Openning of the Key Spread

I have been working with this unusual spread from the Golden Dawn for a while now, but only in readings for myself and a few close friends. I like the way this works, but readings seem to take a while. I was wanting so feedback from readers that use this with clients. How is it recieved? How do you plan your session length? What have your experiences been with this unusual look at all 78 cards?

Thanks

MysticTree

The OOTK spread was intended for very special purposes, to the best of my knowledge. Most readers that use this spread only use the one part that uses card counting after dividing the deck up into four stacks. IMO this also the most useful, quickest, and efficient part of the spread, but there are things left out when the original intention for the spread was not for mundane readings. Thus the invocations and other steps that make it redundant.

In use however, it takes up a lot of space and can take a lot of time with all the card switching. I do like the spread though, it's very informative and structured. I'd give about 30-45 minutes if you keep a good pace and talk to the querent.

thanks for the reply rainwolf!

If I understood you then you are stopping at what Paul Hughes called the String reading? Do you string read all four piles or only the one with the most cards?

Again thank you for your input.

MysticTree

I do all five operations, because, IMO, it was made to have all five operations and so it will probably work better like that. It clarifies a lot of details anyway when you use all five.

I don't do readings face-to-face though. The last reading I did using this took two hours.

Also where did the notion come from that this can't be used for mundane issues? I've not really seen any hint of that anywhere in the writings about the spread. Again I just used it recently for someone and it turned out quite well.

Nholdamek

I'm not sure where that idea came from. Paul Hughes talks about reading on mundane issues. In fact in Tarot and the Magus, his sample reading is on a mundane issue.

MysticTree

Sorry, I should've said using the spread for magick work, enochian, all that. I also read a reading with a mundane question (very interesting nonetheless) and I think I read it somewhere and it made sense. Please just take it with a grain of salt