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Tarot Readings: Step in to my wagon and look at my (crystal) balls.
zenpotato
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So, Tarot cards? Ridiculous, right?
I think they're interesting. Let me start off right away by saying that I don't believe they tell the future or that I'm psychic. I'm not advocating their use as a method of decision making, divination, or just about anything else. What I do think they're good for, though, is entertainment.
If you want to get all outraged and hate on how unscientific the whole thing is, feel free. All I ask is that you if you do, be scientific about it. Link data, make verifiable claims, and all that jazz. Don't just come in here and call people stupid-poopy-heads.
Here's what I think Tarot cards are useful for: contemplation and examination. The images on the cards help readers (people who are familiar with the chunks of story and archetypes pictured on the cards) come up with an archetypical story that the person being read for can then apply to their own life. In the thinking involved to make it all fit, you spend time thinking about a problem that is bothering you (or else why would you ask about it?) and potential pitfalls and outcomes.
Think of it as being guided through a very complicated Rorschach test. As you apply things to your own situation, you make connections and gain perspective that you probably didn't have before (if you're looking for it).
Tarot cards can't answer questions you don't know the answer to. They can't tell you yes or no. They can't make decisions for you. They don't tell you facts about your future. In fact, I don't think they can tell you facts at all. If you try to disprove them through science, I'm sure you will. It's all about contemplation and examining your perspective on your own life.
Anyways, that how I look at it and why I find it fun.
So here's what I'm gonna do. I'm going to do Tarot readings for people in this thread.
I'll be using an online deck thingy (its not like I need real magical cards, right?) so I can post the spreads for people to look at. I'll be using the standard Rider-Waite deck for reference. I'll be using the Celtic Cross spread, which from what I can tell is kind of the standard problem solving way to lay out cards which most people start with (like the Ubuntu of Tarot).
The spread generator (warning, crappy New Age web design ahead): http://www.white2000.com/tarot/tarot_x.htm
A reference for the Celtic Spread and the cards themselves can be found here: http://www.learntarot.com/top.htm
I haven't really been trying this for very long, but I think I have a good grasp of the fundamentals (yay English and Philosophy degrees!). I don't think I'm psychic, but for my own personal entertainment (and maybe yours too) I'll probably pretend I am at some point in this thread.
This isn't as simple as just reading from charts and stuff though, as to do it successfully (that is, for it to be fun and potentially useful) it requires leaps of intuition and creativity, just like fiction writing. There's artistry in illusion and cold reading cons, so I expect the same to apply here. I'm no artist, but I'm trying.
Here are the rules:
- 1 question per person. I may do more, but second questions come at the back of the line. I may ask for clarification or fish for information from you, and I hope you get back to me. But it'll all be about your 1 question.
- Your question has to be about advice on a specific part of your life. Ask me about relationships, money, school, whatever. But when you do, give me some context. I need some context to place the story of the cards in. Tell me if you're a boy or a girl and roughly your age; that's stuff I'd know if I was doing this face to face. Don't just say "Tell me about girls," say "I've been dating this girl for two weeks, and I want to know if she's serious." See how that works? A good question gets you a good reading.
- No "yes or no" questions. Nothing with specific time frames. You don't get facts, just patterns and themes.
- Be honest. Be open. I am, so I ask that you be too. It's what makes this fun.
- Don't try to trick me. Where's the fun in that? If you try, you probably will. Remember, I'm not psychic. I'm not claiming this is science, so don't try to hold it up to a scientific lens. It's not science, it's fun.
- Don't hate me if I'm wrong. Do let me know though; maybe I could read things a different way and just misinterpreted what I saw. I'd like to get better at this, if only because I hate doing things half-assed.
- If I spend the time to write up a reading for you, I ask that you spend the time to let me know how accurate I was. Explain how what I said ties in (or doesn't), to your own situation. That seems fair enough, right?
So, the Great and Powerful zenpotato, the Illustrious Seer of Visions is now open for business! Step right up and... uh... sit down.
(Again, I'm not claiming to be psychic or anything. This is for fun and amusement.)
mod note: This is meant to be fun. This is not Serious Business. Anyone who comes in here to talk about how tarot is a big crock of shit will be infracted, as that is not the thread topic. - ElJeffe
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Left what could have been a very good job four months ago because I could not deal with the stress and drive times. Got a new job much closer to home in a similar vein but with much less responsibility. I like it but it is a very small company and seems a bit vulnerable right now.
How safe am I right now?
My entire life I've wanted to move out of Alaska. My current favorite is Oregon, but I'm not too picky. I just want out, you know? However, right now I have a job that pays fairly well and will allow me to go to school as long as I stay. It's not a great school, but I'm not qualified for a great school anyway. I might be able to find a way to get to school if I go down south, but it's way less a sure thing. However, as I said before, I really want to leave.
I have contacts in a number of places south of Alaska that could help me get settled, but in no way do they represent access to jobs or education.
Should I play it conservative and seek my education here, or should I make the jump I've always wanted and try to start a life out of Alaska?
Funny thing is, this is still way better than H/A.
I've spent most of my life living with my mother. Shortly before my 18th birthday, I moved in with my father, and have been going to the community college in the area for about a year now.
I hated living with my mom, as her and my stepdad were incredibly strict, and consistently put me down. Now that I've moved in with my father, hoping for things to get better, nothing's really changed. He thinks I am a ticking time bomb, and a danger to my siblings. He makes a lot of empty promises.
I've thought about moving out, and finding a place with some friends. There are a few things keeping me here, though. Proximity to my job, the girl I have a crush on but can't pursue, and a paralyzing fear of the "real world."
What should I do?
I'm a bit apprehensive on the potential move because A) I'm worried about career prospects,
But, there are some reasons why moving there would be good... the chief reason being that I'll (hopefully) get to see my son more often than once every couple of years (he's too young to travel by himself and his mother and I aren't on the best of terms).
So, should I pack up my junk and head to land of the rising sun?
Edit: I'm 30 and a dude.
I just wanted to come in and take you up on your offer to spread some hate around.
3 of wands indicates an action packed time of possibility, possible travel. An open vista to look out on. This is held in check by the Queen of Cups, who is pensive and emotionally worried about the possibility of failure or of having made a poor decision.
Is your wife/girlfriend/mother really worried about your choice?
Grounded in Judgement, the choice you made to move on.
The past is miserly, focused on gaining material wealth. Set against the backdrop of a city. Too much focus on the material and money.
Your conscious awareness of the situation is represented by the 9 of Swords. It depicts a man awakening from a nightmare, nine swords above his head. You're worried about your decision, but you're keeping a lot of it inside (the Queen of Cups). You've already made your choice though, and instead of focusing on the things you did in the past (the focus on money and material gain) you've chosen to abandon that stress. The underlying nature of Judgement is a positive thing. Worry less about the money and the economy and focus on the possibilities that are spread out before you.
The pentacles (coins) come back in your future. A family celebrates in safety and abundance. You're concerned about your long-term stability. It looks like it's there. The oppurunities of the present and the choice you've made to change jobs lead you from the stress and worry of the past (still present in your mind) to a more stable and prosperous future. The key is the action and opportunity you have now in your new job.
You've sought out balance, and have recognized that the stress and commute of your job was weighing you down. You feel much more balanced now. Stick with it.
This is a good time to nurture and invest in your new surroundings. Combined with the 9 of Coins, the Empress indicates that you're in a very positive place of material growth and happiness. The key to it all is the positive energy of the Sun. Stay positive, take action, and you'll come out just fine. Better than fine actually. Trust yourself.
The important thing is to trust your intuition. You made the right choice. Quit worrying about it. You're likely to figure out something very important about life as a result.
The key cards here are the pentacles (signifying money and the material) on the left with in the cross section, Judgement (the core of the situation), the Empress (also positive material stuff, nature and birth), the Sun (a positive energy, assurance and vibrancy kind of thing). There's an awful lot of Major Arcana cards, which probably indicates something I'm missing, but they're all very positive and tend to indicate good stuff.
The cross section was very descriptive I think. The worry over financial matters signified by the 4 of Coins and the 9 of Swords is really out in the open, and the base of the entire situation is a Judgement you made. The 3 of Wands indicates exciting action and new possibilities, but it's tempered with the Queen of Cups, who is very emotional. I think that's indicative of you being a little worried about taking this new opportunity. She often indicates and actual person though, so I wouldn't be surprised if there's a female involved in your situation who has concerns (maybe even more than necessary, or is practical) about your situation.
There's a lot of female energy here, especially in the staff section (which itself is considered male). This all lies outside of your immediate question somewhat, and gives context to your worry. You've got a lot of positive (female) energy going on. That's a good thing.
Overal verdict: Quit worrying. You're going to be just fine; you made the right decision.
This is the best quote.
My wife is indeed quite worried, more then necessary. When I left the old job they offered a great deal of money for me to stay, which I refused. But since taking the new job I have been doing okay financialy.
Very interesting. Thank you.
It doesn't help that the Queen of Cups is sideways and 3 of Wands is just trying to figure out the proper gauge to use.
(Oops, wrong card! I know where the Empress is.)
Games: Ad Astra Per Phalla | Choose Your Own Phalla
Ha.
Maybe it means I will get some sometime soon.
You know how marriage is...
for mine, I'm a male in his 20s.
Devil crossed with 10 of Coins. This could be your feelings of oppression pitted against your need for financial security. What kind of job do you have? If I had to guess, I'd say something you don't like. The 8 of Swords indicates that you feel trapped, and you aren't sure where to go. You don't feel like you have a clear way out.
Was this job something you used to really love doing? The Lovers in the past and the Devil in the future seems to indicate that some kind of relationship that used to be very positive has become opressive (if perhaps financially beneficial?).
You seeking a compromise, something to end the conflict between your wage slavery and the finances you need to get by (5 of Swords). This could be you walking away from some other people (coworkers?) who have laid down their swords and are walking off.
The key is to find balance and harmony between how you originally felt (infatuation from the Lovers) and how you feel now (oppression and crap from the Devil). The Nine of Coins indicates that this balance is important; you need a sound understanding of your financial situation, and that will get you back on track towards finding that balance.
The 10 of Coins indicates material luxury and wealth; maybe your desire for that, instead of the more balanced and fulfilling bounty of the 9 of Coins is what is holding you back? Maybe you're being too conservative and traditional?
Are you young? It seems like you're open to a new relationship (romantic or otherwise). You're ready for something new there. Which is good, because this is paired up with the Empress, who is a big old cougar (not, you know, literally). You're surrounded by something natural and nurturing. Maybe this could all be a new job opportunity? I'm not sure how the Cups tie in here. I'm assuming the Page of Cups is you, and you're surrounded by the Empress's bounty.
Deeper though, what you really need is some good old fashioned spiritual intuition and balance. Your best bet to get to a solid foundation is to balance the extremes and build something solid.
The final card, the 3 of Coins, depicts a stonemason finishing up some work as two onlookers (perhaps master masons or potential clients) look on. You've got to build something up to get the foundation you need, and you need to get some balance in your life to do that.
We've got 3 Coins cards here, which indicate the material. The two sword cards are in your conscious and unconscious mind, indicating conflict over your situation. Underneath you feel trapped, but you consciously are looking for a compromise to bust free from the Devil. Those two people are chained there because of the choices they made (possibly because of the need for the material abundance indicated by the 10 of Coins). The solution to problems is going to be compromise and an end to conflict (lay down that sword). The High Priestess is important here too, but other than telling you that she's all about the unconscious and looking beyond the obvious for something secret, I'm not sure what to say. Is there something you're concealing (to me or yourself)? There's some mystery here.
Whatever you do, do quality work and it will be appreciated (both monetarily and personally).
Again, lots of Major Arcana cards. I'm probably missing something with these big and elemental forces.
The great deal of money is the 4 of Coins. Dude is all miserly as fuck. Don't sweat it.
PS--Are you gonna make some babies? There's some serious baby making symbology going on.
So, I guess my question is what the future holds for me career-wise. Am I just off to a bad start, or has the tone for the rest of my life (or at least the next decade or so) already been set?
https://twitter.com/Hooraydiation
Already have 2 and can't have any more, by choice (snip-snip).
My brother just had a baby and my wife and I are his god parents, though. And my wife had servious baby-jealousy going for a while.
I've been in a period of instability for a while. The guys I generally hung out with fell apart due to a conflict between some people. Besides this, my long-term fling (a really crazy chick) and I broke up recently, and I've been pretty much looking to the future as my hope. I'm starting to doubt my ability to do polisci in the future because of the fact that I've fucked up so hard recently. Should I stay the course, or should I make a change?
Steam: Feriluce
Battle.net: Feriluce#1995
I'm a 20something male, and I'm really attracted to this girl, let's call her Anastasia, that I got pretty hands-on with, and all up-ons with, at a bar last night. Anastasia is in an open relationship with another extremely attractive woman -- let's call her Zea. A and Z, right? So. I've also gotten pretty aces with Zea in the past, so I'm pulling water from both sides of this very hot equilibrium. Anyway. Erhem.
I first met both of these fantastic young women at a bar halfway across the state, after Chapel Hill won its penultimate Final Four game and the whole fucking town went up in a dancing, grinding, drinking riot. This is when me and Zea intimately introduced ourselves, but that was just kind of a dance-floor dance, you know? Zea doesn't really ever seem to get off the floor much, but last night with Sarah we got off it for a good while (she took a lot of smoke breaks, you see), and we did the conversation bit too and that went over smooth so this is basically pitching turkeys, right?
The whole open relationship thing, though, is kind of scary as shit. I'm not even keen on normal relationships; I'm a greenfoot (that's the word, right?), and they're, uh ... hot feet? Hotsteppers? I don't know, something about feet. That, and there's an alternative: girl I met that same crazy weekend in Chapel Hill, but only reconnected with recently. She's much more reserved. Doesn't dance much at all, actually. Great conversationalist, though, and we've got a slew of hobbies &co in common that I don't think bridge the water with the fabulous AnZ.
This girl, though -- let's just call her M, since that's halfway through the alphabet and she's kind of the in-betweener right now -- is heading up to New Jersey after she finishes this semester's exams here. I could follow, you know? I'm not really tethered anywhere, and I was planning on moving to either NJ or another state (one of two choices, basically) after this June, after I made a roadtrip up to NH to do an oral history project with some Dartmouth students. Moving up a few weeks earlier? Yeah, you know, that's swingable.
M and I have seen each other a few times now, there was a first date and a second date and then we kind of lost the fire with her looming exams and the expiration date that seemed attached to the relationship. I could make it go long-distance, though, or I could try to find a way to chase that light :whistle: (Jimmy Eat World song, nevermind) without seeming like a desperate creep.
On the other hand, I could take the seemingly mutual cue of waning, drop M, and push harder on AnZ. Anastasia already asked me out for an evening of fun and zaniness with only her and the glamorous Zea; no idea how serious an invitation this is, but this is certainly a doozy of a position to be in after so much time spent being the quintessential 'Guy Who Doesn't Get Any!'
So. There's the scoop: I've got problems with female-spiced alphabet soup (beyond the problems I get with alphabet soup working for an LGBT organization, oi), and I don't know what to do! I'm not good with sleight of hand, I've got no poker face, and I'm too damn nice-guy to play both hands at once. I gotta make a call! ... but which girl do I call?
Should I follow up with Anastasia, or burn the brighter candle with M (who I do admit, I'm more honestly and thoroughly romantically attracted to, while AnZ could very easily end up being a sexually-fueled burnout that ends without the relationship I actually want)? Do I let Anastasia lead, or do I take the lead with M? Questions! Gaggles of questions! Gaggles and gooses and geeses! Do I stay where I am, or is this a good time to move out and explore and throw caution to the wind? Do I shoot for sex or for relationships? It's all the same question, really, it's just tied in with women's names. Stay, or go? I guess is the generic form. Celtic Cross is kind of an overinformative pull for a "A or B" question like this, maybe? So generalize as far as you need to from the specifics in framing the question, I guess. <_<
I'm a 21 year old male. I haven't had any sort of relationship or even a date in years, I'm shy and not very outgoing and the few girls I have talked to were all in relationships. Recently, however, I started talking to this one girl I met in an advanced philosophy class we're both taking. She's cute, intelligent, and fun to talk to. We went out for coffee last week, and she said yesterday if she didn't go up to see her parents this weekend then she'd be interested in going out for a movie.
How do future prospects look with her? Any advice or hints on how to proceed from here?
Edit before you start, good timing with the pause. So she told me to call her today and she didn't pick up her phone and isn't responding to my message. Might want to take that into account in the interpretation of the cards if you see bad signs.
Edit again: False alarm, she called me back after a couple hours and we're going for sushi later, so I guess it just goes to show my own insecurities. Original question still stands.
That said, I've been wanting to pick some Tarot cards up for a while now. For reasons mostly unrelated to their intended purpose; I like the randomness and the extras - Devils and Angels / Death and Life, along with more of the court - that one doesn't get with a standard deck of cards.
Also, I'm currently a big fan of The Malazan Book of the Fallen (which has a related Deck). Some perspective would be nice. Also, didn't the older SW EU feature some Tarot deck for their version of poker?
We've got the 7 of Wands, a well prepared mountaineer off to start an adventure. That seems easy enough, doesn't it? However, he's balanced out by the Moon. This suggests illusion or madness, some kind of uncertainty. This could just be your own doubts about whether you should go off on that adventure, or it could be something else. It suggests there something strong and basic going on.
I think this indicates that although you are ready and prepared to go off on a journey, you have unrealistic expectations about the outcome. Life outside Alaska isn't the magical awesome life you're expecting. What you're really looking for doesn't exist.
Your unconscious is repesented by the Page of Swords. This guy is young, but logical and truthful. That he's hidden down in your unconscious isn't a great thing. It's another indication that you're not being clear headed about all of this. You need to pull him out and think this all the way through.
In the past, we see the High Priestess, just chilling out. This is you, biding your time, going to school (gathering knowledge), waiting for the opportunity to leave.
The 6 of Cups indicates that you're feeling good about the idea of leaving. The old man looks back with some fondness, while the child looks forward to the future. This card is all about innocence and good will. It indicates that you're in the right frame of mind about this, but you're being a little naive about your decision.
The Knight of Cups is an extremist. He's all about emotion and romance. This is where you're headed if you don't get honest with yourself. If you insist on setting out on this journey without thinking clearly and rationally about it, you're not going to like where you end up.
This next part I didn't get at all when I first saw it, but after doing the cross it makes more sense. You've got the 6 of Swords as a representitive for what's going on internally. This is also called the "thief" card. There's a man carrying away some swords, glancing behind him. The next card is the 9 of Swords, which is a man with 9 swords in his back laying dead on the ground. These didn't make any sense, since they're considered pretty harsh cards. After seeing that you're being a little naive about the idea of moving away, they make more sense.
Internally, you're "stealing" your reason and logic away. You're hiding things, deceiving yourself with words. From an outside perspective, what you're really doing is stabbing yourself (your logical, reasoning self) in the back. This could be your logic and reason (represented by the swords) stabbing the thief, trying to kill the Knight of Cups with thoughts and logic (the Swords). The dawn in the background indicates a new beginning once that man, the thief of your reason, the headstrong romantic knight, is dead.
Once you've done that, BAM--your inner conflict is ended and you should be proud of yourself. A triumphant victor leads a parade honoring his victories. Once you've overcome your own fantasies about what leaving will be like, you're going to be fine.
This next part could be a couple of things. The first, simpler meaning I see is that ultimately you'll still have your romantic fantasies, but they'll be internalized. You're not going to guide yourself by your emotions anymore; the Queen is a passive, internal presence.
The second possibility deals with an actual woman. Are you leaving someone behind? I don't see this one as very likely though. In fact, I suspect the High Priestess means that the Queen is a reutnr to balance for you, once you've come to understand that your ideas about what it means to leave Alaska have been built up in to something that can never be as good as what's in your head.
This spread is all about logic (swords) vs. emotion (cups). When the cups take the lead, logic and honesty with yourself take a back seat. Be mercilessly honest about what you're doing and you'll come out ahead and have a nice little victory parade.
Edit--This is the kind of reading that is weird to do. Obviously, I'd like to just be all happy go lucky with shit and tell people nice things, but sometimes the story that gets laid out and put together in my mind isn't that way. Psychic powers intuiting the truth, or just a 28 year old dude looking back at similar situations in his own life with a clearer head?
Yeah, this very well could be more H/A. It's more light-hearted and fun though, and not for any actual advice.
The Deck of Dragons is probably my favorite part of the Malazan books. It's a cool physical manifestation of metaphysics. That's the idea of the Tarot, according to occultists. There are all these universal truths and symbols, and by reading them you can gain secret knowledge of the world.
You should probably talk to somebody who could really help you with your problems (i.e. a therapist). I'm kind of torn on even doing a reading for you, because you're looking for a prescription on how you should live your life. You're not going to find that in a deck of cards. But, this can be a contemplative exercise, so let's just do it keeping that in mind. You're not going to get any answers here. All you can hope for is to improve your own perspective on things.
I'll update this in a bit with your spread.
Update:
The Hierophant (aka the Pope) crossed by the 10 of Cups (a happy couple with children, a healthy relationship). Not exactly what I'd expect, but then again, this isn't you per se--it's the heart of your question.
You're looking for answers and blessings from the Hierophant, hoping for a healthy relationship with your family. The Hierophant is patriarchal, but all about formality and ceremony. He's not the embodiment of the Father, but he is super male and patriarchal. This probably that strictness you mentioned. You see it at odds with having a happy family relationship.
The 5 of Swords is something that's already going on. Someone has lost and someone has won, but there's a sense in which no one has gained. All three figures loot out to a stormy sea. A compromise has been reached, but it's uneasy (e.g. you going to live with your dad).
In the past, we see the Page of Cups. This card suggests you've been emotionally driven in the past. (Unless you have a younger sibling who's shown you lots of empathy?) There's more to this guy I think, but I'm not sure what. I think this could be you as you were, young and kind of emotionally intense?
You think you deserve better. You're looking for fairness and Justice. At the same time, this means you need to acknowledge your own responsibility. If you're going to make a decision, you need to balance all the factors involved and accept the results. You have a hand in creating this situation, and you need to recognize it and understand it.
The key to your future is to become enlightened by the vitality of life. Being confident and believing in yourself is both the path and result of fairly understanding your own life (Justice leads to the Sun). Your best future comes from illuminating, actively, your own life with Justice.
This next bit is spot on, I think. The 4 of Cups means your relationships are all dried up. You're even ignoring the cup being offered to you, focusing instead on the 3 empty cups in front of you. Look around and see what you're missing. The outside force in this area are the Lovers. This isn't just about sex or love--it's about establishing your own beliefs and being true to that standard. I get the feeling that this is what other would like you to do, but instead you're just ignoring the cup being held out.
Why? The 5 of Cups. There are three cups spilled on the ground, already lost. But there are still two cups standing. You're ignoring what you have, and what's being offered to you, and focusing on what's been lost. That's gone. Get over it. Acknowledge that and you'll be better off.
The 6 of Swords indicates that ahead, there will be a calm period where past conflict can be put aside. You might need some help to get there, but if you apply the principles of the Sun and Justice to your life, you'll be just fine. This card can be indicative of a journey and leaving past conflict behind. Maybe that means moving out. But I suspect that until you realize what's going on around you and fairly end that conflict by embracing the relationships you have, the conflict won't end and moving would be pointless.
Deal fairly and positively with your family, acknowledge the love and relationships you already have but are ignoring because everything hasn't been great in the past, and you'll be able to move on and be a happy dude in the future.
Amongst a circle of friends where none of us believed that it was an authentic way to do anything, it was still a really cool way to kill time and just fuck around. Fitting the spread to the person and the situation, especially when one of my friends would read for someone they never met before (I never read anyone myself), watching that happen was kinda like watching a performer at work. And I mean, that's what it is, right? There's also, yeah, the fact that sometimes it can add a little bit of insight if only because it's adding insight from an angle that's often otherwise unapproached.
Also, just once in a while someone would get these really crazy spreads that just themselves were works of art. I mean, I saw someone sit down with this horror story once and then the spread was all Swords except for two reversed Major Arcana (can't remember which, unfortunately). Most of the Swords were also flipped, too. It was just one of those, "wow, this actually is a pretty crazy spread that happened to line up pretty crazily with the story on the table."
First, I get so pissed off when I set fortune teller and tarrot places around that actually sell this stuff like it's real. However, I think you're idea of a method of entertainment/meditation on your problems is actually sound and pretty interesting.
Second, I would love to learn how to cold read. I would assume that learning it requires primarily knowing common problems that individuals are faced with, in very general ways. When you throw something out that hits close to home, people seem to instinctively grasp at it.
I can't get myself excited about the idea of staying in Alaska, though maybe I can be excited about the capacity to make good decisions?
All in all, an interesting time. Thanks, zenpotatoe.
https://twitter.com/Hooraydiation
Thanks a bunch. Certainly an entertaining and thought provoking read. Perhaps I should become a franciscan, then.
Also, I can see how these generate those generalized statements that are so effective in cold reading. You mentioned in the first one there was a "concerned female figure", which is almost a universal. It seems that if you have many female figures in your life you will have one who will have an instance of being concerned or who you might think could be concerned about this or a similar decision. However, you also said the reading was open to it being a female "energy" which could simple apply to an element of the person's own concern. You could apply this card to virtually any situation (especially a decision situation), which gives it so much versatility. Someone could say "wow, this is exactly like my situation!" but in reality it's exactly like anyone's situation.
Another instance I noticed was the "you're not satisfied with your job", which is quite an obvious connotation due to the fact that his question was "should I change my career?" :P. But you can see how saying such a thing would engender some amount of awe, "yeah, I'm not satisified with my job, it's like these cards know me".
But, yeah, again I would totally love to learn cold reading and then walk around being Dr. House.
No problem. There wasn't a "don't go" aspect to that reading that I saw at all. Just that there's a danger that you're not being honest with yourself about what it would be like to leave.
While I absolutely agree that most of what I said was all in your original question, it's still pretty interesting to me that it came up so strongly in the suits presented. That's what I find interesting about the whole thing. It's so easy to project power on to a system like this because it seems to work so well.
I'm pretty sure that's what I'm doing to, but I think you'd be surprised how not vague some of the cards are. It's just that there are so many interpretations and themes you could use. The other thing to realize is that you don't need to be consciously cold reading to do this stuff. If you learn the system, it usually just works. People are really good at intuiting out stuff, especially when it's abstracting away your biases and prejudices about your view.
Oddly enough, I was prepared to think the Queen of Cups in the above reading was just a general feeling, but seeing all those female figures on the right in the Staff made me rethink that. That's when I decided maybe it was a real person, specifically a wife or mother with lots of worry about that particular situation. General, yes, but also weirdly specific.
I don't think the whole thing can be waved away with a magic hand of "it's just generalities." I think the concepts that these cards are meant to represent genuinely live in our lives, and that they aren't interchangeable even if most of them can be found in a situation.
Well, I wouldn't argue that they're unimportant even if they are just generalities. Bringing elements of a decision to your attention that you may not have been focusing on is an important thing. Even if you could say "this applies to any situation" you could also say "this is important in any situation". The fact that a concerned female figure/energy is something you could find in most decisions may mean it's something you should dwell on individually as an important facet of any decision.
What I do think, though, is that you should do multiple spreads for any one decision. One spread says "this is the situation" where multiple spreads say "these are different perspectives on the situation".
Also, I do see how you could be cold reading through the cards without even trying. Intuition is...well, intuitive, and that's what cold reading really is. It's really just an extension of the methods that people naturally use to implore into the situations of another.
Something similar that has given me good results in the past is Brian Eno's Oblique Strategies, a deck of cards with advice or aphorisms used to help gain perspective on a creative problem. There's an online version here.
Again with you guys and your specific questions.
Some new cards here. The Hermit, who holds the Truth in his lantern, is also representative of Father Time. Time is important here, as you have a decision to make. The truth of the matter is obscured in the lantern, but it's there. The Wheel of Fortune (come on big money!) encompasses a sense of destiny and a turning point. Also, movement (rotation). Combined with the Hermit, I suspect you already know what you should be doing. Let's see how that idea plays out elsewhere.
The 4 of Coins suggests you might need to change your attitude. If you worry just about holding on to the comfort of you present situation, you run of the risk of missing other opportunities.
The Ace of Coins suggests you have a new opportunity to make money, or at least do something material. Maybe a new career in Japan? Hard to say. This card is very basic, suggesting possibilities with earthy and physical stuff. This is also in the past, so... yeah. Not sure. Probably something you did recently. Could be that you're in a position to do new thing, materially.
The Page of Cups is on your mind. This is your son. He's balanced against the 4 of Coins. If you choose to keep your comfortable current situation, that comes at the cost of a closer relationship with your son.
The 4 of Cups shows. You're missing your relationship opportunities. It will require some effort to get things back on track.
The 4s of all suits are considered related to the Emperor, the ultimate Father figure. You have 3 out of the 4 fours in your reading. That is suggestive that this is an issue you have to make as a patriarch and a father.
The 8 of Cups suggest there is a difficult path to walk ahead, but the water is calmer afterwards. The cups are all turned up, ready to be filled. After that path is walked, there is the 4 of Wands, a card of celebration and new beginnings. It could be the basis of a new life or home.
The 5 of Cups is about loss and grief. 3 of the cups have spilled. But there is hope if you look for it. Understanding the positive sides and possibilities of this situation is still eluding you. Think about them more.
The Devil shows up as a warning. If you go and you don't want to, you might feel like you've lost your independence. At the same time, if you focus only on the material world of what you have instead of the familial relationships you have, you may have lost your spiritual independence. The Devil is a warning. Take it seriously. Being unaware of your choices, not making your own decision, would be a bad idea.
I'm going to dinner and a late Flight of Conchords show tonight. I'll bust out some more of these tomorrow. I'll get to every one who's posted so far over the next couple of days.
I kind of get confused on this at the end of mine, where I realize that the Celtic Cross is a themes spread and my question (like everyone else's) boiled down to a really direct question (like everyone else's), and how the one example question you praise in your OP does.
When I got read last, the reader asked people to choose one of the major spheres (love, career, sex, maybe something more specific, a certain field, etc.), and then just talk about it while shuffling up the cards, throwing in a few questions but understanding that the reading would encompass the entire sphere, and maybe not address any (or all) of the specific questions, but in granting broader understanding allow the person to make decisions on their own.
So, maybe something to revise in the OP?