Savvy
I don't use a significator, but I do often use a card to represent the querent as he/she percieves themselves.
How important is the significator?
ravenest
WhiteWizzard said:
Yes. I like to draw the first card as the significator. That gives me an overall subject matter for the reading. If it happens to be the clients astrological significator, or one that looks like them, then this gives me an indication of an accurate and fairly straight-forward reading. if card 1 is a Trump, there is a very important overall message. if it is a minor, the reading is usually about one thing or subject.
greycats
I, too, draw a card to use as something like a significator if I'm doing my own reading. If the reading is for someone else, I have them draw a card from the fanned deck right after it's cut. I don't read the card as representing querent necessarily, but rather as an general theme for the reading. I see it modifying every other card--sometimes reinforcing, sometimes conflicting with each. Sometimes I see it in the spaces between the cards. Obviously, the type of card that's drawn determines how strong the influence will be. With a major arcana I would expect a significant influence but with a minor less of one. A court card might indicate a person, etc. Used this way, it's a very functional card. 
My main objection to using a traditional signifier is that it is redundant, not to say meaningless. If the same card is going to be there each time a particular person consults the tarot, then the card might as well never be there because it's never going to mean anything different. It's a piece of furniture. Nevertheless, I encourage the people I read for regularly to choose a card to represent themselves, any card they can identify with. That way if the card shows up in a reading it has added meaning. Obviously, I never pull it deliberately.
My main objection to using a traditional signifier is that it is redundant, not to say meaningless. If the same card is going to be there each time a particular person consults the tarot, then the card might as well never be there because it's never going to mean anything different. It's a piece of furniture. Nevertheless, I encourage the people I read for regularly to choose a card to represent themselves, any card they can identify with. That way if the card shows up in a reading it has added meaning. Obviously, I never pull it deliberately.
SarahRose
I personally don't see a lot of point to a signifier. I also tend to agree with your energy theory - I don't want to rifle through my deck like that.
Whatever works for you.
Whatever works for you.Lain_82
I don't use a sig card, but its mostly because I don't know how to pick one, or how it can help the reading. But I'm open to new possibilities and maybe one day I can see the point of using significators.
TenOfSwords
I normally wouldn't use a significator as I don't feel it adds anything but a restraint to the reading, but did use a spread once where the signicator made all the difference: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=7869
Edge
I firmly believe in the use of a significator for some of the spreads that I use this card is crucial.
StarUpInTheSky
Lain_82 said:
Same here, I think mastering or even having a common grasp of the card meanings is my main focus for now. I like the idea that someone had about using a card to represent the quarent.
~*Mel*~
sapienza
I have never used a significator. To be honest I feel better after reading this thread because now I know I'm not alone. It just never felt like something I wanted to do. I haven't read for a little while now but when I did read I would have the querant shuffle the deck then cut it in two. I'd take their bottom half and take the cards for the spread from the top of that pile. The bottom card of the top pile I used to use kind of like a significator - well I saw it as a kind of overview of what we were dealing with.
The think I love about the tarot is how you can adapt it and do what feels right for you. There is certainly no right or wrong way and as I've learnt reacently, our style and approach changes with time. I read for 8 years using the Mythic deck, the method I just explained, the Celtic Cross spread and I used reversals. I've taken a break and I'm now working with the World Sprit deck, no reversals, a different method of selecting cards and a spread I developed myself. Always good to remember that we can change our approach as we change and grow in life.
Gee, that turned into a long-winded little post and a bit off the track. Sorry for the diversion!
The think I love about the tarot is how you can adapt it and do what feels right for you. There is certainly no right or wrong way and as I've learnt reacently, our style and approach changes with time. I read for 8 years using the Mythic deck, the method I just explained, the Celtic Cross spread and I used reversals. I've taken a break and I'm now working with the World Sprit deck, no reversals, a different method of selecting cards and a spread I developed myself. Always good to remember that we can change our approach as we change and grow in life.
Gee, that turned into a long-winded little post and a bit off the track. Sorry for the diversion!
CrystalTarot
WhiteWizzard said:
Between readings to completely cleanse my deck I re-sort it into Majors and minors so the court cards are there all together. This re-sort clears any of the previous readings energy and also makes sure that there are no cards left together in sequence from that reading to influence the next. Its then easy for a significator to be chosen. Then I put it back into the deck and reshuffle and carry on either divining the question and if the reading should be carried out, or reshuffle and read noting the position of the significator and if it turns up
