Position or Placement of the Cards

bleuskyye

When placing cards, does it matter what position for placement they are in when asking questions? I know there are different spreads with certain placements for the cards. I'm just wondering why that is important. I just usually place them next to each other like in a past, present, future reading if I have questions to ask. Is this wrong?
 

3ill.yazi

Nope. Nothing wrong at all. You can get all you need from a simple three card spread. Positional spreads are good for some readers, and others don't use them. Both kinds have been around for a long time.
 

delinfrey

In some mystical traditions (also in the drawing rooms in the 19th century Europe), Tarot was not actually read in positions, but in strings. This is still done today in some Tarot spreads (like the OOTK, Opening of the Key), and most quick Lenormand readings.

It is definitely not the position that counts, it is about you being clear before the reading what you want to see in that position.

But there is sure a strong strength in a well thought-out spread that utilizes the different geometrical relations in a spread as well, so that the way different cards influence each other are well played-out.
 

IndigoViolet

I think it does not matter *in a way* if you are asking certain questions that are is a simple question and questions that are inter-related, but for readablity, grouping those cards together and lining them up, putting in circles etc, or whatever way makes it confortable for the reader...

But that is not always true.. Some setup in position has its meaning already, by itself.
---- http://postimg.org/image/twti92avl
 

Alta

My response is like that of Indigo Violet. I don't suppose you have to place the cards, but I find the geometric placement showing the different aspects or energies, in respect to each other and also in respect to the passage of time to be important. In other words, the geometrical placement can be a strong visual clue to the reading.
 

JackofWands

I second the thoughts expressed above. However, it may also be worth noting that some readers take directional cues from the cards to aid in their interpretations (e.g. the woman in the Queen of Swords is facing the Devil, which leads us to believe...). In this sense, laying the cards out in one geometric design or another could actually significantly impact the way the cards are read.
 

rachelcat

I agree there's certainly nothing wrong with laying cards out in a row. But tarot is a visual language, so why not use the visual clues of position along with the visual clues on the cards themselves? (As mentioned, which way characters are facing, relative distance and position to each other, etc.)

I also agree that it's important to have a firm idea of what each position means before you lay out the cards or read them.

(All this from the most verbal, least visual reader you'll talk to this week! But I'm working on it! I guess that's why I found it necessary to put my 2 cents in.)
 

Farzon

Personally, I switch between using spreads and non positional layouts. Both methods have their strengths for different questions. Non positional readings will leave you more freedom in interpreting the cards' meanings. That's also why I think that they require more experience than spreads.

On the other hand, spreads are more concrete about (literally) where a card's energy is at work. There's a danger in using fancy and complicated spreads which are completely unfit for the question though. Depending on the questing it can be wise to modify the positions of a given spread or even designing a special spread.

This is one of the most complex topics in Tarot I think because there is no wrong way to read the cards but do much one can do wrong... [emoji52]