Thirteen
The first spread is the simplist and most well know. A three card spread. The first thing I want you to do is create a little ritual for yourself. How and where you want to sit, where you want to set out the cards (on the floor? Table? A silk cloth? Your choice). Do you want "extras" (a candle for example?).
Find a "ritual" that makes you comfortable, and in touch with yourself and the cards. Relaxed and confident. Even excited.
Now, for this lesson to work, I need you to pick a querent; NOT someone actually there. A "pretend" querent. Pick someone you know, but don't know well. Someone you work with, or are distant friends with, the bus driver you see daily, the person who cuts your hair.
You see, No one does readings in a vaccum. We do readings FOR PEOPLE. And who they are, what they do, helps inform us as to what the cards might be saying. So you need a "dummy" querent for this reading.
Ok. Imagine this person has come to you to ask "What's going on in my life this month?"
Special note: Remember that most spreads predict only about a month in advance, excepting "year" spreads which predict the year. No spread will tell you what's going to happen much farther in the future than that.
Remember also that what's being "predicted" is something from the outside that will come into the person's life. How they handle it is up to them. So you might say, "you'll be offered a new job," but you can't predict if the person will take that job. You can, however, given the card, advise the person, if they ask, as to whether taking the job will *likely* do them more good than harm.
How to do a spread:
Decide on a set number of times to shuffle the deck before you do any spread. This will help you relax, get in the mood, and get the "flow" of energy thought the cards. It should be more than 3 shuffles. This is for you, the reader, to "loosen up" the deck.
After shuffling, take a moment to press the deck between your palms. Some readers say a prayer, some imagine a glowing light, some just close their eyes and take in a deep breath. Feel the energy, the power around you, through you, and in connection to the deck.
Now comes the shuffle for the actual reading. For that, shuffle until you feel ready. When it comes to an actual reading for another person, you'll want to decide if the cards will then be handed over to the querent or if you'll shuffle for them for the querent. This is a very personal decision and yours alone to make (some readers don't want anyone touching their decks, others feel it essential that the querent put their energy and question into the deck--up to you). But, once again, the cards get suffled until you, or the querent feel ready.
Set down the cards and cut them once with your "odd" hand (again, you'll decide when the times comes if the querent should do this, or if only you touch the deck). That is, if right handed, cut with the left . If left, cut with the right. The odd hand is the one with the "unconscious" or instinctive energy.
Off the top, flip three cards. Left, middle, right. Now remember that in this case, you're just learning. The cards know this, and so the reading *doesn't mean anything*. It's just a teaching, a "run-though".
Left is past (a recent situation they've just left behind or finished with)
Middle is present (what the situation is now)
Right is future (what the situation will likely be in the near future, i.e., within 30 days)
Keep in mind WHO YOU ARE READING FOR! And look at all three together as well as seperately. There should be a connecting thread between them, however thin. Consider also what suit they are, which ones are major arcana. Major Arcana carry more weight. One suit, or two of one suit, may will weigh things in the direction of that subject (cups for love, for example).
Now tell us who you're reading for, and how you interpet the cards you got. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers. I want everyone to help out everyone on this.
Go for it!
Find a "ritual" that makes you comfortable, and in touch with yourself and the cards. Relaxed and confident. Even excited.
Now, for this lesson to work, I need you to pick a querent; NOT someone actually there. A "pretend" querent. Pick someone you know, but don't know well. Someone you work with, or are distant friends with, the bus driver you see daily, the person who cuts your hair.
You see, No one does readings in a vaccum. We do readings FOR PEOPLE. And who they are, what they do, helps inform us as to what the cards might be saying. So you need a "dummy" querent for this reading.
Ok. Imagine this person has come to you to ask "What's going on in my life this month?"
Special note: Remember that most spreads predict only about a month in advance, excepting "year" spreads which predict the year. No spread will tell you what's going to happen much farther in the future than that.
Remember also that what's being "predicted" is something from the outside that will come into the person's life. How they handle it is up to them. So you might say, "you'll be offered a new job," but you can't predict if the person will take that job. You can, however, given the card, advise the person, if they ask, as to whether taking the job will *likely* do them more good than harm.
How to do a spread:
Decide on a set number of times to shuffle the deck before you do any spread. This will help you relax, get in the mood, and get the "flow" of energy thought the cards. It should be more than 3 shuffles. This is for you, the reader, to "loosen up" the deck.
After shuffling, take a moment to press the deck between your palms. Some readers say a prayer, some imagine a glowing light, some just close their eyes and take in a deep breath. Feel the energy, the power around you, through you, and in connection to the deck.
Now comes the shuffle for the actual reading. For that, shuffle until you feel ready. When it comes to an actual reading for another person, you'll want to decide if the cards will then be handed over to the querent or if you'll shuffle for them for the querent. This is a very personal decision and yours alone to make (some readers don't want anyone touching their decks, others feel it essential that the querent put their energy and question into the deck--up to you). But, once again, the cards get suffled until you, or the querent feel ready.
Set down the cards and cut them once with your "odd" hand (again, you'll decide when the times comes if the querent should do this, or if only you touch the deck). That is, if right handed, cut with the left . If left, cut with the right. The odd hand is the one with the "unconscious" or instinctive energy.
Off the top, flip three cards. Left, middle, right. Now remember that in this case, you're just learning. The cards know this, and so the reading *doesn't mean anything*. It's just a teaching, a "run-though".
Left is past (a recent situation they've just left behind or finished with)
Middle is present (what the situation is now)
Right is future (what the situation will likely be in the near future, i.e., within 30 days)
Keep in mind WHO YOU ARE READING FOR! And look at all three together as well as seperately. There should be a connecting thread between them, however thin. Consider also what suit they are, which ones are major arcana. Major Arcana carry more weight. One suit, or two of one suit, may will weigh things in the direction of that subject (cups for love, for example).
Now tell us who you're reading for, and how you interpet the cards you got. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers. I want everyone to help out everyone on this.
Go for it!