How do you turn to your Tarot when mentally disturbed??

pacificwaters

Just before I get down to what I exactly want to know, just a brief...

Yesterday I was very very upset with certain problems that have been plaguing me since long. I wanted to read my deck, but I was not in the mental state to actually sit and really read it, but even then I had to lay out a spread...I had to!

So I did lay out a 3 card spread and asked my deck for advice about how to deal with the situation. The first of the three cards was the Ten of Swords. This I followed up with 2 more cards as per the spread. Not satisfied, I further followed with 3 significators...One of them was the Nine of Swords. I just felt like drawing out cards and hence the 3 significatos

No doubt the 9 and 10 of swords were accurately describing my mental condition.

Anyways... coming back to my question. I don't know if I can accurately ask what I want to know. But still....How to you deal with your Tarot when you are low/upset? And probably how does your Tarot react back?? Any personal suggestions on what to do when low but still want to read the cards???

I know what I wrote might be confusing...But just needed your inputs...
 

Sulis

Moderator message

Please stick to the question and don't be tempted to comment on these particular cards. PacificWaters if you want to discuss this reading you need to post it in Your Readings :).

Thanks.

Sulis - Talking Tarot co-moderator
 

pacificwaters

Sorry I forgot to mention this...I don't want any analysis of the cards...(I just mentioned them) ... and that's precisely the reason I didn't post it in the Your Reading section...
 

hunter

I'll comment more tonight, but if I want to lay a Celtic Cross and am too brain dead to read it, "The Instant Tarot Reader" gives canned explanations for each card in each position, that are applicable to someone in crisis. The book works reasonably well with any RWS clone, but at times I used the ZF deck just to make things easier on myself.
 

Manda

When I am upset or in the throes of anxiety, which I have a lot of struggles with, I do something I call Comfort Me Tarot. I pull a card or three with the intention that these cards have comforting words for me. I then read them in the absolute most positive light possible.

I also do a spread I call Worst Fear/Best Hope, a two carder which usually lays my fears out and gives me a way to address them.

I might ask for the source of my anxiety, and for practical advice to deal with it.

What I do not do is lay out large spreads or cards with no positional meanings because in that state of mind I will read the cards in the worst possible way every time. I have even managed to convince myself the Lovers/Ten of Cups as how The Man feels about me is that he regrets marrying me and plans to get out as soon as he can. Anxiety is a liar and is self protective, in that it wants only to protect itself and stay around by any means necessary.

Sometimes I like to just shuffle, pull cards and make a story as a distraction. Or read for whatever may be on television or what I am reading. Just not for myself unless I have forced myself to only pull helpful cards, with good advice. Even if you get a "problem" card in those positions you can find good things to read in them.
 

GryffinSong

What I do is this. I get out a big piece of paper and sketch the spread with a quick outline for each card. Then I shuffle, trying to calm myself. Then I draw the cards out. I look at each one briefly, to see if they've got anything to say to me, despite my state of mind. Then I jot down on my paper what cards I got. After they're written down (I usually sketch at least part of the card (esp. the suit symbol) because I'm very visual. Then I look back at the cards and go over them again and jot down the first things that pop into my mind about each card. I go back and forth between my paper and my cards until I feel I can't get anything else out of them. Then I put everything away and revisit the spread when I'm feeling calmer.

Interestingly, I was looking through an old sketchbook just last night. I found a spread I'd done back in 1993 during the final stages of my divorce. It was fascinating to see the notes I took, how far I've come, and how the underlying issues still resonate for me but at a different level.
 

MareSaturni

But still....How to you deal with your Tarot when you are low/upset?

You don't. You give yourself time to rest and feel better before reading.


And probably how does your Tarot react back?? Any personal suggestions on what to do when low but still want to read the cards???

Tarot will give you the answers, yes, but it's YOUR ability to interpret that will be impaired, not the cards. The cards will be well. They may reflect your mood if it's particularly strong. But the problem is not tarot, is you and the fact you will probably not have the detachment needed to read for yourself.

I do think you can read for strangers though, because you are naturally distant from their issues. But if you are feeling too low, I'd advice drinking tea, eating something nice, trying to keep yourself grounded and leave tarot in the drawer for a couple of days.

If you want to read the cards, you can do it, but know that you may not interpret any of the readings accurately, because of your mental state. And it may contribute to your stress and sadness.
 

starrystarrynight

If I'm mentally upset, I can't read for myself or anyone else. So, I put the cards aside and do something that will calm my mind--exercise works well.

I can't really do anything with a good outcome when I am too mentally upset--I end up burning the food, spilling the paint, or breaking the sewing machine needle (you get the point,) and then I end up even more mentally upset. It's not worth it.
 

vee

If I'm upset and I feel pulled to use my Tarot cards, I'll either do a One Card "Guidance" draw or I'll just pick a specific card that I know is relevant/helpful and meditate on it. I think that when you're frantic or upset or depressed, it might be difficult to accurately interpret an entire spread. Instead of focusing on nuance and intuition, you might jump to hasty conclusions. I agree with the previous poster that exercise is a great way to boost or even out your mood before you use Tarot. When I want to do a serious reading, I prefer to approach the Tarot with a mindful and calm mindset.
 

Asbestos Mango

Hmm. Interesting.

I've found that just doing a Tarot reading (and writing out my interpretations on pen and paper, it doesn't work if I type them up on the computer) will relieve my anxiety. It doesn't do much for depression, though. As often as not, I find my depressed state of mind reflected back at me, with little or no advice on how to deal with it.

I would say try reading with the lightest deck you've got (Mine's the Gilded), where even the worst cards can be read with an optimistic interpretation.