Giving the cards the credit...

I've been finding myself doing this lately.

Before I read, I pray silently for a few minutes, then ask the Holy Spirit to show me what I need to know for the day, or the coming day, or, more lately, how to cope with my stress and anxiety.

I usually get readings that are empowering, advising me on what I can do constructively about my life, or what I can expect to have to deal with the next day, and often how best to deal with it.

But even though I know that the information really comes from my own subconscious mind, I tend to think in terms of "I did a reading, and the cards told me to..." as though the cards themselves were the oracle, rather than a tool for bringing to light things I already know on a semi-conscous or unconscious level.

Does anybody else find themselves doing this, behaving as if the answers came from the cards, rather than through them?

Hi Asbestos Mango,

I just wanted to let you know that I also take a few moments to pray before I read, and as such I am completely open to the idea that it is not 100% my subconscious mind providing the results, but a higher power. Of course, I am also equally open to the idea that it really is my subconscious/unconscious mind, but the tarot was used as a tool to get it to connect to that higher power and then show me the results in a way that I can understand on a fully conscious level. So, I can't say I'd think it comes from the cards exactly, but I'm still open to the idea of it coming from somewhere that is not necessarily my unconscious mind. I hope that makes sense

The bunnies really do talk to me! I feel so bad for all the people here who do not have talking bunnies :-(

Life can be way too serious if we let it be.

And after the article on tarot and hair, my hair is now a psychic antenna

Great topic! I've been using a prayer that was given to me decades ago by my cousin, a Spiritualist Church leader (minister? pastor?) in Connecticut. It's mainly a "clearing" prayer of the "white light" variety.

Regardless of where the inspiration comes from (personal subconscious, cosmic consciousness) I do see the tarot as a kind of "can-opener" that opens a channel for the insights I get while reading. The esotericists believe that the tarot operates on the "astral plane," which is the plane of psychic phenomenon such as clairvoyance, dreams, illusions, skrying, subliminal communication, spirit contacts, etc. (and which is why "clearing" is appropriate). I've always felt that this channel is two-way when I'm performing a reading for someone, often giving subtle inflection to the card meanings and establishing a non-verbal communication link between us that I can nudge with intuitive suggestions whenever the reading stalls on a particularly nebulous image. The cards themselves don't "talk" to me but they definitely open my eyes and ears (and mind) to receive the message. I'm reminded of the old Harlan Ellison short-story title "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream." Sometimes it's that insistent.

This may seem strange, but I just don't dwell on the "credit." I prefer the process to the result, the questions to the answers, the experience to the belief. I don't know who I am talking to when I read tarot, only that I am listening.

Of course! I give the cards all the credit. I'm just the mailperson reading the mail the Universe has sent you via the cards. They speak with a language not everyone has learned, so I'm the interpreter because I did learn it and I'm becoming more fluent in that language every day.

I have a hard time believing that it is just the subconscious that brings about meanings in the cards. There have been a few times that certain cards consistently came up for me. Although I know that attributing the fact that the same three cards in a three card spread came up three times in a row and giving that as proof that the cards are supernatural is technically a logical fallacy, I also think that it at least provides some evidence that something deeper is going on than just my subconscious finding a voice. I don't see the cards themselves as intelligent and animate, but I do leave room in my mind for the possibility that there is a higher consciousness speaking through them as much as I also acknowledge that the human brain is remarkable at creating patterns out of chaos. I'm comfortable with the ambiguity of it.

As such, I don't have a problem with showing respect to the cards and thanking them when they reveal something to me. If it's a "higher power," then it's the least we can do to show respect and compassion. Even if it is just your subconscious, there is nothing wrong with thanking the medium through which your subconscious speaks and, in a sense, thanking yourself. Sometimes I think our subconscious likes to be mistaken for something outside of ourselves. (I can't believe I'm referring to a part of myself in the third person lol) But I think that being mistaken for something else makes the subconscious feel more powerful and, in turn, it becomes more willing to reveal things to us.

I give my Tarot cards as much as I give my phone credit when I'm calling someone. In fact, I think that's exactly what the Tarot cards are in some obscure way... a phone. Use it to call on what you believe in and trust to lead you to the right answers, whether it's in yourself or in a higher power. The cards deserve only part of the credit, there is something more behind it. What? Could be your subconscious, your spirit guides, the Fates, whatever... I don't know, I don't pretend to know. I just know that the fact that a deck of card can answer questions so accurately is kind of freaky sometimes.

Barleywine said:

Great topic! I've been using a prayer that was given to me decades ago by my cousin, a Spiritualist Church leader (minister? pastor?) in Connecticut. It's mainly a "clearing" prayer of the "white light" variety.

Regardless of where the inspiration comes from (personal subconscious, cosmic consciousness) I do see the tarot as a kind of "can-opener" that opens a channel for the insights I get while reading. The esotericists believe that the tarot operates on the "astral plane," which is the plane of psychic phenomenon such as clairvoyance, dreams, illusions, skrying, subliminal communication, spirit contacts, etc. (and which is why "clearing" is appropriate). I've always felt that this channel is two-way when I'm performing a reading for someone, often giving subtle inflection to the card meanings and establishing a non-verbal communication link between us that I can nudge with intuitive suggestions whenever the reading stalls on a particularly nebulous image. The cards themselves don't "talk" to me but they definitely open my eyes and ears (and mind) to receive the message. I'm reminded of the old Harlan Ellison short-story title "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream." Sometimes it's that insistent.

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that prayer sounds interesting , would you mind sharing it?

Grizabella said:

Of course! I give the cards all the credit. I'm just the mailperson reading the mail the Universe has sent you via the cards. They speak with a language not everyone has learned, so I'm the interpreter because I did learn it and I'm becoming more fluent in that language every day.

Click to expand...

this.


in general I think the universe the colective conciousness or whatever , is always trying to send us messages ; tea leaves , dreams , rune casting , etc. , the tarot is just one way to descipher those messages one wich is perhaps easier for us because it has a structure , but ... no I dont think I thank the cards , I think we could get the messages in many other ways it is all about your ability to see and " crack the code" desypher the message, etc.

otherwise they are just paper , and crystals are just rocks , and dreams are just a way your mind organizes information and visions are just dementia etc XD



in your case for example , are "the cards" what give you the message? or the holy spirit? would you thank the paper fro writting to you?

but of course I know nothing about nothing n.n