Flying blind, or knowing the background?

[SwordOfTruth]

I often see here and elsewhere people really wanting to be able to do accurate blind readings. Such as guess what's going on the querents life based on the cards alone. I can get why that's a popular goal. Kind of like flexing your intuitive muscles and seeing how much you can divine from the ethers. But for me I personally find it frustrating when querents with-hold information thats relevant (often critical) to the reading and once revealed changes the meaning of the cards completely.

I find it frustrating because I typically do spend quite a bit of my time focusing on those cards. Only to have the querent come back and say...oh no thats completely wrong because of x,y,z. Its why I much prefer in-person readings where I can get that kind of feedback as we go and adapt in the moment. I sometimes feel like its time wasted otherwise or I have to now completely change my interpretation of the cards and start over.

This is not a compllaint about members here or this site. It's just a reason I don't do email readings. I'm certain that most of the time, people just forget that others aren't as up on the situation as they are, or perhaps they're not wanting to skew results by giving background. Which ironically, does skew the results.

What are your thoughts, preferences? I do blind readings quite often still but its not my preference to be honest.

 

[Barleywine]

It's the single biggest reason I don't do on-line readings. I prefer to "adapt" in real-time with a "live one" sitting at the reading table. I work through the spread and get the sitter's observations at each major talking point. If there is no convergence of opinion at first, we discuss alternative meanings of the card or cards in question until we find a path through the maze . . . reaching for that "Aha! moment." I also have no problem bouncing back to an earlier card and refining my interpretation if new insights surface at a later point in the reading. Then I wrap it all up into a comprehensive (and hopefully coherent) overview that brings all of the main threads together. I never let anyone walk away muttering that a reading was totally wrong since I extract their buy-in and ownership of the outcome through their interactive involvement. Since I don't read "on the clock," this takes just however much time it takes!

 

[VGimlet]

Weirdly I think I get better readings when I know nothing about the person I'm reading for. I just let the cards tell the story, and let it go from there.

If I know someone, I have to be much more careful to NOT let what I know influence how I read the cards.

If the person is asking about a specific situation, or has a specific question that is slightly different, but I still try not to let my knowledge of the situation influence my reading. But what works for me may not work for others, for sure.

 

[chongjasmine]

For me, I don't get background information when I read for a person.
I prefer to let the cards speak for themselves.

 

[Grizabella]

I'm kind of a combination of the two scenarios. I do like a little bit of background because that helps me to know what the cards are saying more specifically. I see it like....if you went to the doctor, wouldn't you tell him you had a sore throat so he'd know where to start applying his finesse?

I don't ask questions of the sitter, though, in the way Barleywine does because it feels like I have to drag information out them that way, for one thing. I get the question and a little background and take it from there. Beforehand, I've already told the sitter to ask other questions they have as we go along and then when the reading is winding up, I ask if they have any further questions around this subject. I don't read in a venue where I'd want to watch the clock, so that's not a problem. But Barleywine does a great job, I'm sure, and like him, I love reading face-to-face when I get the chance.

Experience is the key. Over the years, you learn what works best for you. Nisaba likes not knowing beforehand what the topic is, and for her, that works famously. I can do it that way, too, but if I know a little background, I just get more clarity from the cards.

Barleywine asks questions of the sitter as he goes along, nisaba prefers not to know a question, and I prefer having a little background but I don't ask the sitter for any more info as I go along with the reading. We've all learned through experience what work best for us and we're kind of three facets of reading style.

 

[SwordOfTruth]

Hmm...after reading the responses here I think I came to an idea about this. I learned tarot by self-reading only. I started reading others about 4yrs ago. So thats probably why knowing the background doesn't cause me an issue or is something I like. But so saying that when I'm doing an in-person I ask them to tell me their question and thats it before we start. The cards get laid out and I'll start talking and most of the time the querent will chime in with their own little comments throwing a bit of background in here and there. Thats usually sufficient. Just feedback really to know I'm on track or if a card is stumping me I'll say well I'm confused about this card though...it usually means this or that, and then they'll chime in and say...oh yeah blah, blah, blah and I can interpret that card in context then.

Its that interactioon that I like. Who knows maybe one day I'll be able to glamce at a spread and tell the querent all about their life. But its a bit beyond me at the moment.

 

[gregory]

Weirdly I think I get better readings when I know nothing about the person I'm reading for. I just let the cards tell the story, and let it go from there.

If I know someone, I have to be much more careful to NOT let what I know influence how I read the cards.

If the person is asking about a specific situation, or has a specific question that is slightly different, but I still try not to let my knowledge of the situation influence my reading. But what works for me may not work for others, for sure.

For me, I don't get background information when I read for a person.
I prefer to let the cards speak for themselves.

These. A question - OK. But as soon as I have backstory, that can influence what I pick up. It's also why I won't read for myself or for friends.

I also like reading HERE best. Sometimes my reading take literally days to gel. I don't want to have to invite people to stay over while I mull over the cards

 

[Le Fanu]

I also like reading HERE best. Sometimes my reading take literally days to gel. I don't want to have to invite people to stay over while I mull over the cards

Interesting point. And something I find frustrating. I sometimes do readings and then after a few days thinking can come up with conclusions that might make more sense but I never chase people up and say "you know that card from last week? It could have meant... " (although I often wish I could) Ideally you will have some time to soak things in and see the wider perspectives that the cards might be suggesting.

In this way, online reading is better. There isn't that immediate pressure with the querent staring at you wanting good news NOW! However, I have done just a few email readings. 99% of the time it's for people in front of me. I can't be bothered typing stuff up - I'm quite lazy like that. I did a face to face reading the other day with little info and a general spread - said what I thought - even seemingly illogical, random stuff and he was nodding his head. I didn't ask for details but he said it was chiming, so that made me feel better. But when this happens there's an urge not to say too much in case you're detracting from the core of the message.

 

[Alta]

I can do it either way, but I very much enjoy face to face readings. Of all of the descriptions above, my style comes closest to Barleywine's. Love the interaction, exploring the cards together, discussing.

I can do readings without information but like SwordofTruth I find it very frustrating if the querent asks about a relationship, say, and I interpret the cards and it turns out to be an emotionally charged work relationship, not romantic. Now I suppose some of you are thinking, well, I would have figured that out and good on you mate. But I sometimes wind up down a parallel but wrong corridor and prefer the interactive mode.

 

[gregory]

I can do it either way, but I very much enjoy face to face readings. Of all of the descriptions above, my style comes closest to Barleywine's. Love the interaction, exploring the cards together, discussing.

Yes sure. As long as it is another tarotista and you can actually discuss the cards.

I was once (only once; now I only read f2f with people I know will be fun !) in a f2f thing, and the "discussion" was dire. Among others, Lovers was up there, and Empress, and 10 swords - and - well, you can see the rest; she was asking about her husband. I leave you to imagine. And that wasn't what I picked up at all, but she wasn't having it. She KNEW what the cards meant. She KNEW she was right about him.

A baby will help ? NO, please no.

They are divorced now. Mercifully without a pregnancy in there.