Reader Development Spread
There are a lot of fantastic tarot websites out there and we often come across resources that we think will be of great benefit to our readers. This is one of those! Read it and enjoy this post (if you love it visit their website and read some more!)
This is a spread that I found on the Aecletic Tarot Spread Forum with a few of my own modifications. It gave me a very insightful reading when I used it and I wanted to share the spread with everyone in case any of you wanted to try it for yourself.
The purpose of this spread to is to help develop your reading skill by looking at different aspects of your tarot practice and seeing where you are strong, where you could improve, what will help you and what will get in your way. I would recommend not using this spread too frequently, maybe once a year or every six months. Tarot, like any spiritual practice, needs time for growth and progress to occur. You will get a clearer picture of how you are developing as a reader, if there is enough time between readings for that progress to be notable.
This is a spread that I found on the Aecletic Tarot Spread Forum with a few of my own modifications. It gave me a very insightful reading when I used it and I wanted to share the spread with everyone in case any of you wanted to try it for yourself.
The purpose of this spread to is to help develop your reading skill by looking at different aspects of your tarot practice and seeing where you are strong, where you could improve, what will help you and what will get in your way. I would recommend not using this spread too frequently, maybe once a year or every six months. Tarot, like any spiritual practice, needs time for growth and progress to occur. You will get a clearer picture of how you are developing as a reader, if there is enough time between readings for that progress to be notable.
This is what my reading looked like. If anyone uses this spread I would love to hear how you liked it and what your cards were.
Position #1: Strengths as a Tarot Reader: Seven of Pentacles
Looks like my strength is the ability to assess and analyze situations. I felt like that was pretty exciting and also quite accurate. Being able to assess a querent’s needs, your own growth and progress or any number of things is really helpful and gives you a powerful tool to make decisions or plan the next course of action.
Position #2: Weaknesses or Area that Needs Improvement: Queen of Wands
The things I was immediately struck with when I turned this card over was “impatience”. The Queen of Wands likes motion and action, especially the Queen in this deck, she can get downright cranky if she’s forced to wait on something or someone. I know I get pretty antsy myself if I don’t feel like I’m catching onto something quickly enough or my skills aren’t developing as fast as I would like, so the message here is I need to be more patient as I grow and enjoy the learning process and gaining the knowledge I am looking for, instead of fretting over the time its taking.
Position #3: How to Develop Your Skills as a Tarot Reader: The Moon
The Moon is typically a card that refers to a state of confusion, the subconscious, the shadow aspect of a thing or things being not what they seem, however, for me it speaks of all things mystical, mysterious, exotic and exciting. I think the message for me here is that I need to infuse my tarot work with the energy that I feel coming from The Moon. I need to cultivate the things that makes working with tarot mysterious and magical and exciting, like using candles, incense, rituals, prayers, mantras, incantation and such. Sounds like fun, can’t wait to get to it!!!
Position #4: How to Deal with Blocks in Your Development or Readings: Knight of Cups
I believe that this Knight is telling me, if I get blocked (or even if I don’t), then I need to work on developing my intuition, listening to it and trusting it. Good advice for any tarot reader I would say.
Position #5: What to Avoid or What Will Block You Growth: The Tower
I remember turning this card over and thinking “Yes, unforeseen disasters are definitely to be avoided at all costs.” :) In all seriousness though, I think what this card is warning me against is seeing potential disasters everywhere. As a novice tarot reader (and probably as a seasoned reader as well) there are a myriad of thing you could worry about. “What if I freeze up in a reading and don’t know what to say?” “What if I do a reading and its just completely wrong and inaccurate?” “What if I tell my mom I read tarot cards and she thinks I’m possessed by the devil?” (lol, my mom probably WOULD think that.) Catastrophic thinking can definitely block growth and since I do it quite frequently (“What if everyone hates this tarot spread and they all unsubscribe from my blog?” :) ) I’m pretty sure the Tower is telling me to stop doing that.
Position #6: The Lesson You are Learning at this Stage in Your Tarot Practice: The Hermit
The Hermit is a card about taking time to turn inward and being introspective. I believe that through tarot I am learning about myself, who I am and my lesson is to trust in that self and my own inner wisdom.
Position #7: The Outcome of Your Work with Tarot and Your Development as a Reader: The Eight of Cups
The Eight of cups talks about leaving things behind that are no longer a positive influence in your life, even if its hard or painful, even if you’ve invested a lot of time and energy into those things. It seems as a result of my tarot work, I will be able to walk away from the things in my life that are tying me down and holding me back, perhaps freeing me to move forward into a new, better chapter in my life.
Well there you have it folks. I hope you guys enjoyed the spread. I had such a wonderful, exciting reading with it, I can’t wait to see how others like it.
Sweet Dreams and Goodnight Y’all
Position #1: Strengths as a Tarot Reader: Seven of Pentacles
Looks like my strength is the ability to assess and analyze situations. I felt like that was pretty exciting and also quite accurate. Being able to assess a querent’s needs, your own growth and progress or any number of things is really helpful and gives you a powerful tool to make decisions or plan the next course of action.
Position #2: Weaknesses or Area that Needs Improvement: Queen of Wands
The things I was immediately struck with when I turned this card over was “impatience”. The Queen of Wands likes motion and action, especially the Queen in this deck, she can get downright cranky if she’s forced to wait on something or someone. I know I get pretty antsy myself if I don’t feel like I’m catching onto something quickly enough or my skills aren’t developing as fast as I would like, so the message here is I need to be more patient as I grow and enjoy the learning process and gaining the knowledge I am looking for, instead of fretting over the time its taking.
Position #3: How to Develop Your Skills as a Tarot Reader: The Moon
The Moon is typically a card that refers to a state of confusion, the subconscious, the shadow aspect of a thing or things being not what they seem, however, for me it speaks of all things mystical, mysterious, exotic and exciting. I think the message for me here is that I need to infuse my tarot work with the energy that I feel coming from The Moon. I need to cultivate the things that makes working with tarot mysterious and magical and exciting, like using candles, incense, rituals, prayers, mantras, incantation and such. Sounds like fun, can’t wait to get to it!!!
Position #4: How to Deal with Blocks in Your Development or Readings: Knight of Cups
I believe that this Knight is telling me, if I get blocked (or even if I don’t), then I need to work on developing my intuition, listening to it and trusting it. Good advice for any tarot reader I would say.
Position #5: What to Avoid or What Will Block You Growth: The Tower
I remember turning this card over and thinking “Yes, unforeseen disasters are definitely to be avoided at all costs.” :) In all seriousness though, I think what this card is warning me against is seeing potential disasters everywhere. As a novice tarot reader (and probably as a seasoned reader as well) there are a myriad of thing you could worry about. “What if I freeze up in a reading and don’t know what to say?” “What if I do a reading and its just completely wrong and inaccurate?” “What if I tell my mom I read tarot cards and she thinks I’m possessed by the devil?” (lol, my mom probably WOULD think that.) Catastrophic thinking can definitely block growth and since I do it quite frequently (“What if everyone hates this tarot spread and they all unsubscribe from my blog?” :) ) I’m pretty sure the Tower is telling me to stop doing that.
Position #6: The Lesson You are Learning at this Stage in Your Tarot Practice: The Hermit
The Hermit is a card about taking time to turn inward and being introspective. I believe that through tarot I am learning about myself, who I am and my lesson is to trust in that self and my own inner wisdom.
Position #7: The Outcome of Your Work with Tarot and Your Development as a Reader: The Eight of Cups
The Eight of cups talks about leaving things behind that are no longer a positive influence in your life, even if its hard or painful, even if you’ve invested a lot of time and energy into those things. It seems as a result of my tarot work, I will be able to walk away from the things in my life that are tying me down and holding me back, perhaps freeing me to move forward into a new, better chapter in my life.
Well there you have it folks. I hope you guys enjoyed the spread. I had such a wonderful, exciting reading with it, I can’t wait to see how others like it.
Sweet Dreams and Goodnight Y’all
Share your experiences with this spread with us! And if you enjoyed, visit the original post here: https://thetarotparlorblog.wordpress.com/2013/11/09/reader-development-tarot-spread/