"Ice-breaker" Questions

Chrystella

Typically, I begin with, "Hi. I'm [my name]. What's your name? Nice to meet you. Have a seat." And I smile.

Barleywine said:
"Do you have a specific question today or do you just want a general "life reading?" (This will help decide which spread to use; my days of using the Celtic Cross for everything are over.)

I used to ask this question, but I don't any more because it too often led to, "No, just a general reading" and that was rarely the truth. Now I ask, "What brings you to my table today?". This question would help me figure out which deck and/or spread to use.

Barleywine said:
"Is there anything in particular that you would especially like to know?" (This might simply be "the question," but asking could also break loose some parallel area of inquiry that can be addressed at the same time.)

This is another question I used to ask, but don't any more either. In general, I avoid yes/no questions. Instead, I would ask something like "What are you trying to discover today?" or "What would you like some insight about?". I try to ask prompting questions.

JackofWands

Chrystella said:
In general, I avoid yes/no questions. Instead, I would ask something like "What are you trying to discover today?" or "What would you like some insight about?". I try to ask prompting questions.

This is an excellent idea! I like this as a way of helping prompt a timid querent to share. Thanks for this!

Tanga

Girl Archer said:
Newbie's inputs... I ask them this - What are your expectations from this reading? That pretty much helps me gauge if they are familiar, are they looking at a proactive reading or predictive one, their level of belief ( I will read even for people who may think the experience a hoot but not for people who exude this "I know this is total B.S." kind of cocky cynical nonbelievers ) Their answer also helps me choose a deck.

Chrystella said:
Now I ask, "What brings you to my table today?". This question would help me figure out which deck and/or spread to use.
"What are you trying to discover today?" or "What would you like some insight about?". I try to ask prompting questions.

Ditto JackofWands - Thankyou for these excellent ideas.

Barleywine

Chrystella said:
Now I ask, "What brings you to my table today?". This question would help me figure out which deck and/or spread to use.

In general, I avoid yes/no questions. Instead, I would ask something like "What are you trying to discover today?" or "What would you like some insight about?". I try to ask prompting questions.

My own style has always been to never ask for a question up-front, and just let the cards take the lead. I insert specific exploratory questions when a "mid-course correction" becomes necessary. An important issue of some sort almost always emerges very quickly as prompted by the cards, without much circling around. Once again, though, I'm not reading "on the clock," so I have the luxury of taking as much time as I need. The situation I was considering here was one where the readings are in a more public setting (party, faire, etc.) where there would likely be a number of sitters to "cycle through." I do think an opening prompt of some kind (beyond the customary pleasantries) is a good idea.

Michael Sternbach

JackofWands said:
Personally, I differ on this point. My readings are very much context-based and are at their best when a querent offers feedback and direction. I agree that this is similar to cold reading, but because I don't claim to be psychic and am up-front about my use of contextual information, I don't think it's necessarily dishonest to do so.

Although I don't agree to there being no psychic parts to a Tarot reading, at least in my personal experience, I find you made an excellent statement in defence of context-based reading. The skill for this is particularly important if you primarily use Tarot as a tool for psychological insight and guidance. As I learned especially in my work with psycho-therapeutic patients.

Generally, what I do to avoid this is to select a middle-of-the-road reading style unless something else is requested to me. I won't offer a whole bucketload of introductory information on the Tarot unless my querent says they're new to Tarot or acts extremely confused, and I'll usually incorporate some intermediate reading techniques like the elemental dignities or some such. But unless my querent tells me that they're familiar with Tarot or related esoteric systems, I won't incorporate, Kabbalistic or astrological correspondences.

For the most part, though, I don't ask for this information before beginning a reading. I just stick to the intermediate level unless the querent decides to tell me otherwise. The questions I ask before beginning a reading are all much more focused on the querent's question and gaining as much context as I can.

Overall, I like this part of your post as well.

"Ice-breaker" Questions

Chrystella

JackofWands

Tanga

Barleywine

Michael Sternbach