Tarot divination, shuffling, cutting, repealing, and drawing; then interpreting...

[DiLoco_DelEted]

If I were to consolidate a tutorial on Tarot interpretation, it would be primarily be consolidating ten books by Paul Foster Case, then adding Rider Waite imagery and symbol interpretation. PFC was huge on Qabalah, Gematria, and symbolism. His following organizations, Builders of the Adytum, and the Fraternity of the Hidden Light had correspondence courses, which I took. I am planning to repurchase the old lessons from both and reapply to both.

Then we have other interpretations, some good some not so good, even some sinister interpretation.

So a few questions for the community:
How do you shuffle? From what ultimate source? Who taught you to do this, and why?
How do you cut the deck, particularly a number of times, who taught you to do this and why?
How do you restock or reptile the deck to draw, who taught you and why?
How do you draw, what is your most intuitive/psychic spread?
How, finally, do you interpret? Who taught you and why?

I will go first:
1 I started with the Golden Dawn and the Rider Waite deck in my Wicca days. I was horrible at reading, particularly from Waites abbreviated booklet.
So my interpretation came primarily from the Golden Dawn, until I came across Paul Foster Cases books and ultimately joined two Tarot and Qabalah related organizations though lessons by mail.
1/2 The deck is shuffled thoroughly, and set down on the table. You give a single knock or the battery of knocks on the deck. GD method.
3 You cut into two even piles, then subdivide those into two more even piles, from right to left; this is based on HVHY right to left, saying the letter of the name while restacking the deck. PFC Method/GD Method.
4 My favorite spread is from Modern Magick by Kraig, the Split Hexagram Spread. I have a few books with more exotic spreads, but prefer the SHS or Celtic Cross. I get more intuition on the SHS, perhaps because only the Major keys are shuffled and drawn.
5 One of my friends used to work for Madamme Cleo's tarot line. He was taught to just look at the cards, no more, no less. How do they relate to the question at hand? How do they conflict? How do they harmonize and unite?

 

[Ancient]

I’d be interested in hearing other community responses to this, as I’m quite new to tarot and have struggled somewhat with it.

1. How do I shuffle/what source/who taught?
A basic riffle shuffle most of the time. My cards are both stiff and slippery and trying anything else tends to leave many cards on the floor. If I understand your source question correctly, I am the source of the information. The cards represent aspects of life but are not omniscient themselves. They each may have become a sort of servitor/egregore over the centuries but play a very passive role if so. Nobody taught me this.

2. How do I cut the deck and why?
I have never cut my deck, I leave it all up to shuffling. If I feel things are too orderly, I’ll just keep shuffling. Specific actions don’t feel important to me, so the routine may change each time.

3. How do I re-pile to draw again?
Same as above, nothing is set in stone. Whatever feels appropriate, and randomized enough that drawing the same cards would normally be unlikely.

4. How do I draw, and what spread is best?
My spread will change every time depending on the question(s). I often improvise with my own layout, but it usually involves a straight line left to right, often denoting past-present-future. For more general inquiries about a situation I might do a circle of 6-7 cards beginning at the top and going clockwise. In spreads like this I will often have a ‘modifier’ card at the end that I flip upright on top of the remaining pile. This card represents the often overlooked influence of the environment on the situation (think crowds, past traumas or successes that influence the querent’s behaviors, etc.).
I will usually continue shuffling between each card draw; very rarely will I flip up consecutive cards from my stack.

5. How do I interpret?
First, I will take note of my initial impressions of the card on that day. Does it bring up any emotional response, or impressions of colors, thoughts, sensations? From there I’ll check it against traditional interpretations, as I have yet to memorize all the correspondences. Crowley’s Book of Thoth is my go to, but I’ll sometimes do a google search for a third opinion. Having these three sources is usually enough to narrow down how the card fits for a particular question.

I have only ever done readings for myself, and those only for the last year or so, so I’m sure these answers will change as I continue to learn and experience more. It’s very much a DIY approach for me, I like to figure things out as I go.

 

[Öwnchef]

I never shuffle or cut. I gently and carefully spread them out with a swift move of my back hand. Then my right hand hovers over them to feel a rise of temperature. If nithing happens I use the left hand. We communicate. I love this deck. It loves me.
The card to draw feels the hottest to me. We are in love. We belong together.

 

[Ancient]

I never shuffle or cut. I gently and carefully spread them out with a swift move of my back hand. Then my right hand hovers over them to feel a rise of temperature. If nithing happens I use the left hand. We communicate. I love this deck. It loves me.
The card to draw feels the hottest to me. We are in love. We belong together.

Forgot to mention this. An emanation similar to heat will tell me when to stop shuffling. Sometimes it feels like an itch. Every so often I’ve gotta flip forward or back a couple cards to find the right one.

 

[Öwnchef]

Forgot to mention this. An emanation similar to heat will tell me when to stop shuffling. Sometimes it feels like an itch. Every so often I’ve gotta flip forward or back a couple cards to find the right one.

That seems right. A peak, somehow. It is an orientation, no matter how the interpretation might be.

 

[Mider2009]

So a few questions for the community:
How do you shuffle? From what ultimate source? Who taught you to do this, and why?
How do you cut the deck, particularly a number of times, who taught you to do this and why?
How do you restock or reptile the deck to draw, who taught you and why?
How do you draw, what is your most intuitive/psychic spread?
How, finally, do you interpret? Who taught you and why?

I was self taught and taught by gifted readers...by self taught I mean I did many readings for others, by gifted readers I mean other readers who were very gifted showed me stuff that was not commonly known in the deck booklet

I just cut it and monkey shuffle it

dont know what you mean

i shuffle and draw 5 cards, the spread was taught to me by a friend, it’s my go too for a decade

i use a website

 

[stratamaster78]

What a FUN Topic!!!

1. How do I shuffle?

I mainly use the Overhand Shuffle because it is very effective as long as you use a loose grip and your cards are reasonably slick/slippery. I originally used a Riffle Shuffle but I found that it beats your cards up too much for my liking and puts excessive bending/warping on them.



2. How do I cut the deck and why?

I cut the Deck into 3 somewhat even piles/stacks and then turn the Top cards up and whichever Card seems to fit my Question the best is the pile/stack I use to Draw from into the Spread I've chosen.



3. How do I Restock/re-pile to draw again?

I again use the Overhand Shuffle until I intuitively feel the Deck has been sufficiently and thoroughly re-mixed.



4. How do I draw, and what spread is best?

As above I cut the Deck into 3 somewhat even piles/stacks and then turn the Top cards up and whichever Card seems to fit my Question the best is the pile/stack I use to Draw from into the Spread I've chosen. I then Turn cards Consecutively until the Spread is filled.

As for the Spread itself I use a Modernized Variant of the Celtic Cross

Position 1 - Works with Position 2 to Represent the Current Status or Goal of the Question and the Question Itself
Position 2 - Works with Position 1 to Represent the Current Status or Goal of the Question and the Question Itself
Position 3 - What I or the Client are currently going through to achieve the Goal.
Position 4 - What I or the Client are Trying to Achieve ie the Goal itself.
Position 5 - An Asset or Advantage that I or the Client can Utilize to Answer the Question or Achieve the Goal
Position 6 - An upcoming Opportunity to utilize the Advantage from Pos 5 that can help Address the Question or Achieve the Goal
Position 7 - How I or the Client currently View the Status of the Question or the Goal and is that View Realistically Good or Bad
Position 8 - The Timing and Is now the Time to Act or the Time to be Patient or Let Go
Position 9 - What is the Ultimate Goal that is trying to be addressed or Achieved and WHY is this wanted
Position 10 - The Possible Conclusions and what can Ultimately be achieved if I or the Client chooses or avoids the Path to the Goal

It also works as a series of 3 Card Spreads where grouping work in collaboration with each other.

Pos 1,2, and 7 are the Main Issue that is being looked at and how it is Perceived. It is WHAT that is being looked at

Pos 3,4, and 9 are the Steps being taken to address the issue and This is WHY we are addressing the matter.

Pos 5,6, and 10 are the upcoming or future measures that can be taken to address the issue and what could result from those measures. This is the HOW of the issue.

Pos 8 is about the Timing.... The WHEN of the Issue.

So here there are Several things working together:

1) The Reading of Individual Cards in Individual Positions
2) The Reading of Groupings of Cards in 3's as they relate to each other
3) The Reading of the Entire Spread in an Overview



5. How do I interpret?

The Majora Arcana - I don't use definite meanings from any one source but rather Keywords that capture the Overall Essence of what the Cards Mean. These meanings then can Branch out like Tree Limbs or Thought Bubbles into other Key Meanings...

VII - The Chariot: 'Confidence' - This could then branch into Swiftness, Execution, Efficiency, or Resourcefulness and then any one of those keywords could branch off into more meanings etc.

The Minor Arcana - Same approach here but I don't differentiate between the Suits with defined meanings for the Different Pip numbers or Court Cards. All V's or All Knights would have the same Initial Keyword Meaning regardless of Suit.

V of Wands/Cups/Swords/Coins - 'Change' - This could then branch off into Disruption, Perception Shift, Difficulties, or Conflict and then again branch off further.

Though I do allow for the Essence of the Suits to direct the Meanings further as Wands = Spirit, Cups = Emotion, Swords = Thought, and Coins = The Physical

So here the V's of Suits could be - Wands: 'Change' through Stimulation, Cups: 'Change' through Resignation, Swords: 'Change' through Intervention, Coins: 'Change' through Adversity.

I do not use 'Reversals' as I feel each card already contains all permutations of meanings as is and it is limiting to restrict those in any given reading solely because of the Orientation of the Card.

Lastly I do allow for Card specific imagery to influence the Reading and Interpretations if my intuition leads me in that direction.

(Adding a Question Below)


6. Which Decks or Decks Do You Use?

I mainly use Three Decks:

The Tarot De Marseille by Grimaud or Cbd

The 1JJ Swiss by Kaplan

The Universal Waite by Kaplan


As far as who's Teaching of How to Read and Interpret I follow and Influenced me the most that credit goes to Sempai Vincent Pitisci

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

Thanks for the reply (thank you all for the replies actually), and love the spread details!
It's interesting to see other tarot systems.
At one point in the LHP, I considered the Occult Tarot. I've considered The Thoth Tarot, The Magicians Tarot, older tarot decks as old as possible within budget.
I've had the radiant rider Waite which is what I use now, Rider-Waite, Duquettes Tarot of Ceremonial Magick, Wangs Golden Dawn Tarot.
Thanks again, will try the spread in this understanding/context of card positions.
I've knocked once, thrice. Even four times. But considering using battery 9f knocks with the GD system and invoking HRU.

 

[stratamaster78]

Thanks for the reply (thank you all for the replies actually), and love the spread details!
It's interesting to see other tarot systems.
At one point in the LHP, I considered the Occult Tarot. I've considered The Thoth Tarot, The Magicians Tarot, older tarot decks as old as possible within budget.
I've had the radiant rider Waite which is what I use now, Rider-Waite, Duquettes Tarot of Ceremonial Magick, Wangs Golden Dawn Tarot.
Thanks again, will try the spread in this understanding/context of card positions.
I've knocked once, thrice. Even four times. But considering using battery 9f knocks with the GD system and invoking HRU.

I like the Occult Tarot and Angel Tarot by Travis McHenry too and both can also be used in specific workings with Angels or Demons by meditating on the Related Card during a Ritual Working.

I have a few Hermetic Decks too that I like for Meditating on like the GD Tarot, Hermetic Tarot, Thoth, and BOTA.

The Radiant Waite is a Gorgeous Deck as well and I use to really love it until I switched to the Universal Waite that I personally find to be even more 'Radiant'. The colors are SO DEEP and Saturated in Both decks and either is a pleasure to use.

But for actual In-Depth Readings I lean to the more Classic Traditional decks like the Tarot de Marseille and the 1JJ Swiss as I find the Imagery of the Major Arcana and the lack of Imagery of the Pips in the Minor Arcana to be more Open to Interpretation and more likely to engage your Creative and Intuitive skills.

Also yes I recommend Invoking HRU as well

 

[KjEno186]

I use the Tarot de Marseille, and my method is very relaxed. My first deck (not counting the one I got 15 years ago and never really used) was the Conver Ben-Dov TdM, and my first book on tarot specifically, The Open Reading, is by the late Dr Yoav Ben-Dov who created the CBD restoration deck. Excerpts from The Open Reading can be found on the web site here:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

While Dr Ben-Dov learned from Alejandro Jodorowsky, their attitudes towards the tarot are different. I got tired of Jodorowsky's writing very, very quickly. On the other hand Dr Ben-Dov comes across as a reasonable and amicable fellow.

I have a problem with the CBD deck, however, and it's the rather 'sticky' card stock by U.S. Games. For readings I use the B. P. Grimaud 1930 TdM reproduced and printed by Vieux Monde Express, and Paul Huson's hybrid TdM/Etteilla deck, Dame Fortune's Wheel Tarot, printed by Lo Scarabeo. I am a mediocre shuffler, so you won't see me dealing tables in Vegas. I keep shuffling until it 'feels right' and cut the deck once in a random pull-up of half the deck. Then I just draw 3 to 7 cards and lay them out face down one after another. I turn them over from left to right and see a 'storyboard' laid out on the table before me.

Interpretation is tricky. I have the best feeling about a card layout when the imagery synchronizes with assigned card meanings in some way. Context matters too. For me, the cards have to tell a story. It's a conversation. As with any conversation, have an open mind but don't believe everything you hear. Also, accept that sometimes it's all gibberish. Write down the cards, rephrase the query, shuffle and deal again...

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

Thank you for the reply as well

I will have to try this method. I have been doing a five card draw, and drawing additional cards as needed.

 

[Incognitus]

How do you shuffle? From what ultimate source? Who taught you to do this, and why?

Badly! Hah. I'm a terrible shuffler. I always thought spending my entire life typing would give me good hand dexterity. It did. For typing! I've been using the Goetic deck lately. I usually just mix the cards together for awhile, and split it into 2 piles. I can shuffle each of those piles fairly well, and then I cut them together. I usually give them a good mix once combined back into one deck. As for how long, how much... The entire deck gets shuffled at least twice, and anything beyond that is based on how I feel it should be done. I've shuffled for an hour because it felt like that's what I should be doing. That was the time I pulled the Paimon card.

I can't say I learned this from anyone.

How do you cut the deck, particularly a number of times, who taught you to do this and why?

When cutting the deck into 2 so I can shuffle each half, I just aim for the middle and wherever the cards come apart, that's where they get cut. When I'm cutting the 2 decks back together, I cut THOSE decks (so now I have 4), take pile 1, then pile 4, then pile 2, then pile 3 (piles 1 and 2 are from the original first cut, 3 and 4 from the second).

I didn't learn this from anyone either. It's just what satisfies my programmer brain as far a randomness, and takes into account my lack of hand dexterity when it comes to shuffling.

How do you draw, what is your most intuitive/psychic spread?

Once I'm done shuffling, I usually cut the deck, once again wherever the cards seem to want to come apart, and then 2 or 3 cards from what is now the top (previously the middle) of the deck.

Sometimes I intentionally take the King Paimon card out before shuffling, and draw 2 (past and future). This is if I'm directing my question specifically towards King Paimon. Otherwise, I typically do 3 card (past, present, future) spreads.

The book that comes with the Goetic deck gives Tarot card equivalents for most. Prior to drawing, I decide if I'm going to consider any cards reversed. I don't usually. When I use the Rider Waite deck, which I still do sometime, I will interpret reversed cards. I just kind of decide beforehand when using the Goetic deck.

How, finally, do you interpret? Who taught you and why?

This is tricky. The Goetic deck, which is actually an oracle deck, comes with a small book and it lists the nature and meaning of each card. I've found these to be... unsatisfying. Typically when I do a reading I have the Notes app on my iPad open. I type in each card, the nature and meaning from the Geotic book, the Tarot equivalent and then the interpretation of the Tarot equivalent.

For Rider Waite interpretation, I almost always use Tarot: A New Handbook for the Apprentice by Eileen Connolly. I really like the amount of information in this book.

Then I will usually gather whatever information I can get about the specific demon on each card. So I end up with a Notes file like this:

Tarot reading 6/1/2022

Question: what do I need to know for the next week

Goetia deck, reverse allowed, past present future

Past
—

#69 Decarabia

Meaning: Hope and foresight
Nature: Broadening perspective

Tarot: 7 of Swords
Things may not work out the way you have planned. Bad luck.

Decarabia[5] (also called Carabia) is a demon and, according to The Lesser Key of Solomon, a Great Marquis of Hell, or a King and Earl according to the original Latin version of the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum[17] (these were somehow left out of the English translation by Reginald Scot). He has thirty legions of demons under his command. Decarabia knows the virtues of all herbs and precious stones, and can change into all birds and sing and fly like them before the conjurer. He is depicted as appearing as a pentagram star, changing into a man under the conjurer's request

Present
—

#49 Procel

Meaning: Creative understanding
Nature: Enthusiastic adventure

Tarot: 5 of wands
Opposing energies create agitation. Situation now calls for clarity, be firm and state the facts

Crocell (also called Crokel or Procell) is the 49th spirit of the Goetia, manifesting as an angel with a tendency to speak in dark and mysterious ways. Once a member of the Powers, he is now a Duke of Hell who rules over 48 legions of demons. When summoned by a conjuror, he can teach geometry and other liberal sciences. He can also warm bodies of water, create the illusion of the sound of rushing waters, and reveal the location of natural baths

Future
—

#72 Andromalius (The Magician)

Meaning: Will and action
Nature: Mastery of destiny

Tarot: 10 of cups
You are experiencing the state of happiness you desire. Realization of personal hopes and dreams. Joy at last after pains.

Andromalius[5] is a mighty Great Earl of Hell, having thirty-six legions of demons at his service. He can bring back both a thief and the stolen goods, punishes all thieves and other wicked people, and discovers hidden treasures, all evilness, and all dishonest dealing. Andromalius is depicted as a man holding a big serpent in his hand

From there, I just try to figure out what the message is. Incidentally, so far, this reading has been spot on. The only piece that's wrong is "bad luck" for the past. Things actually didn't work out the way I planned and expected, but it was an overwhelming good thing. As for present, this week has been hell work-wise. Lots of agitation and "opposing energies". We haven't gotten to the future yet, but the last 4-5 reading have been very accurate, so I'm fairly confident next week is going to be a good week.

I don't really know where the author of the book that came with the Goetic deck got these "meaning" and "nature" things, but I don't always agree with them. I feel like the tarot equivalent interpretations are almost 100% accurate.

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

Nice . Some dislike smaller card spreads, but I have personally found the Tarot Contemplation ritual (Majors only, remove VI, VII, X, XIII, XV and XVII from deck, shuffle rest and draw from top after cutting.) to be pretty interesting, card for the day from all 78, or a three or five card spread.

The Celtic Cross is actually a pain in the butt for me to type out let alone two readings in one essentially. Ive also tried the GD technique, of counting x number of cards based on last drawn, toward an entire wheel. Thats fun to interpret

 

[KjEno186]

It didn't occur to me to mention it in my post above, but The Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic by Eliphas Lévi is also quite useful for occult interpretations of the Tarot de Marseille. Each chapter in The Doctrine was written to correspond with a tarot card in the TdM. Keep in mind that the book was originally published in French in 1854, decades before the changes made by the Golden Dawn.

As an example, consider the Justice card (number VIII in the TdM). My notes from chapter 8 in The Doctrine include concepts of [karmic] cause and effect; God as an infinite Man, Man as a finite God; the flows, reflections and refractions of the Astral Light and its impact on the mind; how the Astral Light is a force that is neither good nor bad, yet it is balancing, attractive, and repulsive upon us. Try getting that out of a LWB!

The translation known as Transcendental Magic is readable and free, though I have the paperback book of the new translation into English by Greer and Mikituk.

 

[DiLoco_DelEted]

His Ritual of the Sanctum Regum might be a good read then, since it uses the Tarot as the main centerpiece of the ritual and is involved in High Magick.

Post automatically merged: Jan 31, 2023

Thank you all for your responses!

Im experimenting with a pentagram spread -
TL Air. TR Water.
Center Spirit
BL Earth. BR Fire.
Then interpret as you do. The point is to see how the elements are involved - Earth, Inertia/Problem. Air Thoughts on the Problem. Water Emotions on the Problem. Fire Actions on the problem. Spirit Solution.