A Deliberate Draw Technique

Sometimes a blind draw of Tarot cards leads us to look at things in a new way, and other times it can be a bit counterproductive. I’ve found that including deliberate draws in a reading (choosing your cards from a face up deck) can help to eliminate some pitfalls and provide a helpful experience. Today, I’d like to share one of these techniques with you.

I adapted this method from a spread in Tarot for One by Courtney Weber. The original method is designed to create a timeline of events between the current situation and the resolution, which is an awesome idea, though I personally prefer to use it to work toward achieving a goal since that matches my reading style. My other adaptations are inspired by similar deliberate draw focused exercises in Tarot for Self-Discovery by Nina Lee Braden. The following technique features both deliberate and blind draws.

First, you do the deliberate draws. Sort through your deck and consciously select a card to represent where you are now in terms of the subject at hand. Next, select a card that represents where you want to be – your completed goal, new job, relationship – whatever you want to work toward achieving. Choosing these cards encourages you to reflect on the situation and how you see it (a theme that frequently appears in Braden’s book). Once you have chosen your representative cards, return them to the deck and shuffle.

When you are done shuffling, keep the cards in order and find the one representing where you are now, and the one representing where you want to be. The cards that fall in between are the cards to read. These cards can represent steps along the way, obstacles to overcome, sacrifices that must be made, lessons you will learn – you can choose the most appropriate significance based on your situation, just decide before you draw your cards and stick to it. If there a ton of cards between the two you chose you can elect to abridge the reading by excluding reversals and/or pip cards.

The beauty of this method is that it is proactive, and it eliminates a blind draw outcome or potential outcome card. I find that those cards tend to be very tough to read objectively, and they lend themselves to a more predictive mindset that I try to avoid in my personal practice. Let’s see this method in action, shall we?

Example:
Horatio has always dreamed of becoming a bird breeder. It will be an expensive and potentially risky undertaking, but he knows that he wants to devote his life to his favorite feathered companions. Horatio decides that it could be fruitful to explore some of the potential circumstances that could arise on his journey from pet owner to successful breeder.

Horatio chooses the Magician to represent the current situation. He feels prepared to begin and he has the knowledge and tools he needs. He chooses the 9 of Coins to represent his end goal because it’s a good visual representation of a person who has adopted a pet bird from him. The cards that fall between the Magician and the 9 of Coins are: 4 of Coins, Page of Wands, The Hierophant, The Devil, 3 of Coins, 3 of Swords, and 4 of Swords. For the sake of brevity, I will touch on just a few basic ideas for each card.

~The 4 of Coins suggests that Horatio should manage and spend his resources carefully. Proper housing and supplies for birds is expensive, and if his operation starts out too large he could go over budget. He needs to start small and see how things go.

~Next, the Page of Wands highlights his passion and enthusiasm for the project while reminding him that he is very new to the whole endeavor. Excitement alone isn’t going to make things a reality, and he will need to buckle down and be attentive to advice – which leads right into the next card.

~The Hierophant could indicate an avian veterinarian or more experienced breeder. In any case, this person knows a lot about birds and will be an advisor to listen to. Horatio also needs to remember that it will be important for him to seek help and ask questions when he needs to.

~If you’ve ever had birds you know that as wonderful as they are, they can be the devil. Birds have a lot of attitude and each one is an individual. Birds don’t always get along, play, interact, or even eat the healthy foods that you want them to. Birds are difficult and there will be challenging days that will try Horatio’s patience. He knows this as a pet bird owner, but it is always a good reminder, especially as more birds enter the picture.

~The 3 of Coins shows ongoing work with marketing. Horatio has to let people know about the birds he breeds to find potential buyers. Even if his birds stop being little devils, he won’t be successful until he has a customer base. Horatio may have to step out of his comfort zone and do some networking.

~The 3 of Swords is another one of those unfortunate reminders that breeding birds won’t be all fun and glory. This card could indicate a bit of an unconventional “love triangle” with him, his spouse, and his bird breeding. The amount of time and devotion that bird breeding will require may cause him to neglect other aspects and people in his life if he isn’t mindful. Returning to the “start small” idea of the 4 of Coins might help to mitigate this.

~ The 4 of Swords shows some respite. After a lot of work getting everything set up and learning the ropes, Horatio will likely need to take some time out. This card also speaks to making sure that he doesn’t sell any of his birds when they are too young.

Horatio will need to keep in mind that although he has chosen his end goal and will commit to working on achieving it, external factors may prevent him from getting exactly what he wants, and that’s just life. He may get close to his goal or achieve a modified version. This style of reading neither predicts nor guarantees anything, it merely helps you ponder what you want to set in motion.

I’ve tried this method several times and I find it to be a productive way to get started with a new project, make plans, and acknowledge potential challenges. I love that it combines deliberate and blind draws, and that the cards that fall between aren’t locked into spread positions for a bit of added flexibility (though as previously mentioned you can decide more specifically what you want those cards to represent to simplify the process). I hope that you find this method useful if you decide to give it a try. I’d love to hear your experiences with this or other similar reading methods.

Happy shuffling!

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Card images are from the Aquatic Tarot by Andreas Schröter