predictive readings misuse of tarot?

chaosbloom

Wouldn't the if you continue, X will happen statement also be related to how the reader perceives (metaphysical) time mechanics? I guess only a reader who believes that we get a glimpse of future potentialities but not concrete predictions set in stone would say that.

I'd share a story I've heard yesterday of a person handling a prophecy of that sort backwards but it would derail the thread.

(By the way, do professional readers really face the eternal drama so often? Must be nearly unbearable.)
 

LeFou

liveandbloom said:
The distinction that I am most interested in is whether the reader is offering information or "help" from the cards or from her own experience, knowledge, and wisdom.
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Or perhaps neither -- sometimes the querent merely has to struggle to acknowledge that there -is- a problem, and then have the courage to approach, and then the tenacity to formulate all that into a question. Suddenly with no help from the reader, a monster becomes a mere shadow.

What the reader says next may be irrelevant, forgotten, never heard, or misunderstood. But the cards still did their job.
 

liveandbloom

LeFou said:
Or perhaps neither -- sometimes the querent merely has to struggle to acknowledge that there -is- a problem, and then have the courage to approach, and then the tenacity to formulate all that into a question. Suddenly with no help from the reader, a monster becomes a mere shadow.

What the reader says next may be irrelevant, forgotten, never heard, or misunderstood. But the cards still did their job.
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This is beautifully stated. I do see this as one of the "powers" of tarot.
 

Barleywine

In thinking further on this, I realized that I don't jump to either prediction or advice as the main thrust of a reading, I go for enlightenment as the first priority. Initially, I assess the overall tenor of the spread, then peel each card like an onion, from the most general to the most specific, all the while interacting with the sitter to shape the interpretation in the most meaningful way. Then I attempt to digest the whole souffle and render it whole for the sitter's edification, without any intentional line of demarcation between what might be considered predictive and what is more advisory in nature. The clarity of the information itself is paramount, without me passing judgment on how it might best be used; even if asked to do so, I will defer to the sitter's innately (well, at least ideally) superior self-knowledge for the answer. I can't say that my personal life-experience enters into it, it's really all about the testimony in the cards. I focus on that and dispense with the visionary pondering.
 

liveandbloom

Barleywine said:
In thinking further on this, I realized that I don't jump to either prediction or advice as the main thrust of a reading, I go for enlightenment as the first priority. Initially, I assess the overall tenor of the spread, then peel each card like an onion, from the most general to the most specific, all the while interacting with the sitter to shape the interpretation in the most meaningful way. Then I attempt to digest the whole souffle and render it whole for the sitter's edification, without any intentional line of demarcation between what might be considered predictive and what is more advisory in nature. The clarity of the information itself is paramount, without me passing judgment on how it might best be used; even if asked to do so, I will defer to the sitter's innately (well, at least ideally) superior self-knowledge for the answer. I can't say that my personal life-experience enters into it, it's really all about the testimony in the cards. I focus on that and dispense with the visionary pondering.
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Thanks for elaborating further, Barleywine. This nugget is especially resonating with me:

Barleywine said:
The clarity of the information itself is paramount, without me passing judgment on how it might best be used; even if asked to do so, I will defer to the sitter's innately (well, at least ideally) superior self-knowledge for the answer.
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I think there are some similarities in the way you've described your process with the way Amanda has described hers. I'm not in any way conflating them or erasing the important differences the distinguish each of your ways of reading.
 

tealily

prudence said:
I feel like we predictive reading fans are in the minority, at least going by what I read in many threads here. In real life, the people I know who read treat it much more like a tool of self reflection. I've used tarot in every way imaginable but I enjoy predictive the most.
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whoo I do predictive reads too!

I feel this falls into two camps though.

1) 'Lonely Hearts Club' - 'when will x contact me', 'when will I get a job', 'when will things get better' etc

2) 'Foretold is forewarned club' - 'what are upcoming challenges next week?' etc

3) Misc: eg 'Will we find MH17 this weekend', 'is my mug white, blue or black', 'how would you describe what I do for work'.

(3) is really fun, although accuracy of my answers can be a bit limited by the boundaries of Tarot (eg not great at yes/no). (1) is... not my favourite and I try to steer querents away from it. (2) I also do a fair bit and enjoy - always throw in advice for how querent can navigate through said challenge.
 
Silly little questions about Wix No Means No- Turning down sitters