grammar for string spread

nuttyprofessor

String spreads are traditional, and positional spreads were a later development. To me personally it gives the feeling that they are 'more true'. It is said that they give a better opportunity for contemplation. That's the reason that I have invested effort to make more sense of a string read by devising a grammar. I hope to get recommendations for improvement from you.

DIRECTIONS
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You yourself might be described by a major.
example:
Wheel of Fortune (upright) might mean that you handle the circumstances well.
Wheel of Fortune (reversed) might mean that you are tossed and turned.
It might also mean that luck will get on your side.


If a card(s) is in the viewing direction of a neighbouring major or court, it belongs to it. If the court or major has no viewing direction, then take the right side.
example:
Justice - 3 of swords(communication), might mean that you are a straightforward talker, or might alternatively refer to a lawyer or social worker if preceded by a court card.

If a court is followed by a major, the next cards also belong to it in case they are pipcards. Those belonging cards don't have to be read in sequence.
example:
Queen of Wands - Tower - 2 of coins(R) - Ace of Wands
A non-dominant guiding personality who breaks through obstacles with the power of his will.

If in the above case the Ace of Wands is replaced by a court or major looking in the opposite direction, the next but last card belongs to it.
example:
Queen of Wands - Tower - 2 of coins(R) - Temperance
Queen of Wands - Tower: An important person in the matter who is decisive.
2 of coins(R) - Temperance: A restoring influence that removes the obstacle; or,
You are trying to bring life to the standstill.

If the court or major is reversed, the belonging card(s) tries to bring balance.
example:
Queen of Wands(R) - Tower
She takes too much on her shoulders of others, but suffers sometimes a collapse.
In this case the collapse is positive, not health-threatening.
Or she gets angry to the people who deserve it.

It's also possible that there is no upright card(s) to bring balance. This might highlight a severe case. In anyway worth to pay attention to, and to deal with.
example:
Queen of Wands(R) - Tower(R) [- 2 of coins(R) - Temperance]
The person likes to dominate, and has bouts of agression.

An upright major or court followed by a reversed card refers to a weak spot, an imperfection, or shadow side.
Queen of Wands - Tower(R)
An actively helping person with tantrums, or who suffers a bad blow.




If a card is reversed, it depicts a -too much- or -too little- of the original meaning. The next card is put beneath it, and functions as a dummy. If it is reversed it denotes a -too much-, else a -too little-.
example:
Queen of Wands - Tower(R+) - (2 of Coins(R))
see above
Queen of Wands - Tower(R-) - (2 of Coins)
She tries to help, but is not able to take decisive steps.

In order to clear the problem whether the court is the querent or someone else I try the following rules.
If the card preceding the court card is a:
- court, then it is a very personal relationship, and the querent is the first court, and the second court refers to the other.
- pipcard, then it doesn't refer to a connection, and the court card is the querent, unless the question is about -another- person.
- major, then it refers to the type of connection the querent has to the -other- court person.
 

dancing_moon

Thanks for taking your time to post this! I'm still working through it, and it makes sense for the most part.

However, I'm not sure about the 'dummy cards'. Is it OK to turn what could be a good half of the cards in the spread into mere indicators? Perhaps, they could be added later, after drawing the whole spread, for each reversed card? What do you think?
 

nuttyprofessor

Thanks, dancing moon, for thinking with me.

We find ourselves on slippery territory. In my way the indicator is still situated within the constellation of the spread. If we draw the cards afterwards, it seems to me an unsubtle ignoring of the taboo on yes/no questions.

Firstly, in order for halve of the spread to consist of dummies, you need to have all cards reversed. Secondly, only pipcards are allowed to be dummies, and that's just half of the deck. Thirdly, I am not sure yet whether the rule will be applicable for the leading court or major card.
 

nuttyprofessor

Well, we might try it.

In case a card is reversed, the next card is put under it. If that one is reversed, the reversal indicates a -too much-, otherwise a -too little-.

We do believe in the "magic" of tarot, but we don't know it's limits. Yes/No questions might be valid only in case you look to the meaning of the card. So there is a limit.
 

dancing_moon

Then it'll be a good way to test the limits of Tarot, at least in the way it speaks to you and me. :)