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The subconscious changes how you interpret the cards, not the cards themselves, in my opinion. You are less likely to understand what the cards are saying and accept the message if you are, for instance, too invested in a certain outcome. I differ from some opinions given as in I don’t have any problem in reading about others. NOW, I must clarify I am very much against snooping (ie. prying into someone else's life just because you can), but if someone can affect me or have an influence on my life, I have no qualms about doing a reading and becoming aware of their intention towards me. This is why I phrased my suggestion above as I did. Of course, if this is considered third-party reading, I submit to the forum rules and sincerely apologise! I just didn't see it that way. As for projecting, I think we definitely do that, and we should always strive to withdraw our projections - tarot and oracles can be very helpful in that! But we must also be careful not become solipsistic… I mean, we do have do deal with others, and I think tarot and oracles can help us with that as well. I guess we need to strike a balance in this regard.

Yes. I feel you, it's a prickly matter, especially when approached directly. Now, as a reader we lend aid to the querent by providing information, best if it's the vital sort. For me, it is time and circumstance to rule the "Do'n'Don't" in this matter. It is true, asking in general is a bad idea especially on these ones - ask direct. You bet. It's both. Bias is the one to look out for when reading. More correct would probably be: "In reading, the subconcious takes missdirective influence through bias." After all, the subsconcious is with you for life, just like your nose (hopefully). However, the influence of the subconscious need not be negative. That's what focus is for - it means to have your consciousnesses acting as a whole, with the "sub-" in tow. At least for the time it takes to shuffle and answer.

Oh my goodness! I didn't expect such an enthusiastic response. Thanks, guys! I will post again sometime in the coming week.

Someone else reading for you will generally minimise bias. But be careful you ask the right question, so that you don't project any bias of yours into the reading. I am iffy about reading for people without their consent, and would try and phrase it so that it's directed at you - after all, if a person is trustworthy with one individual, they may not be so with another. Something along the lines of how will an association with this person affect me.... In MY view, when reading. I imagine others will differ.

This seems really tricky. Thanks for the input so far. I need some time to digest all of this. Just as an addition. When the lady determined the trustworthiness she warned me about the other person. I disregarded her advice and I (literally) paid for it. So if you say that I might be biased, I assume that I might subconsciously influence the card reading when reading for myself, right? Couldn't this be avoided by someone else drawing and reading the cards? And as a rather general question: where would my subconscious influence the cards. Only when reading or also when drawing?

I hesitate to do "other readings" about people who didn't ask for it. I know this is a point of argument, and I respect other readers with different opinions, but personally, I feel a bit like a stalker. I'm also aware of the bias factor, and of course, the defences that we all have, including the "other" person, to avoid our innermost motivations and heart being breached by whatever methods. However. If I had to do such a reading, I'd probably use a variation of the Blind Spot or SWOT reading to get an insight into what motivates this person, and to weigh the reading fairly between the other person, let's call them X, and me. The Blind Spot for two persons Four cards, two rows, two columns. What I see What I can't see What X sees 1 2 What X can't see 3 4 Card 1: this is out in the open; X knows it, I know it, we see eye to eye here or are both aware of this factor Card 2: this is hidden from me. X is aware of it; X may be motivated by it, but either outside factors or X hide it from my eyes Card 3: I can see this, but X can't. It might be the reason for my lack of trust, or my own self-interest if there is a clash of interest Card 4: What is hidden from X and me. These might be misunderstandings we're not aware of, outside factors, or a dynamic that is larger than just X and me Unpleasant surprises can wait for us in cards 2 and 3. Card 4 can hint at a problem that might even be solved in cooperation with X. By taking a look at your own secrets, motivations and self-interest, you balance out the anti-X-bias that would be inherent in a question like "Is X trustworthy?" You create a level playing field, and you're asking more about the relationship than only X him/herself. And others have said, a simple question like "what should I know about X?" can also give you some hints.

This is the divination exchange area - https://www.thetarotforum.com/forums/forum/55-divination-exchanges/ We can absolutely have an ongoing thread, where people ask questions and someone reads for them. We have that in Lenormand. Two things, it would have to be no cards, other divination methods only. Also with the forum rules, we would need feedback on each reading for the reader I think it would work out if we work out the terms of how to do it Also in the lunar and Sabbat area, there will be the sacred days of summer posting in about a week (you can also do the winter one, depending on your geography). You can use any methods for that or mix them. So an activity is coming there soon. Currently there are the Sacred days of Yule / Summer, at the Winter / Summer Solstices. I host a Halloween / Samhain / Beltane exchange.

I agree. Yes and it's funny because now that I'm used to reading in proximity/combinations, that has influenced how I read other systems, like the Tarot. I don't use spreads with set "positions" anymore, for instance, though from time to time people create interesting layouts. I like Ana Cortez's method; I think the elemental interplay was best shown when she was reading a line spread (a Lost Man I think) and saw the hearts (water) nurturing the otherwise dry spades (earth). It takes a lot of practice to use it smoothly (as everything else does), but when you do it all sounds very magical and poetic. I'm curious... is the Marina Oracles blog yours? I'd read through the section named "Doors of Somlipith" a long time ago and I was awed at how skillfully the cards were put together and interpreted within that method. A pleasure to read and learn from! 😊

Looking forwards to seeing your art @geoxena

@Scandinavianhermit, that was really interesting regarding the cartomancy systems in your region and how different methods influence each other. In my country (Iran) there's a similar pattern, with the French tradition influencing our own in some places. That's obvious in the way we refer to the suits in our language; Spades are called Piques, Hearts are called /del/ meaning the same thing as heart, Clubs are called /geshniz/ which is funny because it means cilantro- the actual green thing, and Diamonds are named /khesht/ which is exactly the same equivalent for French carreaux, meaning tiles, not the shiny diamonds as the English know them. Most traditional readers I've seen - who didn't utilize foreign methods- mainly focus on the suit of hearts and the suit of spades in readings as the majority of the questions are always about love. The Queen of Spades, for example, is mainly known as the evil mother-in-law, not the "other woman" as I've seen in other Western systems, but still having the element of being a "rival". Clubs and Diamonds are normally not paid attention to and some readers just pull the cards until they get sufficient hearts and spades. But when they are, Clubs are not normally seen positively like they are in the English tradition (in other words, it isn't a "work" suit); on the contrary, it means recklessness and losing your money quickly, most probably because of how fragile cilantro leaves are and go bad very quickly if you don't take care of them. The logic is the same here, and the element of "recklessness" is what I've seen being ascribed to the diamonds in the Lenormand cards for example (clearly seen in the Coffin card, 9D, traditionally meaning financial loss). A minority read the clubs as spiritual things (and actual spirits) but I feel it's influenced by the foreign ascription of the element wind to this suit. And Diamonds next to Hearts are seen as unfortunate (not read as marriage or "loving" news) and mean disappointment in love. Because tiles are built from clay, if one ends up next to your heart it means "turning your love into soil", so to say. I think the English equivalent is that sth is turned into dust? We mean it in the sense that the heart loses its value; if a Pique is also near to the combo it literally means burying your heart and grieving it, "putting it beneath the soil". It's a simple method and doesn't answer a lot of questions, so I eventually got used to what I learned online and in English books and experimented with. Fascinating to see how different traditions cam travel with the people using them and mix everything!

I agree with all this, It is similar to the reasons I won't read for myself. We already have a perspective before we start. It colours the reading. The fact that you asked another reader last time mitigates that somewhat, but in your place I would want to read on "what do I need to know about this person ?" rather than asking about a specific trait. It feels as though you are looking for untrustworthiness. Think about why you are asking anything about that person, not about whether they are this or that specific thing. What would including them in (whatever) will bring to the table.

Me too. I like what I have seen of yours in the past.

Yay! I look forward to following your journey!

I too posted a goodbye on the last day. I'm very sorry to see it go. It just makes me determined to keep posting here to help this forum stay viable!

I always love to see the art that members share here. Following 🙂

I don't know how often I will be updating this blog, but I'd like to use it to talk about my art projects. My goal is to improve my skills and feel more confident about creating art. I am still discovering my style. Eventually, I want to create a tarot deck, but I don't want to rush into that until I am ready.

Thanks @Rose Lalonde. I think we've got enough circles for the beginning of the month. I might try for Equinoxes and solstices? But I think you do something around then too, don't you? A year ahead reading or something? So if yours is cards, maybe I can do mixed method divination? We don't have a monthly divination circle, so that might be an option, and if that doesn't get much buy in, then a quarterly/3 month reading or open exchange where people can pop in and ask a question and choose whatever method is on offer. For example: Readers participating choose to practice one method (not cards) for 3 months and say "this quarter I'm offering I-Ching/Dice/Dominos/Crystal scrying/Bibliomancy etc readings". Sitters can drop in and ask questions from one or more methods (they can ask the same question from different readers). Reader gets practice in the method and sitter gets to see how the method works. I think this is a good learning exercise because there's time for the novice to read up on how-tos - they can copy type from book etc. Sitters shouldn't expect a reading within the month, however they might expect it within the day if the reader has the time and wants to get as much practice as possible. The one question may be asked to more than one reader - and readers may also discuss their insights with each other. Not sure if that's doable @DanielJUK?

I have a perspective here. I think sometimes people project onto others something that is a lack of introspection within themselves. The 'other' then behaves in a way you are projecting - or perhaps you have a cognitive bias. You are already suggesting someone is untrustworthy before you have proof. You are invading their right to be considered trustworthy because you are penetrating their privacy by wanting to see if they are trustworthy using the cards. Just a suggestion. I think you might like to introspectively think about that. I think this is a 3rd person reading. What would happen if I were to do a reading about your trustworthiness? I think any reading should also look at you, as you may not have been introspective in this regard. What is untrustworthy about you? Are people safe from judgement in your presence? Are you judging by appearances? Postcode prejudice? I would suggest doing a reading that compares yourself with the person you are questioning. What is it about you that thinks the person is untrustworthy? And in what way? Materially? Psychologically? Heart safety? I should add that in a general reading, like a year ahead reading, warning someone that such a person might be around in that period makes sense. It's not really invasive and homing in on one person.

There's a great spread I bookmarked years ago from our old forum.... https://www.tarotforum.net/threads/problem-person-spread.37474/ Stregaverde's Pesky Problem Person Spread 1*****4 ***3*** 2*****5 ***6*** ***7*** ***8*** 1. What motivates this person? 2. What lies beneath those motivations? What is hidden or subconscious? 3. What is the current situation with this person? 4. What can I do about this situation? 5. What do I need to be aware of? 6. What other influences can/do affect this situation? 7. Advice 8. Outcome There is also an eleven card version. You can always pick positions that fit your intentions and leave the rest. Some people have ethics issues about looking into another person. There is a line there somewhere. I think you can change the reading to how this new contact will affect you or how will the connection be in your life. Relating it to you as an intention, if you feel you might be prying into their life. A short and simple spread is to ask a question like, "how will [new person} affect my life?" and take 3 cards no positions, or "What do I need to know about trusting this person in my life?" Really it's what cards show up representing them, like @Marina suggested. If you know how to read, you can do the reading (in however you decided to do it) and post it here and we can help you interpret it. There are rules at the top of the area about posting and we don't allow third party readings, so it would have to relate back to you to post here. Also you have to interpret it yourself first and when we can give our opinions and help.

I like this idea. Some of my newer oracles haven't had much use yet and it would be good to have thread where there would be some engagement as I learn to use them 🙃.

Hi Marina. Thank you very much for the detailled input!

@Moon-Hermit, thank you so much for your comprehensive explanation of how the playing card insets work within the Lenormand method! I see they can be super relevant for those who are already fluent in the general Lenormand method, although I imagine that beginners should probably focus first in getting the hang of the card dynamics first, before adding the extra information of the playing cards. I have always found the Lenormand complex because you don’t simply read one card - you read how it relates to all cards around it! Ana Cortez’s method is a bit like that (I have been using it for at least 15 years), but you use a lot less cards and there is the whole elemental interplay, which IMHO makes it easier.

If you know how to read the cards… I believe you can read about pretty much anything. I guess what you want to know is if there is any specific method to use the cards, in order to gauge someone else's trustworthiness. I don't know if such thing exists, but I think you can easily adapt a 3-card spread for that purpose. If I were doing it, I’d probably use a spread with three cards and the following positions: 1. What do I need to be aware of regarding this person? 2. What is this person's actual disposition towards me? 3. An advice on how to proceed with this person, in the short term. This would give me a general idea of where this person is at the moment, at least in relation to me. I don't think you should trust anyone automatically just because the tarot says so, but depending on the card's advice, you can choose whether to lower your guard a bit and see how it goes, or to observe for a longer time before making any decisions regarding that individual. NOW… another important thing is to ponder which cards, for you, point towards trustworthiness and which ones do not. Some cards are kinda in-your-face about it (say, the 7 of Swords, of The Devil), but others can be more ambiguous. This could become an interesting discussion here in the forum! Like I said, I don’t have any specific method for this question, but I hope I have given you some food for thought!

Hi all. A couple of years ago a tarot lady determined the trustworthiness of a new contact for me using the tarot cards. And she was absolutely right. Just now, I could use her advice again, but I don't know what kind of spread / technique she used and I don't remember her contact details. So, I am asking here: Do you know how to determine whether a person is trustworthy using the cards?

I learnt 2-3 playing card systems in my youth, and I keep them apart by using three separate decks in slightly different art styles. @Raggydoll has suggested that 18th century and 19th century Baltic-derived cartomancy systems and French-derived cartomancy systems coexisted in Sweden in the past – or something along those lines – and that would be one possible explanation for the diverse systems I encountered in my youth. I had a random encounter with a mid-20th century US cartomancy system focused on self-help at our local public library, which has a different cultural flavour. Later, I had a brush with an English method from the 1860s, but it is too culturally dependent on a reader and her client being housebound female relatives of men in the British armed forces or the colonial administration of the British Empire (or their housemaids) to be useful for a Swedish man in the 21st century. It's Jane Austen and East India Company all over it, and would need much editing to be comprehensible today. I didn't peek into Lenormand until I became a user here, and I keep Lenormand apart by reminding myself that it's about bells, acorns, leaves and German-Austrian hearts, not about the French suits as I know them.