Announcing the Spread Positions

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 06 Aug 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Jeanette	06 Aug 2003
OK, I have a question for tarot card readers ~ when you are laying out the cards (say, for instance, the ever-popular Celtic Cross...) do you announce what the "position" is that the card you are laying down occupies, "This covers you, this crosses you, this is beneath you, etc."? And, do you turn the cards face up as you do this, or do you lay the cards face down and turn them over one by one as you go through the spread? Sometimes, if I'm reading for someone else, I forget that they probably don't know why I'm laying out the cards in a certain pattern. And, sometimes when I've finished laying out all the cards, (I turn them face up as I lay them down) I find the number of images overwhelming! When I am by myself, it's easy to stop and write down different points as I go, but it's not always so easy when reading for someone else! Just curious what other techniques are being used!

Thirteen	06 Aug 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Jeanette OK, I have a question for tarot card readers ~ when you are laying out the cards (say, for instance, the ever-popular Celtic Cross...) do you announce what the "position" is that the card you are laying down occupies I rarely use the CC, but if I were to use it, I probably would announce the positions as I laid them out just because that's kinda the charm of the CC, part of its deal. With other spreads, I lay out the cards quick and silent, then start going around from card to card, explaining to the querent the meaning of both as I do so. Sometimes, I muse over the spread, and if I see a larger picture I start with that.

Keslynn	06 Aug 2003
Generally I lay out the whole spread face up. Then I tell the querent what the positions are as I go through the interpretation. For example I'll say something like "This position is about the recent past/fading influence. The Star in this position means that..." I went to a reader who did something similar, but rather than being so obvious about pointing out the position, she integrated it into the interpretation better. However, I was never very much for subtlely so I don't do it very well. Maybe someday... ;) :) Kes

jog1118	07 Aug 2003
regardless of the spread, i always explain to the querent positions in a spread and of course card meanings. i'm just a beginner with very few experience on reading for someone else. In this rare cases, i deal the cards face up and interpret from card to card. once the spread is complete, i am able to link card relationships. dealing the cards face down: i still have to try this...i bet this gives additional thrill / excitement to the querent :smoker:

Kiama	07 Aug 2003
I make up spreads for each reading on the spot, and so I will tell the querent what card positions there will be before I start shuffling the cards, just to check they are happy with it and if there is anything else they'd like included in the spread. Then I'll shuffle and deal, and I'll tell them the card positions again as I'm going through the reading, when I get to each card. Kiama

Jeanette	07 Aug 2003
Kiama, when you make up spreads "on-demand" do you have certain positions that you always include? i.e., past, present, future? And then do you have favorite patterns? This is intriguing! I'd like to hear more on your "process" of determining what's in your spread and what's out!

Trogon	18 Aug 2003
Howdy Jeanette, I guess I'll toss in my two cents worth here as well. ;) In answer to your question - yes! I kind of do things by the "whatever feels right" method. Sometimes I explain the position meanings - especially if I'm doing a reading for someone who has never had a reading before. I feel that in this situation the querrent might like to have some explanation of whats going on. Then again, there are many times when I just dive into a reading... "I see that such and such occured a while back" type of thing. Then again, as Thirteen said, If I see a "larger picture"... some main theme running through the thread of the reading, I'll frequently start with that. Hmmm... this probably didn't help much, huh? I'm beginning to think that I don't do any two readings quite exactly the same.

Jeanette	19 Aug 2003
Well, I thank you all for your input. I like the idea of doing things a little differently for each reading; I think it makes it more individualized and personal. But I also paused when Thirteen mentioned how announcing the positions is part of the charm of the CC ~ part of its deal. So, I guess when I'm doing the CC from now on out I will make an effort to include the positions, sort of keeping the "charm" with it!

The Announcing the Spread Positions thread was originally posted on 06 Aug 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.