I need help with a Yes/no spread.

[peanutsrevil]

I need help with a Yes/no spread. The problem is that I don't know how to read yes or no with a Tarot deck. I have been using a RW deck for readings but a standard playing card deck for yes/no questions. I keep the poker deck with my Tarot cards. I ask a yes or no question and deal five, three card sets from the poker deck. 2 thru 7 is read as a "no". 8's are read as neutral or undecided. 9, 10, J, Q, K & A are read as "yes". This is a "majority wins" system. In a set, two out of three makes a majority. Three out of five makes a majority in the overall reading. (I wrote all this out in case anyone wants to try it.) This is something that I picked up in grade school from a game we played as children. When I started reading cards I applied it to actual readings. The problem is that the system does not convert over to a Tarot deck. How do I do a yes/no reading with a Tarot deck?

 

[Kimberly]

Hmm... I don't think that you can do a yes/no question with a Tarot deck, not effectively at least... In my opinion, Tarot is to help you reflect on the situation, not give you a flat "yes/no" answer.

Maybe you can ask why something is happening, instead of will such and such happen or not? You can adjust your question to fit Tarot better I think...

Like ask instead; "If this happens, why did it happen? What will come of it?" or "If this doesn't happen, why did it not take place? What will come of the situation?"


That's just my 2 cents. Sorry I couldn't answer your question directly though.

 

[Flidais]

There are many ways to answer "yes-or-no" questions with a Tarot deck. Do they work? Try them and see, then decide for yourself.

One is to shuffle your deck to allow reversals. Then draw three cards. If two are upright, the answer is yes. If two are reversed, the answer is no.

I rarely ask yes-or-no questions, but the few times I have, this method has worked for me.

 

[Amhran]

My method of discerning yes/no is very similar to Flidais'.

In addition, if there are major arcana cards that turn up it tends to make the yes or no even firmer. Also, I read those cards and get additional information on the situation besides the yes or no.

However, while it does seem to work for me, sometimes, when I read frequently and ask yes/no questions frequently (way to often actually!) I can see how the answer will change depending on immediate circumstances.

 

[aria]

i use the three aces spread to answer yes/no questions. Where in u shuffle the cards, then start putting the cards down- face up..u stop at the 13th card or when an ace comes. similarily make 2 more stacks. if there are 3 aces then the answer is yes, if there are 2 aces then the answer is yes but it is influenced by the non-ace card. If there is one ace the answer is no but it is influenced by that ace and there r no aces then the answer is no.

Its works quite well for me till i dont ask the same question again n again in a different manner. there r various posts on this site related to this spread.

 

[Dolphin_Dreamer]

The spread I use and found it also really good for information on the question as well, is from "Understanding Tarot" by Jocelyn Almond & Keith Seddon. You use it with upright and reversed cards. Shuffle and lay out 7. If 4 or more are upright, then the answer is yes. However, pay attention to the meanings of the cards as 4 upright cards might have negative meanings or may be unfavourable to the outcome and vice versa. You also need to try not to phrase questions in a negative way, phrasing it so that the Yes answer is the answer you want and a No answer is what you hope will not happen.

xx7xxx6xxx5xxx4
xx1xxx2xxx3

7&1= Outcome (may be how things are seen in retrospect)
6&2= Unexpected/obstacles (or things you may need to pay more attention to)
5&3= Help
4= Question or main concern
also
1, 2, 3= Querents outer life when seen from another's point of view
5, 6, 7= how querent will feel about what happens

PS often I just use this spread rather than the celtic on myself....

 

[Azarial]

I have tried several of the yes/no spreads in the past, and it has rarely worked for me. You would think that since the tarot is able to answer so many questions, it should be able to ask a simple yes or no question. If I need a yes or no answer, I just consult my pendulum.

~Azarial~

 

[VZed]

I agree with the general feelings being expreseed here. Yes/no spreads don't leave any room for you to decide.

My suggestion would be to decide which would be the outcome you most would like, and then do a spread about what you could do to make it happen.

Vernon

 

[Amhran]

Dolphin Dreamer, I'm going to give that 7 card yes/no spread a try, I think I may like it better than my present 3 card system...

And VZed, I like your idea of deciding what way you want a situation to turn out and then asking what you can do to make that happen--very empowering!