Dud readings?

Julian Jaymes

I do get a lot of dud readings; I find that often it's one of three things:

- I've asked the cards the same/similar question repeatedly;
- I've done too many readings in one day;
- or I'm distracted/have other things on my mind when i'm shuffling or reading.

Often I feel like it's either that my brain is fried and I just can't do it right then. So what I do for that is to just write down the card positions (I always do that anyway, for my Tarot journal) and come back to it later.

When I do come back to it, I like to actually lay out the cards again...helps jog my intuition. :)
 

DJP

@Thoughtful

Thanks for the link. I've always had an interest in history, so this is a great tip-off.

@myrrhmyrrh

Mary Greer is great. May your future journaling be auspicious!

@Shade

Hi Shade, I do both. But I must admit, non-spread layouts (not necessarily in a line) do feel more natural to me. Duds seem to have the potential to occur using either method.

@Julian James

Hi. Thanks for the input. Those three scenarios definitely ring true. This makes sense and I think you've helped to put my mind at rest. Thanks also for reaffirming the importance of journaling... much appreciated.
 

Trogon

I've had this happen a few times over the years. I've figured out that there can be several reasons for it:

1) As already mentioned, revisiting a question too often or too soon may result in the cards trying to tell you "you already asked that, work on the answer I already gave you!". Give it some time and contemplate the original reading some more.

2) Experience pays. As I read more and learned more over the years, I've had it happen less often.

3) Fatigue is your enemy! Doing readings works parts of your mind which you don't use for other day-to-day activities. As such, if you've done several readings in a short time, your spiritual center is going to get tired. You may need to stop for a few hours, or even the rest of the day. If you're doing readings for other people, don't be afraid to tell them you need a break if your tired. And keep in mind, that in-depth studying of the Tarot also exercises that spiritual part of your mind.

4) Sometimes the deck gets tired. I know this isn't really possible, but it feels that way sometimes. As others have mentioned, it can definitely be beneficial to try a different deck for a while. I usually carry 4 to 6 decks with me to work for study or for reading. I may choose a different deck for a person, or they may want a particular deck. Using the wrong one sometimes results in the meaningless readings you've mentioned.

5) Sometimes the other person can't be read for, for one reason or another. This has happened for me a couple of times. One person, several years ago, I tried to do a reading for a couple of times, but just couldn't make sense of it. With another person (this one was an on-line reading), after I laid out the cards, I just got this very strong message that one of their ancestors just did not want me doing a reading for her.

6) Most rare for me has been that a deck just won't work for me. This has only happened with one deck - I just couldn't read with it. This was unfortunate as it was a gift and I loved the art. I ended up selling the deck and the person who bought it was thrilled to have it and was getting great readings.

There may be other reasons for blocked or nonsensical readings, but these have been what I've experienced. Oh yeah, and I really can't read with Marseilles-style decks.
 

Barleywine

I've found over the years since I began reading in the '70s that the more proficient we become at navigating between the possible layers or levels in a reading (practical, psychological, spiritual, etc.), the easier it is to make sense of a "jumble." If something doesn't connect on one level, it may on another, producing the "Aha!" reaction; having a "live" sitter in front of you demands that you think on your feet to come up with useful insights, and it also creates the opportunity for a dialogue that can shed light on the uncertainty.

I finally put a definition to the way I work, thanks to James Ricklef: just let it "simmer in your consciousness" until clarity emerges, which it eventually will. Obviously, in a face-to-face reading, this has to be "fast-tracked" or the client will walk away dissatisfied.
 

G6

Don't focus on questions just shuffle and let whatever comes out. I agree with others if you keep harping on the same thing you get nada or the Devil card appears to more directly tell you to stop.
 

Trogon

... having a "live" sitter in front of you demands that you think on your feet to come up with useful insights, and it also creates the opportunity for a dialogue that can shed light on the uncertainty.

I finally put a definition to the way I work, thanks to James Ricklef: just let it "simmer in your consciousness" until clarity emerges, which it eventually will. Obviously, in a face-to-face reading, this has to be "fast-tracked" or the client will walk away dissatisfied.

As I read your post, it occurred to me that this is an extremely good reason to use a deck or decks which you can consistently read with when you're reading for clients. It wouldn't seem too good if you hem and haw for a bit then tell them; "sorry, this is a deck I don't usually use and I can't read well with it." On the other hand, if you have understanding friends who will let you experiment on them, doing readings is a great way to connect to a new deck or one you don't use very often.
 

DJP

Hi Trogon,

Thanks for taking the time to pass on these nuggets of wisdom. I have definitely experienced some of these scenarios.... for example, feeling tired and possibly doing too many readings for my beginners stamina to handle. Interestingly, one of my best readings to date (for someone else) came with a sort of 'spacey' feeling.... so I can imagine having to build up some staying power to use these 'unusual' parts of the mind for any length of time. Thanks again.

Hi Barleywine,
Simmer in your consciousness.... now that is a beautiful phrase. Yes, I'm constantly amazed at the many levels of meaning that can coalesce through the random process of laying out cards.... and I have assumed that my beginner status sometimes holds things back. Practice makes better. I've resolved to mock up difficult readings on the computer and print them out for further 'simmering'.

Hi G6,
I will try the no question approach. Thank you.
 

techn1k

I have only done first few readings so far but I was stuck after my first 3-cards daily spread. It made no sense. Took me few days (and lots of help on this forum) to sort it out. It felt like reaching a wall at first but with patience it melted down. Since then I decided not to give up too quickly as cards are sometimes suggesting to look at matters from completely different perspective.
 

DJP

Hi techn1k,

It sounds like we're both learning to give things time to develop. That's a pretty good life lesson in general, I reckon.

Also, I'm amazed by the generosity of the people that contribute to this forum. Beautiful.

Cheers,
Dev.
 

techn1k

I have joined just recently as well and had the same thought! Really friendly people!