"Quirkes, perculiarities and habits"
Huh - what an interesting thread...
And I rather like the idea of "sealing" the deck when finished by turning the bottom one around so that both sides of the deck show the back. I may play with this...
Thankyou!
I was 'formally' taught to read by placing a major and minor arcanum pair in each card position.
So I usually already have my deck split into a major and a minor pile.
(I store them with the major and minor piles back to back, so I can find the divide easily).
1) For the very first reading of the day, before the client comes in, I 'count' the cards.
With pile in one hand, the other takes one card at a time and re-piles on the table whilst
I count in my head (56 and 22).
Face up, face down, this varies. This exercise just 'polishes up/clears' the energy of the cards that have sat about in storage, and gets me into gear if I haven't thought about them for a while.
2) Then I 'listen' for/think of the client and randomly choose a significator from the minor pile. I look at it and see if I may 'get' any 'feel' about who is about to walk in.
I replace the significator randomly back in the minor pile.
3) Next, the client comes in etc. - I ask the client to think of the question and shuffle each pile and return it to me. The larger minor one they can also cut into 2 halves (over the table so if they drop it - it drops on the table).
I prefer my client to sit on the same side of the table as me so they can see the cards
as I do (I hate - when I go to readings myself - finding that I'm craning my neck to see because the reading is upside down from me) - or on the corner if the table's too small for side by side.
4) Now I have 3 piles - 2 minor and 1 major.
I 'listen' to which minor pile I should deal from - and here the answer varies.
I deal the cards on the table in pairs, always one major and minor for each position.
(for clients - I usually deal face up. For myself I deal face down, and then turn them
over when the spread is complete).
When the client has left, I regroup the deck into 2 piles (major and minor) and shuffle
each one.
Like Ladyblackbyrd I prefer to read without shoes (usually have socks on) - I just find it more comfortable - rather than suddenly having random thoughts that my feet are too hot or I'd like to wiggle my foot and can't quite do it with the shoes on etc.
I was wondering if there was a "rituals" thread or similar and I think this is as close as it gets!
. . . If there is a "ritual" or similar thread please let me know!
I just posted a new thread "Tarot + Ritual Magic (Tyson)" - hoping for some like-minds out there. It may not quite be the 'ritual' that you are looking for though.
Check mine out - then start your own if it doesn't fit you.