How do you clarify a card?

Syrah

I've seen several posts about clarifying cards whose meaning is eluding the reader. I recently came across this situation myself. It was a Celtic Cross spread, and everything flowed well except for the final outcome - it didn't fit with the rest. I've read somewhere that to clarify, the card in question can be used as the significator in a subsequent CC spread, but that seems like overkill to me. So I thought I'd pose the question to others, and see what you do. For example, do you pull single cards at a time, until you feel you understand? Do you have a specific spread for this purpose? Are there specific questions that you ask?

I know that there is no one correct method to this, but I thought I'd try and get a sense of what other people do. :)
 

afrosaxon

If I'm reading for myself and there is only one card that I need clarification on, then I'll put the rest of the cards back in the deck except for the one in question, then shuffle while concentrating/asking for clarification. THen I'll cut and remove one card from the deck and place it by the questionable card.

If I'm reading for someone else and need to keep the entire reading out until the reading is over, then I'll simply shuffle, cut, and flip a card on top of the card(s) that the querent has questions about.

Everyone's approach differs.

Good luck!

T.
 

Apollonia

Syrah said:
For example, do you pull single cards at a time, until you feel you understand?

Yup, that's exactly what I do--generally I won't pull more than three additional cards, though. For me, more than three clarifying cards start to muddy the waters all over again.

Syrah said:
Do you have a specific spread for this purpose?
Not usually--I just pull the extra cards and add them to the spread I'm doing. Once in a great while (like, honestly, maybe once a year) for a really important question, I will use the card I wish to clarify as the initial card of a Celtic Cross. (I don't use significators, though, so I wouldn't call it that.)

Syrah said:
Are there specific questions that you ask?
Sometimes, for certain cards. I will almost always use a clarifier with the Tower, for example, because in my readings the Tower can indicate many different types of sudden change. So my question with the Tower is almost always, "What kind of a Tower is this?" Same with Death. Or sometimes I'll just say, "Tell me more about this card."
 

EmpressRenee

Syrah said:
I've seen several posts about clarifying cards whose meaning is eluding the reader. I recently came across this situation myself. It was a Celtic Cross spread, and everything flowed well except for the final outcome - it didn't fit with the rest. I've read somewhere that to clarify, the card in question can be used as the significator in a subsequent CC spread, but that seems like overkill to me. So I thought I'd pose the question to others, and see what you do. For example, do you pull single cards at a time, until you feel you understand? Do you have a specific spread for this purpose? Are there specific questions that you ask?

I know that there is no one correct method to this, but I thought I'd try and get a sense of what other people do. :)

If you need clarification of one card in a spread and the card happens to be the last card drawn, you could pick the next card from the top of the deck saying 'clarify' and lay this card on top of the card you need clarification on.

If the card you need to clarify is somewhere in the spread, i.e. NOT the last card, then draw all the cards in the spread first and then draw one card for the card in the spread that you want some clarification on and place this card on top of the that card. Whilst drawing this card, just say 'clarify ...' followed by whatever the card you need clarification on (eg: 'clarify 3 of Wands' or 'clarify Chariot in position 4' or 'clarify the Hermit as the outcome')

Just some thoughts.

Kind regards

EmpressRenee
 

SunChariot

If there's a card I don't get, I just tell the universe that I am not getting the message and could it send me another card to explain it further. Then pull a new card. Which should add enough info to help understand the first one, although I have at times, more rarely needed two clarifiers to get it.

Babs
 

Hooked on TdM

It differs for me. If something has been raised in a spread for a sitter, and they would like specifics for it, I might do a three card spread just to clarify what was raised. If I haven't grasped the summary of the spread, I leave the spread out and shuffle the deck and pull one card. In my experience, the clarifier I pull is like a recap of the whole spread.. I just missed the point.. lol

I refuse to pull more than one card/spread to clarify. If I don't know or can't figure it out by that point, then I'm just not going to get it. Maybe I'm not meant to know or I'm being thick...

Hooked