Different readings, same cards?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 14 Apr 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

celeste	14 Apr 2003
I noticed that sometimes when I read for one person after another, the cards from the reading for the previous person I read for show up in the reading of the person I am currently reading for. I always shuffle the deck between readings, and then get the 'readee'to shuffle as well so that I get thier energies into the cards. Even though I do this, sometimes I still get the same cards, maybe not in the same order,but very close. I am womdering if I am just not shuffling well enough, or if this is 'meant to be'. It seems too coincidental as it has happened a couple of times already. Does this happen to anyone else and is it a common thing?

Astraea	14 Apr 2003
I have a couple of thoughts about that...one is that you might, indeed, need to shuffle more between clients; but, beyond that, I have noticed that querents with specific types of inquiries/dilemmas/questions tend to come in clusters, and therefore the same (or similar) archetypes are reflected in the cards. Particular clusters seem to persist for a few days or weeks, and then the energy shifts.

Diana	14 Apr 2003
It could be that you're not shuffling enough. One way to avoid this kind of problem is by fanning out your cards, and not flipping them from the top of the deck. Then even if they're not shuffled enough, it makes no difference, because one chooses the card "randomly". That way also, the querant can really take an active part in the reading by choosing his/her own cards and it is highly enjoyable for them. And when they get all surprised at the accuracy of the reading and thank you profusely, they love it when you say "Well, you chose the cards, you know!" It makes them feel more empowered. :) But I have another thought on this: perhaps the cards are trying to tell you something. Have you tried noting them down to see if they relate to a personal issue?

celeste	14 Apr 2003
A personal issue about me or the person for whom I'm giving the reading?

isthmus nekoi	15 Apr 2003
I've noticed this too and puzzled over it b/c I take care to clear out the deck b/w querents. I've seen repetition even w/one card readings...

Thirteen	15 Apr 2003
Have to agree here--cleanse the deck. Inbetween readings, visualize the cards enveloped by a colored light (whatever color means power and cleansing to you) then shuffle very well. It's okay to get one or two repeat cards--but if you get several, especially in a similar order, then the energy of the last person is still with the deck. It hasn't been cleared. At least, that's what I've found it usually means.

Rusty Neon	15 Apr 2003
A hypothetical: Suppose a card is continually coming up for _you_ during readings that you give for querents. How do you explain to the querent that a given card that shows up is really meant for you, not them? "Ma'am. Ignore the Death card in the fourth position. That's for me."

celeste	15 Apr 2003
Maybe it is meant for them though. Maybe they have (some of the same)issues as I do (or the last person read for).

Rusty Neon	15 Apr 2003
Yes, that's the difficult thing. Even if there is a pattern of a certain card appearing for the reader, it could, in the particular case, be for the querent. How can one tell who it's for?

Diana	15 Apr 2003
I think that one cannot tell the readee that the card is meant for us. That wouldn't help them much and is irrelevant to them. If it came up in their spread, it must have significance for them too (or else Tarot would be useless). But if I saw the same card very often, I would really heed it as a personal message to me, as well as to them. After all, Tarot can choose many different cards and combinations to get a message across to someone. So why should it bore you to tears with the same card over and over again, unless it's trying to knock something into your head. But again, I think that if you're flipping the cards, it is possible that it is just a question of not shuffling enough. (I think that flipping the cards is a funny way of doing readings. I didn't say the wrong way - in Tarot there is no right or wrong way - I just find it rather odd.) As to cleansing the cards (with sage or with white light or whatever), that's also something very personal. I do believe that for some people it is absolutely essential because it is part of their spiritual beliefs and rituals in spirituality are often linked and work hand in hand. When I first joined Aeclectic and I saw that many people were doing this, I thought it was a cool idea. But I was straying too far from my own personal beliefs by doing this, and now I find just relaxing and shuffling the cards is sufficient. (As well as doing a little "link" to universal energies to remind me of my place in this universe and to take advantage as much as possible of the energy which I am tapping into). Also, I always let the readee do the shuffling, so that they have some say in their own reading, so if by any chance there is an issue of "personal energy" being stuck in the cards, the problem could get solved that way. I still haven't quite made up my mind whether I believe in this personal energy business that gets stuck in the cards, so I prefer to play it safe for now.

Thirteen	15 Apr 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Rusty Neon A hypothetical: Suppose a card is continually coming up for _you_ during readings that you give for querents. How do you explain to the querent that a given card that shows up is really meant for you, not them? "Ma'am. Ignore the Death card in the fourth position. That's for me." Ah, well, now you've got a real problem. This should NEVER happen in a reading. If it does, then it really means that you're not letting the cards work for anyone but you. Either that, or you've got such a powerful problem or concern on your mind--or happening in your life (something requiring the cards to keep jumping up and down shouting a warning to you)--that you're interfering with the reading. If I can wax metaphysical here: you own the cards, they're yours. So if you mentally and emtionally shout at them, they'll answer to you. They can't concentrate on someone else if you're screaming for help or demanding their attention. You come first. As Diana points out, cards are very personal. Some folk believe that only they, the reader, should ever handle the deck; others like Diana and myself for that matter, feel that the querents ought to handle the deck, the better to get their question, their personality, their energy into it for the reading. And we all have our personal rituals for clearing and shuffling the deck, sometimes special rituals for when we start and finish. In the end, the answer to both Celeste and Rusty's questions is the same: Find a more powerful, or more regular ritual that better randomizes the cards and clears the deck as well as your mind. Because the strongest influence on the cards is always you. And what these rituals do, outside of shuffling, is erase the blackboard (so to speak) and allow you to start fresh.

Diana	15 Apr 2003
Well said, Thirteen! :)

celeste	15 Apr 2003
I agree. Thanks for all of your imput. It gives me something to think about. I think I will definitely shuffle the cards differently as Diana suggested, and cleanse them with white light too between readings. I think part of the problem could be that I am often doing these readings at work,on a dinner break,so time is often a consideration as well as privacy(for the readee) as well (sometimes). I would like to get to a point where I could do these readings in my home,where I am relaxed (and not worrying about how much time there is left)and there is lots of privacy for the readee to relax too and ask as many questions as they need to. Also it would give me an opportunity do a proper cleansing of the deck,connect with God to direct the reading,which I used to do but at work the atmosphere doesn't really lend itself to that. Thanks for all your comments.

catti	16 Apr 2003
i skimmed throught the replies but didnt notice anyone metntoioning this ...ok you have finished your reading. you shuffle one last time - visualizing whateveryoulike and put away your deck. Then at a later time when you can be alone with your cards shuffle again, you could create your own method of clearing shuffle- perhaps make it different from how you shuffle to draw- and thus separate time/spaces for you and the cards

Trogon	16 Apr 2003
Hi Celeste and welcome! You've already gotten a lot of very good suggestions on various ways to look at this and to help alleviate the problem of the deck not being randomized enough. The only thing I would add is what I do after a reading. After the reading, I scoop up the cards that I've laid out... then, rather than just sticking the lump of them on top, on the bottom or in the middle of the deck, I kind of randomly stick them, here & there throughout the deck. Then I shuffle a couple of times. This way, I feel if some, or all, of the same cards come up in another reading - I know they're supposed to be there.

celeste	16 Apr 2003
I was doing that too, Trogon(and thanks for the welcome btw)but it didn't seem to make a difference. The other night I tried shuffling the cards differently, by just mixing them up in a big pile and then putting them into deck form again. I noticed (in my hands as I was doing this)that the energy felt different,fresher somehow. When I read my own cards after that, new ones came up. I'm going to try this method now and see if it changes anything (between readings). Thank you to everyone for all your help.

isthmus nekoi	16 Apr 2003
Hm, thanks for the suggestions. I've been doing that too - sticking cards randomly back in the deck.... then I give the deck a nice shuffle to clean it out from the last person - kinda like taking a little wasabi in between pieces of sashimi.... maybe that's not enough - I'll certainly give these suggestions a try.

The Different readings, same cards? thread was originally posted on 14 Apr 2003 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.