How important is the significator?

[Hexerei]

You don't need one unless you think you do and like to use them. I have never felt right using them and never do.

 

[Aerin]

I was just looking to see if many people used a significator in the sense of removing a card from the deck/ having the querent do this. I've never really understood why it is a good idea.

Anyway, I came up with this thread which is quite old now.

Is there anyone who does use one???? And if so, how? While I might have a relevant spread position or spot a card as perhaps representing the querent, I don't use one.

 

[Morgane_49]

I rarely use a significator, and if I do choose to use one, I don't use one from the deck I'm using for the spread.

If I do use one, I have a couple of decks that I generally choose a card from - Goddess Knowledge deck and Animal Spirits Knowledge deck, both by Susan Seddon Boulet. I love the decks, but never could figure out anything else to do with them as they are basically informational and miniature pieces of art. They make great significators, whether I use a card from them to represent the querent OR the situation the querent is asking about.

 

[Aerin]

That's a good idea. Using a card from another deck.

Do you find that if it is especially significant then the card shows up again in the reading?

 

[nisaba]

I was just looking to see if many people used a significator in the sense of removing a card from the deck/ having the querent do this. I've never really understood why it is a good idea.

Anyway, I came up with this thread which is quite old now.

Is there anyone who does use one???? And if so, how? While I might have a relevant spread position or spot a card as perhaps representing the querent, I don't use one.

I see it mentioned in (some, not all) LWBs. I see people ask about it here, and others chorus that either they don't use it, or that they associate a card with themselves, but it stays in the deck.

I think it's a waste of a card, myself. If I am going to put an extra position in a spread for a "significator", ie, a card to indicate the client (or me), I will want that card to be random so that it can tell me something about the inner state of the person with regards to the issue dominating the rest of the spread.

And when LWBs tell you how to select a significator, they are so superficial! they might tell you one card for an older blond man, an older dark man, a younger blond man, a younger dark man, an older blonde woman, an older dark woman, a younger blonde woman and a younger dark woman.

How on EARTH is someone's hair-colour (so often chosen, not genetic), skin-tone and age at all relevant to what's going on in their heart? I know people who look very similar to each other, who have entirely different personalities and drives, and do not resemble each other at all, but following some of those LWB's instructions, you'd have to choose the same significator for them. So to me, it's meaningless.

I just don't do meaningless cards or positions. What a waste of time.

 

[BeyondtheVeil]

I don't use a significator except with the Celtic Cross. I don't go through the deck to pick it out either. It just shows up in it's place when I draw the cards.

Just do what you like and what works for you. I don't think there is a right or wrong on it. Just what works and makes sense for you. That is how I think about it anyway.


BeyondtheVeil

 

[ncharge]

I rarely use a significator, but when I do I use the first card that I draw as the significator. It usually tells me something about the querant that is relevant to the question. This always worked better for me than the standard significator, which feels like an artificial symbol. This way, the deck says "This is the querant".

 

[Aerin]

The one idea in all this that does appeal to me is for the querent to select a card (and no, not on all that blue eyes blond hair stuff but more which card (not nec. court) most feels like it has something to do with them) as a discussion point. And then putting the card back in the pack and seeing if it turns up.

I'm not sure I would do that myself, just that I can see it might work.

I wonder if their use was more widespread at one time.