Tarot interpretations and elemental digities

[olivia1]

Hello,
Those of you who use ED, why do you do it? Is it because it improves accuracy or is it because you just like a challenge? I use to think that some of the times that I am wrong when doing readings, it is because I pull the wrong cards but now I wonder if the readings would have been accurate had I used elemental dignities? I don't want to "train" my subconscious to expect to apply EDs though until I know it's really worth it? So far I'm OK with reading cards but I wonder if adding EDs would improve my prediction rates?higher?

 

[rwcarter]

Contrary to how it may seem, I actually don't use EDs all that often. I will definitely use them if laying down cards without positional meanings to help give structure to those cards. I will sometimes use them with positional spreads (assuming the layout of the spread allows for it) to determine which card(s) might be stronger because of surrounding cards than might otherwise be seen by just using the card interpretations.

Rodney

 

[NatKat]

Hello,
... So far I'm OK with reading cards but I wonder if adding EDs would improve my prediction rates?higher?

I don't use ED ... but my good friend & Tarot pal, Kira, uses them religiously. In my observation ... accuracy means use what works for YOU. EDs do nothing for me ... so I don't use them. My friend benefits ... so she uses them.

 

[olivia1]

Contrary to how it may seem, I actually don't use EDs all that often. I will definitely use them if laying down cards without positional meanings to help give structure to those cards. I will sometimes use them with positional spreads (assuming the layout of the spread allows for it) to determine which card(s) might be stronger because of surrounding cards than might otherwise be seen by just using the card interpretations.

Rodney

Seeing your posts is a reasom why I wanted to learn ED. I think I should learn since you use them for spreads with no positions that's what I use. Did you notice that EDs gave the reading more depth and increased accuracy rate or do you just mainly use for structure?

 

[olivia1]

I don't use ED ... but my good friend & Tarot pal, Kira, uses them religiously. In my observation ... accuracy means use what works for YOU. EDs do nothing for me ... so I don't use them. My friend benefits ... so she uses them.

Thank you. That is very interesting

 

[Grizabella]

I never learned to use them other than sometimes making note of a spread that has a preponderance of one or two suits and less of others. For instance, Wands could be considered a fire sign and cups a liquid, which means if you have too many cups they'll put the fire out by overpowering it. Or sometimes, if there are Cups and Wands together pretty equally in a romance reading, I might see them as meaning it's a hot and steamy romance. Other than that, though, no elemental dignities for me.

I tried ED's and shadow, quint and clarifiers and all that stuff over the years I've been reading and it's just morphed into what I read with now, which is mostly pretty simple and straightforward, using none of those added bells and whistles. Normally I don't use reversals, either. Once in awhile I do but mostly not. I just use spreads with a question and named positions and that's what works for me the best.

Try everything when you're developing your reading skills. It certainly can't hurt and by doing that, you learn what works the best for you.

 

[rwcarter]

Seeing your posts is a reasom why I wanted to learn ED. I think I should learn since you use them for spreads with no positions that's what I use. Did you notice that EDs gave the reading more depth and increased accuracy rate or do you just mainly use for structure?

I don't read for accuracy, so I can't answer that. I think EDs do provide structure and depth as the central card is always the focus and the flanking cards modify (strengthening or weakening) the meaning of the central card.

Rodney

 

[tarot_quest]

I personally rarely do a ''spread''. More than often, I will ask a question, listen to my intuition and pull between 1 and 3 cards (with clarifications if needed).

I will only use ED if I ''feel'' it. Let's say I look a lot at two cards side to side (which were pulled to answer my question), my mind will also start to analyze these two cards:

- From which suit are they from?
- Their element (W,F,E,A) and their interaction (ED)
- The quint when I sum these two cards (linked to a major Arcana; lots of info with this tip!!)
- Their rank (Major vs minor; page vs king?)
-....

 

[osami2717]

I've only recently begun to seriously look at Elemental Dignities..I'd skimmed but never delved in deeply before...

When I do a tarot reading I think of it as painting a picture. The cards are my colors and the different ways to interpret them [position, numerology, astrological associations etc.]are the many ways we mix them for different 'shades of meaning'.

I'm still learning but I think this technique may give my 'painting' more depth...and it's always fun to learn new things.

 

[Nemia]

I love the idea of the elements, and I work with them, but not exactly according to the ED rules. I think about what each element can do: what it can do to each other elements in a beneficial or damaging way, and what it can do to itself.

Fire can warm the earth and illuminate it, but it can also dry it out or burn it. And it can burn itself out.

That's very simple and basic, just like the experience of the elements is for me. I'd rather call it "elemental considerations" than "elemental dignities" ;-)

Concerning further associations of elements with directions and seasons, I folllow the inner logic of the deck - for me, Swords can "feel" like winter or early spring, I'm not dogmatic and I accept what a deck's artist felt and go with it.

I always notice whether there's an element lacking but not in every reading, the elemental aspect emerges.

But for court cards, the elemental associations can be very very helpful. How does a Knight of Wands feel in a watery environment? He is Fire of Fire, and he's totally "in enemy territory" there.

So I look for connections, and how elements react, but not according to lists and rules.