By Wayne Limberger
In my continuing quest for the systematic elimination of confusing and superfluous clarifying cards, I created a follow-up spread that can be used when the outcome card for a previous reading is puzzling or inconclusive. It offers three paths for furthering the situation via additional information of the "What will happen if . . .?" variety. One path is active and hostile, one is passive and benign (just "go with the flow") and the third is passive-aggressive and reluctant to engage, counting on the uncertainty to pass of its own accord. The cards in each series will show which stance will produce the strongest case for adoption in the longer term. If the cards in two or more paths are of relatively equal strength and quality, use your intuition to decide on the best course
This spread is basically a middle ground between
pulling one or two clarifier cards on the fly and A.E. Waite's
recommendation that a second entire reading should be done with the
inconclusive outcome card as the new significator. It should be
created by setting the new significator aside and reshuffling the
deck. The advantage of this approach is that you don't have to read
the whole scenario from scratch, just the three-card sets that
amplify the new situation.
Place the previous outcome card at the bottom of the layout.
Place the “New Situation” card on top of it to show the point of departure for a continuing narrative on the subject.
Populate each of the paths, either in the order shown or in one of your own choosing.
Read each path as a response to what is offered by the circumstances of the new situation. The path that has the most encouraging and well-integrated sequence of cards should receive the highest level of attention as the best course of action. In some cases, push-back rather than acquiescence may emerge as the right move. If there is no clear “winner” in any of the response chains, judgment and intuition will have to be brought to bear on the conclusion.
