Reading with the Deck of 1000 Spreads

Now that I have done a _REVIEW_ and a reading for a client using Tierney Sadler's Deck of 1000 Spreads (Llewellyn), I am going to indulge my wild, spontaneous, take-a-chance Sagittarius Sun by choosing cards at random to determine the positional definitions (and perhaps the question) for a spread.

As Tierney puts it in Chapter Five of How to Use Your Deck of 1000 Spreads: "Choosing a topic or an entire spread at random may seem so. . . random. But choosing cards this way not only lets the universe decide what the querent needs to know, but it also removes any reader and/or querent bias that might come with consciously creating spreads."

At Tierney's suggestion, I first removed the green Card of the Day, the green Significator card, and the blue Clarification card from the deck. I then separated the cards into five piles, arranged by color, backsides facing up. I shuffled the first pile (green topic cards), asking Spirit to give me a suitable topic.

The result: MIND (your current mental or emotional state)

Well, that's usually a pretty good topic. I now get to choose as many cards from the other piles as I like. I'm not a huge fan of huge spreads, so I am going to go with a simple 3-card spread. Rather than leave the remaining cards in color-coded piles, I shuffled them together and drew three cards from the stack. All three are blue Influence cards:

CONS (consequences, effects, or downsides of a particular choice or action you may take in regard to the spread's topic or other relevant spread positions)

CROWNING INFLUENCES (the known influences that are helping or hindering this reading's topic)

SURPRISE (an unexpected plot twist or turn of events you don't see coming in regard to your question, situation, or topic)

Tierney advises us to switch the order of the cards if we feel they make sense in a different order. I am going to place Crowning Influences first, followed by Cons, and ending with Surprise.

The "Cons" card is typically paired with the "Pros" card, so I am going to pull the "Pros" card from the deck and add it to this reading. My reading now looks like this:

TOPIC: Mind

(1) Crowning Influences
(2) Pros
(3) Cons
(4) Surprise

My instinct is to arrange these cards into this layout:

........1.........
....2......3.....
........4.........
I suppose I could put position 4 at the top and position 1 at the bottom, but "crowning influences" just sounds like it should go above.

The Druid Craft Tarot (by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, illustrated by Will Worthington / St. Martin's Press) responded loudly to my call for volunteers, so that is the deck I am using for this reading. And the winners are...

TOPIC: Mind
(1) Crowning Influences: PRINCE OF SWORDS (Knight of Swords)

Initial Impressions/Intuition: aggression, force, determination, forward motion, on the attack, charging ahead.
Suit of Swords: the mind, communication
Characteristics: cutting, argumentative, analytical, intelligent, sharp-tongued, articulate, cynical, sarcastic, clever.

I can certainly own this Prince as an influential part of my mental make-up. The cards seem to be telling me that this part has an especially strong influence at the moment, for better or worse. I think I am being encouraged or challenged to emphasize or cultivate the most helpful aspects of this Prince's nature and minimize the most harmful aspects.

I also think this Prince may refer to another person in my life who embodies these characteristics, and who most certainly has a strong influence on me.

(2) Pros: NINE OF PENTACLES

Initial Impressions/Intuition: solitude, self-reliance, grace, self-assurance, safety, set apart, independent
Suit of Pentacles: the physical, material world

The "pros" of having the Prince of Swords as my crowning influence include a certain "peace of mind" in the sense that I do not feel threatened, weak, or vulnerable. It is almost as if the Prince protects this lovely lady in her garden with her companion falcon. The Nine of Pentacles typically represents success in the material world but can also refer to the affirmation of  one's values in one's lifestyle. In other words, I can live the life I desire to live -- settled, secure, and private.

(3) Cons: FOUR OF SWORDS

Initial Impressions/Intuition: solitude, contemplation, dissatisfaction, brooding
Suit of Swords: the mind, communication

The "cons" of having the Prince of Swords as my crowning influence include a frequent need or desire to withdraw or retreat into myself -- perhaps to escape from the Prince's sometimes overbearing, contentious, aggressive energy. The man on this card does not look like he is "resting." To me his expression seems troubled, as if heavy thoughts weigh on his mind. When one retreats or withdraws, stagnation can result -- an inability or unwillingness to take action or advance toward a goal. If this happens too often or goes on too long, it is counterproductive.

(4) Surprise: FIVE OF WANDS

Initial Impressions/Intuition: conflict, debate, competition, test of strength/ability/skill
Suit of Wands: will, action, creativity, ambition, expansion

What strikes me most about the image on this card is that the expressions on the faces of the boys are clearly not angry or serious. They are having fun, enjoying the struggle, knowing that the purpose of this activity is not to hurt or destroy but to test and strengthen. The "Surprise" card refers to "an unexpected plot twist or turn of events you don't see coming." Perhaps the influence of the Prince of Swords will lead me into creative conflict or competition that I am meant to enjoy and benefit from, if I allow myself to do so. In general, I don't like to "compete" with other people. I find it stressful and anxiety-provoking. I would indeed be "surprised" if I actually enjoyed a competition.

Wow, lots to think about in this reading. And I love the way Tierney's cards set the stage for this "story." I think my Deck of 1000 Spreads is going to get a lot of use!

Week at a Glance: The High Priestess

The purpose of drawing a "Week at a Glance" card is to get a sense of the sort of energy, circumstances, or personal qualities I might need to be aware of during the upcoming week.

For the week of March 10, 2013 I am using the Mandala Astrological Tarot by A.T. Mann (Thorsons).

My card is THE HIGH PRIESTESS,
drawn on its side with the title to the left.

Before I continue, I need to explain that these are square cards, and their meaning can differ based not just on the reversed (upside down) position but on the placement of the upper title to the left or right. When the card is draw like this one, the quality of the card is carried in the personality and acted out.

So this week I am likely to experience the energy of The High Priestess in my personality (or someone else's personality?), and acted out.

A.T. Mann writes that "The High Priestess is the potential uniting intelligence of subconscious memory. . . The truth is hidden and may be discovered only through intuition, divination, feminine wisdom or revelation." Artistic and psychic abilities are emphasized.

Like the Golden Dawn, Mann associates The High Priestess with the Moon, representing emotions, intuition, and the subconscious in astrology. Mann includes a crab on his High Priestess card because the Moon rules the sign Cancer. Mann also includes the sign Taurus on his card because the Moon is exalted in Taurus. This is especially interesting to me, as my natal Moon is in Taurus. We also have the Hebrew letter Gimel, meaning camel (a lunar symbol according to Mann).

This feels like a highly personal card to me, and I feel that I need to be aware and open to an important revelation or unveiling of some sort that could be provided by my subconscious through dreams or meditation.

REVIEW: The Deck of 1000 Spreads

R E V I E W

The Deck of 1000 Spreads: Your Tarot Toolkit for Creating the Perfect Spread for Any Situation
by Tierney Sadler
Llewellyn  Publications
59 labeled and 6 blank cards 137-page paperback guidebook
ISBN-10: 0738733393 ISBN-13: 978-0738733395  

TOP LINE (formerly Bottom Line)

I loved the concept of this deck the minute I heard about it. With Virgo rising, I'm always drawn to systems and methods and things that organize and arrange the pieces of things. As a "woman of a certain age" I appreciate memory assistance. Tierney Sadler's Deck of 1000 Spreads does both. And the real beauty is that it also works if you prefer to be spontaneous and intuitive with your readings.

My little Virgo ascendant was immediately attracted to comments such as "A spread...provides the structure and context that string a collection of symbols and meanings into a story" and "without some sort of organization, it's all just a random pile of words and information" and "The Deck of 1000 Spreads' sixty-five cards...are broken down into five colored sets of cards, each representing a different part of the reading's story."

My free-wheeling Sagittarius Sun loved to read about "The Fully Divined Spread" and the "Extreme Spreadcrafter Variation" and comments like "Using the Deck of 1000 Spreads, you may come up with all sorts of spread combinations that don't fit the guidelines -- or exceptions -- noted in this chapter, and that's okay. There is no right or wrong way to construct a spread."

[This paragraph added later because I forgot to include it.] The other thing I love about this deck is that I don't have to remember the positions when I do readings with a large number of cards (like, more than 3). Instead of glancing back and forth at a layout on paper, I can see the positional definition right there above the card I drew into that position.

I did a 3-card reading for a client just now using the cards "What to Leave in the Past", "What to Use in the Future," and "Resolution." It worked beautifully! The client described the reading as "incredibly accurate." I will be sharing readings with these cards here on the blog soon.

Whether you're a beginner or Old Tarot Soul, I'm convinced that you'll find this set of cards entertaining, useful, and surprising. I truly do wish I had thought of this idea and, more importantly, that I had taken it from idea to publication!

 [THE PUBLISHER'S] PRODUCT SUMMARY

"The Deck of 1000 Spreads is an utterly unique spreadcrafting tool for tarot readers of all levels. Each oversized, color-coded card features a spread position (such as "situation" or "outcome") and a description of this position. Mix and match the cards to customize a spread for any tarot reading imaginable—or retool the classics. Crafting an infinite array of spreads is easy with this groundbreaking system that can be used with any tarot deck."

THE AUTHOR

Tierney Sadler is a tarotist, mystic and a career writer, having worked in the advertising industry for more than 25 years. She's worked with tarot nearly as long, first as a hobbyist, then as a professional reader and now as a teacher and author. Tierney is currently working on writing her first spiritual book based somewhat on the teachings at her blog _The Daily Draw_. For tips on how to use the Deck of 1000 Spreads, visit _Deck of 1000 Spreads_  or "like" the deck on Facebook's Deck of 1000 Spreads page.

BASIC INFORMATION / DETAILS

This boxed set consists of a paperback guidebook and 65 cards measuring 3 by 9 inches. Printed in white at the top of each card is a Spread Position (such as "What to leave in the past"). In the middle, also in white, is a more detailed description of that position. At the bottom is the title of the category in which the card belongs. They are color coded by category as follows, using an analogy that compares a Tarot reading to a novel:

• Green : Topic, Theme, or Plot
• Blue : Influences, Story Elements, or Plot Twists
• Orange : Characters or People
• Purple : Timing
• Red : Outcomes or Endings

For example, one of the purple cards is titled "What to leave in the past." In the center of the card are the words "An attitude or situation it's time to let go of in regard to the spread's topic. Usually placed somewhere to the left of the topic card." At the bottom is the category: Timing. Six of the cards are blank so you can write your own titles or categories on them (or use a sticky note to label them temporarily).

The guidebook includes the following sections:

• Basics (Getting a Feel for How Spreads Work; Getting to Know Your Spread Cards)
• Spreadcrafting (Retooling and Revisioning Classic Spreads; Creating Original Spreads; Combining Divination and Spreadcrafting)
• Sample Spreads (Having Fun with Traditional Spreads; Inspired Spreads)

In her Introduction, Sadler presents the four elements that contribute to every reading:

• The Cards
• The Reader
• The Querent
• The Spread

By now you are beginning to see why my Virgo ascendant takes great delight in this system. But wait! What's this? A subsection titled "Breaking All the Rules"! Sadler writes: "As my confidence grew with the cards, so did my desire to question the status quo. . . I encourage people first to know the rules; second, to question the rules; and third, to rewrite the rules if they find a better way." (At which point my Sagittarius Sun is leaping about and cheering.)

Sadler tells us that her purpose in creating this Deck of 1000 Spreads was to help readers do the following:

• Lay out spreads you get from books, then put the books down and focus on your reading
• Craft your own spreads
• Discover new spreadcrafting strategies
• Collaborate more closely with your querents on readings
• Divine spreads for the first time ever

I'm here to say that by the end of the book, you'll understand how to do all of the above, and be ready to choose the approach(es) that work(s) best for you. To see a reading I did with this deck, click HERE.

In accordance with the FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, I hereby disclose that this product was provided by the publisher for free. Other than the occasional review copy, I receive no monetary or in-kind compensation for my reviews.  The substance of my reviews is not influenced by whether I do or do not receive a review copy.

Week at a Glance: 8 of Wands

The purpose of drawing a "Week at a Glance" card is to get a sense of the sort of energy, circumstances, or personal qualities I might need to be aware of during the upcoming week.

For the week of March 3, 2013 I am using the Elemental Tarot with artwork by Marco Turini (Lo Scarabeo).

My card is the EIGHT OF WANDS, reversed.

I associate the suit of Wands with the element Fire, representing inspiration, passion, will, optimism, and action. In my personal system, the number Eight is a number of ambition, achievement, and power. Certainly those qualities are evident in the illustration on the Eight of Wands in this deck! The Golden Dawn links this card with the placement of the planet Mercury in the zodiac sign Sagittarius, which makes a lot of sense to me.

With the card being drawn reversed, I have to look at the possibility of delays or obstacles related to the upright meaning of the card. I get a sense of being held back, lack of movement (at least temporarily), stalling out, or losing momentum. This could be due to my own internal state or to outside influences, or a combination of both.

If I don't like the idea of this happening, I need to be on the lookout for ways I can turn things around through my own actions and decisions. If delays or obstacles are coming from other people or events, I may just have to make the best of it for the time being. But looking again at this card, I can see that turning this guy on his head is not going to stop him in the long run. He is going to bounce back more determined than ever.