The Storytelling Spread is different from most other Tarot Spreads because its initial aim is not an answer to the Querent's questions. Instead, the purpose for this method is to invoke pure inspiration - to invent a story for the fun of it, to encourage imaginative thinking and creativity, and for entertainment.
The Tarot becomes a game of make-believe, which encourages the people present to reflect and make their own associations between images and ideas, as well as sparking their own creativity.
The purpose of most Tarot readings is for the Tarot Reader to try to establish a direct relationship between each card and the situation described by the Querent in order to resolve a problem. With the Storytelling Spread, however, the Reader works together with the Querent to build a fictional story, using the cards as the basis for the background, the characters and their actions.
From Fiction to Real Life
The Reader can start by simply saying, 'We'll use the cards to tell a story.' Once each card has been studied and the story is complete, the Reader will summarise. Only then will it be possible to establish a relationship between the story told and the Querent's current situation, if relevant. In this way, the story that has just been invented by the Reder and the Querent can become a kind of parable that contains an element of teaching or a suggestion for how to resolve a situation.
Building Blocks
Other elements that a Reader might add to the five key points are cards to represent a friend, a rival, teacher, travel companion or a magical object.
Another way to continue the story is to randomly pull out other cards then decide what each one could represent, based on the meaning of the card.
For example, if the reader draws the Ten of Pentacles from the Tarot of the Elves, they could continue the story by saying, 'And so, our hero was invited to the palace. When he got there, he was led to the throne room and the king got up to greet him.' It just takes a little imagination and creativity.
Storytelling
To tell a good story and be a compelling narrator, it is helpful if the Reader makes events sound interesting and engaging. To do this, not only must they imagine what is happening they must also know how to describe it.
Compare the following two descriptions and how differently they tell the same basic story. One way of describing events would be to simply say, 'The hero got lost and met a man who showed him the way.'
Another way of putting it might go like this:
'When the night's clouds covered the stars, the hero didn't want to stop. Only the moonlight dimly lit the path through the forest. He could no longer see the Pole Star that had been showing him the way until then. As the hero continued through the forest, he was overcome with worry. All the trees seemed to look the same, so much so that he was convinced that he was lost. Just as he was about to give up hope, the hero spotted a man at a crossroads sitting on the edge of the path. He was an elderly man, busy smoking his pipe and wrapped up in a cloak. His eyes seemed to shine like embers as he silently observed the young wanderer, who was struggling to catch his breath. 'Good an, could you tell me the way to the castle? asked the hero.'
The Tarot should not be used simply to suggest to the Reader what will happen in the story. Each card should depict details, nuances and secondary aspects that bring every event to life. This way the Spread will reveal greater insights to the Querent.
Instructions
The Storytelling Sread associates each of the cards drawn with a single element of the story. The number of cards used in this reading will vary depending on the type of story that the Reader wants to invent. If there isn't much time available, for example, a shortened narrative would be suitable and a small number of cards used.
The Reader should not decide in advance how many cads to pull out. As the story progresses and a new character or situation is added, the Reader can briefly describe the situation and then pull another card to see what happens next. The simplest format of the Storytelling Spread consists of five cards that represent the five key points of any story - the main character (or hero), their wish or goal, the obstacle in their way, the challenge they must face and the conclusion.
The Hero - This card describes the hero of the story. They could be represented by a figure on the card or the card could be considered a symbol of one of their qualities or attitudes. The Reader can start the story by saying 'Once upon a time...' and continue by describing the main character, where they lived, what they were doing and how they behaved.
The Wish - Symbolic of what the hero wants to do, acquire or achieve, this card kick-starts the story. It represents the wishes, hopes and goals that inspire the heros actions. After revealing the card, the Reder can say, 'What this person wanted more than anything in the world was...'
The Obstacle - This card stands for an enemy, an obstacle or an event that stops the hero from fulfilling their wish. When revealing the card, the Reader can say, 'But there was something stopping the hero from achieving their goal, which was...'
The Challenge - The next card answers the question, 'What does the hero do now to overcome the obstacle?' As they reveal this card, the Reader can say, 'So, to make their wish come true, the hero decided to...'
The Solution - Symbolising the outcome and end of the story, the card in this position represents the conclusion of the hero's adventure. When revealing the card, the Reader can say, 'And this was the outcome.'
Summary
After telling the story, the Reader might use it as a parable for the Querent situation. To do this they will need to ask questions of the Querent, each of which might translate the fictional events to real-life matters.
For example, the Reader could ask the following questions about the story we told in the example reading:
'what important message are you waiting for?'
'What news are you hoping for?'
'What precious item do you feel you have lost?'
'What obstacles have prevented you from finding it?'
'Who could help you find it?'
'What could you do in return or to reward this service?'
'What will you do when you find this precious item?'
Each of these questions explores the story the Reader has just told, allowing the Querent to find themselves in the narrative and understand if something important is missing from their life. If that is the case, they should begin to reflect on how to get it.
What We Have Learned: Using Your Imagination
Sometimes, you do not need to know all the meanings and techniques to use the Tarot, just a bit of imagination. With this Spread, the Reader does not interpret the cards in the traditional way, but uses them for inspiration.
The clues build an outline and suggest questions to ask the Querent. That way, the Querent can find the answers themselves.
The Storytelling Spread encourages the Reader and Querent to work together. The Reader makes suggestions and asks questions, and the Querent can apply these suggestions and interpretations to their own life. With practice, this approach to reading the cards will come naturally.
Our Lives as Stories
Stories can entertain, teach and inspire us. They are at the connective thread of the human experience. At its heart, Tarot reading i a form of oral storytelling. You will discover that is almost impossible to read the cards without constructing a narrative around what you see in them.
The human brain is hardwired to respond to the narrative structure, so it is not surprising that Tarot and storytelling are so strongly linked. Humans are inclined to filter and understand the events of their lives using a storytelling format. Every individual is a storyteller, whether they choose to view themselves as one or not.
Tarot can be helpful to the Reader because it helps them understand past events in their own lives, as well as those of their Querents, in a new light. Fiction, films, theatre and TV dramas show us possibilities we might never have imagined on our own. Often, stories help to shed light on our past and led us to view personal
Before trying the Storytelling Spread for the first time, think back to when you were a child. Try to tap into that childish world of wonder and imagination. Remember that telling stories and listening to them is a universal experience. It goes beyond learning - it is sharing, weaving something wonderful and powerful,, but at the same time humble and real.
Aspiring writers looking for new ideas can gain a lot of inspiration and ideas from doing readings for themselves using the Storytelling Spread.
Who know what direction your story will take you?
Key Information
Number of Cards: Five
Cards Used: Major and Minor Arcana
Objective: To use a Reader's imagination to tell a story that can entertain or explore a Querent's situation.
Layout: One row of cards.
Example Reading
The Hero
Nine of Wands
The Nine of Wands is the Hero
The story this card tells starts, 'Once upon a time, there was a young Queen who had just received an important message...'
The Reader can expand on this story, giving the Queen and her kingdom names and explaining why the Queen was outside her palace and how the message got to her. The Reader can add elements to help the audience to identify with the hero, such as inventing their past or describing them physically.
The Wish
Ten of Wands
The Ten of Swords is the Wish
'The message the Queen received informed her that a Prince had found a precious sword she had lost years earlier...'
Perhaps the Reader could invent a story that the sword was cracked and only now has a faraway prince managed to reforge it. It is up to the Reader to choose their own ideas, imagining, for example, that the Prince had forged the sword with his own tears, making it a pure weapon devoted to justice.
The Obstacle
XII The Hanged Man
The Hanged Man is the Obstacle
'Unfortunately, the messenger tasked with returning the sword to the Queen fell off a tower and the sword was lost once again...'
Expanding the story, the Reader might explore why the messenger had climbed the tower in the first place. They could explain that this messenger planned to pretend to be the prince and ask for the Queen's hand in marriage. However, the sword jumped out of his hands making him fall.
The Challenge
Ten of Pentacles
The Ten of Pentacles is the Challenge
'The Queen hired a soldier to go and look for the sword...'
If they wish, the Reader could expand on this story by imagining that it was the Prince himself who came to the Queen in disguise as a soldier, to offer to retrieve the sword. In the course of his quest to find the weapon, he proves his loyalty and bravery to the Queen.
The Solution
Three of Cups
The Three of Cups is the Solution
'Eventually, the Prince found the sword and returned it to the Queen, who rewarded him generously for his efforts.'
The Reader could embellish the story by describing how the Prince revealed his true identity to the Queen, who thought he was dead, and they lived happily ever after. At least until the next story...