In Defense of Positional Tarot Spreads
I often wonder why there is such vehement opposition in modern tarot circles to the use of formal tarot spreads (those with defined positional meanings). It seems that self-styled “intuitive” readers feel stifled by any hint of structure and simply want to free-wheel their way through a reading using mystical “received” knowledge. It may be due to my long exposure to the exigencies of astral plane exploration that I tend to distrust any channeled communication that we assume to spring from an unimpeachable higher source, since not all of the mysterious and peculiar denizens of the astral realm (the dream-world adjacent to our waking state of consciousness) take kindly to human interlopers, and some delight in misleading us as we attempt to penetrate their domain (especially if we are entirely unaware that is what we’re doing). I’ll paraphrase “Pascal’s wager” here: It’s safer to believe in the existence of inimical astral entities (and behave prudently) when there aren’t any than to believe that there aren’t any (and behave carelessly) when there are.
Any curious psychic adventurer can enter this numinous zone at will, of course, but not without courting serious psychological repercussions as many Ouija-board dabblers have learned to their chagrin. Navigating the choppy seas of astral disinformation to attain the rarefied elixir of pure spiritual wisdom is not something everyone can accomplish with consummate skill, although they may think they have. Certainly we can use wards, invocations, prayers and other psychic protections to guard us in these travels, but that may only amount to us trying to convince ourselves that we aren’t at risk of being deceived. Making speculative observations that are not at least nominally supported by the common knowledge and usage invested in the cards, and that carry the authority of gospel in the eyes of the unwary, should be at the top of every reader’s list of “Don’ts.” The error is compounded when we pass these dubious insights on to clients who are likely to act on them unquestioningly.
My purpose isn’t to denigrate those who have done the work and faced the trials that take one beyond the “Ouija board” level of astral tourism, but given the often shrill claims of psychic superiority by the majority of obvious dilettantes who have never carefully considered the source of their intuitive flashes, I would confidently bet that those gifted savants are few and far between. It has always struck me that this approach to reading the cards is more akin to “psychism with props” than true interpretation, since so many of its practitioners have scornfully eschewed learning the traditional alphabet, never mind the vocabulary. “I don’t need no stinkin’ books” seems to be their rallying cry. A dismissive attitude toward the use of formal card patterns (aka “spreads”) is part and parcel of that lamentable mindset.
As I mentioned in a previous post, I prefer well-designed, topic-specific spreads that serve to keep me focused on what is most important about a situation and steer me clear of wild-eyed speculation. Although I’ve experimented with it, just throwing cards on the table until I feel the urge to stop leaves me with a “Where’s Waldo?” puzzle instead of an intelligible pattern; I like to be economical and precise in my readings and I don’t want to wander all over the map looking for clues. In a formal layout, the randomly-chosen cards offer an almost infinite range of possibilities within the scope of the question as long as I dig deeply enough into their nuances using my inspiration, imagination and ingenuity to peel back the layers of meaning. I don’t need to keep spamming the array until something apparently significant leaps out at me; everything I need is already there in a condensed form if only I have eyes to see. Piling card upon card only dilutes the message and makes the reader’s task that much more difficult.
I admit to using free-association with the images, but only in concert with what I’ve already learned and internalized about their basic meaning as a result of long study and practice, and only when the customary knowledge-based approach fails to connect with the client. I may in fact obtain seemingly fresh insights in this way but they are almost always rooted in something I’ve experienced in past readings but may have filed away until needed again. When I design a new positional spread, I have three objectives in mind: What do I want to know about the situation?” (which dictates the interpretive scope of each position); How much do I want to know about it? (which confers the number of positions); and How do I want it delivered? (which defines the layout’s form — line, square, circle, etc). Half the fun of making and using personal spreads lies in massaging them to supposed perfection along these lines and then tweaking them through practice to be even better.
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on December 8, 2021.
