2 Reading Skills & Abuses

wheelie

Hi friends,

As I have been practicing reading with feedback here at AT, I realize that there is no better way to learn than in a community like this one.

I have a few observations that I want to distil into principles. Very experienced readers, I am sure, have internalized these principles and flow in them very naturally and intuitively. But it still might be valuable to enumerate the skills and their possible abuses.

1. PROJECTION: In order to tap into the universal archetypes that are open and multifaceted, a reader needs to have empathy,
thereby connecting the general concepts and energies with specific situations.
In this way The Hermit's cosmic solitude reminds the reader of the time she needed alone time
when the in-laws visited for three months.
She thereby identifies with a universal human need, empathizes, and shares this with the sitter.​

However, the danger is to over-project and impute our personal quirks and cultural differences on others. For example, the reader might say that The Hermit means you need to read the Koran every morning when the sitter actually follows the Buddha or the Goddess. Whoops!

My suggestion here is to stay properly universal. Illustrate and exemplify, but don't stray from the huge common ground shared by many cultures and cosmic views. Stepping on a few toes at AT could be helpful in this regard!

2. APPLICATION: In order to satisfy the sitter, a reader needs to give some specifics, applying the archetypal patterns to real life.
In this way, The King of Swords may suggest taking strong action with well thought out strategy.​

However, the danger is to over-apply or misapply. The suggestion could be too traditional or too liberal, too extroverted or introverted, to fast or slow, too positive or negative, or details could just be plain wrong. The reader might say The King of Swords advises that you speak directly to your boss. But in Chinese culture this might be the kiss of death. Whoops!

My suggestion here is to provide alternatives. Waffles. The King could be saying to speak sharply OR to make the strategy clear in your own mind. You may need to attack and assert yourself OR defend yourself by saving face. Face or merit? Retreat or advance? Both can be informed by the King of Swords but different personalities and cultures will apply that energy and concept differently.

? ? ?

This is just food for thought. However, it convinces me that honest but validating feedback from other readers is the most helpful way to learn.
 

Sentient

Perhaps Emotional Connection, without which the sitter won't care what the reader has to say.

The danger being that the reader over-empathizes with the querent and fails to maintain a professional distance.
 

EmpyreanKnight

Perhaps Emotional Connection, without which the sitter won't care what the reader has to say.

The danger being that the reader over-empathizes with the querent and fails to maintain a professional distance.

I think that would maybe be the Queen of Cups, Water of Water, mistress of the suit of emotions.
 

Farzon

I completely agree! Wheelie, you have put this into words very beautifully!

I like to give different interpretations as well, when I'm a bit unsure.
 

SunChariot

Hi friends,

As I have been practicing reading with feedback here at AT, I realize that there is no better way to learn than in a community like this one.

I have a few observations that I want to distil into principles. Very experienced readers, I am sure, have internalized these principles and flow in them very naturally and intuitively. But it still might be valuable to enumerate the skills and their possible abuses.

1. PROJECTION: In order to tap into the universal archetypes that are open and multifaceted, a reader needs to have empathy,
thereby connecting the general concepts and energies with specific situations.
In this way The Hermit's cosmic solitude reminds the reader of the time she needed alone time
when the in-laws visited for three months.
She thereby identifies with a universal human need, empathizes, and shares this with the sitter.​

However, the danger is to over-project and impute our personal quirks and cultural differences on others. For example, the reader might say that The Hermit means you need to read the Koran every morning when the sitter actually follows the Buddha or the Goddess. Whoops!

My suggestion here is to stay properly universal. Illustrate and exemplify, but don't stray from the huge common ground shared by many cultures and cosmic views. Stepping on a few toes at AT could be helpful in this regard!

2. APPLICATION: In order to satisfy the sitter, a reader needs to give some specifics, applying the archetypal patterns to real life.
In this way, The King of Swords may suggest taking strong action with well thought out strategy.​

However, the danger is to over-apply or misapply. The suggestion could be too traditional or too liberal, too extroverted or introverted, to fast or slow, too positive or negative, or details could just be plain wrong. The reader might say The King of Swords advises that you speak directly to your boss. But in Chinese culture this might be the kiss of death. Whoops!

My suggestion here is to provide alternatives. Waffles. The King could be saying to speak sharply OR to make the strategy clear in your own mind. You may need to attack and assert yourself OR defend yourself by saving face. Face or merit? Retreat or advance? Both can be informed by the King of Swords but different personalities and cultures will apply that energy and concept differently.

? ? ?

This is just food for thought. However, it convinces me that honest but validating feedback from other readers is the most helpful way to learn.

Here are some of my thoughts on that :heart: :

Yes, I agree AT is one of the greatest ways to learn. The members here collectively just know it all. And there is nothing better than practising on people who can help guide your progress.

Yes, I do believe that empathy is an essential skill in a reader. The cards may give us the answer but WE are the ones who choose how to word things. The exact same story told in two different ways can have very different effects on a querent. We need to, I think, be able to imagine ourselves as the querent and to really think on WHICH method of hearing the story would be most helpful to us to hear in it, if we were the ones in this situation.

Then that is how we tell the story. It starts to come as second nature after a while. But its something I know I thought of a lot at the start. Do the kind of readings that you feel would be most helpful to you if you were the one facing the issue and you are likely being helpful. You can adjust as you go and get more feedback if need be.

Projection is not at good thing in my mind. You need to keep an open mind when reading and really not project your feelings and beliefs on others as much as you can avoid it. Eg if something scares you, it doesn't mean you talk about the querents fears on the subject. They themselves may not fear it at all. Just read what the cards say and try not to add any of your own feelings in.

I don't personally try to tap into universal archetypes...I try to get in touch with my own personal ones and follow my own inner guidance from there. Reading is very Rorshark test for me, but to each his own on that.

For sure I would never ever tell anyone in a reading to read their Koran every day. That is much to specific. I would more likely tell them that their spriritual side is very important to them and they should listen in and follow it to where it leads them. And leave that there.

If that ends up being the Koran then fine. But it may be something different and that is for them to listen in inside them and see what is calling to them.

I don't think of it so much as a need to find the details that will satisfy the reader. My job is just to tell them what I see. Some parts of it can be very specific (I have been called "scarey accurate" enough time in my life) and sometimes what comes is very general. The thing is not to try to plan what comes. We need to just read what we see. Not to try to look for what is not there. If you see the detail naturally, tell it. If you don't, don't. Just go wtih the flow and trust that what you do see will be just what the querent needs to hear.

Sometimes too much detail can be upsetting. I think you just have to trust the cards will send you what you need. All you have to do is read then and tell what you see.

The cards will tell you what you need to know, the info the querent is meant to know . If talking directly to one's boss will get someone fired, then the cards will not tell you that info to pass them. While they may give you that info for someone else it if would benefit them to hear it. Really you just have to trust the best info for the querent to have will show up in the cards. ALL you have to do is read it.

Last topic before I go. The meanings we see in the cards DO NOT only come from the set meanings we have for the cards or their symbolism. A lot comes to use via our intuition too. I think more than half of what I see in the cards in an actual reading comes directly from my intuition.

I don't suggest waffling. Yes any one card COULD be saying a variety of different things, some conflicting. They cannot all be the answer at once. As you said your King could be saying to attack or retreat. If you just tell the querent the cards may be saying one or the other, it may not be helpful when they already KNOW that those are their only two options. The think is, I believe, you have to choose. And you choose by your intuition, you need to develop that skill that lets you "feel" which answer is the right one. Then to come to trust in it and follow where it leads.



Babs