My take on spreads (spontaneous/intuitive)

buddhagoddess

I have struggled with pre-set and traditional spreads from day one. I just feel like my intuition is caged in when I have to fight with the meaning I am getting with the card in terms of what position it's in the spread. So I have been doing what I call "intuitive spreads". I pull the cards and then I let me intuition just go to work, seeing if there are any connection to certain cards. Then I will rearrange the cards and group them according to the connection. Some cards may stay by themselves, others may get into a group of 2 or 3 or more. I find this to be much more helpful and it actually helps me to understand what the cards are saying. This may not be a new idea, but I just thought I would share. If this is confusing, I can give an example.

BG
 

dadsnook2000

Other considerations

I'm the last person to say that intuition should not be followed or encouraged. But, relative to Tarot, there are other considerations.

* Have you ever had a reading by Mary Greer or Rachael Pollack, or someone of that level. Their readings are close to incredulous. Yet, they are using much of the same information that they share with us through their books and seminars. This type of material represents a core body of knowledge that recognizes and explains the influence of culture, myths, archetypes, various occult schools of thought and tradition and all of the other components that make up the rich tapestry of our heritage and life.

* Many of the deep thinkers, researchers and philosophers have studied Tarot and the earlier cultures that have contributed to Tarot's development. They have created conceptual structures and relationships between the cards, and relative to other forms of meditation and divination. The same might be said about Tarot spreads and their creation and use.

It is my opinion that ignoring these rich aspects of the Tarot for just a free form of usage may shortcut the reader and the querent. Intuition can have an overlay role in any reading, particularly as intuition relates to a given deck that has a certain theme or aura about it. But, the underlying structure of the Tarot's development over time up until today is very valuable to me and helpful in my insights and helping of others.

So, without knowing how you use, don't use or blend intuition and conventional tarot card and spread meanings, I would suggest to all that one cheats oneself if the whole of what constitutes Tarot is ignored or put aside.
Just my thoughts. Dave
 

frelkins

dadsnook2000 said:
This type of material represents a core body of knowledge that recognizes and explains the influence of culture, myths, archetypes, various occult schools of thought and tradition and all of the other components that make up the rich tapestry of our heritage and life.

please, may i, with the best possible intent, politely ask *whose culture, whose myths*? who is the *our* here?

because with all due respect, in all the tarot literature i have read in the brief time i have been here, i don't see much about, for example, ogun.

the *our* cultures and thier archetypes, which are widely presumed to be universal, seem to be celtic, norse, 19th cent. understanding of egypt, a little hinduism or buddhism tossed in, maybe some wicca, etc.

our cultural understandings have moved on nowadays! i hope. and how is that included in tarot? this is why i am so sympathetic to the intuitive view, and to papageno's mind-buster on the maleness of the moon. :) i mean, if buddhagoddess were nigerian, what would waite mean to her? why should he mean anything? jes curious. . .
 

Skydancer

BuddhaGoddess - it seems to me that you are using the cards in this way more as a form of what I call "inner work" rather than a reading for another.
Am I right?

Using intuition for this inner work, rearranging cards, yields many insights into one's self. But -

Pulling a card and then making up a position for it for where it fits is defeating the purpose (in my opinion). Your intuition doesn't have much room in which to work. It's a challange, to figure out how a card that you would never dream of choosing shows up in a position that in no way 'goes' with it, as far as your knowledge goes. See what I mean? A card shows up -- and you're putting it where you think it will go. For yourself that's one thing; but for another I should think you would want a bit more concrete under your feet.

Okay - now Dave - what I wouldn't give for a 'for-real' reading by Mary G!! I have never had a reading in person - and now that I know more I would dearly love one!! But -- how to remember what all they say? I wonder if reader's make tapes of your reading ... I hear of that sometimes.

Anyway - I read by seeing how the card 1) fits with its pre-assigned position/question and then 2) waiting for the story or answer to emerge. Sometimes it takes a while. I've left a spread out for several days (when doing exchanges here at AT) sometimes, waiting for the reason for it all to come together because at first parts don't call to me or seem to make any sense. But sooner or later it does. Then it's all so complete that I wonder why I didn't see it sooner. Part of it has to do with believing in yourself (myself) I dare say. Anyway -

Hope I didn't stray too far off what you were asking. SO - I use intuition, based on one hell of a lot of reading -- books, threads here, and feedback. I've fallen into the cards now (like Alice in the looking glass) but I feel that I have only scratched the surface.

One last note, if you've read this far!, is - don't blend meanings and intuition from one deck or types of decks with ones that are different. It will confuse you no end, and probably set you back rather than advancing your ability. Feeling caged in because you "... have to fight with the meaning you are getting with the card in terms of what position it's in the spread..." is a place we've all been (I think). Once you "know" Tarot, not just one particular deck, you'll find seeing how it all goes together to be the best part of doing a reading. Instead of searching for a meaning it will jump right into your face!!

Hope that made sense.
S:OL

[this is just my opinion don't forget :)]
 

Sheri

The messages we receive and give to ourselves or others through readings come from us. Decks, spreads, etc., are the tools that we choose to use to facilitate our receipt of that message. The messages come from us, not the tools.

When someone publishes a book, they are sharing what has worked for them. The only rule is that there are no rules. Everyone can and should use whatever works for them. I don't think that researchers or philosophers or "deep thinkers" throughout history have any more valid input into how I use Tarot than I do.

There are alot of successful, accurate Tarot readers out there that have never picked up a book, nor have any idea of when the first Marseilles deck was created. It doesn't matter to them and they are not short changing the querent or themselves by not knowing this.

If someone chooses to follow the historical or traditional methods and meanings - good for them!

If someone chooses to follow their own path - good for them!

In this area, everyone gets to be right :D

:love: valeria
 

elvenstar

I have done what you describe buddhagoddess in pretty much the same way, mostly with a specific deck though, the deva. In fact it's the only way I read with this deck, for myself and others and seems to work from feedback I got.

I just pull cards while shuffling or let them fall out and when there's enough, something is guiding my hand to arrange them in a specific way, could be colour or a shape or something I can't detect at all. I just know how they fit together and what they're all trying to say, which card/pair/group of cards is talking about the past for example.

I like predetermined spreads in a lot of cases. But I like this way of doing it too. In fact I like it a lot. I don't think there's any reason not to do it, if it works and you're not concerned that your mind is getting in the way of the choices. What makes you know which interpretation to give for a card or combination of cards, can also make you know how to arrange them so the correct message comes through.

Just my 2p :)
elv xxx
 

room

dadsnook2000 said:
* Have you ever had a reading by Mary Greer or Rachael Pollack, or someone of that level.

The so-called "level" of certain tarot people, and their personal expertise, conceptions and associations are just that--a personal concept applied to cards.

The cards originally depicted personalities and concepts, symbols, or mythology of the day. There is no level or association for them, except what people have imposed on them.

Someone created the system originally, other people can reinvent the system, as have Mary Greer and Rachel Pollack.

My level and my system is different, equally valid, interesting and viable with regard to tarot, as I'm sure is the system that buddhagoddess uses.
 

MeeWah

I use either method for spreads.

Sometimes the cards seem to themselves indicate their positions or to call for moving them from the 'assigned' positions. That can be very helpful if not clear initially, though not always. Or make up a spread on the spur of the moment.

Also look for other 'signs' to enhance the reading (results), including noting other things at the time of the reading. Whatever strikes the eye also 'read'. Could be the light & shadow patterns in the room; that seen out a window (how the sky looks; shapes of clouds; a person; so on); drapery folds; something 'heard' (a word, a song); a poem; a fragrance or odour.

More & more, prefer the smaller spreads or the less cards for the more succinct & less distracting, either of the set spread or other. A wealth of information possible from a 3-Card or even a One-Card.

Amongst my favourites, however, still the Celtic Cross & a version developed over years of use. Its pattern has lent itself to specialized spreads, such as a Chakra Spread. For me, the Celtic Cross the single structured spread I find superb for the general or in-depth readings because it touches on multiple life areas; also capable of past life references.

To hone in on a central issue or matter for a Here&Now Spread, I eliminate the staff portion. Also use a 3-Card for the same purpose where no individual positions assigned, but their relationship to each other contributes to the interpretive. May be arranged in a linear fashion; read as a sentence. Or as a triangle.

Ultimately, the cards a tool for brainstorming; the inspirational. The intuitive an influence not always recognized in a world which generally relies on the manifest. The real power from the reader: where both the intuitive & the logic may unite. Generally on a personal level, the intuitive rules both the approach & the results.

[Edited for typo.]
 

rebecca-smiles

I understand what you are doing here, buddhagoddess. I have never had any problems with spreads and still use them, but the majority of the time i just read a few cards together, because i do tend to get more out of it this way. If i do a CC i'll get the same amount of talking/writing but it tends to be more along the lines of traditional meanings. if i 'free-read' a few cards, i get more feelings, images, scenarios, literal meanings etc out of it and it can end up a better reading.

i also move the cards. but not if i am doing a spread- i think once you have a 'plan' of how the cards are essembled to give you a message, that message is given within that structure. if i can't read a card in it i see it as my own blindness.

I move the cards because just like in a CC or whatever, certain cards stand out, forming certain relationships. because i have no formal structure, by placing these cards close together i can focus on their relationship, before relating them to the rest.

with a three card reading there is almost inevitably a split- two and one, and that split usually indicates two defineable parts of the answer. where there is no split, the reading usually tells me this is all wrapped up- one feeling or action or event- and the cards become one entitiy.

even in speads i end up mentally grouping cards, but i keep their positional meanings too.

i think if you don't have a spread, moving the cards around may even be to your advantage; you get to look at the group of cards from different angles and so stronger influences emerge, cards 'disappear' as though something unconscious or unseen, colours react with one another depending what they are next too, so you can see how things are impacting on each other....it starts out as something nebulous and undefined and gains clarity the more you look. (i know you know this BG, just elaborating a bit for myself and the thread :) ) but it does require patience and confidence.

perhaps for the book learned here all those meanings and layers and symbols compete with each other if contexts are not clearly defined?
 

Gavriela

rebecca-smiles said:
perhaps for the book learned here all those meanings and layers and symbols compete with each other if contexts are not clearly defined?

Shockingly, they don't.