Cutting the deck

mydearsk

Thanks

Lionheart,

I will try out this method; one clarification--I understand that we are suppose to read the cards present at the bottom of each pile. Please clarify.

SK
 

Sophie

I use the three cards under the cut piles as well, in a method suggested by Rachel Pollack in Forest of Souls. She calls these three cards the "teacher cards", and reads them as being the main teaching that we will acquire from the reading - that is, the main teaching we need now. I have found it remarkably useful and accurate. I think it's close to the method you describe.

Oh - just one more thing. I put the three teacher cards back in the pack after I've looked at them, and then fan the pack out. The three cards frequently re-appear in the reading.

Thirteen - I also use the non-dominant hand method, including from drawing the cards out of the fan - and tell my querents to do the same when they are selecting cards.
 

firecatpickles

If the querent has not already cut the deck after shuffling (or if they ask for me to shuffle), I will always divide in three piles with the right hand for them, going from right to left, and then stack them back together again in the same direction. I learned this from my first tarot book but I cannot remember the name of it, as it was stolen from me.

KK
:T2S
 

catlin

I let querents shuffle and cut the cards and I have a look at the bottom cards as well.
Sometimes they give interesting information for the reading, especially when querent does not mention the question to you. Sometimes these cards give information of the shadow of a reading, eg what querent does not want to see.
 

michmm

shadow card??!!

hmmmmm i didn't know this bottom card had a name...and that too, something so interesting !
well, i had heard of some readers looking at the bottom card and i often wondered what was the significance of that, was going to post on AT to ask, but i'm glad i found this thread first!!!
the procedure of looking at the three cut cards sounds even better - I am going to try it out in my next reading for sure!
thanks guys
:love:
mich
 

aria

i cut the cards like this for general three card readings that is to give insight into an issue or to generally know about the querent and also for any three card spreads such as ppf!!
 

Netzach

How interesting! I always cut the deck into three piles & put it back together in whatever order seems appropriate. But I've always wondered what the point was in cutting it three ways - however, if one looks at the bottom card of each pile, it makes sense. I sometimes look at the bottom card of the whole deck before I lay out the cards - I think I learned that from Elven - and that is frequently very informative. But I think I'll give the three cards a go from now on.

Helvetica said:
I put the three teacher cards back in the pack after I've looked at them, and then fan the pack out.

Does that mean that you (or your querent) always choose individual cards from the deck rather than just dealing them off the top? I've wondered about doing that, particularly with a deck that's hard to shuffle.
 

Sophie

Netzach said:
Does that mean that you (or your querent) always choose individual cards from the deck rather than just dealing them off the top? I've wondered about doing that, particularly with a deck that's hard to shuffle.
Yes, exactly. I never deal off the top. It means that if the shuffling is superficial, it doesn't matter so much, though personally I always try to shuffle well (but as you say, some decks are hard to shuffle).
 

Netzach

Thanks Helvetica. It's something I always do if I'm just reading one card - and I can always "feel" where in the deck the card needs to come from. I think I'll give it a try with larger readings and see how it goes.
 

Baroli

Whoa!! Just this morning I came across a spread by Mary Greer that employs the use of the "shadow cards" in a more explicit 3 card reading. I will share the spread with everyone (as soon as I get back home from work). But it is real easy and is very acurate.
I did know the name of the bottom card and it does clarify the card or situation you are reading.

As far as cutting the deck, I usually cut from left to right and let the cards do the cutting, meaning where ever they break apart from the rest of the deck, that is where I cut. I always pay attention to those cards that jump out of the deck. 9 times out of 10 when that happens and I put them back, I end up drawing that card out for myself or the querent. I liken it to an exclamation or an exclamation mark. (!)

Baroli52 :)