how important is it to use a significator card?

Kenny

I'm going to echo the crowd now. I have never used one, don't see the need in using one either. :)
 

Elven

... Im not sure Solitaire, but it might be me you read doing that - it in the Cafe Readers Diary thread ;) but there are other here who do that too :)

Yep - I use Significators!! LOL!! Always have ...and although part of my reading practice and method, there are times when I'm sitting during the reading thinking - hey look at dat - no Signifier! :bugeyed: - I didnt draw one.

The reason I use them is for focus - purpose and intent.

I use either the Querants question written on a piece of papaer and placed under the cloth - or on the table.
I use a blank RW Tarot card with and without anything written on it - sometimes the persons name - sometimes the question - sometimes the area of the question - sometimes blank. With certain spreads that card can be placed in the deck on shuffling - yes it looks different, but you'd have to be a pretty mean card shark to place it where you want it to come up in the reading :p Its not distractive.

I use cards from the reading deck - and cant ever remember feeling as though Im missing a card or dont have a full deck in my hand.

My Querants shuffle the cards - and I ask them to take a moment while shuffling to relax and look at the card - read the question - focus on the topic surround ing the question. I suggest that they can (silently or out loud) repeat the question over and over if they want to while they shuffle.

If there is ever a querey in relationship to the reading I refer back to their question and it places the reading in their focus and perspective again.

I use (mostly) - for relationships - the two of cups
For business and finance - 8 of pents.
But I think I might have run the gauntlet and used every card during my time reading :)

I know some people dont use them, I know some people do - others both.
Its a personal choice and sometimes that choice is just intuitive.

The Querant can also take the RW Blank card (or the piece of paper) with their question on it with them after the reading - its dated.
Tis just my way :p


Blessings Elven x
 

Indigo Rose

I have used them on occasion, with good results. Sometimes, I will use a card as a significator for a specific topic...say the Moon for a dream question. It can help you focus on the topic sometimes. However, you don't need a significator. It's just an alternative for a new twist. :)

:heart:
 

Riverstone

I don't use a significator, but it occurs to me that if, for instance, you selected the Queen of Wands as a significator, if any other Wands court cards came up in the reading, it might fairly clearly identify another family member. That could be useful.

Just a thought...
 

Laughing cat

Like many modern readers, I don't use significators, but I get the sense that they were used more often in the "old days."

Sometimes books (especially the older ones) will tell you to choose a significator based strictly on what the querent looks like. For example, Waite suggests that Cups represent people with light brown hair and a fair complexion, Wands are people with blond or red hair and blue eyes, etc. Pages are representative of children, Knights teenagers, Queens women and Kings men.

This system has never done much for me. For one thing, the Court cards vary so much in appearance from deck to deck.
 

Elven

Laughing Cat said:
Like many modern readers, I don't use significators, but I get the sense that they were used more often in the "old days."

Mwaha! :p yep, I suppose they did - I thought you meant about 1980 - not 1890 :p

Any card can be a significator though, and even today ;), those Court characteristics are still good indicators - especially coupled with other cards :)


Blessings Elven x
 

Grizabella

I forgot to add to my post that I don't use significators, either. It just seems to be decreed from wherever that CC spread originated from----the Great Tarot God in the Sky wrote it on a stone tablet somewhere and we've been cursed with it ever since in every tarot book and LWB ever written.

I see no reason to use one so I never have. I thought it was an unnecessary nuisance.