Tarot survey

[arctic splash]

I'm curious about everyone's method for doing readings.

1.) Do you do anything special to prepare for a reading (centering, music, atmosphere)?

Sometimes I center intentionally but sometimes after closing my eyes and invoking I already feel more centered. I read anywhere, no special atmosphere, but I should try that sometime.

2.) How do you ask your question? Do you write it down, say it aloud, or simply hold it in your mind?

I want to get into the habit of writing it down. Usually I ask it aloud.

3.) Do you say any invocations or prayers?

Usually I invoke Thoth and Archangel Michael; sometimes I'll invoke devas and deities related to tarot and divination.

4.) How long do you typically shuffle? How do you shuffle?

When I get a new deck and shuffle it, it seems to take a really long time to really change the order of the deck... so I'm wondering if I should shuffle more. I usually spend about a minute shuffling... I'm not good at shuffling. I usually pick up 80% of the deck and let a few fall at a time on the other side (I don't remember what that's called). I don't do reversals so the 'totally mess up the cards on the floor' thing doesn't work for me.

5.) What do you do after you've shuffled? (How do you cut the deck? Do you fan the cards and choose randomly, or just take the ones on the top, or both?)

Usually I simply cut and take the cards at the top of the cut.

6.) Anything else about your method that you'd like to share?

[MoonDragn]

I put myself first in a state of mind to accept the messages from the goddess and thank her for her guildance. Next I shuffle the cards any ole way. If I am reading for someone online or on the phone I ask them to tell me when to stop. When I'm in face to face with them they can shuffle a little bit or cut the cards.

Sometimes I let them pick 10 cards, other times I just take them from the top or randomly take them out of the deck. It depends on how I feel at the time.

I keep the booklet for the meanings nearby in case I am not sure about what I am seeing. Sometimes a card will jump out at me to its meaning different from what the card usually means.

[RavensEye]

1.) Do you do anything special to prepare for a reading (centering, music, atmosphere)?
Dpends how I feel but usally a type of chant for readings.

2.) How do you ask your question? Do you write it down, say it aloud, or simply hold it in your mind?

I do either it depends on the tiem and what is going on in my environement.

3.) Do you say any invocations or prayers?
My chants to me are sort of like prayers.

4.) How long do you typically shuffle? How do you shuffle?
5 mintues or so soemtimes longer, sometimes even less tehn 5 minutes.

5.) What do you do after you've shuffled? (How do you cut the deck? Do you fan the cards and choose randomly, or just take the ones on the top, or both?)
That varies for me.

6.) Anything else about your method that you'd like to share
Cannot think of anything at the moment.

[Aleigh]

1.) Do you do anything special to prepare for a reading (centering, music, atmosphere)?
If I'm feeling kind of emotional or worked up I will ground and center first, but otherwise I usually just pick them up and go.

2.) How do you ask your question? Do you write it down, say it aloud, or simply hold it in your mind?

I just keep my question in mind while I shuffle.

3.) Do you say any invocations or prayers?

No, because I never say invocations or prayers, so it would be out of character to do it for a tarot reading. ;)

4.) How long do you typically shuffle? How do you shuffle?

It depends on the deck. With my Celtic Dragon deck I don't have to shuffle long at all, and I usually just hold the deck in my left hand, and loosely shuffle them with my right until I feel like I'm done. With my Universal Waite deck I have to shuffle a long time, and I stop and cut the cards into 3 piles a few times before I feel like I'm done. I haven't really done a reading with my newest deck (Robing Wood) yet, so I don't know about that one.

5.) What do you do after you've shuffled? (How do you cut the deck? Do you fan the cards and choose randomly, or just take the ones on the top, or both?)

Again, it depends on which deck I'm using. With my Univerrsal Waite I cut the cards in 3 piles and take the top cards (I usually do 3 card readings because I haven't been doing this long). With my Celtic Dragon deck, I fan them out and run my fingertip over the cards and usually I feel this weird sensation in my finger for certain cards...like a shock or touching a flame or something. If that doesn't happen, I shuffle some more until it does. :p

6.) Anything else about your method that you'd like to share? I can't think of anything. I haven't been doing this for very long. :)

[Rhianna813]

I'm curious about everyone's method for doing readings.

1.) Do you do anything special to prepare for a reading (centering, music, atmosphere)?

I actually do most of my readings (for online friends) at work in my cube! I center a bit while I shuffle the cards to clear them. At home I would sit quieting on my bed

2.) How do you ask your question? Do you write it down, say it aloud, or simply hold it in your mind?

If I am taking notes for the reading I write it down. I also say it silently over and over while shuffling the cards.

3.) Do you say any invocations or prayers?

Yes I usually ask the Goddess for insight while shuffling and focusing on the question. I ask guidance and that the right insights are revealed.

4.) How long do you typically shuffle? How do you shuffle?

If the deck is regular card sized I shuffle normally. If the deck is large or hard to shuffle mix the cards up differently. I usually shuffle for a 1-2 mins.

5.) What do you do after you've shuffled? (How do you cut the deck? Do you fan the cards and choose randomly, or just take the ones on the top, or both?)

After shuffling I cut the cards with my right hand into 3 piles. I then intuitively take one pile and stack it on the other 2 using my left hand. I draw from the top of the deck.

6.) Anything else about your method that you'd like to share?

This pretty much covers it!

Rhianna

[Zhr Morgana]

1.) Do you do anything special to prepare for a reading (centering, music, atmosphere)?
I make sure everything around me is quiet and peaceful. No distractions.

2.) How do you ask your question? Do you write it down, say it aloud, or simply hold it in your mind?
I get my question or intentions in my head and I concentrate on it while I shuffle. If I am reading for someone else they concentrate on it instead.

3.) Do you say any invocations or prayers?
Nope.

4.) How long do you typically shuffle? How do you shuffle?
I shuffle the deck until my instincts tell me to stop. If I am reading for someone else, they tell me when to stop. I shuffle my cards like I would a regular deck of playing cards...nothing special.

5.) What do you do after you've shuffled? (How do you cut the deck? Do you fan the cards and choose randomly, or just take the ones on the top, or both?)
I cut the deck and then I lay out my spread. If I am reading for someone else, that person cuts the deck. I deal from the top.

6.) Anything else about your method that you'd like to share?
I have my own general spread...three groups of three cards, each laid out in a pyramid shape going top-left-right. So far...every reading I have done has been fairly accurate.

[Temptation]

1.) Do you do anything special to prepare for a reading (centering, music, atmosphere)?

I just sit quietly for a minute and put the cards in front of me on top of my reading cloth (red velvet, very nice one, has got a pentacle embroidered on it :) ) and I always light a candle. My grandmother used to say that the candle was an invitation for the spirits to come and guide the reading.

2.) How do you ask your question? Do you write it down, say it aloud, or simply hold it in your mind?

I keep it in my mind. If I'm reading for someone, they can ask the question out loud or just concentrate on it when it's time to cut the cards.

3.) Do you say any invocations or prayers?

I just ask the spirits of my ancestors, especially my dear grandma, to help me through the reading.

4.) How long do you typically shuffle? How do you shuffle?

I shuffle until I feel the cards are ready. I shuffle with my right hand, holding the cards in the left hand. Often, a card will fly out of the deck; I look at it and place it back in the deck, but I keep it in mind as it might be significant if it turns up during the reading, which is often the case.

5.) What do you do after you've shuffled? (How do you cut the deck? Do you fan the cards and choose randomly, or just take the ones on the top, or both?)

When I'm done shuffling, I (or the person I'm reading for) cut the cards into 3 piles, then I take the middle pile and place it on the pile on the right, then I place that on the remaining pile on the left.
After that I randomly cut the deck in half, pick up the left pile, turn it over to look at the card and place that card on the reading cloth. This card will represent the main energy/influence for the reading.
I put the left pile back on top of the right pile and start picking cards from the top for the reading.
I just realised it all sounds really ritualistic. :lol: I'm so used to doing it this way, I don't even think about it anymore.

6.) Anything else about your method that you'd like to share?

I usually let the person I'm reading for choose the deck they want me to read with (I've got about 7) unless I get a strong feeling about the person and a particular deck, then I'll just tell the person that the deck has chosen them. :) This actually happens almost exclusively with the Thoth deck. I swear, this deck feels like it's alive sometimes. :lol:

Well, that's it for me. :smile:

Oh, I forgot to add that I don't like to read reverse cards either. I feel that with 78 cards available the deck has enough options to tell me what I need to see about a situation.

[Niamh celtic mist]

1.) Do you do anything special to prepare for a reading (centering, music, atmosphere)?

Sometimes I light a candle or burn some incense...Mostly I try to focus on the question and try and get a mental picture of the situation.



2.) How do you ask your question? Do you write it down, say it aloud, or simply hold it in your mind?

Repeat and hold it in my mind.



3.) Do you say any invocations or prayers?


I ask for Divine assistance and guidence.



4.) How long do you typically shuffle? How do you shuffle?

I shuffle depending on the size of the cards..I have very tiny hands...most cards seem big to me...its usually not a pretty sight lol!



5.) What do you do after you've shuffled? (How do you cut the deck? Do you fan the cards and choose randomly, or just take the ones on the top, or both?)

I cut them and then fan them out.



6.) Anything else about your method that you'd like to share?

As I look at the cards I write out my impressions..this helps me pull everything that I see together...

[LisaT4P]

1.) Do you do anything special to prepare for a reading (centering, music, atmosphere)?

I ground and center, make sure I feel comfortable and make sure I'm calm and not pre-occupied with other thoughts or stressed out.

2.) How do you ask your question? Do you write it down, say it aloud, or simply hold it in your mind?

I usually think it. If I'm reading for someone else, I ask what their question is, re-word it a bit and then say it out loud. I also usually take notes on every reading, unless I'm posting it online, so I write down the questions, cards, spread, position, date, deck used, etc.

3.) Do you say any invocations or prayers?

No. Not really. I sometimes ask that any positive entities that are present and would like to(spirits, gods, faeries, etc.) lend me their energies do so, but I don't even really do that all that often anymore.

4.) How long do you typically shuffle? How do you shuffle?

Until it feels right to stop. :) At least 9 times, usually but sometimes more than that. I shuffle while I'm formulating my question and the spread positions, so it can be quite alot sometimes.

5.) What do you do after you've shuffled? (How do you cut the deck? Do you fan the cards and choose randomly, or just take the ones on the top, or both?)

I cut the cards in half and place the bottom on the top and deal from the top (left to right, like a book).

6.) Anything else about your method that you'd like to share?

I found this older link with a bunch of tarot questions from a while ago that I thought everyone might find interesting. :)http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=64047 (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=64047)

[Aidron]

1.) Do you do anything special to prepare for a reading (centering, music, atmosphere)?
To prepare? Not with absolute frequency. If the mood strikes me I may put on a bit of music, light a few candles, and I enjoy aromatherapy or incense when reading, but there is mostly because I enjoy those things period-not because I am laying out my cards.

2.) How do you ask your question? Do you write it down, say it aloud, or simply hold it in your mind?

I fan my deck out and blow on it from left to right slowly while stating my clarifying statement or question in my mind. I in turn repeat the phrase three times throughout my shuffling.

3.) Do you say any invocations or prayers?

Yes. Specifically, I ask that my dragon guide be with me as: "_____ be with me." with the blank space always including his name. Should I ever switch to another deck (I use the Celtic Dragon) I will still call upon him.

4.) How long do you typically shuffle? How do you shuffle?

A few moments. I hold the deck in my left hand, pick up a portion of the deck with my right from the bottom and let them fall systematically (some from the top of this new portion, some from the middle, and some from the back) in varying places throughout the other portion of the deck. I do this precisely three times.

5.) What do you do after you've shuffled? (How do you cut the deck? Do you fan the cards and choose randomly, or just take the ones on the top, or both?)

I place my deck before me, take a bit from the top and put it to the left, then I pick up another portion and place them to the right, with how even in terms of the amount of cards being irrelevant. I re-assemble the deck by placing the bottom on top of the pile to the left and those on top of the pile to the right.

6.) Anything else about your method that you'd like to share?

Mine tends to revolve strongly around my specific deck and its personality, but moreso around my dragon guide and the influences of elemental air and water, which I feel are necessary in divination. Clarity of mind and analysis, coupled with intuition and psychicism.