Read FOR or Read WITH????

[KateC]

Good Morning Folks,

I am still very much a novice, so I mostly read for myself. On the (rare) occasions that I do spread cards for someone else. It really seems more like I am reading WITH the querent as opposed to FOR.

That said, I view the Tarot more as a mental tool to get off the mental/emotional gerbil wheel than a mystical experience.

I will also confess to just enjoying the sensual pleasure of having lovely cards in my hands -- I am a total sucker for a beautiful deck!!!

Best Wishes to All & a Joyful Holy Week, Regardless of which of God's Faces that You See,

KateC

 

[KateC]

Furhter admission: I forgot to ask posters to weigh in on which way they view it or why!!

Apologies!

(Holidays are needful for mental health...)

 

[WalesWoman]

I read For a question, be it For me or someone else. I suppose, holding the person's name & question in my head while I'm shuffling or stating this reading is For ( ) and what I'm going to be reading For (their question) before I begin laying out cards, could feel like I am reading With that person.

Also, it is reading with the querant because it IS for them in the first place, we interpret the cards, we are a conduit between tarot and them. In one sense "I" ceases to exist, or rather the ego needs to take a hike... we are not part of the equation really.

I also want the person to be involved with the interpretations too, because mine is not the last word... further making it reading With.

Normally tho' I read With my cards.

 

[Bitter Almond]

That said, I view the Tarot more as a mental tool to get off the mental/emotional gerbil wheel than a mystical experience.

Be careful, you can offend with statements like this one... You're bringing up the whole "Tarot is true divination vs Tarot is generic and your mind fills in the blanks" (maybe it's a bit of both) argument... My opinion is that it doesn't truly matter: either way, it's as good a method as any other to get advice about pretty much anything.

There needs to be a balance between reading "for" and "with". Certainly, you need to involve your querent, but you also need to be the authority and not let their mind create false assumptions or allow them to be too assertive in the readings of the cards.

I find that some people really try to twist a reading into what they want to hear. You need to read "for" these people, make sure they know what the cards are saying. Others will accept whatever the cards say, but expect them to say it in plain English. You need to read "with" these people and try to get them to make their own connection to the cards.

 

[nisaba]

I read "for" people, and I read "with" my decks.

I don't mind people taking responsibility for their readings, and when something I say bounces off their experience, clueing me in. That will allow me to go deeper into the card, often.

 

[Zephyros]

I guess it is a little of both. The reading should reflect the querent, not the other way round, and it is up to the both of you to see how they will get the most from the reading. I hate readers for whom the reading is a "test" to see how good I am, those kinds will generally get little or anything from a reading in any case.
But don't be afraid to ask questions and make the querent even more part of the reading than they already are, especially for those areas in the reading that don't fit in exactly to the other cards.

 

[SunChariot]

Hi Kate C, welcome to AT!

I think your experience is almost the opposite of yours, but that's fine, We're all on different paths, and Tarot can meet you where yuo are and guide you, no matter what your path.

I also started reading only for myself. It was about 6 to 8 months till I started reading for others. But I differ in the rest...

By now, I don't use spreads at all. I know how to and all, but I tend to prefer not to...unless I am in a reading exchange and it's demanded, otherwise I don't use them.

I personally always read for the querent, not with them. For one thing because I only read for others online so the querent is never with me when I read. They just e-mail me their question and I get to it when I have time and e-mail them back the reading. So there is no way to read with them. And anyway, I prefer it that way.

I personally do see reading as a hugely spiritual experience. Although yes the answers I tend do get are quite deep and can help you get off the mental/emotional gerbil wheel, I believe Tarot to be a way to connect to my higher powers (in my world view that is my angels).

That is my belief that the cards are a tool through which I am able to communicate with them and they answer by sending the cards that indicate what they want me to know and by helping me see what they want me to see in those cards. I ask them the question and they answer in that way, through the cards. To me yes this clears up emotional and mental clutter, but it does so because they send me the wisdom I need to clear it up.

Also, the feel of the cards in my hands usually does nothing for me. I tend to be more visual than tactile in that way. The "look" of the images is what touches me most. But of course we are all more affected by some senses than others.

Babs

 

[choirqueer]

One thing that's become harder for me as I get more experienced as a reader is having someone ELSE read "for" me instead of "with" me. Sometimes it is entirely appropriate for me to help them or read with them...but sometimes I'll start going in and trying to "help" and totally screw up the reading because I was trying to do it myself instead of letting the reader do it!

 

[JSNYC]

I read "for" people, and I read "with" my decks.

I don't mind people taking responsibility for their readings, and when something I say bounces off their experience, clueing me in. That will allow me to go deeper into the card, often.

Love it! Perfect!

I read with people. Less than two months after picking up my first Tarot deck and book I posted on a personals site to find someone to read with. I can say that was my single most rewarding experience (to date). I really believe I learned more than she did. (I meant to find someone local, to read live, but she wasn't currently local so it was over email. And also, I fully explained I was new and looking to explore... this. And she was very receptive and very helpful.)

I think I still often learn more from some readings than the seekers that I read for, or um, with. Using the Tarot is a connection, it is a mutual thing.

 

[SarahRacheal]

If I'm reading online I will always read for people. Most of the time in "real life" I will involve the quarrent ie ask them to look at the cards and tell me how the image makes them feel, if any one part stands out more to them etc.