After 1 month as a beginner--reflections on overall readings

I can't draw a single card each day..but instead I do look at my cards constantly each day to just look at it and feel it in my hands, it always brings a smile to my face. I have thought about doing a daily reading with just pulling out a card, but I didn't want to rely on my cards too much.
Most of the times I would keep the questions to myself, but when I find myself struggling or stressed out unable to figure out why, this is when I would turn to my cards for help.
Infact, whenever I choose to do so, it always speaks to me. I like to study the cards that I had drawn and usually it all depends on how I shuffle them and break them up separately to do the draw. As I drew the cards, I would study them as they are revealed to me, and other than that, I would leave the other cards alone.
I believe that it is better to look deeper as you get to know the cards for showing up before you, that way it feels more like out of the blue and you'll be surprised for what it has revealed for you. That way, I'll come to love the cards more and more...now I thought there's an unspeakable relation, sort of like a connection or attachment between myself and the cards. Although I am still studying the cards to come into my reading, everytime when I pick up the cards I had drawn from my previous reading, there's a spark whenever I look deeper into the pictures.
I could never get bored of looking at the same cards over and over again. Even though I moved on to do my second reading, I still felt that there's something left from the previous reading.
I think readings are important that we have to remember them and what we learn from it. It should be about something where you keep the good stuff and strive to cure what's bothering you. It is very difficult, but there are the voices that you get from looking at the cards, reminding you what your weaknesses are and what you need to change. Until then, I am able to move on and make a new reading for myself.

Sounds like you and your cards are really beginning a long and beautiful relationship! Enjoy them, and thank you for sharing your light.

I am getting a similar attuning, I was going to say attachment, but I like attuning. It is an harmonious relationship. The ideas from the readings stay around after they are brought into consciousness. By thinking something, Logos is affected. Several months ago I kept having dreams with tarot symbolism...It was frightening and fascinating at the same time. Lately no dreams at all...You never know.

I hope you continue to have a good and fruitful tarot journey! Thanks for sharing.

Alissa said:

Sounds like you and your cards are really beginning a long and beautiful relationship! Enjoy them, and thank you for sharing your light.

Click to expand...

I don't know how long for me to be confident enough to do readings for people, but I just like to ask anybody, when did you start reading for others? I know that it must be different from reading for yourself, so I'm curious about whats it like.

Try the newbie reading circles or just the reading exchange. Tell everyone you are new and they will make allowances for you.

You will never know how good it feels to get that positive feedback from someone until you try...

Just coming up on 3 months new to Tarot. My decision to wait to meet the whole deck one card at a time, made me antsy, though I have been doing a major journaling and story of this seeker's journey. I came up with the idea for a review spread for the first level of the Majors (thanks to Rachel Pollack's book "Tarot Wisdom") and actually did a first reading with it. Then a second and third reading as I finished each level. Finally I began readings using many of the wonderful spreads I found here, and have begun a daily draw (4 cards, in the manner of The Guiding Hermit's daily draw, thank you, Paul). I post these, and all of my readings have been for myself, as I learn, because I can see immediately when I am getting the message and when I am not.

I have not read for anyone else, yet. I still have the rest of my deck to meet. I've gone through the first suit (Pentacles) completely, and have begun meeting the Swords now. I did add the Pentacles to the Majors to keep adding to the number of cards I work with everyday, and have new cards to give more rounded readings.

It's such a thrill just to wake up and know that I will be taking my cards out and looking at how the day will be set up.

bornafool], this is a great thread. It can give us newbies a place to come and share, and see how others are going about learning.

[Open Arms] where are the newbie reading circles?

Peace,

Shire

bornafool said:

Dear Shire,

Your the second the person who's ever reminded me of that book!^_^ and infact I do have one myself and had been reading it along with some other different books.

Click to expand...

I have to say that when I was meeting the Majors, especially cards 15 thru 21, that book really helped clarify the meaning for me. I never look at a book until I've written down what I think it is all about, but when I sat there just staring at the card for any length of time, and I couldn't figure out why that was a card in the deck, I turned to "Tarot Wisdom." It has a great wealth of information. I only use the books, though, to see, like you said below, how others see it, or what the evolution of the card was from the first days of Tarot, up through history.

Although I do move kind of slow, but drawing more than one cards has become the moment where I look at myself and ask where I am. It all depends on how I shuffle the cards and draw the cards from how I break them up, then I look at what I get.

Click to expand...

I remember, while I was waiting for deck to arrive, I read a lot about shuffling, and cutting the cards, and spreads, and things I knew would become part of my work with the cards. Quite often, it was recommended to just play with them, like being childhood friends. Sometimes, because right now I'm using only half of my deck to work with (still have the other half to meet), I'll shuffle, not so much in the traditional card shuffling manner, but I'll start making piles, in a haphazard way, and then I'll begin to mix the small piles two at a time until I have two big piles left and then try that traditional shuffle again, just to make sure I've mixed them up really well. It's SO interesting to see what cards come out when I turn them over. Some times certain cards follow me through each day no matter how much I shuffle them, which answers a question I had myself when I began about if a card is meant to be in a reading, it will end up there. That was really cool.

There are 78 cards in total, and I felt that I must be familiar with my own cards first before proceeding to read for others. I just felt that I am still not good enough for myself to read for others since I do not possess the confidence or ability to do that.
Somehow, I must be loyal to my own cards...and must not have any other connection to some other decks or urge to read for others. Right now, its just Him and Me and I really wish that this connection could remain throughout my entire life^_^

Click to expand...

That's how I felt. I wanted to really get to know each card, be respectful of it (though I found some in the deck I really didn't like, and they showed me some things about myself I didn't like. But those were the best moments!)

I haven't read for others, but I've read my write up on readings I'm doing for myself to two other people, and they think that it's pretty spot on, knowing me and what I'm asking the cards about. I already told my partner that I'd do a reading for them, as soon as I've met the whole deck. Since they have no problem telling me I'm way off base in regular conversation, on certain things, I know they'll be as honest with me when I do the reading.

Right now, like you put it, it's my Teacher (Tarot) and Me. If feels right that way.

It must be great to read for others! But I had imagine myself doing it and I get the feeling that I may get too deep with interpretations that I would not like to think of the results. I know I'll be saying alot of things, but I'm afraid that others may become intimidated? because there may be alot of things to say from me. So for myself, I'm still not sure about it until I am confident with myself and the connection I hold with my own cards.
There's a connection for sure, but it is still in the process^_^

Click to expand...

Sometimes I'll write pages on one card in a reading, and other times, it will be a line or two. I think it probably, for me, has to do with what insights I'm looking for, and how the spread might either enhance the reading, or sometimes be an obstacle.

One thing I've been trying, just to see how each card might read differently given the question, and the position in a spread, is to do a simple three card reading, like Card 1 = Opportunity, Card 2 = Challenge and Card 3 = Resolution/Outcome, and I'll go from one group of 3 cards to the next, to see how each card changes given it's position. It's been an interesting exercise, and is helping me to see more in each card. I like that kind of exercise because I do get unsure about certain situations like position, and keeping the question for the cards in mind will slip away sometimes.

The Daily Draw, with a fourth card as the Shadow Card, has been working pretty well for me on a daily basis. It's what I do each morning before doing anything else.

Much Peace,

Shire