ros said:
I usually ask...
What do I need to know about today, this week
about an event and so on.
NOW I'm starting to think that these types of questions are NOT
specific enough, when I am reading for myself.
I usually try three cards at the most and think...what the heck?
Yeah, I never ask stuff like this. There's too much to know in a day or a week, plus I'm too impatient. lol I find these only work for me in hindsight, and I rarely ask then, because by then I know.
I also don't do daily morning draws with tarot anymore, even though I have done them for months or years at a time when I'm studying. It's just too stressful somehow. I find other oracles are better for first thing in the morning (with no question) and also for right before you go to sleep, if you're worried or something. Plus, animal decks are good for knowing which spirit guide is with you or helping you at the moment. (Otherwise, I use oracles the same way as tarot.)
ros said:
More specific the question the clearer the answer?????
What are "good" questions to ask yourself,
when doing a reading? OR What kind of questions work for you?
Thanks for any comments!
ros
Well, I do think the longer you've been reading, the more you can get away with in terms of vague questions. It just becomes a habit of thinking, to ask what you want in ways that work for you personally - whether you think or say out loud the exact words or not.
I ask whatever I want, pretty much, but I try not to be biased or presume I know any part of the answer. Like instead of, 'why was so-and-so a jerk today', I'll ask what led X to do or say that? What is going on with them? Or just, why did they do or say that?
I also don't ask things I don't want to know. Or that I already know the answer to,
unless it's for the purposes of studying/getting to know the deck better. Example: Now and then, I'll ask to be shown the cards that represent my own feelings for someone, or a situation I'm in... when clearly I already know my feelings or the situation. Just to see how the deck translates it into symbols. It's interesting to do when you don't really have a question but want to work with a deck.
I ask yes and no questions and read them intuitively. Sometimes I'll try methods I read about, but most of them tend not to be accurate. lol My intuition usually is.
I ask timing questions sometimes, even though I have NO system for interpreting them. It's either completely intuitive, or I just wait (don't interpret at all) and then write the answer in my tarot journal whenever it comes to pass. lol One day, I'll go back and look for patterns.
I ask about dreams, usually right after I wake up if a dream is bugging me. What did that dream represent in general? What did this person or that symbol represent? What did that weird bit at the end mean?
I've read about plot points in books before I read on and find out what happens.
I've compared people... like one fictional character, me, someone else/several other people. Three cards each. (Pretty much turns out to be how our lives are going so far and what sort of people we are; plus you already know the fictional person's whole journey and character.)
I'll pull one card only to see how someone else is doing today. When we speak, I usually ask how their day was so I can see if it was accurate. lol
I ask what will be the outcome if do this... and if I don't? If I'm choosing between options, I'll do those two questions for each option. If it seems like there might be really varied reactions, I'll do outcome for me and outcome for them, if I do it and if I don't. (So, four cards.)
If I'm bored I may ask what should I do right now. Almost never makes sense, so I just eventually end up doing something, somehow. Then in hindsight, turns out it was whatever the card said it would be. lol
I'll ask what I should do (to get the outcome I want). Still up to me to take the advice or not. Similar to what SunChariot wrote, it's a way to try to change things for the better.
I use past, present, future (meaning short-term future) sometimes. I skip the past a lot though, because I know it. Also, I'm not that into looking at the long-term future of things... though I guess it depends on what I am asking about. If I specifically want to know that, I usually do two separate cards: short-term and long-term.
I also ask about outcomes or effects on me (or someone) mentally, physically/practically, and spiritually.
If it's not obvious from recent readings, every once in a while I ask what my significator is these days. Or sometimes, I'll ask what my significator is in the moment, to see how I'm handling something.
Even more rare is to ask where I am right now on the Fool's journey. It's usually the Moon or the Hanged Man. I think that's because I wouldn't think to ask at any other time.
When I write to people, and it's important, I ask how my letter will affect them.
Sometimes I ask what my role is in a situation or a relationship, or how it's affecting my spiritual growth.
I tend to only ask things like 'tell me what I need to know about...' when I can't think clearly because of emotions, or I can't formulate a question in an unbiased way. Like, if I have a hunch something is going on but I have no way of really knowing for sure, I'll ask, what can you tell me about the possibility of [this being the case]?
I almost never use pre-made spreads. The one I've used most this last year or so is the 'new deck interview' one.
Most everything else is more specific and in the moment. I ask whatever I want to know, as if I'm talking to a person who has all the answers.
Or, I just sit and think about a situation or a person and draw cards. No question.
My methods run the full gamut. lol
Hope that helps. This got awfully long...
