Pro Readers. Spreads how many do you

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 23 Apr 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

cybercat	23 Apr 2005
For those that read for others how many different spreads do you use for public readings? Do you have a different spread for certain catagories like romance, job ect. I am putting together a spread journal for myself so am interested in what works best when reading for the public. The readings I am doing now are not back to back readings so it is not necessary. When I do I want a small list in my head and on paper to refer too. Thanks Cat

mingbop	23 Apr 2005
cat, I don't use any spread at all. I just ask and start cutting. I talk in my head as I go, saying things like -- ok, how's the money?--ok, the love life?--the health?-- ok, is there anything else you want to tell me ?---thats all. But I bet nobody else does this !

Gwynne	23 Apr 2005
I generally start with a rune cast (and I mean cast, I throw them into a tray I've designed specifically for reading) and then flesh the Rune reading out with cards. If they have a specific question I tend to use the Celtic Cross or make up a spread as I go.

FaerieStorm	27 Apr 2005
Experimenting with various spreads is key; many authors include great speads in their companion books. However, the best universal spread that I have come across is the 15-Card spread Robin Wood included in her LWB for her Robin Wood Deck. It is terrific--it's multi-dimensional and is more in-depth than the standard Celtic Cross. RW herself even states in the LWB that it's very accurate.

snowy25	27 Apr 2005
When someone has more questions I'll make a spread up. But I also use existing spreads or guess what the querent wants to know when a question is realy short and make/ find one about that.

lark	27 Apr 2005
Like others here it really depends on the question. I have maybe 5 spreads I use on a regular basis for clients. But like mingbop I also find it very freeing to just start throwing cards and talking. Especially for those people who come to me with no question and just want to know what the cards have to say. Or sometimes I do a Celtic Cross in those instances. The spread I use the most is a seven card spread. The first two cards cross each other. 1. who you are in the inside. 2. what you show on the outside. I start with this no matter what spread I'm doing. I have found it to be very accurate in letting me in on where the client is really coming from. Then I do a line of 5 cards. 1. past 2. present 3. obstacle, challenge or hidden influence 4. advice 5. likely outcome I like this because one question often leads to another and another and you can then do a new line of 5 cards for each question. The crossing card idea I got from Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom~ pg. 281 And the 5 card spread is fom Tarot Plain and Simple~ pg. 20. So I mixed and matched and got something I liked to work with. I do have a special spread I use for relationships. He said, She said spread. From Power Tarot ~pg. 254 Cards 1 & 2 ~what he likes about the relationship 3 & 4 ~ what she " " " " 5 & 6 ~ what he doesn't like 7 & 8 ~ what she doesn't like 9 & 10~ what he would like to see happen in the relationship 11 & 12~ what she " " " " 13 & 14 ~ outcome where the relationship is headed. This spread most often seems to cover and satisfy that kind of question where Susie wants to know if Billy likes her. Or visa versa. You get a lot of those. :) Good luck with your journal. Spreads seem to be very personal like tarot card decks some really click for you and some leave you flat. So try them out a good number of times and get very comfortable with them before you bring them out public. And no matter how wonderful somone else thinks a spread is if it doesn't do it for you then dump it. there are so many great spreads out there you can afford to be picky. *And don't over look making some up on your own. Those are often the best spreads for you.

tarotbear	27 Apr 2005
When I am doing one-on-one I usually do two different spreads in succession. First I do something with fewer cards like the 5-card Wheel spread ("Power Tarot" by Vega and MacGregor) which deals with influences passing through your life. That usually helps define the areas that are of most pressing need. Depending on how that reading comes up with answers for the Querent, I then following it up with my version of the Celtic Cross, which has three conclusions drawn from it. Both spreads treat the same subject matter differently, and I find this helps explain things.

manuel ruiz	27 Apr 2005
well i do 2 types of readings. the 1st one is the 15 cards spread of the robin wood tarot, for general aspects, and if they have a particular question i do the 5 card horse shoe spread!!

Fullmoonsinger	27 Apr 2005
Im going to have to dig out my Robin Wood book and take another look at this spread! I still haven't settled on a set group of spreads. I use the Celtic Cross a lot, I use a 4 or 5 card element spread. I use a lot of 3-card spreads. I'm still experimenting. But then again, I'm not a professional Tarot reader MoonSinger

The Pro Readers. Spreads how many do you thread was originally posted on 23 Apr 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.