trzes
Without any hope to convince you of my point of view, just because you asked: I think that what you said are fine examples how an experienced reader casually stretches the meanings of the cards to make a better fit. And the question if focussing in a different way on the cards might change the outcome or not is pretty much of a belief positon too, hard to prove either way. I suggest we aggree to disagree and leave it like that .I agree that the question you raised (example provided by Kitichi's post) is an interesting point, but it doesn't exclude variables such as, inexperience of the reader not knowing all possible meanings and variations, including elemental dignities and how they would apply; being distracted while shuffling, the cards trying to override the question to provide more important news on another topic, temporary 'senior moment' type blockages, and so on. Too, I have had at times been given a message by the cards that had no direct association to standard interpretation, but somehow it could make my mind jump to the meaning. Like once when someone was in danger, the seven of Pentacles appeared to be waiting ominously in the bushes, yielding a hoe. I believe there would have to be times such messages would go unnoticed, don't you think?
Using tarot for personal insight, reflection or spiritual growth makes it simply less likely to come across a card that doesn't fit in a too obvious way IMHO, because almost any card will add something worth considering to another aspect of your reflection. But whatever, as long as we both aggree with gregory in our own ways, that's fine by me. I don't mind too much WHY somebody would exactely accept that there is no such thing as 100% accuracy in the system being used.The example you provide by using Gregory's post to illustrate, well that to me, to paraphrase, says that the cards are more suited to spiritual growth and insight than to divination. It doesn't actually suggest that the cards are in error. It seems to imply that fault lies to some degree in the reader using them that way, for divination. That is a theory I agree with; but the risk, as applied to accuracy seems quite small. It doesn't mean that when used as a divination tool, the message of the cards is wrong, or occasionally wrong. His suggestion seems to say 'expect that if you use this information in this way, it doesn't always apply perfectly'. I agree with that perception, although am not sure that's what Gregory intended to say.