Significators | Where to stick them!

Published by Alison Cross on

Don’t sweep me under the carpet!

Back in April, I ran a little poll asking YOU whether you’d consider using a significator in a reading. As I expected the majority of you said that you never used it in a reading, but an encouraging 20% said that you might consider using one now.

I may run the poll again at a later date and see whether that percentage goes up.  I promise that I won’t cry if it doesn’t πŸ™‚


Thanks to everyone who took the time to vote – I appreciate it πŸ™‚

Anyyyyywaaaay – so far we’ve looked at lots of ways one might choose a significator – some complicated and others very simple.

But what to DO with the damned thing once you’ve got it?!

Traditionally with the Celtic Cross reading, it would be slipped beneath the first two cards of your spread, hitherto never to be referred to again!  Well, what’s the point of THAT?!

How could we make better use of this card?

Why not try keeping the significator off to one side, somewhere where it can be kept in view throughout the reading, and then see how that card ‘relates’ to the other cards in the spread?

In a circular-shaped spread – eg a Wheel of The Year type lay out – you could sit the significator in the centre.  Literally placing your querent at the heart of the reading – and see how the card reacts to the others  in the spread?

You might want to consider the following: –

Is the Significator and the card you want to talk about from the same suit?
Or are they from suits where the elements are opposed (eg Wands and Cups, Swords and Pentacles)?
Is your significator looking towards the card under discussion?
Is the character in the OTHER card looking towards or away from the significator card?
Is your significator looking to the left or right? Straight out?
Does the significator mirror any aspect of the card under discussion?
Are there any symbols common to both the Significator and the other card?

What do you think? 


Alison Cross

The Tarot's Court Cards are my specialist area.Β  They talk to me. Not LITERALLY though ....

8 Comments

Dax Carlisle · 16th December 2014 at 5:12 pm

Although I don't tend to use Significators, I REALLY like the idea of not just having them "off to the side" but rather PART of the Reading itself! Then see how the Reading forms around it. The Suit, The Element, the Numerology? Is it facing certain cards in the spread? …Facing away from certain cards? This makes the Significator MUCH more useful! <3 <3 <3

alisoncross · 19th May 2012 at 1:44 pm

I like that idea, Chloe – reading the cards around it as an answer. May I borrow that as a suggestion on an upcoming blog post?

Ali x

Inner Whispers · 19th May 2012 at 10:38 am

The only way I ever tend to use a significator is to find "where" the person is right now and where they need to go. So, choosing a significator, shuffling it into the deck, then looking through the deck to find it and reading the cards around it as an answer. I've also a Major as a significator, describing the main life lesson the person feels they are currently exploring πŸ™‚ I like what you say about keeping the card within the reading to look at how it onteracts with the other cards!
Cxx

Tarot By Arwen · 17th May 2012 at 2:37 am

Grin, I read you whenever you post so stick to your schedule, darlin'! You know I'm a huge fan. Oh! If you have time, pop by mine tomorrow. I'm asking for input on a reading I did for me.

Tarot By Arwen · 16th May 2012 at 5:33 pm

Our last Tarot Meetup here in Austin was lead by someone who advocated for significators. She was teaching us the Opening Of The Key which uses significators. I am more intrigued by significators now. πŸ˜€

    alisoncross · 16th May 2012 at 5:59 pm

    I've actually got the OOTK spread diaried in for the week after next, but I can bring it forward πŸ™‚

    It's a spread in which the use of a significator is integral – so lots of fun!

    Ali x

alisoncross · 16th May 2012 at 4:46 pm

There are loads of different ways to select cards as significators. If you have the time, if you check the posts that I made in April (you will be able to see them if you click the Blog Archive arrow for April) that outlined a few ways to select them.

Glad to hear that you might consider using a significator in your readings!

Ali x

Identity_Concealed · 16th May 2012 at 1:16 pm

Hi

I have never used a significator in my readings but I can consider it. As far the point remains how to choose the significator, how about we take the court cards out, shuffle them and randomly pick one, and that is what is significator. because most of the times we are having different sides of our personality apparent which makes it difficult to decide which card best reflects those sides of our personality. I'm sure I'm not the only one with a multiple personality syndrome LOL but I am Queen of Wands but I have lots of Earth (Virgo Rising, Taurus Moon, Capricorn Stellium) so I don't know sometimes its the fire, sometimes the Earth which dominates. Can we do that?

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