How do you open your readings

TemperanceAngel

Just reading through all these threads and it made think of this question

HOW DOES EVERYONE OPEN THEIR READINGS?

I suppose I mean this in a professional sense, but ALL and ANY advice welcome from the wonderful Aeclectic Community.

When I open for a client I like to do a General spread first. The readings are random, in the sense of sometimes 'specific' issues arise and sometimes not. This helps me to get into the nitty gritty of the reading. I then go onto questions. The shop I work from people come for half hour or one hour readings, standard stuff.
Generally half hour, so we usually are focusing in on one/two issues.

Ooops....I am rambling....

I open with a spread from Racheal Pollack, I think she calls it a work spread. I use it as a past, present and future spread.

Cards 1 and 2 cross each other at the top, like the Celtic Cross.

I then do 2 to 3 rows with seven cards in them. The first card(s) are the past, the second is expectations, the next 3 are the present with the middle of the 3 generally being the here and now/today and the last two are possible outcomes/future.

The first row is the 'heart' of the situation, the second is how the person is thinking about it/outside influences and the third which I don't always do ties the two together and is good if the other cards are showing confusion etc because it can really clarify things.

What do other people do, as I am interested in maybe changing my approach.

Thanks everyone for listening.

XTAX
 

TemperanceAngel

Hmmmm.......

No replies, maybe I am in the wrong thread?

XTAX
 

TemperanceAngel

Sorry folks,

To clarify for you all:

Does anyone know any good general/opening/past,present,future spreads please?

Thanks

XTAX
 

Umbrae

This has been my bread and butter for many years.

It’s nice for either general or specific readings.

Seven Card Horseshoe
1. Recent Past
2. Present
3. Hopes and Fears
4. The Unexpected
5. The Gate
6. Near Future
7. Further Future

Hopes and fears = Internal influence.
Unexpected = Hidden external influence.
The Gate = That which must be experienced - the lesson
With two cards placed at each position, the relationship between the cards becomes more important that each card by itself. A highly recommended spread for the intermediate to advanced user.
Now I copied this from the Text section of this forum. The Dan Pelletier guy who wrote the article plagiarized my work. It’s my spread – he stole it from me! Ask Lawguy51 (he’s not even a cop). He uses the spread…
 

TemperanceAngel

Thanks Umbrae!!

Very kind of you to share your spread, hope you don't mind me using it.

XTAX
 

Umbrae

Heck, I stole it from that Dan Pelletier guy - or was it he stole it from me...

feel free to use it. Use it for about four months with one card at each position, then begin using two. I think there was a thread about how to do that...let me hunt it down. Don't go away, I won't be a moment...
 

Umbrae

go here, and look for a thread called "the blank spot." The posts that follow have discuss the spread itself.
 

TemperanceAngel

Well if anyone ever asks me, I will say I got from Umbrae, everyone will know who I'm talking about.......

Point taken about just one line first, but I'm a an experienced reader.....sometimes I like to just throw myself into it. Well actually I like two cards because it really clarifies for me.

We will see, I will keep you posted on it.

Thanks again!

XTAX
 

TemperanceAngel

P.S.

You written your book yet??

I hope so.

XTAX
 

MeeWah

I tend to use a Celtic Cross Spread for general readings as it provides an overview of the various areas of the life. Also includes past, present & future. The version I use is posted at the Aeclectic reading site:

1. Situation; heart of the matter

2. Challenge; opposition

3. Conscious awareness (above)

4. Unconscious awareness; past foundation or far past--pertains to past lives (below)

5. Recent past (left)

6. Immediate future; new situation developing (right)

7. Querent; fears & concerns (bottom of staff)

8. Environment; relationships

9. Hopes & dreams

10. Outcome (top of staff)

Or, I use a 7-Card Energy Spread I adapted from something I read somewhere many years ago which works as an all-purpose spread as well, also posted at the reading site:

1. Spiritual influence (dreams, guides, acts of spirit)

2. Spiritual influence (stronger of the two)

3. Outside influences (work, other people, events, authority)

4. Present situation

5. Conscious goal or desire

6. Unconscious goal

7. Outcome

I like the 3-Card for Past, Present, Future because it is so versatile. It can be changed by designating different categories; also can be expanded with additional cards by adding more rows over the top of the first set of three cards. This way, one can see a progression from the first set, which can be read as wholly related to the Present, with the second row as Immediate Future. If a third row is added, it can be seen as Further Future.

If the first set is approached as the Past, then the second row is Present with a third row as Future.

Though I specialize in the Celtic Cross, I like less cards. More cards do not necessarily provide more information nor clarity. May be too much information depending on the nature of the query & not appropriate to the concern.

For in-person clients & those at a distance, I have done all 3 spreads, or 2 of the spreads. I only do this for the very unusual circumstances (such as prompts to do so from the cards or from another source) as again, it can be too much information or superfluous. It also makes a reading session very, very lengthy, not to mention other factors.

A single card or two cards can give a lot of information, depending on the approach.