Reading for others: Spread follows question?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 04 Apr 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Hermina	04 Apr 2005
Hi! This is Hermina, I am transitioning into reading for others and there are some problems I keep running into. 1. Do I ask the querent what his question was, then choose the spread? or 2. Do I pre-determine a spread regardless of the question? 3. Can I do an accurate spread without asking the question at all? 4. Do I lay out the spread towards me or towards the querent? So far I have been doing a pre-determined spread. But I realize you can gain more info if the spread is customized for the question. When is the appropriate time to ask them their question? (Before or after they shuffle) Some people don't want to tell me their questions... and the answers I give have to be very vague. This gets frustrating for both of us. I look forward to your answers! Thanks for your help! -Hermina

Silverkitten	04 Apr 2005
Hermina, I was just coming over to ask a very similar question; How do you know what spread to use after they ask a question? I will be very interested to see what repsonses you get to your post. Will be checking in here often. Blessings, Donna

muteswan	04 Apr 2005
I enjoy "collecting" different spreads, and on my own I'll do them as they're written. With someone asking a question, however, I just take inspiration from the forms and the places in spreads to tailor to the question, as close to what I can remember with a good balance. More specific questions need it, depending on the nature of the question. Most people come to me about relationships, so I have the Motives of Another spread or any of the various relationship ones, to supplement a general Celtic Cross. Generally, unless someone's come to me in the past, they won't have a specific question at first, but after a general one, will develop one.

magpie9	05 Apr 2005
I think it's best to choose the spread after you know the question, or at least what kind of question it is. By that I mean, does it relate to love or money or career or what, and/or what kind of information they're looking for. Do they have a problem to solve? Or do they just want to know what's really going on? Do they have a choice to make? Once you have a little foundation knowledge, as above, it becomes simple to give them a more detailed, exact and to the point reading. I have noticed that shy people quite often will ask for a general reading when they have something very specific in mind. Once you see what it is, and mention it, they usually relax and become more open. Also, you can start out with a very few card "What Matters, what Dosn't" quickie reading to establish what they actually want to know about, and then segwae into that topic. Hope this helps. I think you'll find that they're a lot of ways to skin that cat. ;)

Keslynn	05 Apr 2005
I ask the querent if they have a specific question while I'm shuffling the cards. If it's a general reading or they don't really have a question (which is most often how they'll say it) I will most likely do a Celtic Cross. I also have specific spreads for relationship and choice situations. However, sometimes I also get the intuitive hit that it would be better to custom design a spread for someone. This has happened twice in recent memory and it worked out wonderfully. So I would say you should have a pre-set group of spreads that you feel comfortable using for certain kinds of questions, but don't be afraid to explore and experiment. Querents are usually very open to having a spread be custom-made for them. As for whether you can have an accurate spread without a question: yes, I think so. In that case, the reading will show the most important influences in the person's life right now. Also, as magpie pointed out, many people will have a question that they're too shy to ask. Often, the general spread I use (CC) will pick up on that anyway. I personally lay out the spread towards me so I can see what's going on. However, in the course of the reading, I will often turn cards over so that I can point out certain details to the querent. It's really up to you how to do it. I would feel uncomfortable reading the cards totally upside down. :) Kes

Breathhh	05 Apr 2005
My reading processs... For me i think it's best to get to a question that speaks to the seekers intention before I decide on a spread. I like having something specific to direct into the cards. I feel that a better reading happens with specifics and clarity in a question. Some times it takes a few stabs at lots of questions to get to what really is important to the seeker right now. I find some people reallly know what they are searching for and don't have a formulated question, or they are nosing around with what I might beable to tell them without wanting to share anything that is of significance for them..There is Always something significant happening in peoples lives..IMO good bad ugly.. A method I use to discover what the seeker is looking to understand, or be nosey about within a reading is.. I take some notes on the coversation I'm having with them. i.e What is going on around you that seems significant? HOw are you feeling/thinking/seeing the world around you? What brought you to this moment of sitting here with me? One question can lead to lots of other possible questions. I look for the different themes within the answers that the seeker says to me. gives me info on what is important. usually sooner than later I get sense of a theme that is generated from our conversation and questioning. I check in with them on a couple of questions that seem like they would work for this reading. then i consider the spread. I tend to make a spread up according to what the question entails. I do draw on traditional spread concepts often for my spreads. I try to keep it simple. Cause it often isn't feeling simple for the seeker. I lay the Cards before the Seeker. I ask them what they see/feel/think/sense when they think of their question and look at allll those cards. I find it important to invite the seeker into the reading, tho' often they are not comfortable with that. I let the seeker and the cards lead me to the unfolding of the reading. Thanks for asking... hoped that inspired you to find what works for you. peace breathhh

Elven	05 Apr 2005
Hi Hermina, I agree with muteswan and magpie9, these are great things to consider to help your readings flow from the begining, as every client, reading and question are different its good to have a range of approaches. I was wondering if you are reading for people you know and who maybe aware that you are reading for others for the first time, or are these paying clients? You maybe able to give yourself a bit of leadway and time if you can explain where you're at with your reading skills as well. I just thought I would add a bit here anyway so ... your questions: 1. Do I ask the querent what his question was, then choose the spread? or 2. Do I pre-determine a spread regardless of the question? Always found it a bit easier to no have preconcieved ideas about exactly how the reading should go except to say that I have practised 3 spreads I find work really well for me over and over until I know them inside and out. The Celtic Cross is one of them. This leaves me with the confidence to know that the cards will reveal and I will interpret to the best of my ability with this spread regardless whether there is a question or not. I personally like to choose a spread to suit the question though, and there are plenty to choose from in the Tarot spread section. I have one good spread for each up my sleeve - Personal, Relationship and Career. 3. Can I do an accurate spread without asking the question at all? Accurate yes, but it may lead you to at first trying to work out what the question might be about instead of reading the spread for what it is. You may doubt whether you're answering the clients question. IMHO I think the cards answer the unspoken question quite clearly, but its the capacity and the confidence of the interpreter that also has a bearing on this. Be relaxed and just say what the cards are telling you in this situation! 4. Do I lay out the spread towards me or towards the querent? I ususally lay the cards out facing me, otherwise my kneck hurts. (LOL). This is such a broad topic and there are plenty of other threads that relate to this question that I've seen around lately too. Im not sure how to connect these threads to here but Im sure others that post will put some up to help you. I hope this has helped a bit. Happy reading .. Elven x

Umbrae	05 Apr 2005
So…why do you read for others? The answers to your thesis question will be buried in your answers to that one. When you first begin reading for others, face to face…seriously…start with three card spreads. Reading for others has virtually nothing to do with card meanings and spreads. It’s all about the rapport you build. Reading for others ain’t about you – it is about the sitter…and they don’t care about the spread. It could look like a martini glass with an olive or Notre Dame de Paris, or the “Diable de Petit Chien Adorable.” A ten kard keltic kross will give you 10 cards to deal with. 10 cards to build and carry rapport through…if you have trouble with 3 – adding 7 ain’t gonna help. So, start with 3 cards. Build up to 5, then 7, and then if you feel up to it you can graduate to 10. You may not want to ask “A question” when you first start reading. More important is to learn where the cards take you (not where you want to take the cards). Remember – reading for others is about rapport…conversation…communication…not about any ding dang tarot cards.

Kaylee Marie	05 Apr 2005
There have been many great pieces of advice so far! Having a few tried-and-true spreads is great, but a bit limiting. I have had great success lately in starting with a very simple spread and adding onto it as the cards generated more questions. I don't know about you, but I learn best by example, so here's a spread I did this morning. I used the Bright Idea Deck, but will include the RWS counterpart in parens where I remember them (the deck isn't with me now, making this rather difficult). This example has me as both reader and querant, but I've also used this technique with other querents... one lady told me it's the best reading she's ever had! (blush blush) Started with basic 3-card past-present-future, asking about the status of my grant project at work (background info: our contract is up for renewal, but management has been grumbling and I get the feeling they don't want to renew). The future card was Debate. The future of my project is still up for debate among senior managers. Doesn't exactly have the definitive yes/no my job is (is not) safe meaning I was looking for. What will be the outcome of the debate? I drew a fourth card: Yellow Doing: Illumination (Knight of Swords). Whether I see the outcome as positive or negative depends on how I look at things. Also not as helpful as I had hoped. Okay, so what is my role in all this? How will things turn out for me? (that's what I really want to know, after all) I drew a 5th card: Assumptions. The outcome for me depends on my assumptions of the situation. Great, I thought, another card that doesn't make a specific prediction -- things could go either way. So I drew two more cards -- one for my positive assumptions, one for negative. Card 7 is my positive assumptions: Blue 2: Union (2 of Cups); card 8 is my negative assumptions: Red 5: Conflict (5 of Wands). Boy did this hit the nail on the head. Everybody could either come together, renew the contract and live happily ever after, or else we'll all bicker and go our separate ways. Okay, so two likely scenarios -- which one is true/more likely to happen?? I drew my 8th and final card: Passage (Death). The contract will not be renewed. But as the other cards pointed out, I don't have to take this as a bad thing -- it is really an opportunity for my career to grow/be rebirthed. I've been stagnating here too long and have been wanting to leave anyway. Here's what the final spread looked like: .......8 ....6...7 .......5 1...2...3...4 I didn't have this spread in mind when I started. I could have stopped the reading at cards 3, 4, or 5, but questions kept coming, so I kept reading more cards. So my advice after this long, chatty message? Start with something simple that is at least somewhat related to the question, then add on if further questions come up during the reading. Be specific with your questions, and try to refrain from yes/no phrasing. Be creative, and shape the spread however you like. Hope this helps! Now to go work on that resume... Cheers, Kaylee

Reed	05 Apr 2005
Hi Muteswan, Could you describe the Motives of Another spread? Thanks, Reed

Elizabeth Genco	05 Apr 2005
magpie9 wrote: Also, you can start out with a very few card "What Matters, what Dosn't" quickie reading to establish what they actually want to know about, and then segwae into that topic. Ah, that's a good idea. I find that it's always better to have the querent form a coherent question, but sometimes they have a hard time with that. I usually work with them to come up with an appropriate question when I sense that they're having difficulty. Can you give us an example of a "What Matters, What Doesn't" spread? I could come up with one on my own, I'm sure, but I'm curious to hear what you use. Thanks!

muteswan	05 Apr 2005
Reed wrote: Hi Muteswan, Could you describe the Motives of Another spread? Thanks, Reed Certainly. :) I posted this for someone yesterday, but I can't remember where, so I'll briefly put it here. :Motives of Another: 1 2 3 4 .5 6 7 1: querent's situation 2: other's situation 3: other's motives 4: other's methods 5: the way forward 6: querent's choices 7: outcome I love this spread, and when I use it, it often branches into more detailed readings on various elements, and often is the spread that gets me the "oh thank you for helping me make the decision, I did the right thing" sort of comments in days and weeks after. :)

Hermina	05 Apr 2005
Thanks everyone! Your replies have been VERY helpful. I have a lot of information to go on now. I've learned that there is no 'right' way. I have to do what I feel most comfortable and confident with. For now, I will start with a basic 3 card spread. I like Kaylee Marie's idea of adding more cards to the reading if more info is desired. That way the spread inevitably becomes 'customized' for the querent. As I become more comfortable, I will choose spreads for the question. Possibly 5 cards, as well as adding more cards to the reading if necessary. With regards to having the querent tell me their question: I will talk to them before the reading and try to get a feel for what they want to know, as Breathhh suggested. That way if they don't want to tell me their question, I can still get a feel for what they may be dealing with. I can also reiterate a good saying 'vague questions beget vague answers!' But I also agree with some replies that an accurate reading can be done without knowing the question. I have to go from what I feel the cards are saying. As for laying out the spread: I have decided towards me is best. A friend told me she layed out her spreads sideways so she and the querent could both see. But I've been having a hard time as it also hurts my neck, Elven! I like to have the querent shuffle the cards first so the deck can respond to their energies. Then I'll shuffle once myself and cut the deck. Any other suggestions for shuffling? Keep the replies coming... they are so helpful! Thanks, -Hermina

Reed	05 Apr 2005
Thanks again! I'll give it a try tonight. Reed

magpie9	06 Apr 2005
Elizabeth Genco wrote: Can you give us an example of a "What Matters, What Doesn't" spread? I could come up with one on my own, I'm sure, but I'm curious to hear what you use. Thanks! Actually, “what matters, what doesn’t isn’t a formal layout. What’s consistent about it is I shuffle and drop the cards in a number of small stacks, and read the top card and (usually) the bottom card of each stack. It’s not a deep probing reading, just once over lightly, quick impressions. Where it gets tricky is deciding what each stack stands for—I do this before shuffling. Some ways I’ve done it: 4- for the four elements X-for a list the client and I come up with (Love, Money , family, Health, work, school, career, etc.) It pops pretty clearly which topics are of most importance right now. Then I lay out a card or 3 on that initial card and slide into a reading, usually not with a definite spread. Sometimes at this point the client can come up with a definite question. Now that I think about it, most of my readings are without formal spreads. I do use them for extremely detailed and specific questions, and when I’m feeling a little insecure. When I use spreads, they are usually very small and simple spreads, maybe 3-6 cards. But I will use several of them in a reading, as I go for more detail and choices and information.

The Reading for others: Spread follows question? thread was originally posted on 04 Apr 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.