Types of Readings

Although there are various layouts that can be utilized in a reading, all questions posed will be one of two natures, Spiritual or Mundane.

Spiritual readings use only the 22 cards of the Major Arcana. They give a much more intensely personal response to questions dealing with personality, spiritual growth, and past lives. Therefore, caution should be heeded before attempting this type of reading. Due to the inherent intensity, the readings can invoke powerful, profound emotions in some individuals. These emotions can make for a very uncomfortable session at times, inhibiting your ability to keep a clear channel. If this occurs, it's best to stop the reading and offer apologies; nothing productive is likely to be discovered if you find yourself "caught up" in someone else's emotional state!

There are other reasons for exercising caution about doing a Spiritual reading for someone. These reasons are based on human nature. No one likes to be told all the negative aspects of his personality, even if he did come to you asking "What's wrong with me?" In the middle of the reading, he is apt to either start disagreeing with you or offering excuses -- neither of which is conducive to a good, accurate reading.

In addition to the above cautions, it should also be noted that you do not give a Past Life reading to someone who does not believe in reincarnation. The subject is merely a curiosity at best and a joke at worst to these people, and can only serve to promote a "circus atmosphere" in the individual's eyes.

Despite these cautions, Spiritual readings can and should be given when appropriate. They're invaluable in helping an individual understand where he is now, how he got here, and where he's headed. Spiritual readings can point out latent talents and gifts, and help an individual find the Path best suited for him.

Not all questions answered by this type of reading will fit neatly into a niche called "Spiritual Questions." Often, the question to be answered can seem rooted in the physical world. It will be up to you as the reader to decide which type of reading, Mundane or Spiritual, can best answer the question, as well as which type of reading will be best received by the individual. Queries such as, "Why am I always scraping by for money?" may sound rooted in the physical, yet the answer may actually be found within the personality, experiences, and/or karma of the individual. Judge the nature of the individual as best you can. If the individual is skeptical and/or not spiritually inclined, a reading with a spiritual foundation would likely be lost on him. This individual wants the more practical, material responses of a Mundane reading. Allow the Tarot to speak to the individual on his level of understanding, not yours; don't overwhelm the individual. Remember, a preschooler learns nothing from a high school class.

Mundane Readings

Mundane Readings are the most basic readings, dealing with practical, day-to-day issues. They utilize all 78 cards of the Major and Minor Arcanas, and will probably answer the majority questions you'll ever be asked. Examples of the types of queries they answer include those concerning love, money, and career, as well as other earth-rooted questions.

You'll find a multitude of layouts for Mundane spreads readily available. Chief among these are the Celtic Cross and the Modified Celtic Cross. Others include the Daily Spread, the Astrological Spread, the Planetary Answering Spread, the Sixteen Card Spread, the Thoth Spread, and the Cabalistic Spread.

Each layout has its own merits and drawbacks. It's not absolutely necessary to find one single spread and use it exclusively every time you lay out the cards. Even though I, personally, find it advantageous to have a thorough knowledge of one particular layout, I experiment with others layouts from time to time. An alternative spread can help you see things from different angles and new perspectives at times, especially when the cards seem unclear or not particularly helpful on a given question.

Past Life Readings

The Past Life reading can give insight into the very basic question of "Why am I here?" It can help to point out hidden talents, attitudes, and karma that the individual has brought into this lifetime. It can also gives clues as to what should be accomplished in this lifetime.

A modified Celtic Cross spread is used for this reading; only cards in Positions One through Six are laid out on the table. The positions and definitions of each position are outlined below.

Spiritual Readings

The Spiritual reading is similar to the Past Life reading in they both use only the Major Arcana and both deal with the inner person, the soul essence of an individual. However, while the Past Life reading is an excellent way of discovering latent talents, seeing the pros and cons of an issue in the overall scheme of the Universe, and in realizing where one fits into that Universal plan, the Spiritual reading can cut to the heart of a particular problem area. It can illustrate most graphically the situation entrapping an individual. The Spiritual reading can give insights into what is causing a problem or pattern, what can be done to break the cycle, and the type of growth that can be expected after the issue is resolved. This type of reading falls under what I call "Psychotarotology," for it calls on the Reader to blend the spiritual essence of the cards with an innate instinct for human psychology.

Be aware that this spread does not always "work" for every individual. Further, there are times in life when answers are seemingly purposefully withheld from us. During these times, we must use our intuition and the knowledge we've gleaned from our past experiences to make decisions. It is at these times that trust in ourselves and the gods is most important.