AUTHOR’S NOTE: Although the inspiration for this essay came from reading about the design of scientific experiments in quantum physics, I identified parallels between that model and my style of cartomantic interpretation.

The opinion of the experimental researcher was that mainstream physicists are typically unwilling to contemplate uncomfortable questions or probe hidden variables if those targets lie beyond the rigid limits of their cherished belief system. This is precisely the sort of foray outside the comfort zone that an inquiring mind should welcome and, from a more mystical angle, divination can respond to that call.

When it comes to risk aversion, there are legitimate warnings about answering legal, financial and health-related questions if one intends to avoid malpractice liability. But I’ve believed for years that cartomancy can address even the most awkward topic as long as the request is phrased carefully. “Am I going to die soon?” can be restated as “”What should I be aware of regarding my health right now?” Similarly, “Is my spouse going to divorce me?” can be reworded as “What can I do to sort out my ongoing relationship problems?” and the perennial lament “Will I find true love this year?” is better posed as “How can I attract romantic interest over the next twelve months?” This adjusted language transforms what was an anxiety-driven”yes-or-no” query into an opportunity to proactively confront a challenging situation. The forecast may still be pessimistic but it won’t be unequivocally so, and I build spreads around that premise.

In these readings there are certain to be many hidden variables that have a strong say in what is likely to happen. Ideally, this focus on the unseen in a prediction will point out where and how the seeker’s undivided attention can make the most difference in his or her experience of subjective reality. The tarot is perfectly suited to handle the social, psychological and spiritual implications of the emerging scenario, while the Lenormand cards shine at capturing more pragmatic developments.

In practice, I prefer to take a “Swiss-army-knife” (aka “multi-tool”) approach that begins with a general life-reading and then dials in the details to cover the more specific dimensions of the matter at hand. The ten-card Celtic Cross is an admirable tarot spread for this purpose, while in Lenormand reading the 36-card Grand Tableau stands tall as the premier layout. Both have depth and breadth that can speak volumes to numerous aspects of a sitter’s circumstances provided they and the diviner land on the same page during the dialogue. Separating the critical information from the background noise and then reformulating the accumulated data into a coherent narrative is (or should be) a quest for knowledge that is shared by the reader and the seeker.

Every spread tells a tale, and larger examples offer a more involved plot that can take side-trips into uncharted territory that are often more revealing than the thrust of the main theme. Obviously, this can’t be accomplished in a 15-minute walk-in reading, so it’s a good idea to get a fix on the scope of the querent’s interest before they arrive for the session and block out sufficient time to cover it with adequate sensitivity to nuance. Then all we have to do is remain alert for a nudge in the right direction and pull the correct threads to unravel the mystery. The cards will do the rest, hopefully without getting us into legal trouble.

With a comprehensive layout, a great deal of ground can be covered that will shed light on a broad range of sub-topics and answer almost any conceivable question within the defined range of the inquiry (most effectively in the Grand Tableau, which covers all areas of life in a single array). The key is to raise the most pressing issue at the start of the reading, then let the overall pattern vibrate to that note at its own frequency as we pluck the strings and coax the harmonics out of it. Enrique Enriquez once called tarot reading “visual poetry” but in the case of larger spreads it’s more like a tone-poem drawn out into a full symphony.