Tag: tarot spreads

Asking Smarter Questions in Divination

On By benebellIn cartomancy, divination, Holistic Tarot (book), I Ching, I Ching The Oracle (book), Learn the Tarot, personal spirituality, professional tarot, Sightsee the Tarot, tarot, tarot community, tarot exercises6 Comments
Botanical Dreams Oracle by Lynn Araujo and Catrin Welz-Stein

I partook in this thought leadership workshop and learned about the five categories of questions to ask for more effective, strategic decision-making. Being me and having the interests I do, of course I immediately connected these learnings to tarot, I Ching, and in general divinatory readings.

Teachers in nearly every divinatory tradition or system talk at length about the importance of how you ask and frame questions for divination. The quality of answers you receive — be that in strategic leadership, personal development, or divination – is directly influenced by the clarity, precision, and intention behind the questions you’re asking.

Apothecary Spirits Oracle by Eric Maille, Michael Anthony, and Thomas Witholt

A well-framed question acts like a lens. It brings your focus to what truly matters, and in the case of readings, hones the focus narrowly on what it is you most want or need to know. The better your question, the more noise will get filtered out of the reading result, enhancing meaningful insight.

Thinking about how to frame questions through the principles of these five categories is really helpful, I think. Hence, this share.

Continue reading “Asking Smarter Questions in Divination” →

Your Tarot Spreads Repertoire

On By benebellIn cartomancy, professional tarot, tarot3 Comments
A deformed Celtic Cross due to space constraints. The Mary-el Tarot.
A deformed Celtic Cross due to space constraints. The Mary-el Tarot.

At the intermediate level, every tarot practitioner should have a repertoire of at least 7 spreads. Now note that as an advanced reader, you will have fully developed your personal practice approach and may have only one spread that you always use, no matter the inquiry or situation, or a repertoire of spreads that are very different from the ones mentioned here, or an altogether different intuitive approach to readings. All that is developed with time, however, so at the intermediate level, expose yourself to as much as possible and master a minimum of 7 spreads to empower yourself as the most adaptable and efficient reader you can be.

In my own practice I customize and design new spreads on a case by case basis. I also employ a variety of techniques to answer questions–operations from various Golden Dawn methodology (or my adaptation of it), card counting, etc. However, I do insist tarot students who have gained a proficient understanding of the card meanings and who know the basics of tarot interpretation to begin building their repertoire. There are 7 spreads you should know by heart at any given time:

  1. A 3 card reading spread
  2. A 4 card reading spread (or a 5 card reading spread)
  3. The Celtic Cross
  4. A yes/no spread
  5. A spread for a 2-party reading
  6. Specialty multi-card spread #1
  7. Specialty multi-card spread #2

Continue reading “Your Tarot Spreads Repertoire” →