what will he look like and how many kids will we have and what are their names and will we have a big house with a picket fence and a dog and am I getting any sex this weekend? The more specific your question is, (and the shorter) the better your answer will be. I'll settle for the last part of the question. (answer: High Priestess. Guess not).

temperlyne	27 Feb 2005
A lot of times I don't even put the question to words. For me it works best if I visualize the situation, try to really feel it. So to me the intent definately outweighs the wording.

ankita	28 Feb 2005
well i think it is very imp how u ask the question.although i m not very experienced but sometimes tarot just dont give the clear answer because the question wasnt phrased properly.and also i dont feel satisfied unless the querent phrase it properly..but sometimes when i dont ask any questions,taot actually tell me what i need to know in the present situation

ankita	28 Feb 2005
well i think it is very imp how u ask the question.although i m not very experienced but sometimes tarot just dont give the clear answer because the question wasnt phrased properly.and also i dont feel satisfied unless the querent phrase it properly..but sometimes when i dont ask any questions,taot actually tell me what i need to know in the present situation

Silverkitten	28 Feb 2005
This has been a great thread for me. As a beginner, it has given me much insight as to the varied ways that others use the tarot. I very much like the idea of the "what do I need to know/learn, from this situation?" question. That one seems to sit well im my spirit. I have tried many of the yes/no questions as they are a part of the classes I'm taking and I really do not like the way that they feel or the way the cards read from them. Just some input from my beginner heart. Blessings, Donna

The Successful Question Wording thread was originally posted on 26 Feb 2005 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.