How long did it take you to read a spread with out fumbling through it?

[Asbestos Mango]

I can't remember how long I'd been reading Tarot, but I found a copy of Richard Roberts' Tarot and You in a used bookstore and got the crazy idea that I could just look at and read the images on the cards instead of using the meaning in the book (I was relying on Eden Gray at the time).

I still recommend the book to beginners.

[dawntarot]

I studied the RWS on and off for about 3 years, but I didn't truly become comfortable with the tarot until I was given the Pagan Cats deck. Then I started exchanging with people on here and adopted a new method of reading. Before I would just turn over all the cards at once and see what sense I could make of it (usually not much). Now I turn each card one at a time, like reading the pages of a book, writing down impressions as I go before taking it in overall.

My readings have been a lot smoother and more accurate since I started doing this, but I'm not sure how well it would work face-to-face. If I try to read aloud now I feel like I'm constantly interrupting myself, which doesn't make for a smooth reading at all.

So it's a mixed bag for me really.
Dawn

[Winterchild]

You bring up a good point here Dawn.... I prefer to turn the cards one by one.... its always been natural for me to do that, even reading for others.... but I can see how it interrupts fluency. I think to turn one, ponder it, then the next, ponder etc until you get the full picture... before you speak..... I have done this with friends but have never read professionally. I think this subject is new thread worthy.

[Winterchild]

Originally Posted by i love zombies

The majority of my querents have been right on here so i think it would be fairly difficult for them to hear me if i spoke out loud. For the few times i have had an actual audience i will speak out loud. In either case the answers and information fron the cards come at about the same rate. I try to write everything down first either way because the cards speak to me in a riddle that usually only i can understand. So i then jot down the nonsense that i see and interpret it into an understandable language. Its pretty cool though. My cards and i have our own language. (This would make an interesting thead and discussion)

It would indeed make a good thread... I was just reading further on, and I thought Dawns post would make a good new subject thread and this fits right in there!

[dawntarot]

Originally Posted by Winterchild

You bring up a good point here Dawn.... I prefer to turn the cards one by one.... its always been natural for me to do that, even reading for others.... but I can see how it interrupts fluency. I think to turn one, ponder it, then the next, ponder etc until you get the full picture... before you speak..... I have done this with friends but have never read professionally. I think this subject is new thread worthy.

There's that, but also I can't hear the voice of my intuition if I'm speaking aloud... I literally can't hear myself think! I've kept a diary since I was 12 so I'm used to putting my thoughts on paper and I think I express myself better that way. Maybe I would improve with practise but at the moment I do not seem destined to read face-to-face

Dawn

[VGimlet]

It took a lot of practice. I want to say...about a year after I took the training wheels off and quit peeking in books when I got stuck before I felt comfortable and fluid while I was reading.

But I got to the point where I was 'okay' with just some stumbling once in awhile in about three months or so.

It just takes practice. You know, you don't have to do it out loud for an audience, either. I practiced reading my own spreads out loud for awhile, too.