Why read on Past, Present and Future?

[Grizabella]

I thought I'd share something it took me a long time to catch onto. I'm talking years here, not days or months.

When I was first learning and for a long time after, I wondered why a person would even want to read about the past or present, which they already knew, when they were asking a question about the future.

Well, here's what I learned----

If you read on past and present, and you get those two right, then the chances are greater that your reading of the cards indicating the future are also going to be spot on.

Now, maybe that's not too impressive if you're reading for yourself, but if you read for others, it's very pertinent. If you read the past and present and the client recognize those as hitting the mark, then both reader and client can be pretty sure what the reader sees in the cards for the future is going to be on the money as well.

Just thought I'd share that. Maybe others pick such things up quicker than I do. I wouldn't be surprised. But this is for others like myself who can be oblivious to the obvious a lot of the time.

 

[Citrin]

Yes, I agree, I've also been thinking about this.

I also think it clearly shows how our past has affected our present moment, which kind of gives that vibe of being able to make choices and not get too involved with talking "destiny". I think the querent (or me if I'm reading for myself!) feels more empowered seeing the chain of events that way.

 

[Barleywine]

I consider it part of the "back-story." Since I mostly use the Celtic Cross, I've often wondered how much value there is in spending time on it, but Eden Gray's "clockwise flow" model turns it into a seamless part of the narrative, explaining where the situation originated and how it progressed to where it is at the time of the reading. I usually paint it in broad, quick strokes unless the querent is confused or wants more detail.

I find it less useful in 3-card spreads, where I prefer using Elemental Dignities focused on the center card, or something along the lines of Hegel's "dialectic:" thesis, antithesis, synthesis. Five-card spreads make better use of it. But I agree, it can be a form of validation for further development of the reading, especially since I don't ask the question in advance. Of course, it only works this way in face-to-face readings where the querent's feedback is instantaneous.

 

[Saskia]

I think this is a very valid notion. Yes, I've wondered the same myself (why read about the past when you already know it). But then again, the past is a rich vein of intertwined events, emotions etc. and the past card(s) can tell what is the *most important or relevant element* of them all affecting to this current situation and the future. Also, like you said Grizabelle, it's a good "control point" for the reader and the querent that the reader is on the money with the reading.

 

[Philistine]

I always like Camelia Elias's coinage about cards "fixing blind spots". Maybe there is something about the past, or the present, that you aren't seeing--that you *need* to see, in order to achieve the outcome.

 

[Barleywine]

These are a few of the position meanings I've been using for quite some time in my own version of the CC:

Distant Past - Underlying factors that - while still influential - have been pushed into the background.

Recent Past - Recent situations or influences that - while now over - are still fresh in the mind (sometimes in an obsessive way).

Present - The situation coming to a head; the realm of possibilities and opportunities; the threshold of a change.

I've been toying with the idea of general time-frames: Distant Past = months to years; Recent Past = days to weeks, up to a couple of months; Present = a day-or-two window of "now-ness."

 

[Philistine]

I've been toying with the idea of general time-frames

Those are the exact time frames I use with those positions. It's actually the way I learned from the beginning, and it always worked a treat for my readings.

 

[tarot_quest]

I had 2 readings done by Theresa Reed (The tarot lady) so far, and she uses 3 cards to answer a question: Past - Present - Future

I can only agree that hearing something accurate about the past and the present situation gives more credibility to the ''future'' interpretation!

 

[Sentient]

Grizabella, Thank you so much for sharing your hard-earned wisdom. I believe there's another reason why your insight is true.

While people are familiar with the events of their past and what is going on in their present, they are often not aware of their meaning. Tarot cards, with their wisdom and spiritual depth, are a way to access this meaning. This allows people, if read for by a skilled reader, to understand the "whys" behind the events of their lives. It allows them to see that life is not just a series of random, disconnected happenings, but a series of patterns with meaning and lessons. As a reader, the greatest gift I can give is to allow people to see themselves.

 

[nisaba]

When I was first learning and for a long time after, I wondered why a person would even want to read about the past or present, which they already knew, when they were asking a question about the future.

Well, here's what I learned----

If you read on past and present, and you get those two right, then the chances are greater that your reading of the cards indicating the future are also going to be spot on.

<cackle> This reminds me of a client I had when I was reading out of a certain spiritual shop. After she saw me she went to the till to pay for the reading, The girl there asked her how the reading went. She said "Nisaba was brilliant on the past and brilliant on the present, but I think she's completely wrong about the future."



<laughter>



(that one was one of my favourite reviews)