Is this something that everyone does?

[calligirl]

Whenever I do a spread, whether it's Celtic Cross or Past/Present/Future, whatever, I deal the cards face up. The meaning of the card flashes in my head immediately so as I'm laying them out, I'm receiving their meanings. In the case of the CC, by the time I have all of the cards out, I have already formed an impression of whether it's a good or bad reading.

Is this a good thing or should I try NOT to jump the gun, so to speak? Because sometimes when I do this, I look closer at the cards and the message is different. For instance, my overall impression is that things are okay but then when I look closer, the cards may be darker.

How valid are first impressions?

 

[Umbrae]

often...yet not...

it's why I like to lay out the spread face down. It's less intense for me AND the sitter.

and no matter how good or experienced I am, I can get to a point where I think I know what the spread's about cuz all those 'as I laid them out flashes...' but I haven't started talking WITH the sitter.

Remember - a reading may be filled with 'bad cards', but be a wonderful, good reading...or filled with 'light cards' and be ominous...it don't matter what I see, it's what transpires between the sitter and I, it's what the Tower means to them...

 

[Kaylee Marie]

I deal the cards face up, but many choose to do it face down. Deal whatever way is comfortable and feels right for you.

As for your question about first impressions... yes, they are subject to change or be wrong, but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. I think it's worse to say that one should ALWAYS trust their first impressions, or else NEVER trust them. The fact that you make an impression, but are then willing to revise it as you see fit is a wise and beautiful thing.

Cheers,
Kaylee Marie

 

[MareSaturni]

I lay face down...all cards at the same time are too much information at once. Hard to absorb, and, sometimes, hard to put together. I read one card at time, then when they are all face up, i read them together. THEN, i see if it's good or ominous. When i already had some talk with the sitter, have told tham what the cards are, what is their images representing.

That's my method...i don't think yours is wrong, just may be overwhelming sometimes.

Yuko

 

[WalesWoman]

I usually deal cards face up... but I have to admit that there have been times when I was really afraid that the cards might tell me something I really, really didn't want to hear... so I dealt them face down...

It actually made the anxiety worse.

 

[Original Destiny]

I deal the cards face down...then I say I will turn the cards over and do a quick summary...good, bad or indifferent. the client is then prepared for the theme of the reading...I get a feeling from quickly scanning the cards, not nessesarily looking at each individual card but more the whole picture. I tend to let all the cards "wash" over me rather than looking at each and every card

 

[leftovercrizack]

I deal mine face up.And somtimes I start to skip around. Then I have to sort of restrain myself of doing so. Then before its over I have an extremely confused client. So I always tell myself to lay them face down the next time, but out of habit I never do.

 

[December Fairy]

Always face up. I've never thought to deal them face down.

 

[poivre]

I deal the cards face down.
This gives me a second, when I turn the cards,
to think! (when I lost for words)
Sometimes that second, turning the cards, makes the reading.

If I deal face up...
I find too much information, too fast.

 

[Flidais]

I have tried both approaches: dealing the cards face up and face down. Lately I have chosen to deal them face down. Then I pause and take a deep breath before turning them up. That seems to work well for me.