Re-dealing?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 08 Aug 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Kiama	08 Aug 2002
Have you ever done a reading where the cards are very difficult to read? Most of the time my main difficulty like this si when I get good cards, such as the 3 of Cups, coming up in 'bad' positions, such as a position which represents 'You main challenge'... Or 'bad' cards such as the 9 of Swords coming up in 'good' positions such as 'What will help you'. I am sooooooo tempted with readings like this to not even attempt to interpret, but just pack teh cards up, re-shuffle, and deal again... Does anybody do this? Is it right? Is there any logic to it? Can the second time we spread the cards really tell us the truth? Kiama

emily2otters	08 Aug 2002
kiama, have you read janina renee's book "tarot: your everyday guide"? she tackles one aspect of this problem by interpreting every card of the tarot in terms of advice ... for instance, if the 10 of swords appeared in an advice position, a person might be pretty confused, yes? she gives some suggestions for how to work with it so that it gives useful information without bending the meaning of the card too much. even though the book doesn't deal with every possible confusing spread, just reading it and using it over time has taught me a lot about how to tease out various threads of meaning from one card. it can be done! :) personally, i would recommend sticking with your first reading and challenging yourself to work with it until it makes sense. certainly, though, there are times when the whole reading seems "off" or otherwise unusable, and then re-throwing is not only okay but necessary.

Liliana	08 Aug 2002
Yeah, but write down the first spread, because it really is probably telling you something. The second spread clarifies the first :THP

midnightmerry	08 Aug 2002
Yes, this is a quandary isn't it? It used to throw me too until I read something that made me think of 'bad' and 'good' cards differently. I think it was in the Mythic Tarot book where they said they don't use reversed cards because each card carried both positive and negative meanings already. I tend to agree with this. Let's say you get a really positive card - say, the Star - in an 'obstacles' position. What could this possibly mean? I would see it as a warning not to be unrealistic & to make sure your important wishes have a grounding in reality. Or else, it could mean delays in things hoped for, or perhaps not quite-so-good health. It could also mean that one is being inspired in wrong ways or that creativity is blocked. It would all depend on what the reading was about. A 9 of Sword coming up in a good position could mean that worries are ending or that you are worrying un-necessarily. These are just examples, but I hope it helps.

Laurel	08 Aug 2002
Here's what I do when I can't read the cards in front of me for one reason or another. I get out my journal and I make a copy of the spread and which cards are where, any special details. I reshuffle and I read again, and I also copy the new spread down in my journal. I take spread #1 and I hit "the books" again. I research the cards that were giving me consternation, particularly in their relationships with each other and I compare the botched reading with the successful one and see what was giving me trouble and why. As I go along, it becomes easier and easier to interpret complicated or even seemingly nonsensical-at-first-glance lay outs because I took the extra time to figure everything out in private with either books, web pages, or corresponding with other tarot readers (often a combo of all three). Laurel

Rhiannon	08 Aug 2002
I was tempted to do that when I did a spread for someone where every single card came out in reverse. I realized that I had forgotten to mix the deck properly. I almost got rid of that one, re-shuffled (mixed this time!). But the cards sort of made sense... so I kept the throw and it turned out to be one of the most amazingly accurate readings I've ever done! So, now I won't do that anymore. R :)

cjtarot	08 Aug 2002
hi all, I tried to reshuffle and do the spread over and guess what, the card reading came up aprox. the same.. Go figure.. Cj

Alta	08 Aug 2002
This happened to me just last weekend. I was reading for a friend. I laid the cards, and they just looked like a confusing mess. Luckily I carefully copied them down, and I re-laid them. Nope, they weren't the same, but the spreads were very complimentary. I learned a lot!

the hermit	09 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Liliana Yeah, but write down the first spread, because it really is probably telling you something. The second spread clarifies the first :THP I would agree with your suggestion Liliana. I'd do my best to interpret the spread, discuss my quandary with the querent, write down the spread and offer to do a second for clarification. I've found that this has worked out well for me, and often solved the original dilema with the first spread. If that still doesn't work then I explain that things just seem blocked today and offer to do a reading at a different date. I've only had to do this a few times and in all cases but two, the postponed reading has clarified the original problem spread(s). But sometimes, with some people, ya just gotta say sorry. When I was a kid and things didn't go the way I thought they should, my old grandpa used to tell me... "Ya win some, ya lose some, some ya get rained out on, and some... well some ya just never shoulda suited up for."

cherrywind	09 Aug 2002
The only time that has ever happened to me is when I do readings for myself, and not for anybody else. When it does happen (since it's as of yet just happened for me) I don't do another spread right after. I do my best to interpret, even if I have to sit there for an hour contemplating the meanings, and if I just can't do it I put away the deck and re-do another one in a day or two. If I put the deck away I figure that right then isn't the time to do the reading, and I'm just not smart enough to realize it but my deck is :).

lupo138	09 Aug 2002
I think it is ok to make another spread when you do it 4 or 5 times out of 100. Out of personal experience I have to admit that it most probably won´t help, because the cards will be pretty the same ;)

jema	09 Aug 2002
my advice is to first let the spread "rest" a bit. leave if for an hour or two or even a day if it is possible. let it just sit there while you do other things. then come back to it with fresh eyes. or try a comparative reading! take out another deck (if you have one of course) and pick out the same cards as in the spread and lay them slightly over the old cards and see what you got. it is surprising how often this can help. oh and one more really amazingly simple thing... get up! just stand up and move around the spread. look at it from another angle and see what happens.

Kiama	09 Aug 2002
These are all great suggesions: Thanks guys! I am slowly getting used to the idea of trying to make sense of the cards in a different way... Isuppose it's just a case of turning things around a little bit. It helps me alot that I read intuitively, because most of the time my interpretations don't stick to the book anyway! Once again, thanks for the suggestions! Kiama

Starfish	09 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by cherrywind The only time that has ever happened to me is when I do readings for myself, and not for anybody else. When it does happen (since it's as of yet just happened for me) I don't do another spread right after. I do my best to interpret, even if I have to sit there for an hour contemplating the meanings, and if I just can't do it I put away the deck and re-do another one in a day or two. If I put the deck away I figure that right then isn't the time to do the reading, and I'm just not smart enough to realize it but my deck is :). I'm with Cherrywind on this. I don't re-do the spread; I try and interpret it to the best of my abilites. And if I'm puzzled and confused, I come here and post in the Your Readings folder :). I've received the best assistance and insight from my fellow Aeclecticians. Blessings - :TTOW Starfish

raeanne	09 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Kiama ...the 3 of Cups, coming up in 'bad' positions, such as a position which represents 'You main challenge'... Or 'bad' cards such as the 9 of Swords coming up in 'good' positions such as 'What will help you'... Kiama I think I would try to understand the throw a bit better. It is easy to get stuck in what most people see as good/bad cards or good/bad positions. The 3 of Cups as a main challenge could mean that there will be a situation where a “party attitude” will have to be curtailed. If your natural personality is to be light hearted and party like, it would be a real challenge to be more serious and straight laced. The 9 of Swords in a “what will help you position” could mean that your fears and nightmares will keep you on guard. If you hadn’t had the nightmare, how could you prepare for what might be coming next? I just really think there is a reason for the cards being in the position they are in and every attempt should be made to read the cards as they are. If you just can’t see any information there, write it down and come back to it later. Play games with the cards and see if you can think of a “good” meaning for each card and a “bad” meaning for each card. The more you practice, the more creative you will become. Soon every card will make sense no matter what position it is in.

divinerguy	10 Aug 2002
If a spread looks kooky to me, I don discard it and start over. Its there for a reason. I'll draw additional cards to help me understand the first draw. Chances are I had a badly worded question, or the draw needed additional cards for clarity. It works for me.

emily2otters	10 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by midnightmerry A 9 of Sword coming up in a good position could mean that worries are ending or that you are worrying un-necessarily. or that you are right to be worried, that your worrying is helping you to be aware and to sidestep dangerous situations.

emily2otters	10 Aug 2002
oh! raeanne beat me to it. rats! :)

Ivy Rhiannon	02 Jul 2004
just because i got a bad reading I wouldnt redo it. Just see the positive aspect of it. Like saying,"I was headed for trouble..." You have a chance to change the outcome! But i would re-deal if the cards didnt make sense. Like if you saw alot of negativity around you and it wasnt so...

The Re-dealing? thread was originally posted on 08 Aug 2002 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.