Shadow card?

[rosebud_a320]

Great thread, this is something I didn't know and have found especially helpful. I often find myself looking at the card at the bottom of the deck so I can now see it is something to consider.
Thanks, I seem to learn something new every time I come on here

 

[Aladdin]

i always spread the whole deck in a straight line from right to left and never cut the pack into separate piles. After choosing a set number of cards i place the bottom ( far right ) card to the right of the spread.
To this i give the notion 'near future', ie. a week or two for most readings.
Always whatever appears is an accurate and often powerful indication for illuminating - almost more than shaddowing - the dynamics at play on the day.

 

[Eowyn]

A diferent aproach to the shadow card.

It seems that the thread (conversation) is kinda closed, but Ive just connected and found this interesting question, because I was always wandering the same thing. And after reading the thread, I realized that for years and years I was using the shadow card in a completely different way.

I never used it in spreads. But everytime I was about to use the cards, before I did anything (before shuffling or thinking in a question), I used to take a look at the last card or shadow card and it always was representing the moment or mood I was in that time, sometimes I didnt do any reading at all because it was enough. So, with time, I knew that I was using the tarot in a good measure, because this card was always waiting for me.

Then, years passed. And lots of things happened to me. I didnt use the tarot for very long periods of time. And when I was ready to read again, this last card was waiting to say something, like if the deck knew somehow how I was feeling. Without shuffling.

My 2 cents.

 

[balenciaga]

what about the shadow card being the bottom line, crux of the matter, whats most important in querents head/heart, but the quintessence being like a clarifier for the whole reading?

Hey Star-lover! I think you might want to just play around with these methods and see what kind of results you get. No harm in trying, and then you can get a feel for them. I usually check the bottom of the deck (shadow card) before I begin - it is like a theme. The quint card is useful if say you pulled three cards and found the meaning too loose - so you can add up the cards and reduce and find the quint - helps to tie them all in to a major. And then you get an overall theme, say reduce to 7 = chariot = intensity of focus, for example.
Try and see what you think.

 

[star-lover]

thanks balenciaga that is good advice, best way to practice and learn, try different things

 

[rcb30872]

I always thought that the shadow card means something that was hidden. For instance, I found this spread http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=90119 which says that the shadow card is what is hidden and what needs to be brought out.