I read the article and liked some of the information you presented. It was a well presented and thoughtful article

In terms of your comment, I found the concept of “Blank Access” fascinating. This is something I’ll definitely be looking at. Thank you

For those of you who would like to read this article, you can find it at Tarot Counseling vs Predictive readings.

My apologies for the delayed reply.

It is clear to me that we have many things that we agree upon and some unique perspectives that are based on personal experience and expertise.

The main thing I was responding to in my comment was what appeared to be definitive narrow statements about Tarot and reading to which I attempted to present an alternative point of view, based on my experience. Profound one-card readings are my forte, and a skill I teach my Tarot students. Also, as a professional counselor and teacher, I know that not everyone, including myself, perceive information primarily as words. If this were the case, Tarot cards would not represent a VISUAL symbolic language…we’d just use flash cards with words on them.

> it’s more appropriate to ask what is “meaningful” rather than “what is truth?”
I completely align with this statement. For me, beyond the universal truths that you mentioned, truth is relative. What I disagree with is whether a reader can tell a client what is true for the client. Even if the reader’s prediction was “right”, it does not have the same importance for the client, is not as meaningful, as when the client discovers this truth for his/her self. This is my counseling perspective, which is diametrically opposed to a predictive/prescriptive style of reading.

“Ambiguousness” is an interesting concept and may be a pivotal point between our points of view. In counseling, we often use a technique called “Blank Access,” being purposefully vague and without any content in order to inspire the client to fill in the blank, to find her/his own answer. So, I’m comfortable with vagueness as the reader for I have the skills to support the client in finding meaning, or personal truth.

I agree … it would be very interesting to exchange readings and experience each of our styles. Since we probably live very far apart, I did the next best thing…looked up a psychic reader-friend and exchanged readings. We compared her “predictive” style to my “Tarot Counseling” style with some telling results.

This “experiment” led to my finally writing an article I have been wanting to post for some time, recently inspired by this very dialogue. Please visit my weblog to view the Page titled “Tarot Counseling vs Predictive Readings”.

I’ve linked back to your weblog from the page on my weblog. I thought my readers would also enjoy your point of view along with those of your readers.

Happy Solstice and have a wonderful, meaningful, and successful New Year!
Katrina

http://MySacredJourney.org
http://TarotCounseling.org

Thanks for stopping by, I’m really glad this post inspired you

I do however have some reservation with some of the points you made in your comment.

…what is Truth and whose Truth.

The position that my article took on the concept of “truth” was a “universally” applicable concept. In other words, something that is true regardless of circumstances; something that is true regardless of time; in other words “timeless”. A truth transcends human and historical experience. In this sense, there is a clear distinction between what is “meaningful” and what is truth.

“Meaningfulness” can be, and is, an individual experience built on the historical attributes that make up those unique circumstances. For example, if we take a psychological approach to the Tarot, we must enter into an “historical” dialogue; if we enter into a “prediction” we must take an historical approach. This is in contrast to “truth” as such; truth doesn’t depend on the “historical” but rather the “timeless” and the “universal”.

With this in mind, it’s more appropriate to ask what is “meaningful” rather than what is truth?

It is important to remember that my article doesn’t deny a universal essence, archetype or truth, just our ability to know it.

Some words are not ambiguous, especially when spoken congruently. Example: “No!” if said with the same tone of voice, feeling, body language, etc. The single word really doesn’t stand on it’s own and, as you touched upon, exists in a context or environment. I would say that all elements of the environment are aspects of each other and communicate something greater than the one word.

I have some problems with this example because it specifies a context for the word “No”! By specifying a context in which a word operates, you’re implying an ambiguity to its meaning. It implies that it is no longer a universally self-evident statement; but rather, one that can only become “meaningful” once a context, tone of voice and body language is brought into play. In this sense, the word “no” is still ambiguous because its meaning depends on the circumstances and is therefore not universal or timeless.

> A single Tarot card can be ambiguous
Only if one is limited to one level of reality, such as physical-material reality.

If I enter into this discussion based on only this statement, then it implies that divination and predictions should be easy because the physical-material world is not ambiguous. Yet, later on you state, No wonder readers get nervous … making predictions holds too much responsibility. The problem with the position you have outlined is the contradiction you introduce later on. By implication you’re stating that a single card can be ambiguous.

Let me explain more of what I mean by this. You state:

One card is not ambiguous as long as one does not have a one-dimensional relationship to Tarot cards, communication and life. A more knowledgeable and experienced Tarot person (a qualification not meant to demean anyone) understands the many levels and applications of a particular card and is skilled in drawing on the aspects that will be more specific to the querent’s need (see Mary Greer’s “21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card”).

The problem with this statement is that it actually says that a Tarot card is ambiguous. It states that there are many ways to read just one card and that “sometimes a more knowledgeable and experienced Tarot person (a qualification not meant to demean anyone) understands the many levels and applications of a particular card and is skilled in drawing on the aspects that will be more specific to the querent’s needs”. In other words, a Tarot card can obscure “truth” and shouldn’t be thought of as one-dimensional.

Communication is not limited to words, and certainly does not rest with the words of the reader.

I understand what you mean by this statement. In the article I wrote, I mentioned the link between thoughts and language. If you
“think something” you have already used language to think it. If we take the other points I mentioned in this article, then we can see that “thinking” or “reflecting” on the communication that has occurred “beyond words” actually places them back into words and obscures them.

I certainly don’t deny that communication can exist beyond language; what I’m saying is that our ability to fully make that communication “present” will result in some of it becoming obscure and hidden.

Most Tarot clients are expecting a reading with a multitude cards and this can be helpful for illustrating the story of the reading. But, more cards do not give the reading more accuracy. That may represent the limitations of the reader, not the cards. In the reverse, too many cards can be confusing and tends to reduce the individual cards to a simplistic one-dimensional statement.

I disagree with this for several reasons, but the main one is from a practical point of view. The more cards a Tarot reader uses the more accurate it is; it’s also much more skillful than you’re giving it credit.

However, it is probable that our approach to reading the Tarot is different. Perhaps the use of more cards would make a “psychological” and “spiritual” Tarot reading more difficult. I do predictive Tarot readings as well as “psychological” and “spiritual” – in fact, I usually do all three in the same reading. It’s probable that our differing approaches and uses of the Tarot will produce future disagreement on certain points made. In my opinion this is a great opportunity for both of us to learn alternative systems – perhaps inspiring both of us to experiment with different techniques.

Thank you for the inspiration and opportunity to write this comment. I hope it is helpful as it represents an alternative point of view. Personally, I find words to be very limiting and as such I prefer not to write. I never do written readings. I was going way over my edge to share these words, knowing their meaning could be misunderstood, no matter how many of them I used to explain a point.

I want to thank you for leaving this comment. I really do appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts and ideas. I know I disagreed with them, in the same way you disagreed with some of mine; yet, I did enjoy reading this and look forward to your future comments.

All the best,

Doug

> A single word can be ambiguous
Yes, a single word, especially when written and not spoken, can have an ambiguous meaning between two people. Some words are not ambiguous, especially when spoken congruently. Example: “No!” if said with the same tone of voice, feeling, body language, etc. The single word really doesn’t stand on it’s own and, as you touched upon, exists in a context or environment. I would say that all elements of the environment are aspects of each other and communicate something greater than the one word. Which leads to the next point…

> A single Tarot card can be ambiguous
Only if one is limited to one level of reality, such as physical-material reality. I have a completely different opinion about and experience with one-card readings. One card is not ambiguous as long as one does not have a one-dimensional relationship to Tarot cards, communication and life. A more knowledgeable and experienced Tarot person (a qualification not meant to demean anyone) understands the many levels and applications of a particular card and is skilled in drawing on the aspects that will be more specific to the querent’s need (see Mary Greer’s “21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card”). In addition, a reader with training and experience with non-verbal, intuitive, and counseling awareness taps into many levels of communication and meaning with the client. Communication transcends words. Ultimately, the Truth of the meaning of the card resides with the querent, not the reader. From my perspective, a truly skilled reader knows how to support the querent to find his/her Truth, without making predictions and resorting to what I would consider to be an unethical use of one’s power. No wonder readers get nervous … making predictions holds too much responsibility.

> Language has a greater chance of communicating accurately the more words are used!
I’ll be brief. Communication is not limited to words, and certainly does not rest with the words of the reader. In fact, I have found the most effective readings are when the querent received a message of her/his own, beyond words. That being said, I agree that limiting one’s communication to a single word concept of a card has a diminished outcome.

> A Tarot reading has a greater chance of communicating accurately the more Tarot cards are used!
Most Tarot clients are expecting a reading with a multitude cards and this can be helpful for illustrating the story of the reading. But, more cards do not give the reading more accuracy. That may represent the limitations of the reader, not the cards. In the reverse, too many cards can be confusing and tends to reduce the individual cards to a simplistic one-dimensional statement.

> Language is relational – meaningful use of words occurs in relation to other words
Yes, everything is relational, especially those elements beyond worlds. Meaning is between as well as in the words.

> The Tarot is relational – meaningful use of Tarot cards occurs in relation to other Tarot cards
Again, this is true, but not exclusive. Tarot relates to the card or cards, their meaning, their energy, the energy of the querent, the reader, the environment, the world, the universe….I could go on.

Thank you for the inspiration and opportunity to write this comment. I hope it is helpful as it represents an alternative point of view. Personally, I find words to be very limiting and as such I prefer not to write. I never do written readings. I was going way over my edge to share these words, knowing their meaning could be misunderstood, no matter how many of them I used to explain a point.

Love and Light,
Katrina

Thank you the great comment

I liked your example of the multiple meanings that are possible in any or all contexts. The whole concept of ambiguity has always fascinated me and I’m really glad that you also liked and enjoyed this post.

Thank you for sharing such great insights

1. Predictions….while divination is about guidance and prediction, I personally think it goes beyond that. I think it is about seeking not “absolute truth” but about defining the “search.” In other words it is not about the “answer” but about the question or the quest.

2. Predictions are really impossible as you point out…not only for the reasons that you mention but also because the VERY ACT of doing or having a reading alters or changes the seeker’s future….I believe that any small thing, every word spoken, every step taken, every mistake or success, every thought etc…has the ability to and does change outcomes…so just as a client coming to a therapist (the very act of that) changes the client’s path….so does getting a reading…or “asking a question.”

3. Multiple Meanings: I believe that everything in life has multiple meanings and as such it complicates the possibility of predicting…Take for example: ‘eating dinner out with friends”…for some the meaning is about food, for some the meaning is about companionship, for some the meaning of the excursion is about distraction, for some it is about looking for other relationships, for some it is about tradition, for some it is about conversation, etc. I’m not sure that’s a very good example but the whole idea is that there are multiple meanings to every thing in life….to carry it even further….multiple realities so to speak.

4. Words: the very meaning of words are altered or influenced by life experiences and as such, even in a reading it is difficult to paint a clear picture because we can never really know the experiences of the seeker and as such can not be certain that the meaning we are conveying is the one they are “hearing”…even something as simple as the word “solitude”. For one peson this may have a very peaceful and relaxing meaning….peace, quiet, time to renew the spirit etc….for someone else it can mean lonliness, isolation, depression, etc….BASED on that person’s personal experiences with the word or concept.

5. Because of my “outlook” on things I rarely use the word prediction or even outcome….unless I say “possible outcome”. I usually say there is the possibility of multiple outcomes based on decisions and choices you make along the way. Then we look at the cards and ponder …if you go this direction this may be the outcome OR you can go this route and then it is possible that (blank) will happen. There are NO absolute truths…people need to and CAN alter outcomes…thats the whole purpose of a reading…to examining different choices, outcomes, possible hazards or problems..

VERY thought provoking post Doug!!!

Rather, I’m trying to show how meaning can be obscured when we try and think about it, or when we try to articulate it in language. In many ways, thinking about the essence obscures the essence

Schrodinger’s cat purrs…

Thanks for asking for clarity and I’m really glad you found the comment useful

See you in your next article!

Awesome! I’ll see ya there

Ultimately I find it a fun and philosophical encouragement for those who are afraid to actually predict during a reading – I know I sometimes don’t want to, since I know its a hard road! In the end though, its always a message of growth and evolution. See you in your next article!

Thanks for dropping by

Affect in absence implies contemplation, presence less inclined.
Opinions often sold and bought. Through action we’re defined.

Awesome! I really like this verse

If we pause to consider, relevance of truth may well be obscured, but could also be enhanced, by our hesitation. The confidence of our claim is perceived in action. To be sure, confidence is one of the most recognizable qualities we can see in another. More often than not, our own confidence will be based on another’s. Herd mentality, fight or flight, lead and follow; all of these are great examples of how our confidence, or lack thereof, affects our relationships. The relationship between reader and client is not exempt.

I like how you talk about how truth can be enhanced through hesitation. This reminds me of that great metaphor of staring into the abyss – how hesitation on the one hand signals our grappling with truth, but on the other hand our uncertainty with truth; in the sense of not knowing how to understand it.

I also agree with you when you focus on the concept of confidence in the “other”.

Conversely, while the essence of an individual card is present beyond context, it’s meaning can be lost to it’s base.

I agree – this is a great point.

I’m not trying to deny the “essence” of truth or the “essence” of being, or even the “essence” of a Tarot card. Rather, I’m trying to show how meaning can be obscured when we try and think about it, or when we try to articulate it in language. In many ways, thinking about the essence obscures the essence – as does communicating about the essence.

At any rate, I absolutely love the philosophically slanted posts.

Thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate it and I’m glad you enjoyed the post