[obeygravity]

Originally Posted by gregory

If textbook meanings did it all, there'd be no need for readers; you (generic) could just draw the cards and look them up. That doesn't do it, though - so I think you have to allow that there are extra nuances, that meanings are adaptable.

I wish there was a way to thumbs up posts because this is something that doesn't feel like it's emphasized enough!

[Tanga]

...is it a trick quesiton?


Eventually some sort of marriage of the 2 happens imo (as well as the reader throwing in
any astrology, numerology, runes etc. that they may also have knowledge of).
Sometimes - one's clients who have no Tarot knowledge, give new meanings
that match neither intuitive nor traditional (intuitive for them).
The traditional also changes over time and culture - so the variation grows...
"Adaptability" is the key - and the joy of weaving the story.

[gregory]

Originally Posted by obeygravity

I wish there was a way to thumbs up posts because this is something that doesn't feel like it's emphasized enough!

Saying what you have just said is far more meaningful than a . Thumbsupsies can simply mean oh look my friend posted, or let's click this button, or....

[Grizabella]

I normally don't read card by card anymore. I use a lot of card combinations for my meanings.

None of us lives in a vacuum and a Tarot spread isn't a vacuum, either. We're defined by our surrounding and circumstances and Tarot cards are defined the same way, in my opinion.

Sometimes there may be a case where a fixed meaning for one card applies perfectly, but normally I tend toward using the combined approach for meanings.

For instance, take the Lovers card. I wouldn't read the Lovers card by itself as being a soul mate card, but in the instance where the 2 of Cups, 10 of Cups, 10 of Pentacles and 4 of Wands appeared, I'd definitely be led to read that as a love relationship at least.

[nisaba]

Originally Posted by DJP

I'd be really interesting in getting people's good natured thoughts on whether or not they use fixed (traditional) meanings when interpreting a card or if they take a more adaptable approach .... I'd also like to know why they feel it's the best approach for them.

I won't reply directly, but think on this:

There are only 78 cards. Every human is different, and there are billions of those. In any one spread used repeatedly by a reader or readers, a single card may fall repeatedly in that position of the spread for people with vastly different lives. Over the whole deck, is only 78 meanings *ever* going to be adequate? If it were, there'd be never any need for skilful interpretation: clients could look up the single meanings in LWBs themselves.

Rats: I replied directly.

[DJP]

What engaging, instructive and thought provoking answers....

I guess it underlines why I've fallen so hard for Tarot.... because, like life, Tarot is both ordered and chaotic, finite and infinite, fixed and creative.... just beautiful, really.

I'm also, as usual, bowled over by the generosity of spirit shown by the people who make this forum the fantastic community and resource it is.

[arcange]

I'm still learning the text book meanings.

Journaling and associating events helps me lots to see the various facets of a card.

What is important to me is accepting the images and words that come in my head. And to let my hand draw and write what it wants. Letting go of doubt as the cards trigger images and words. Listening to the chirping voice that speaks in my ears when I look at a spread.

[rwcarter]

I read the images on the cards in front of me. The same cards from two different decks will usually give me two completely different readings. With over 1400 decks in my possession (a pittance compared to some, I know ), I figure that there must be something important in the imagery of the deck I'm using for a reading and that must be the imagery. If I were going to apply the same static meanings to the cards from a reading, I could just as easily use 78 pieces of paper with the card names written on them.

Reading the images works for me, and I've been told that I've given some very insightful readings using that method.

[DJP]

Originally Posted by arcange

Journaling and associating events helps me lots to see the various facets of a card.

I know what you mean.

A few weeks ago, I was listening to this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHSN4LtGJYw piece of music while thinking of the World card. It suddenly struck me that the oval surrounding the central figure could be seen as a tunnel opening. I then thought, isn't it strange how we arrive in life through a tunnel (birth canal), we leave through one (the near death experience dark passage), and we can even jump vast distances over space and time through them (wormholes)?

I'm not sure what any of this means, but I feel it's kinda interesting....

[DJP]

Originally Posted by rwcarter

Reading the images works for me, and I've been told that I've given some very insightful readings using that method.

I find this approach really fascinating. It's the way I read reversals, mainly because I haven't really explored reversed meanings in depth yet.