Methods of interpretation

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 21 Jan 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Pipistrelle	21 Jan 2005
A quick question: when reading, do you find that the basis of your interpretations varies from card to card? For example, in a three card reading, could you interpret one card based on a traditional RWS meaning, one card intuitively based on the image alone, and the last based on elemental/numerological significance? And still find that all these interpretations gel together to make a meaningful whole? I'm not saying you would do this deliberately, i.e. "I'm going to interpret the first card intuitively, etc." but do you find that the interpretation for a single reading is drawn from many different sources/methods? Just pondering... Pip

KathleenC	21 Jan 2005
Yes. Also I might use two different interpretations of the same card if they both seem relevent or "right" in relation to the other cards in the spread.

Fudugazi	21 Jan 2005
Pipistrelle wrote: do you find that the basis of your interpretations varies from card to card? For example, in a three card reading, could you interpret one card based on a traditional RWS meaning, one card intuitively based on the image alone, and the last based on elemental/numerological significance? And still find that all these interpretations gel together to make a meaningful whole? I'm not saying you would do this deliberately, i.e. "I'm going to interpret the first card intuitively, etc." but do you find that the interpretation for a single reading is drawn from many different sources/methods? yes. Because I'm learning a new tradition (Tarot de Marseille), I am possibly more deliberate at the moment; I am also learning new ways of looking at the cards. I have noticed that I will take from different sources and I am noticing how I choose the sources. Jmd described meanings in readings very well: in every reading something from each card will jump out and interract with something else from the other cards. The source, in one's mind, of all these interractions are very diverse - from our book reading, to our study of the card symbols and imagery, personal history and philosophy, to numerology, astrology and observations of geometry, to poetry, myth and folktale (in my case ;) ) - and all these have gone to feed our intuition which is the element that brings all this together, as well as giving us some clues on individual cards.

Centaur	21 Jan 2005
Pipistrelle wrote: A quick question: when reading, do you find that the basis of your interpretations varies from card to card? For example, in a three card reading, could you interpret one card based on a traditional RWS meaning, one card intuitively based on the image alone, and the last based on elemental/numerological significance? And still find that all these interpretations gel together to make a meaningful whole? I feel that when I read, it is an intensely unique experience in that the cards are influenced by energies specific to the querent at that particular time. When I turn over the cards, in a spread, there begins I feel almost a stream of intuition. This stream may include a combination of elements of the images in those specific cards, elements of the traditional meanings of those specific cards, or other elements such as numerological/astrological associations. I believe that what the querent needs to know will be contained in that stream of intuition; in whatever meanings/associations/images/elements etc, come to the fore at any given time, coming together to make a coherent whole.

April	21 Jan 2005
As much as I rant about beginners not having to use the RWS those images are kind of burned into my brain just 'cause I have a lot of RWS based decks. I am trying my hand at Mareseilles as well, so sometimes when I get stuck all that makes sense is a RWS interpretation. I'm trying hard to use numbers in my interps lateley, which is also new for me. And I've always been a big fan of elemental correspondences (I learned with Tarot of the Spirit - very heavy on the elements). I actually do this a lot with court cards. I used to always use elements/sub-elements but been finding lately the Meyers-Briggs types to be often very appropriate. So, I actually think it's a smart idea to use a variety of methods. Picking the one that makes the most sense seems more useful than getting stuck because you're trying to fit a particular one in. I'm sure sometimes The Sun comes up in a reading just 'cause it's gonna be a sunny day. Peace, April

Pipistrelle	21 Jan 2005
It's interesting to hear how different people interpret the cards...the reason I asked was that I did a three card reading this morning and the last two cards seemed to make sense using traditional RWS or book meanings, but the first one didn't fit it - it did make some sense though through its image and that seemed to tie in with the other cards. This may have happened before but it's the first time I've been aware of it in my own readings. I still marvel at how anyone can draw a single message out of so many different potential meanings and bases for those meanings but that's another thread (see the "Putting it all together" thread :) ) Pip

RedMaple	22 Jan 2005
I find reading much like other artistic activities I've done, in that I make certain techniques (in this case, meanings) very conscious in order to learn them, and then, when the inspiration comes (in this case, the reading), all the tools are in the toolbox, so to speak. The story can just come through, using whatever "tools" it needs - images, book meanings, past readings, etc.

The Methods of interpretation thread was originally posted on 21 Jan 2005 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.