yes/no questions

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 31 Dec 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

SunChariot	31 Dec 2004
I would be interested in hearing what people think of yes/no readings. I have done some and some say one thing, some say the opposite. I wonder if something has changed for me, or if it is just that yes/no readings don't work. A lot of books I have read say they are not possible, but then you see some books that tell you how to do them. What do you all think? Anyone have any experience with these that convinced them that they work or that they don't? Thanks for your help:-) And wishing you all a very Happy New Year!!! Bar

Lolith	01 Jan 2005
I can't say that I myself have done yes/no readings, but I have a friend who does them in addition to her larger spreads. The way she does them I have yet to figure out, but I can say that the answers are eerily accurate.

Kiama	01 Jan 2005
I've been an avid lover of Yes/No questions with the Tarot for ages. I don't use any mechanical method for it. I simply draw 3 cards (because I like the number three) and interpret them in the light of the issue. Sometimes they look favourable, because the cards have positive messages or fit well with the question. If so, it's most likely a Yes. And vice versa. The beauty of this method is that you don't just get a simple 'Yes/No', but also the reasons WHY it is a Yes/No - the influences that will make it a Yes/No. So, 'will I have a good party tonight?' that is given the Queen of Wands, 3 of Cups, and 7 of Swords could be a Yes answer with a bit of a warning in it - I'll have a great time, holding court and generally being confident in myself, and I'll get loads of dancing a drinking done. But maybe I need to watch where I leave my bag and other belongings - you never know who's wandering hands will find them... Just one way of doing it. Hope it helps. Kiama

SunChariot	06 Jan 2005
Kiama wrote: I've been an avid lover of Yes/No questions with the Tarot for ages. I don't use any mechanical method for it. I simply draw 3 cards (because I like the number three) and interpret them in the light of the issue. Sometimes they look favourable, because the cards have positive messages or fit well with the question. If so, it's most likely a Yes. And vice versa. The beauty of this method is that you don't just get a simple 'Yes/No', but also the reasons WHY it is a Yes/No - the influences that will make it a Yes/No. So, 'will I have a good party tonight?' that is given the Queen of Wands, 3 of Cups, and 7 of Swords could be a Yes answer with a bit of a warning in it - I'll have a great time, holding court and generally being confident in myself, and I'll get loads of dancing a drinking done. But maybe I need to watch where I leave my bag and other belongings - you never know who's wandering hands will find them... Just one way of doing it. Hope it helps. Kiama Thanks Kaimi, I am off to try your method. :-) Mine was not working for me. First you reverse some of the cards as you shuffle, then pull 3 also. Upright cards are yes, reversed cards are no, but the middle one counts twice. So it could be a tie, meaning that either your question was poorly phrased, the answer is unclear, or it is not in your best interestst to have the asnwer at this time. WHen I find started with my method. All the cards said the same answer:yeses Then one day they turned around, I don't know why and I get maybes and nos more, with very few yeses. Today I actually took the time to ask it this method was working accurately for me. One deck said no outright. THe other was a maybe, and it said it was confusing me more than helping. I think you are right, I am going back to doing this by intuition, rather than by a formula.:-) Bar

Keslynn	07 Jan 2005
I don't generally use tarot for a yes/no question. While a "normal" spread can outline the changing forces for you, a yes/no spread generally doesn't. Circumstances can change very quickly, which will change your answer, and a yes/no spread generally will only tell the answer at the moment without outlining the shifting forces. For yes/no, I usually use a pendulum or a Magic 8 Ball. However, the other day, I did find a really interesting article on Wicce's website regarding yes/no readings. I haven't tried the technique yet, but it sounds like a really good one. It might be more difficult for people who tend to over-intellectualize. http://www.wicce.com/yesno.html :) Kes

SunChariot	07 Jan 2005
Keslynn wrote: I don't generally use tarot for a yes/no question. While a "normal" spread can outline the changing forces for you, a yes/no spread generally doesn't. Circumstances can change very quickly, which will change your answer, and a yes/no spread generally will only tell the answer at the moment without outlining the shifting forces. For yes/no, I usually use a pendulum or a Magic 8 Ball. However, the other day, I did find a really interesting article on Wicce's website regarding yes/no readings. I haven't tried the technique yet, but it sounds like a really good one. It might be more difficult for people who tend to over-intellectualize. http://www.wicce.com/yesno.html :) Kes Thanks Kes, I am about to start a new reading about a week, using my new but already beloved Lover's Path deck. I am saving your article and will try it out on any yes/no questions, Thanks again, Bar

Emily	07 Jan 2005
I've never tried yes/no questions but I do like your method Kiama - using 3 cards gives more information than just one card.

SunChariot	07 Jan 2005
Keslynn wrote: I don't generally use tarot for a yes/no question. While a "normal" spread can outline the changing forces for you, a yes/no spread generally doesn't. Circumstances can change very quickly, which will change your answer, and a yes/no spread generally will only tell the answer at the moment without outlining the shifting forces. For yes/no, I usually use a pendulum or a Magic 8 Ball. However, the other day, I did find a really interesting article on Wicce's website regarding yes/no readings. I haven't tried the technique yet, but it sounds like a really good one. It might be more difficult for people who tend to over-intellectualize. http://www.wicce.com/yesno.html :) Kes Hey Kes? What do you think if I combined your method with Kiama's and tried it with three cards? Bar

Keslynn	07 Jan 2005
I don't quite follow how you'd combine them? Could you give more detail because it sounds interesting. :) If you mean the method on the website, then it's Wicce's, not mine. She's the one who wrote the article. :) Kes

SunChariot	07 Jan 2005
Keslynn wrote: I don't quite follow how you'd combine them? Could you give more detail because it sounds interesting. :) If you mean the method on the website, then it's Wicce's, not mine. She's the one who wrote the article. :) Kes Yes I meant combining the method from the web site you sent me with Kiama's ie, the same method but with three cards to get more info. And stressing your first reaction when you first see the cards. If that makes sense.:-) Thanks for that web site btw, I really did find it useful. :-) Bar

Keslynn	07 Jan 2005
Glad you liked the artiicle. I was really impressed with it the first time I read it. I'm hoping to get the chance to use it sometime soon. :-) I personally think that doing a first reaction on 3 cards might be more complicated, but it's certainly worth a try. I know that I've gotten gut feelings from a spread as large as the CC, but it doesn't happen every time for me. Let us know how it works out! You've got me intrigued. :) Kes

SunChariot	07 Jan 2005
Thanks again Kes! I really liked that article too, I will try it in my next reading. Whenever I get to that. LOL That will be after I finish the two I am working on. I was in the middle of a loooooooooong one on inner child stuff, when I lost my job. They closed out whole department. Out of a total of about 50 employees, there are only 8 left. Anyway, that becamse a priority, so I started a reading in which job to take, how to do my best at it once I found it...Now I have two readings going at once, although they are close to completion. LOL Can't wait to start my next reading, using the Lover's Path. That will be my first time with it.:-) And there are a couple of yes/no questions so I will try to make use of the article. :-) Thanks again, and have a great weekend, Bar

rosyelf	08 Jan 2005
This is an interesting thread. Kiama, I followed your advice and did a yes/no spread with 3 cards . I used the Druidcraft deck, by the way. I have come up with Cernunnos (trad. Devil), Death and Rebirth (trad. Judgment). Blimey ! And I did shuffle thoroughly ! Any thoughts, anyone ? I believe this is HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT-drawing 3 Major Arcana from a full deck AND it being a rather deep question anyway, in some respects. in advance , thanks for any responses rosyelf

The yes/no questions thread was originally posted on 31 Dec 2004 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.