After another social media post asking about deck interviews and the usual replies reinforcing the notion that tarot decks are their own little entities with their own little sets of emotions and preferences and judgements, I was inspired to create one using the same questions, but from the perspective that the differences between our decks (or, er- stacks of beautiful little art prints) isn’t so much that each is its own little personality, but that we respond differently to each artist’s vision from the parts of our own subconscious.
Of course, we’re all free to see our decks and our tarot practices however we choose; and if it’s working for us and we’re getting great results – super. In hoping to inspire a more empowered approach to the cards, though, I’d like to offer an alternative to this mindset that the deck is its own entity — mostly because it denies us our own power as readers. Sure, all matter has energy; but as an artist, I don’t ask my paintbrushes what they would like to paint today, much less how they see me or what the outcome of our relationship will be.
With that in mind, I think that interview spreads can be useful from the perspective of how we would best work with that particular deck, and offer a new way to explore it:
- introduce yourself: How do I see this deck, overall? What personal lens do I most read this deck through?
- describe me: What part of me do I see most reflected by this deck?
- what questions does it like to read: What questions or topics do I relate most with this deck?
- what questions does it not like to read: What questions or topics do I perceive as not relating to this deck?
- strength: What strength of mine does this deck reflect?
- weakness: What do I perceive as the limitation of this deck? What challenge of mine does this deck reflect?
- what are you here to teach me: How can I use this deck for optimal growth?
I omitted the “outcome” placement because, really, does asking the outcome of the relationship make sense in any context with a deck of cards – enlivened or not? It does remind me, however, that this spread also applies to those questions dealing with romantic interests – just replace ‘this deck’ with the name of the querent’s beloved. 😉
Happy reading!
ARCANIS TAROT 