Argh! Mental Block! Empty Slate!

[Apollonia]

With great respect to those who prefer to turn over the cards one by one, I was actually going to suggest that it might be helpful, or at least interesting, to try what I do. I always begin by looking at the spread in its entirety, and sorting out the general relative percentage of Majors, Minors and Courts. Then I start with, "With this many Majors, we are probably looking at a major life path issue here, so..." or whatever pertains to the types of cards that are there.

In my experience of doing this, the client will nearly always be able to relate to this initial energy of the reading, and that breaks the ice and gets the reading off to a good start, no matter what the actual cards are. I also feel it's helpful because it provides a familiar way for me to start each session, which takes me to an instant comfort level of, "Oh, yes, this is what we're doing, and I've been here many times before and it turned out great."

Very occasionally (like maybe once in 500 or so readings,) the client is asking something where the cards simply will decline to provide an answer. I have seen that most in clients who have been to every psychic in town and out, asking the same futile question and getting, if the psychic is ethical, the same negative response. In that case, I just tell them the truth--that there is no energy pointing towards this subject in the reading, and that adding more cards won't help. It's like the cards are saying, "This is a dead issue, leave it be."

 

[canid]

Well fer starters, you're looking at all the cards face up at once.

So start with the cards face down. Turn them only as you read them. You can do all the fancy dancy stuff later on.

Turn them over and read them one at a time (and reach for the water bottle).

What he said. Ever since I read his suggestion of turning the cards over one at a time, I've done it ever since. Works for me. Then if there's a problem, start describing the card to yourself or out loud, whatever stands out on that card to you, without thinking of what it means. The sitter doesn't know how you normally read, whether you jump right in, or ruminate for 30 minutes before saying a word, so just describe the art on the card. That'll usually start the flow.

 

[satinangel]

I typically will try all of the above mentioned ideas first... but truly if nothing else works, I will turn the card to my client and ask them if it envokes any feelings or emotions in THEM ...

In a worst case scenario...it works as a springboard.

 

[Cactus]

I just turn them over all at once and see what it does for me. Sometimes I'll close my eyes to see if anything pops up that way. Usually I'll get the story. When I'm to pay attention to one card at a time (even after turning them all over), I usually just know after studying them all for a bit. I'll then go to the first one and look at it as if it were alone and not in a string of cards.

 

[franniee]

It happens. I have the cards facing up and I don't typically ask for a question at the onset. I ask the sitter to think about the issue or what it is they want to know and I lay the cards out and look and see what is going on....

When I go blank or can't see the story/pattern readily and the time is ticking I take a couple of deep breaths and some water and chill a second..... sometimes I read through each card one by one in sequence until I can feel the story weave together. Sometimes I ask the sitter what it is they were asking about and see if that helps me see something.

Sometimes the sitter's head is so jumbled that a bunch of things come up at once in a big jumble! Then you have to detangle the whole thing... That is why I tell the sitter to pick one thing to think about first and then if we have time we will get to the others....

Sometimes, and I don't recommend this, I reshuffle and begin again....but whenever I do that the cards repeat and the first spread was always right....meaning it is there - the answer is there you just need to chill a bit, slow your brain down and let it come to you.

 

[Rev_Vesta]

intersting responses, thoughts, suggestions.......

for me personally I type or write each reading..........before i speak......
so I find it a great way to calm the mind.....
I start with one card at a time.........starting from the first position of the cards......the first five then 2nd five...........Then begin to look at numbers, suits etc.......

sometimes when i have a blank to start with..... I look at card #1 describe what i see with the picture...then it starts to flow.....

You might begin....with paper and pen...........take one card at a time.... write what you see........when completed give it to the client to take home.....they love it..... a copy of their reading they can go over and over, read it when they want.......I use my laptop and a small printer which i take with me to expos etc(anywhere i can plug it in........) otherwise i hand write my readings .............

This works for me give it a try and see if it works to help the flow...

Vesta

 

[Dancing Bear]

With great respect to those who prefer to turn over the cards one by one, I was actually going to suggest that it might be helpful, or at least interesting, to try what I do. I always begin by looking at the spread in its entirety,

I start off like this too.. look at the story this is because i want to know what is happening before i even start to read.. so i know where i am going with it.... I always use the celtic cross. my own version i have created over time.
Then i proceed read either indivudual cards and or blocks of cards.. then tell the entire story.


Yes some spreads are all over the place.. i say so to the client.. and you know they will laugh and say yes well when i was shuffling i swapped and changed my mind about what to ask..

expect the unexpected in any and every spread.. they dont always run smoothly.. and at times all over the place .. and i have had a time where the spread meant everything to someone else but i knew it wasnt for the person in front of me.. so I again said so..this spread is not making sense or is not for you..
Then i resort to my back up.. I either use Palm reading, pendulum or medium to help the person.. I know at the time which one to use.. it just is what i am drawn to..


Might be an idea if these blank times happen , and they do..
Have a backup plan.. What else do you use other than Tarot?

 

[shelikes2read]

I normally use the standard divinatory meanings of the cards when I read, as opposed to the readers who prefer to intuit card meanings during readings.

However, in the case where I go into a state of brain-lock on one of the cards, then I take it as a sign to use intuition to discern what the card is trying to say.

I love the suggestions in this thread, though. btw. I'll be adding them to my repertoire, for sure.