Every reading benefits from a structure. Here's one that works:
Open (1 min):
- Ask what the querent is holding.
- Restate the question back in your own words.
- Agree on the spread before you draw.
Read (varies):
- Speak as you go; don't sit in silence parsing.
- Let the querent hear your thought process, not just your conclusion.
Close (2 min):
- Summarise the arc in one or two sentences.
- Ask: "what's the first small thing you'll do with this?"
A reading without a close floats away; with one, it lands.