Have you ever been totally off the mark with your first impression of a reading/card?

Hey folks,

this has happened to me twice now: I turn over a card and have an instant idea what it's about. I go with that although I get second thoughts about a different interpretation. And then it turns out to be waaaay off the mark, and the second thoughts would have been much better, especially if I'd followed them. Have some of you ever had this? How do you know? 'Cause sometimes I get this instant understanding and I'm bang on course.

I'm puzzled a bit...
skinofthesoul~

Yes this happens to me as well. But I don't see it as a problem, it's more like seeing new layers, new meanings which sums up to the first impression. This happens most with cards with pip-style OR scenery cards with rich loads of information on them. For example: Tarot de Marseille or Tarot of Prague.
I think there is no harm in seeing more layers as long as you are openminded to this process. Tarot is alive and in communication with us, nothing wrong with changing a mind as this is part of learning imo.
Blessings

You do have to keep an open mind. I used to read cards a lot faster than I do now. I force myself to go slower and allow as many layers as I can access to come through. First impressions CAN be spot-on, but it really helps to let the the slower inspirations work their way out.

This happens when I read for myself. I lay the cards out and instantly know what they mean. Then I leave the spread there and later I'll end up dreaming about it and when I wake up, I will have realized what it actually meant and how wrong I was and I'll wonder why I didn't see it before. It doesn't happen when I read for others but it happens almost every time I read for myself.

Of course!

I just did a reading where the ten of Wands came up in the "root" position of my own spread and went immediately to one meaning....turns out it was the exact opposite....the sitter loved doing all of the things that I said the Ten of Wands said he DIDN'T love doing....that's ok....it happens....Marion's suggestion of taking time is a good one...I usually do...but this time, I went with what popped right in.

I guess what's important is hoping that there is something of good guidance in the reading...what's helpful about the readings, rather than what's "wrong" about it.

terri

I never ever jump head first into a reading, experience has taught me that ppl are very sensitive about the first words in a reading, so I think twice before I speak.

Once, I told someone they were a confident and strong person, and they said just the opposite was true and were seeking councelling for it.

I took it to mean there was a deeper truth there than they could see. That underneath they were that person, and just had to find a way to remove what thoughts fears... were blocking it for them. I just think the cards were trying to tell them not to give up hope, they were that person underneath and just had to find it and make use of it.

I don't think they agreed with me though, but I think in time they will find it.

Usually I am quite a firm believer in our first reactions in Tarot being the right ones. Are you sure yours were inaccurate on those occasions? Not to doubt you, but I know I have quite a few times done readings for myself that I thought were completely off the mark. I saved them of course and when I looked back 3-4 months later I found they had been perfectly accurate. It was just at the time I did the reading I was stuck in a certain mindframe (emotional rut) and could not see or imagine anything that did not fit into it.

And I have found that people don't always see themselves clearly. For example, you can have this friend whom you see every day facing her fears and you know the courage it takes her. And you can tell this person they are courageos and they cannot see it in themselves and will deny it adamantly. A Tarot reading will tell the absolute truth. You can do a reading for this person and tell them they're courageus/brave...and they will tell you you're nuts, they are the opposite of that...And nevertheless the fact remains that they are brave. They can tell you that reading is wrong if they are unprepared to see themselves that way, but yet it is right.

I think a lot of that can go on sometimes, that Tarot tells the truth, but sometimes we have these emotional blinders on and cannot accept that that is the truth.

I hope that makes some sense,

Babs

SunChariot, you have a lot of good points there, I will keep them in mind. But in these two cases, the reading was quite verifiable. And afterwards it made perfect sense with the situation as it was, and with my second thoughts. Hmmm... I think I still have to learn how to distinguish between different sorts of first impressions... like Marion says, learn to take my time and not cut off the stream of thoughts/feelings just because I like the first thing I get. It's an interesting experience, I'll take to heart what has been said here.

Thank you all
skinofthesoul~