Version B is my preference. It seems to be gaining the name “Wellsian Celtic Cross” — cute! One thing that people should note is that I place card #2 (the other polarity) vertically and to the right of card #1, about half-way down the “height” of the first card. This makes sure that the readee and I are both clear about whether the card is upright or reversed. A card’s orientation makes a big difference to me, so a horizontal placement of card #2 doesn’t make sense. I tend to place card #11 (what guides/holds/supports…) in the upper left-hand quadrant, tilted a bit to the left between cards 3 and 5.
It’s vital to identify the polarities being played out in the first two cards. This lays the foundation for much of the discussion to follow. Here’s something to try that I did yesterday. Ask the readee/querent to imagine being in a situation that feels like the first polarity, then to breathe as if s/he is experiencing it. Now do the same for the second card — ask hir to breathe like s/he’s in a situation that embodies the second polarity. Note where in the body the readee experiences the breath and the sensations. Now ask hir to find the midpoint, the breath that is half-way between the extremes. Where in hir body does the querent experience this? S/He can gently touch that body part while breathing the “middle breath”. This can help hir to centre hirself during the consultation AND out there in “real life” when feeling pulled off kilter. What tangible activity might the readee perform that has the sense of the “middle breath” and reminds hir of that powerful, grounded centre in hir body?

7 comments
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May 14, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Nancy Antenucci
The Wellsian Celtic Cross it is!
May 14, 2008 at 8:43 pm
jameswells
Part of my tarot world takeover plan…mwa-ha-ha!
May 16, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Nancy Antenucci
OK…seriously this is gettin good. Today and the other day I used the first 2 polarity cards with the breathing and visualizations. It really grounds the reading in such a grounded way…….
May 16, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Celeste Cornelia
Hi James, We met at the Reader’s Studio. I was lucky enough to get a private reading from you. I was very enlightened by your talk so when I went on the Tarot Calendar site and saw the link for this blog I figured I would take a peek. I am glad I did. I work as a Psychiatric Nurse for NYS. Although NYS does not approve of Tarot as a counseling tool I do (I was let go from a position because I read for my Clients) and continue to do so. I love the Wellsian Celtic Cross. I have used it twice and have found both the A and B method to be very effective. I kind of melted the two together and that works really well for me. It really allows for a lot of interaction between Counselor and Patient. Thank you very much.
May 19, 2008 at 4:18 pm
jameswells
Great to hear that people are really excavating the treasures of this layout. Card #9 is important too. What is the deeper, larger lesson in the querent’s situation/question? In a way, Cards 1, 2, and 9 get to the heart of things. Cards 3 and 4 show us motivations, influences, etc. Cards 5 and 6 touch on actions and behaviours that work and don’t work for the readee. Keep on playing with this, folks!
May 23, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Beth Roth (Igraine)
Hi James
Beautiful! Sounds/feels like yoga tarot to me! Count me in*
June 19, 2008 at 5:20 pm
jameswells
More notes from the field on breath and the first two cards. I did a ‘phone session with a client yesterday using the “Wellsian” CC. There was no “midpoint breath”, but one of the polarities was very relaxed and offered a breath for the person to return to when she feels herself going into the breath of the other card.