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Online Deck Resources
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Tarot
Relationship Layouts
READING
INSIGHTS FOR NEW READERS
© Cinnamon Moon
I was emailing one of our
Readers about what to watch for in their developing
skills and felt it may help others here to share that
insight so I'm adding this post for the benefit of those
just getting their bearings.
It's a good idea not to
read what others post as their insights before doing
your reading. It's just too easy to let that color your
interpretation of the message and bias it. I don't like
to have influences like that. I love reading them afterwards
though and there is often a lot of common ground showing
there. We all have our own style though and there's
nothing wrong with developing yours. So please don't
judge yourself based on what others get. Some people
are very detailed and some pack a punch with very brief
but nut-shelled responses. Both serve a purpose and
lend insight which is what we're looking for. Both have
merit and neither is better than the other.
Regarding what book interpretations
have to teach you, I'm strong on getting your own impressions
vs. generalities. I'm one to focus on sensory input
anyway, but one day I was doing readings, oh this is
years ago now, and it was the Empress Card of the Major
Arcana that literally pulled me in and took me into
the role of the Empress.
I was suddenly "in
her position" and understood it, looking out from
the card with the knowledge of that environment around
me. I understood it that way so completely. After that
I began stepping into each card and letting it wash
through me that way so I could apply that sensory input
to its message for the readings I was doing and the
depth of information that began coming through for people
grew by leaps and bounds.
It's really pretty easy to
do. You could practice
that in your journey work, just meditate on the cards
(say one a day or even as you can do it...naturally
the more consistent you are the faster the growth will
be) and let it speak to you of its wisdom. You'll grab
that faster than you will any book interpretations that
are more universal and develop your own style. I believe
that we can trap ourselves into book interpretations
being an authority over the messages when in fact that's
not always the most accurate. What comes through to
us can take us much deeper if we open to it and I encourage
anyone to do so.
You can't rush readings.
I find clients call me and expect me to be "turned
on and tuned into them" at an instant's notice
and I can't switch quite that fast. I need a moment
to focus the question. As I do I shuffle and cut the
cards, mixing them well and hold the question in mind.
This also serves to allow me to tune into their energy
signature.
I have a pattern that works
well and you might like to try it. You don't have to
sense which card to pull from the deck then either,
though that's a good method too, this one is a series
of 3 shuffle-cuts.
You shuffle, cut three times
reversing the direction of the stacks as you cut them.
Stack the cards, shuffle and repeat the process 2 more
times. (Cut the cards with your left hand or your receptive
hand. If left-handed it is your right hand that is receptive.).
Then you lay out the cards drawing from the top of the
deck. In this way the cards fall as they are supposed
to and it's the shuffle-cut that puts them in place.
If the shuffle or the cut
"act up" go with it, don't force the cards
into place. Sometimes several will want to stay together.
They are placing themselves for the reading. If cards
jump out of the deck when you're shuffling or cutting
them, read them as they are and separately from the
reading. It's always a message that stands on its own
and prepares the client for something important.
Then put them back in the
deck and pick up where you left off. I go intuitively
putting them back in. Sometimes I put them on top, sometimes
on the bottom, and sometimes I insert them. I just go
with the way that feels right. It takes a lot of the
guesswork out of things.
When I'm pondering an issue
I'll use the method of shuffling and cutting and spreading
the cards out to draw them randomly from the deck as
many like to do. But for the general situation I always
do a shuffle-cut series and let Spirit or my Guides
direct the process. Another thing I do just before I
address the question is to say a little prayer that
what is shown to me will be truth and for the higher
good of the person, for a light to shine in the darkness
and tell them what they need to know.
Then I proceed. I am blunt
with people, but I always look for the high road in
the reading. If I see trouble coming at someone instead
of telling them it's a definite I say something like:
"To be forewarned is to be forearmed, and resulting
outcomes are affected by the choices we make. If you
choose to continue with current perceptions and actions
it will lead you into ______________. However if you
choose to change them you can bring about a better result.
It's up to you." The responsibility is theirs,
not ours. Our job is to convey the message and to set
Spirit's Light to shine on things.
I always advise people to
pray or meditate and ask Spirit's help. I steer them
to Spirit and not dependency on the cards or me. They
are tools to see into matters, they are not the source
of the information, just the means to find it. IMHO
So I'd encourage you to not hold back for people either.
If you do you alter the message for them. They need
to hear what you're shown. I stress this issue to people
learning to read because the natural inclination is
to hold back the negative or perceived hurtful stuff
but it's there and shown to you for a reason.
Seeing yourself as the "mailperson"
helps. You deliver the letter/message in its entire
capacity, not just a torn off piece. That is your responsibility.
It is also where it ends. What they do with the information
is up to them. You are at liberty to "soften the
edges" but sometimes that shouldn't happen. You'll
start to sense the importance of issues. I find when
someone is tuning out the information it will repeat
itself again and again to get through to them. If they
embrace it then it continues to expand deeper into the
subject. We act as translators and it's our responsibility
to translate fully. So remember: you're only the messenger,
not the message itself.
Readings take time and can't
be rushed or they will be inaccurate. When I do a "full
reading" I go through the entire deck of cards.
It's very extensive, and lends a tremendous amount of
insight into matters. That takes me about 45-60 minutes
when I'm on the phone or face to face with someone.
When I'm doing it by written form it's even longer.
I type as I go but it slows me down just a bit. Doing
a forecast for a year for someone it can take me hours.
We learn things on many levels
at different paces and to different depths. Sort of
like going to college taking several courses at once.
One suit may make more sense to you than another at
first but eventually you will come to know them all
and associate the energy of the suit with the messages
too.
The purpose of reading for
others is to lend guidance and insights...being of service
to those who are troubled. Helping people sort out issues
and find the best course of action. So many are blind
or emotionally blinded by things they can't see anything
but distorted truths and fears that seem real. So we
read for them, lend insight, and direct them to take
the High Road in resolving issues, to do what they know
in their heart is right rather than to act on imbalanced
emotions.
I always use a client reading
as a way to direct the person into personal meditations
and going within for their own answers through Spirit
too. I shine the light on Spirit and it's amazing how
many of them thank me for it later. I feel good then,
like I've served Spirit's will in bringing someone home.
It happens one touch at a time and in hindsight there
have been many. I'm a teacher by nature, I simply have
to share. So I take the opportunity presented as one
to do that and help them find their way to their path.
By restoring spiritual harmony
in their life they find the balance they are seeking
in the mundane sense too. So it all serves a purpose.
Don't ever underestimate a touch. Sometimes the most
subtle touch is the most profound. Sometimes the whisper
is more powerful than the shout.
And as you feel their energy
signature develop over time, you'll know what they are
really looking for. People disguise their truths in
seeking answers in their questions. They'll ask one
question and hope for another to be answered. Either
because they are a bit shy for some reason or just don't
want to say what really is troubling them for fear of
looking foolish or the truth coming out too far into
the light. What I've found over the years is that the
message that comes through, whether it addresses their
question or not, is what they need to hear most. In
general, I prefer not to have them address a question.
I will ask Spirit to show me what they need to know
and tell them what I see first. (15 cards drawn to do
that). Then I let them address questions to me one at
a time. This way their truths begin to emerge and they
have instant validation you are tapping into their issues.
For each question I'll draw
5 cards. Upright is yes, reversed is no, and you go
with the odds there for the answer. Then you read the
series of cards drawn 1-5 as distant past, recent past,
present, near future, distant future and you have the
reason for that answer in terms of events that took
place, current choices in the way they are reacting
to them, and the potential outcome if that choice of
action continues. If they don't like what they see then
they have the choice to change a perception, course
of action, attitude, whatever is called for.
In this way they get much
more out of the reading than what would otherwise come
through. There is room there to advise them based on
your own life experiences to help them see differently,
or through experiences of others and some storytelling
comes into play to exemplify things, but it's all good
and it gives them a tool to start exploring more positive
perspectives and potentials.
The Seven Sacred Directions
are also used. I ask often if they are seeing this logically,
through experience, emotionally, or based on traditional
perceptions of what "should" be as opposed
to what's in their heart and true. I ask them to look
back, look ahead, and then make a sound decision. Just
little nudges to see things differently and it's amazing
what that does to give them permission to bring about
change in their lives.
In the end they will do
as their nature calls for, if they grab what you're
saying they run with it. Some are stuck in ruts, control,
manipulation of others, altering things selfishly and
not seeing the impact that has on anyone else. It's
selfish ego stuff, but that's their lesson of the moment
and not ours to dictate. We may see it and even tell
them so but if they aren't ready for the truth they
will go into denial. All we can do is what we're asked
to do by Spirit, relay the message, sometimes share
wisdom or knowledge, but it's up to the person to use
the information. Our responsibility ends there.
It has to be something you
feel is right for you to do. If you doubt yourself the
readings start to falter and become inaccurate. Not
because of what is shown to you being wrong, but because
you start to taint it with misconception and either
consciously or unconsciously color the messages. I find
the best way to approach a reading is through Spirit,
almost like a prayer, then open to the answer being
revealed to you. The accuracy from that perspective
is amazing. It's how I achieve my high percentage of
validations from people coming through to me.
I know that my readings are
in the high 90% range. I trust them totally. But then
I trust Spirit totally too. Time has shown me this.
You'll find the feedback helps you see your accuracy
too so when you feel moved to read in the practice forum
do so. It's a good arena for the feedback.
Visions will often accompany
a reading. I often get flashes or very strong impressions
of a given situation that enhance what I'm shown in
the cards. They intermingle for me and it's quite common
to have it happen so don't be surprised if the readings
you do here contribute to other growth areas too.
Online Deck
Resources
By SilverEagleDreamDancer
Here's an excellent site
for viewing and reviewing many kinds of decks. I can't
vouch for their other info because I haven't read through
the site but... they have about every deck known to
man! So it's an excellent resource in that way.
Aeclectic
Tarot
Relationship Layouts
By ScubaGrrl
Some of my favorite layouts.
Relationship Layout:
| 6. |
Where the
relationship is going. |
| 5. |
Something
we don't know. |
| 3. |
How you
see the relationship. |
| 4. |
How they
see it. |
| 1. |
How you
see your mate |
| 2. |
How they
see you. |
|
1 2
3 4 5
6
|
| 1. |
What nourishes
me most in this relationship? |
| 2. |
What depletes
me most in this relationship? |
| 3. |
What of
my hopes does this not fulfill? |
| 4. |
What of
my hopes does this not *yet* fulfill? |
| 5. |
What of
my hopes will this likely never fulfill? |
| 6. |
If we continue
as a couple, how will I most likely feel in (insert
time frame)? |
|
This one
is in 5 columns, and 7 rows. |
|
13
3 8
5 10
2 11 7
4 9
1 6
12
|
| 1, 6: |
Foundation
of the relationship, patterns of relating to one
another so far. What has been built from each of
your perspectives. |
| 2, 7: |
Past relationships
of importance, or issues from childhood, parent-child
relationships. What each person carries with them
from the past. |
| 3, 8: |
Other. What
else is going on in your life that influences your
behavior in the relationship - work, private thoughts,
struggles. |
| 4, 9: |
Letting
go. What each person needs to leave behind. Habits,
attitudes, viewpoints. |
| 5, 10: |
Embracing-
what each person needs to embrace, accept, take
forward. |
| 11: |
Meeting
in the middle: what both parties need to do to meet
in the middle. |
| 12: |
Mutual hopes/fears.
Sometimes our hopes and fears are the same- that
hope fulfilled, is an ending of a pattern we knew.
|
| 13: |
Potential
Outcome: Turn over cards until a Major appears.
Use the cards you drew for further clarification,
or you can ignore them and just read the Major. |
