How do you read?

[SpiritOfTheDogz]

Just curious as to how differently people read tarot cards, I don't mean the meanings but how they structure the whole reading. How many go on intinct and put your own idea to card in a certain situation and how many do it text book style and think a certain card means this or that even if in the given situation it doesn't seem to fit?

Although I've only been doing it just over a month I seem to do what I feel to be right at the time. I still obviously need to check a book for the general ideas but find I only do this around 50% of the time now. And I always call them ideas and not meanings, I personally think it is more suitable!

I have done around 50 or so practice readings on friends and family (not the best way I know but at least I'm getting a feel of the cards and how they go together) and only twice have I not seen anything at all and been in a position where i couldn't make anything fit.
When I had a professional reading around six months ago the same happened with me the reader couldn't see anything and she said it was due to my mental state (she didn't charge). I know the two readings I did the people had depression so maybe I had the same block with them as the reader did with me? All the same two out of 50 isn't bad is it?
How many of you get cards that you just can't get to work? Is it normal?

Paul

 

[Le Fanu]

First of all, welcome to the wonderful, limitless universe of tarot. Where there reallly is no right or "not right" way to read the cards. You answer your own question really;
("Although I've only been doing it just over a month I seem to do what I feel to be right at the time.")
I have to admire you; been doing it for just over a month and done 50 readings for family and friends! That´s the way to go forward. Just keep doing it and doing it. Be uninhibited. Do as many readings as you can. Not much better advice than that..

You seem to be on the right path...

(Ive visited your town; nice place. Nice twisted church spire.)

 

[Grizabella]

Practicing on family and friends is a great way to gain experience! Nothing wrong with that at all. Just keep doing it and doing it and you'll find that it's helping you tremendously in your knowledge of the cards.

 

[SpiritOfTheDogz]

Problem is with family and friends i can "make" the cards fit as I know their background. At least I'm learning the cards though and getting the feel, although I doubt I'd have much confidence on reading a stranger just yet.

Paul

 

[raventepes]

Problem is with family and friends i can "make" the cards fit as I know their background. At least I'm learning the cards though and getting the feel, although I doubt I'd have much confidence on reading a stranger just yet.

Paul

That's exactly te beauty of reading for family and friends. You know the background so you have a more clear idea of how to interpet the cards and how to help them for for the future.

 

[Grizabella]

That's exactly te beauty of reading for family and friends. You know the background so you have a more clear idea of how to interpet the cards and how to help them for for the future.

Well, not really. Instead, it's a good opportunity to practice learning to keep your own opinion out of it. Knowing your friends and family so well, you'll tend to give them what you think they should do---you'll tend to project that meaning onto the cards---and then you'll be giving them advice that you think they should follow. When reading, you should be giving people the message the cards have for them, untainted by your own personal opinions. Learning on friends and family, forcing yourself to be objective, will yield some really surprising results and will be very enlightening for both you and those you read for.

 

[SpiritOfTheDogz]

I always read the cards as I see them to family and friends, although I may omit the main meaning of a card at times but this is only in situations that I believe would cause worrying (and my mum has quite a bit to worry about at the moment). Although I try to do the readings as though I don't know them, it isn't easy, pretty much the same as when I'm reading for myself, I can't help which cards turn up but I can interprate them differant ways for whichever part of my life I need advice on.

Paul

 

[franniee]

Paul why not offer readings in the readings exchange and try out different styles...

sometimes I offer goofy off the cuff readings and sometimes I offer very detailed readings, often I let the readers pick from a bunch of decks....

try different ways out and play a bit... this is your chance and your audience... ask for what you need - feedback - play with your style... some of the members do their readings like elaborate stories... so much fun others are more to the point...

go for it.... I'll let you read me if you want....

Welcome!

 

[rabidwolfie]

Personally, I've never been good with words unless I'm writing them, otherwise I'm easily distracted, I stutter, lose my train of thought, forget words, etc.
So I hand the deck to the querant & ask them to shuffle & choose thier cards, then write down what card was where & up or reversed. Then I write out on a sheet of paper what the position means or corresponding question, the card chosen for that spot, & it's meaning in relation to the question/position, & then an overview. People seem much happier with my written readings as well because they like to look back on it later. I have one friend who says he reads his every day because it gives him hope for what I told him is coming, whereas if it was spoken, memory is highly unreliable & a positive can swiftly be made negative or vice versa. And it works well for me lately as well.

 

[SpiritOfTheDogz]

Paul why not offer readings in the readings exchange and try out different styles...

sometimes I offer goofy off the cuff readings and sometimes I offer very detailed readings, often I let the readers pick from a bunch of decks....

try different ways out and play a bit... this is your chance and your audience... ask for what you need - feedback - play with your style... some of the members do their readings like elaborate stories... so much fun others are more to the point...

go for it.... I'll let you read me if you want....

Welcome!

I'll have to subscribe soon then so i can get some practice in that section and hopefully read a few people including yourself. I'm still finding my way around the board at the monent and there's enough going on to think about without suscibing and opening more gateways just yet; I'll get used to the board as it is for a wek or so then I'll subscribe so i can read you...