Significators

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 13 Aug 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Moongold	13 Aug 2002
I am interested in how people choose Significators for themselves. I have done a few practice readings on the 'Readings Exchange' page but, apart from that, usually read for myself. A work Colleague asked me to do a reading for her on a particular issue at work and I think I will use the Osho Zen because you can do a kind of Celtic Cross and the Significator chooses itself. I used two methods in books and came up with firstly the Chariot and secondly Temperance. An 'Internet' free reading page uses the Queen of Swords for me, based on birthdate and hair colouring. Sometimes I have chosen a card which reflects my mood or issue and that is interesting. Do others always use the same Significator? Moongold

catlin	13 Aug 2002
I only use the court cards for significators and let my querents choose among them the card they can mostly identify with.

Minderwiz	13 Aug 2002
I don't use significators at all. I can quite see the association of the court cards with physical descriptors and indeed use these in readings - but if I used, say the Queen of Cups as a significator for a Querent purely on the basis of her physical description or she chose the card herself I might find that it lead me to projecting personality characteristics that may not be there. I can quite see how it helps others and don't want to suggest that its a bad practice at all. I just don't find it helpful for me at my current stage of learning - It is more likely to confuse me than help. Minderwiz

Mlle Lenormand	13 Aug 2002
I agree with Minderwiz about projecting character traits, after all, if you do not know the querent personally you may not be aware of their sexual status and assume something that they are not. I do not use significators in RW based decks, but the Mlle Lenormand spread needs to be read using one of two significators which can be a problem if you are unsure of the person. Has anyone had this problem and how have you overcome it?

Val	13 Aug 2002
I don't use significators, either. I think using significators, like using reversals, is a personal choice for the reader. From my personal experience, using a significator didn't really add anything to the reading. It was just there to represent the client or myself. I didn't seem to be gaining any additional information or insights by using significators so I started reading without them to see what would happen. I discovered the absence of a significator did not alter the readings for the worse or for the better. If a card representing the client (or myself) does show up in the spread, the cards surrounding it will indicate this and I'll know how to interpret it. Well, at least I'll have a clue as to how to interpret it! Now, I never use a significator, but I always use reversals. Of course, I could change my mind about this tomorrow..........

Pollux	13 Aug 2002
I don't want to sound... harsh or nasty... or rude... But that of significators is in the Top 10 questions regarding Tarot cards. Moongold, I am sure that if you search, you'll find loads of other threads dealing with it. :)

Pollux	13 Aug 2002
Here are some: Click here, or here, or here, or here, or here. :)

Moongold	13 Aug 2002
Yes, you're right, Pollux. The pages are set up so that searching is so easy as well. I forgot on this occasion, so thanks for the links. There's a lot of information there. Thanks also to those who replied. Moongold

Hummingbird	15 Aug 2002
I never use significators.

The Significators thread was originally posted on 13 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.