Hope-Based Questions: “Be Careful What You Wish For”
AUTHOR’S NOTE: I just read an old blog post by Bjorn Meuris that struck a chord with me. In his advice for asking a proper question of the Lenormand cards (or any cards for that matter) he said “Don’t ask for what you do not hope for to be confirmed” by casting your question in a pessimistic light (“Is my partner cheating on me?”) but rather “integrate what you wish for into the question” by asking it in a more encouraging way (“Is my partner faithful to me?”) Bjorn continues: “This phrasing gives you a very different context, because now positive and good luck cards can confirm your hopes and desires, while negative cards can express your fears.” In less cartomantic terms, if we expect the worst that’s precisely what we’re likely to get; it’s called “negative reinforcement.”
Asking our questions in the most productive way can be a tricky proposition, and phrasing is definitely critical. Many times a normally positive (or “yes”) prediction is the worst possible augury under the circumstances, while a “no” answer offers relief. (“Do I have cancer?” Instead, ask “What is my overall state of wellness?”) Successfully tackling simple yes-or-no questions with divination is certainly possible, but it seems to defeat the purpose of having a robust narrative vehicle at our command. I like to ask my questions in a way that embraces the “yes-or-no” dichotomy without expressing it point-blank.
Rather than “Will I get this job?” it’s better to inquire “What will happen if I take this employment path?” In this way we can obtain a range of “pro-and-con” insights for various aspects of the initiative and adjust our approach accordingly. It’s not as short-and-sweet as “Will I?” but it presents a more opportunity-driven perspective that the seeker can pursue down any and all avenues of fortuity offered by the situation. As long as we don’t become paralyzed by “information overload,” I believe that, in any decision-making scenario, having too much data is better than not having enough since we can always exclude some from our deliberation.
In a Lenormand deck there are cards designated as positive, neutral and negative that can be pressed into service for simple binary questions, but when used singly they can create a diagnostic vacuum that provides no explanation for “why” that is the probable outcome and, more importantly, “what” might be done about it. The same is true of tarot, in which cards can be binned according to their fortunate, impartial or unfortunate nature, but they suffer from the same imprecision. Synthesizing the qualities of all the cards in a reading to come up with a measured response that can be taken “on balance” as favorable or unfavorable is the best way to get the most value out of the reading. It may not please our clients because they will have to think harder about their options, but it seems like the most rational way for a conscientious diviner to approach the subject.
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on January 27, 2024.
