Yes/No Tarot doesn't work (?)

I used the spread by JSNYC to see what happens. And I def. enjoyed doing this spread than a bland yes/no question. This does give more info instead of leaving you confused about "Was it a yes? Was it a no?" dilemma.

Here's what I got for someone that is unsure about whether or not they will move ahead in a relationship with this new partner (marriage) after they leave their current one.

No = Death
Yes = Ace of Wands
More info = Queen of Pents

I think it means a definite but "cursory" yes (although I don't know what to make out of that). The No *may* mean that if this doesn't happen, you're losing out on an important spiritual lesson. Queen of pents -- you have to be the one to nurture the relationship.

BEM

Brown Eyed Mystic said:

Interesting, so in relation to a question like "Will he/she call me today"? it could simply be pointing that they are thinking of calling you? Whether they do or not depends on their will. Is that what you're saying dancing_moon?

BEM

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Among other things, yes. Even if you're glued to your telephone waiting for a call and couldn't possibly miss it, the other person could have been distracted or changed their mind. How many times have you started a day thinking you'd definitely do something, and then ended up not doing it, for various reasons?

By the way, I'm glad Amanda mentioned JSNYC's spread. I love it too, and I love the way it provides advice on how to change a 'yes' into a 'no' or vice versa, and also has a possibility of a 'maybe'.

Thanks BEM for the link to JSNYK thread. Very interesting l will have a practice with this and see how it works out

dancing_moon said:

Among other things, yes. Even if you're glued to your telephone waiting for a call and couldn't possibly miss it, the other person could have been distracted or changed their mind. How many times have you started a day thinking you'd definitely do something, and then ended up not doing it, for various reasons?

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That's true. Happens many times that I don't act on my thinking. Sometimes, it's deliberate also. But doesn't that still bring us to a point that the answers are ambiguous?

BEM

Thoughtful said:

Thanks BEM for the link to JSNYK thread. Very interesting l will have a practice with this and see how it works out

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It is. Let us know how you go.

BEM

Brown Eyed Mystic said:

But doesn't that still bring us to a point that the answers are ambiguous?

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Not if you define clearly before laying out a spread what exactly constitutes a 'yes', a 'no' and, if necessary, a 'maybe'/'no answer available at this time'. At least, that's been my experience.

Why should tarot be omniscient? The unknown is unknown (duh). Actually, tarot, being inanimate, knows absolutely nothing. How then can it possibly answer a yes/no question? It basically just serves as a stimulus for the intuition of the reader. I know without a doubt that magic exists. However, magic is not inherent in objects such as wands, crystal balls, pendulums, runic alphabets, I Ching texts, or tarot cards. These are tools to assist the magician in her magical work. They may reflect (and possibly enhance) the energy field of the magician, but that's about all.

LRichard said:

Why should tarot be omniscient? The unknown is unknown (duh). Actually, tarot, being inanimate, knows absolutely nothing. How then can it possibly answer a yes/no question? It basically just serves as a stimulus for the intuition of the reader. I know without a doubt that magic exists. However, magic is not inherent in objects such as wands, crystal balls, pendulums, runic alphabets, I Ching texts, or tarot cards. These are tools to assist the magician in her magical work. They may reflect (and possibly enhance) the energy field of the magician, but that's about all.

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Precisely. A coin-flip knows just as much as tarot in this regard. I see the cards (or any similar tool) as focal points (foci?) for concentration of the magical will (manifesting in this case as intuition driven by intention, if that's a worthy descriptor). It's what the Magician is doing with the tools on his table, but I know he has bigger fish to fry than a simple "yes/no." I'm thinking you could just as profitably use playing cards for the same purpose as long as you define what's a "yes" and what's a "no" in advance. Here I'll trot out my tired old simile: using tarot for "yes/no" answers is "like using a sledge hammer to swat a gnat." I know that's not a popular perception around here, but then I've never been very interested in fortune-telling with the tarot.

ETA: Before anyone thinks "hypocrisy," I'll cheerfully help others interpret their fortune-telling spreads (other than one or two card draws and "thinks/feels" questions), I just don't do them much for myself or the people I regularly read for. (Full disclosure: I don't read "for pay" any more.)

dancing_moon said:

Not if you define clearly before laying out a spread what exactly constitutes a 'yes', a 'no' and, if necessary, a 'maybe'/'no answer available at this time'. At least, that's been my experience.

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Hmm, that's what I do However, in questions involving someone else's actions (like a phone call), the answer is still unclear, right?

BEM

LRichard said:

Why should tarot be omniscient? The unknown is unknown (duh). Actually, tarot, being inanimate, knows absolutely nothing. How then can it possibly answer a yes/no question? It basically just serves as a stimulus for the intuition of the reader. I know without a doubt that magic exists. However, magic is not inherent in objects such as wands, crystal balls, pendulums, runic alphabets, I Ching texts, or tarot cards. These are tools to assist the magician in her magical work. They may reflect (and possibly enhance) the energy field of the magician, but that's about all.

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Hmm. Yes, I know what you mean. That's why I wasn't 100% sure on tarot's "ability" to answer a yes/no. Because the answer is in the future.

But think about it -- aren't many non-yes/no questions also in future? Questions people ask such as "Will so and so happen?" I also like to be wary of such, but can't always avoid them