do you ask the question as you pull the card?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 17 Dec 2001, and now archived in the Forum Library.

quan_yin	17 Dec 2001
Hi, Oftentimes, I know what I want to ask the cards, and then I decide on the spread. I am wondering if it makes any difference to ask the specific card-position question as you pull the card. For example, if I'm about to pull the "final outcome" card, or the 10th card of CC, I have started asking, "OK,please tell me the final outcome of this situation." If it is the near future, I ask, "Please tell me the near future of what will happen." I don't turn the card over until I'm done pulling all 10. Does this matter? Vs. keeping your mind only focused on the general question, pulling all 10 cards first, and then looking at the spread? I feel like sometimes this helps me focus each specific card request of a spread, but I am afraid I might contaminate the original "overall" question I'm asking. Thanks.

Ivy Rhiannon	02 Jul 2004
um...neat idea! I never thought to ask that. Well if it helps you focus keep it up. I do the celtic cross spread, but i never use the positions as this means "the outcome", ect. I just read.

Sillanza	02 Jul 2004
I don't think I ever do that. About the only time I think about what I need the card to represent is when I'm pulling extra cards to clarify the meaning of other cards already in the spread.

lunalafey	02 Jul 2004
Sometimes I read without a question at all.... Asking each card invividualy within the spread is something I have never thought of. I have been reading for many years and have never done it that way. So the answer from me would be, no, it doesn't matter. I like the idea of asking cards individual questions about the over all issue, is like ten mini readings in one big reading.

ros	04 Jul 2004
I also read for myself with no question. Often my clients will have their cards picked and I'll ask them if they have a question and they don't. I just tell them the spread is a message for them or a doorway to help them see what is going on. I feel that the answer or the awareness that you need is in the cards so it doesn't matter if it is asked before, after or not at all.

lionette	04 Jul 2004
I sometimes think of each position as I pull the cards, but don't focus as directly as you've described. There are 2 ways I usually do readings: an direct question for the entire spread or for a daily spread it's no question. In both cases I've thought about the position while pulling the card. Realized recently that my better readings come in situations when I pull w/o thinking about position. The flow between cards in direct relation to my question seems more pronounced then. It's as if the extra thoughts become clutter.

etal	04 Jul 2004
I'm not sure whose book I learned this practice from, but when I'm laying out the CC over the Significator, I say out loud, "This covers him/her, This crosses h.., This is beneath h.., This is behind h.., This crowns h.., This is before h..," and for the "staff" on the right, "his/her Self, h.. Family, h.. Hopes and Fears, h.. Outcome. Lately I've begun to switch from the 3rd person and use you/your instead. At first I did this because it was the only way I knew how, but I keep it up because I find that the words impart a stately rhythym to the spread and give it a ritual feel that quiets me down a bit and gathers my scattered thoughts—perhaps my querent's too. I don't do much else to create a meditative space—no cloth, candles, incense—so the shuffling and the words and the movement of hand on card are about all that I have to summon up some focus and impart a specialness to the reading. etal

tao51	06 Jul 2004
that whatever works for you--go for it. I like to lay the last four cards face down if the querent is present. This helps them focus on the question as it unfolds. This makes sense. I do like your idea. It may be worth a try.--Tao

purple_scorp	10 Jul 2004
Hello quan_yin, Yes, I do what you say. I usually fan the cards out and focus on the position meaning. So I say aloud, the question relating to that position. For example, I would say, "so what is it that I am unaware of?" Then I run my hand along the cards and one just jumps up at me saying, pick me....pick me. Cheers purple_scorp

Ace	10 Jul 2004
I kind of like your idea Quan Yin. Focusing on a question to figure out which spread to use is very smart, IMHO. Just out of laziness, I may use the Cc then I sometimes wander off the original question, the whole point of pulling the cards at all. When people ask me for "general" or "the future" (which I explain is impossible to read since it hasn't happened yet), I sometimes pull a card or have them pull a card to see what the question is. I don't do this kind of focusing nearly often enough, and there are times my readings end up too diffuse. But I also like to lay out all the cards, and see if there is an overall pattern. That can sometimes be revealing. On the other hand, you may answer the question with the first few cards or with all ten of a CC, only to come up with new ones: "Why don't I get on with my boss?" A: because you really hate authority figures. Which leads to the question: what can you do about that? Whatever works is best, and it may change from reading to reading. Barb

Tarot Sparrow	12 Jul 2004
I just inadvertantly began using this method and for once in a long time I actually enjoy reading the cards again. It was way too much work for me to do it the other way.

The do you ask the question as you pull the card? thread was originally posted on 17 Dec 2001 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.