Wrong Question, Bleedthrough, and Other Hazards to Accurate Readings - Your experiences & tips?

[Misterei]

This topic emerged from a recent reading in DotW. In my observation ... the cards are usually right ... but we readers can get it wrong due to 3 "occupational hazards" which I call:

1. Bleedthrough
2. Different / wrong Question
3. Irrelevant Question

I'll share my thoughts how I deal [or fail] with these. Curious to hear YOUR experiences and tips how you deal with it.

 

Bleedthrough:

I was just about to lay cards when my partner started talking to me. It interrupted my flow. I spoke with him awhile .... and then got back to it [so I thought]. Yet I was bothered by the feeling that I couldn't quite clear my head. And the spread I got? It was HIS spread. It was "off" for me [I had to do all sorts of mental gymnastics to make it fit my situation] but the next day I realized it was spot-on for HIM.

 

Do you have a problem with picking-up the vibes of partners, family, housemates, etc? 

Getting a reading for someone else instead of yourself?

Thankfully it seldom to never happens with clients. I'm alone with the client and 100% focused b/c I'm at work. Bleedthrough is a hazard of reading for myself.

 

Wrong Question:

This happens with clients ... but I find it easier to solve when reading for someone else and harder when reading for myself.

Example: a client has asked me a question. I lay the cards and then say, "hmmm. This spread isn't about your question. It's about a man. And some medical stuff? Anything like that happening?" and the client revealed her brother had been injured in a car crash and this had drastically altered the family dynamics. It was like we had to address that issue before we could get to her other concerns. This is somewhat common. Usually easy to solve per the example. But I can't replicate this dialog when reading for myself. Usually I have to scrap the spread and forgo the reading b/c it's a blind spot.

 

Irrelevant Question:

In my recent experience the question was about to become irrelevant. I was assuming a thing would happen ... that didn't happen.

So the cards couldn't give an accurate answer other than to tell me the basic premise of my whole question wasn't going to happen [Tower in case you're wondering].

But b/c I assumed the thing was a done deal ... I couldn't read the spread correctly.

 

How do you deal with these scenarios?

Do you get any particular cards that "warn" you this is what's happening?

Thanks for sharing if you do!

[DanielJUK]

The cards are usually right but will give the right outcome to the wrong question asked and the right outcome for another person

 

I firmly believe these days that the question is one of the most important parts of getting a good reading. As well as the spread and positions. It's not really a life or death matter, it doesn't matter if the wrong question is asked, because it can be repeated, but I think for ourselves and others, it's worth thinking about what we want to know? What do we (or they) really want to know here? When I do readings for others, they will tell me the history or story and the initial question asked is not the one they would like to know. I think it's worth digging into it a bit, explore the situation. For ourselves, what do we really want to know? If we don't ask what is really want to be known, we won't get the outcome or advice that we wanted. I think this needs a little time to work out what really wants to be known.

 

Irrelevant questions, I think this is often done on really light-hearted readings, usually with a yes / no question. Fortune-telling and prediction is a lot harder than reading in the present or the past. But I think becomes less accurate when we force the answer into a yes / no outcome, better to let the tarot express what could happen. What do I need to know about how this situation in future? Also use time frames, "within x months", I think you have to give it firm boundaries and open up the question. I do sports and political predictions for fun and definitely it works much better to make sure it's not "will this team / person win or not?" rather than leaving it very open ended. The situations are complex and tarot will tell you and show you the outcomes. These things are often not binaries and there are loads of drama in the situation. I've had much better outcomes with open questions.

 

Bleedthrough is really tricky. After about a year of reading, I thought I was getting good at reading. I did an exchange on the old forum and this really great reading was coming up as I worked on it, it had 3 Queens and they seemed to be power playing and fighting. I was so proud of this reading, then my reading partner couldn't relate to any of it! 🤦‍♂️ I was so crushed! The reading was such a story but seemed to not apply at all. In my own life during this month, a distant family member had died. I never really got to know them well, but there was a family secret there which I was not party to. This mystery was in my mind all month. The reading was actually the family secret, that was the story there and fighting matriarchs! I found it out about 4 weeks later when another family member told me everything for the first time and went back to my partner and explained the reading was really for me. It was so embarrassing in the situation. The situation was really on my mind and that reading came through. I hadn't been reading for myself very much at that time and the reading REALLY wanted to come through as a message, so choose that reading to tell me. Since then, I do an intention when reading for others, this is a reading for "name". I use forum names there as well on here. I find making it an intention for someone about their question / topic, seems to direct it. I'm not 100% convinced though that if an urgent message needed to come through, at that moment, it wouldn't! But so far for me, hasn't happened again.

 

Readings go wrong in all these ways, we have to learn from them for future readings 🙂 

[Flegetanis]

Bleedthrough is one of my biggest challenges. I read in a small shop, & my space - though well-defined - is not isolated. So there's plenty of room for interference. For the most part, I get past this in number of ways. But when I don't get past it, I really don't. I've been able to recover or restart the readings for clients. But when it's my own noise getting in the way, it's impossible.

 

I've given up on answering specific questions. I have found the cards often want to answer the question that is unasked. A very common example of this is when someone wants to know if they're going to meet someone soon, but the cards want to talk about their immanent court date or the house they're trying to sell (very often Swords stuff, legal issues or contracts) -- often things they're consciously ignoring or avoiding. 

[Misterei]

7 hours ago, DanielJUK said:

I firmly believe these days that the question is one of the most important parts of getting a good reading. As well as the spread and positions. ...

I'm wrestling with this right now. Normally I'm quite strict: the cards are answering the question I asked according to the position of the spread. Case closed and no clarifiers, second-guessing, or other such nonsense!

 

But I also find I start nearly every reading [for paying clients] with a GENERAL "what do the cards wish to say?" type of question. This gets me neatly over the hump of "wrong/different question". But I don't do this for myself. I tend to "cut to the chase" reading for myself. And thus become more vulnerable to "wrong/different" question. Hmmm.

 

And yes, for predictive spreads I agree with your comments vis a vis time frames etc. I do ok with yes/no ... but it takes finesse b/c Tarots are NOT naturally binary 😉

 

Thanks for sharing your 3 Queens story. I totally get that!

1 hour ago, Flegetanis said:

Bleedthrough is one of my biggest challenges. I read in a small shop, & my space - though well-defined - is not isolated. So there's plenty of room for interference. For the most part, I get past this in number of ways. But when I don't get past it, I really don't. I've been able to recover or restart the readings for clients. But when it's my own noise getting in the way, it's impossible.

 

I've given up on answering specific questions. I have found the cards often want to answer the question that is unasked. A very common example of this is when someone wants to know if they're going to meet someone soon, but the cards want to talk about their immanent court date or the house they're trying to sell (very often Swords stuff, legal issues or contracts) -- often things they're consciously ignoring or avoiding. 

Thanks for sharing. Your experiences are similar to mine and it's a comfort. I'm usually good at getting my noise out of the way ... my life can be doom and ruin but I'm capable of focusing on the client at work [it's a relief, actually]. BUT impossible when it's my own blind spot whilst reading for myself ... maybe like what @DanielJUK mentioned about what do I REALLY want to know?

 

OMG YES! The client asks about meeting a romantic partner and the cards want to talk about their court date. Ugh!

 

In 2018-2019 I read in a shop and took many 15 minute appointments. I got accurate reads ...  but felt pressurized. I have worked at festivals and events where I was doing 5-10 minutes. I got accurate reads ... but found it exhausting and no longer do this. It's a level of hyper-focus that's difficult to sustain.

 

Now I can be relaxed. I tell clients that the cards sometimes have their own ideas what they will say and we need time for that ... why the shortest appointment is 30 mins. The joy of being semi-retired 😇

[Flegetanis]

10 hours ago, Misterei said:

In 2018-2019 I read in a shop and took many 15 minute appointments. I got accurate reads ...  but felt pressurized. I have worked at festivals and events where I was doing 5-10 minutes. I got accurate reads ... but found it exhausting and no longer do this. It's a level of hyper-focus that's difficult to sustain.

 

Now I can be relaxed. I tell clients that the cards sometimes have their own ideas what they will say and we need time for that ... why the shortest appointment is 30 mins. The joy of being semi-retired 😇

 

I developed a set of 5 card readings for those situations. I think I posted them in that part of TT&M devoted to Reading Techniques. Quick, but accurate readings. Much better than a 3 card reading, and definitely less stressful - but still rewarding - than trying to do full, serious readings for 3 drunk sisters-in-law who wandered into the booth together.

 

[I made a couple of believers with those readings. It was in one of those that the house sale I referenced came up. The guy bought a reading for his wife on a lark, & she talked him into getting one himself. It was one of my most spot-on readings, ever.]

Edited February 23, 2024 by Flegetanis

[Misterei]

14 hours ago, Flegetanis said:

I developed a set of 5 card readings for those situations. I think I posted them in that part of TT&M devoted to Reading Techniques.

Yes I saw those. I thought they were loads better than most of the drivel floating around the internet.😇

I haven't tried any of them yet. LOL I'm at this space in life where I don't want to try anything new and I just want things to sit still and stop changing ... and if clients don't want to spend at least 30 minutes with me they can piss off.

Meanwhile I've a hen party I may need to fend off. They're older and spiritual so I don't think it will be drunk sisters-in-law .... but ugh! Trying to want to do 15 minute readings for this lot.

So back to topic ... I [and you too it appears] generally get immediately to the core of things in short sessions with hyper focus.

But I don't acheive that hyper focus reading for myself. So more danger of blind spots or irrelevent question.

At my age and health ... it's tiring to sustain hyper focus with clients so I prefer a more round-a-bout route to get to the core question ... which takes longer but is more organic and relaxed.

 

 

Edited February 23, 2024 by Misterei

[Flegetanis]

On 2/23/2024 at 1:58 PM, Misterei said:

But I don't acheive that hyper focus reading for myself. So more danger of blind spots or irrelevent question.

At my age and health ... 

 

I'm right there with you. My age & health have become a major issue, lately. And for all my focus, I didn't see it coming. But it was in the cards, literally. I just didn't see it.

[Natural Mystic Guide]

On 2/23/2024 at 1:19 PM, Flegetanis said:

Much better than a 3 card reading, and definitely less stressful

I feel extremely fortunate in that I love doing parties or fairs where I am doing many readings back to back.  I use a set of 3-card readings (with the occasional 4th explanatory card pulled) that deliver terrific information.  People are usually very satisfied and it is an entree for people to become regular customers who get more in depth readings for longer.

 

On 2/24/2024 at 3:58 AM, Misterei said:

At my age and health

... and how fortunate am I that in my 70's I have excellent, health, stamina, and focus.  I actually find these situations and the interactions to be energizing.  I can take periodic breaks, but I really don't get tired.  One of the great things about maturing is, though, that we really do become wiser and better able to give good advice.  So I'm sure that both of you attract clients who value your wisdom and maturity and are happy to sit for longer readings, too.  Many blessings to both of you @Flegetanis and @Misterei.  Tarot is one of those occupations where the older we get the better we can be.

[Flegetanis]

I hope it didn't sound like I was doubting the efficacy of a 3 card reading. I just happen to like larger readings, in general. [When I'm reading Runes, I try to be more minimalist.] When I was devising these, I wanted to work with the Masonic numbers of 3, 5, & 7, and the number Five was the one that worked for me. I love Planetary Magick, but - for whatever reason - I have not yet found or developed a 7 card reading that works for me.

 

"For what we do presage is not in grosse
For we be brethren of the Rosie Crosse;
We have the Mason word, and second sight,
Things for to come we can foretell aright."

 

The Muses Threnodie; 

Henry Adamson 1638

 

[Misterei]

7 hours ago, Flegetanis said:

I hope it didn't sound like I was doubting the efficacy of a 3 card reading. ... I wanted to work with the Masonic numbers of 3, 5, & 7, and the number Five was the one that worked for me.... for whatever reason - I have not yet found or developed a 7 card reading that works for me.

7-card is my go-to for 15-30 mins readings. For 45-60 mins I often start with a 10-card and do several 7-cards after.

At festivals and parties, 3-5 cards depending if the person wanted 5 or 10 minutes.

 

@Natural Mystic Guide I will try to channel your enjoyment of short back-to-back readings to do this hen party 😇 

 

Going back on topic. I sometimes do 3-4 card readings for myself ... I find it different than doing a 7 or 10 card reading. I can make 3 cards hit for many narratives. 7 or 10 cards it becomes more obvious if the cards are off target. It's harder to bend 10 cards into a faulty narrative than 3.

 

I think the larger spreads are more likely to give me a signal it's a blind spot or bleedthrough when reading for myself.