Awhile back, I asked my partner to do a tarot reading for me. I refused to ask a question, which is something my partner has always done before readings. Most readers do, in my experience. My partner was quite skeptical that we could get a good reading that way.

The reading was 3 major arcana and 2 aces. A big message loud and clear.

It proved what I already knew: Doing a reading without a specific question is powerful.

My deck has spent a long time getting me out of the habit of asking questions. It would frequently take me half an hour for the deck to slowly lead me to the right question before I finally learned to stop asking questions to start with. There are still times when I want guidance on a specific area, but more often than not I get the best results by just not asking a question.

When you ask the wrong question, you get the wrong answer.

I understand why people ask specific questions. I used to do it myself and it took a long time to get out of the habit. We know what feels most urgent to us right now, we also want to stay in our comfort zone. It isn’t easy to ask the ugly questions, especially when you’re getting a professional reading and have to verbalize something painful to another person.

When you do a reading based on a specific question, the reading will always be based on that question. The reader’s interpretation of the question will impact how they interpret the reading. The messages you’re willing to hear will be filtered through the question you ask. If you’re asking a question about your career, you may not be able to realize the answer is about your family.

If you’re asking the wrong question, then you’ll never get the right answer.

The biggest benefit of doing a general reading, a reading without a specific question, is that you give the cards the opportunity to give you the message you need right now. Without focusing on the question, you can just focus on the message. Sometimes the reading will go in a direction you would never have thought to ask about, and reveal blind spots you can’t find while asking questions.

Just be open to the message you need right now.

When I do readings for other people, often they’ll ask a question. Sometimes, the reading will reflect that question. Very often, it’ll turn out the person is ignoring a deeper issue that has to be addressed before their question can be dealt with.

I recently did a reading for someone who wanted to know how to find someone to date. The reading instead focused on how he interacts with people in general and his internal thought processes. Addressing this will make it easier to attract a healthy relationship, of course, but it isn’t the kind of answer most people expect!

How To Do A Reading Without A Question

• Step 1: Set the Intention of Openness

Whatever ritual you do before a reading, add this step. Take a few breaths to clear your mind and open yourself up to whatever message you need to hear. This can take some practice.

• Step 2: Don’t Use A Spread

Most spreads have an implied question. If a spread feels right, absolutely go with it! When you aren’t asking questions and you’re opening yourself up to any message, not using a set spread and laying the cards intuitively works best. Biddy Tarot has a good description of how to do this.

• Step 3: Take Your Time Reading

When you first try this, expect it to take longer than a regular reading. This method relies a lot more on trusting your intuition and opening up to the messages the universe sends you. Remember the intention you set, and take a moment to clear your mind when you need to. When I’m having trouble reading a card, I’ll personally hold it to my forehead and close my eyes and wait for the message to come.

The more you practice, the easier it’ll be to hear the message.

Hidden Bonus: Blind Readings

Through practicing this, I’ve stumbled on the ability to do what I call “blind readings”. I can pass messages to people without having to know any of the context. This is really valuable when someone is struggling with a trauma or loss that’s too painful for them to share with me. It’s a handy tool for anyone who wants to do readings for others.

Now you’re ready to do your own question-less readings!

I would love to hear your results. Share your experiences in the comments!