cards make no sense when doing readings to myself?

i remember there was same exact thread few months ago.
just back then i was considering getting tarot.


but i can't remember how the problem was dealt. and now i can't find that thread. so i guess if someone directed me to that thread and closed this one, it would be fine.


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i ordered a deck and while waiting for it, i was studying tarot.

i recieved my tarot deck a week ago. tried doing a reading to myself, cards made no sense at all. i got disapointed. tired again the next day. nothing.

i tried all kind of ways to connect with my deck. nothing helped.

then one day somebody asked for a reading over the internet. i gave her.
surprisingly, the reading was very accurate. i was filled with joy.
for the next couple of days i gave away several readings for different people, the cards never let me down. all the readings were accurate.

today i decided to open the cards for myself, again. they gave me nothing. i tried again. they made no sense.

why? what am i doing differently when i am reading to myself than reading to somebody else? how can i fix it?
help

Well i'm also new to tarot.But sometimes getting a clear reading for yourself is kinda hard.I should know.Becuz at the same time,you want to say what you see, and you see what you want to see.Am I explaining myself?It's kinda hard to explain.Or maybe what Im saying has nothing to do with what your saying.

[Edited by Moderator to remove reading request & e-mail as contrary to Aeclectic Forum policy.]

It can very difficult to read your own cards. I recall that it took quite a long time before my own readings made sense to me..
But eventually they did.

I would suggest trying to centre yourself before doing a reading so that you are both relaxed and focused. I find that a hot bath with a purifying essential oil like eucalyptus or rosemary works very well before doing my own readings.

Though, this is very subjective, I think everyone probably gravitates to a method that works best for them personally.

I find that it is difficult for me to read my own cards, and I usually ask a friend to do it. As a human being, it is important to know your own hang ups and other things that make you somewhat less than objective when reading for yourself. This isn't a bad thing, but it is always easier to tell some one else what is wrong with them than tell it to yourself.

it's not that it's hard to read them. they completley make no sense.
and i do realize that i am doing something differently when reading to myself. i am channeling the energy differently or something. i am not sure.


i just hope there's someone out there who been through this and was able to fix it.

I've been reading tarot for about 9 years and I think in all my readings, I have only been able to do 3 for myself that make any sense.
At first I thought it was down to experience, and maybe I just wasn't thinking properly, but when you are in a certain situation its hard to remove yourself from it to think clearly.
I think it is just a combination of them trying to tell me something that I either don't want to know about or when I am just not in the mood. This is especially so when I am stressed out or worried about something so that most likely makes it worse.

Saying that, I've had a breakthrough of late and did a reading on Sunday for myself, on a whim, and I laughed out loud when my reading was practically screaming out to me and I got it first time. (I swear I will never doubt tarot and yesterday just made sure of it!)

But saying that, whenever I do reading for myself it always comes out as a backup information or an extension into information about what has happened or what will happen unless I ___, rather than what will happen.

There is something really satisfying about doing a reading and it all making perfect sense. Ahhh.

Reading for yourself is hard, and most folks find that even very experienced readers.

A few tricks I have read here:

Pretend you are reading for someone else, to the extent of propping up a teddy bear across from you and very seriously reading 'its' cards. Which are for you.

Don't worry about that aspect for a while. Read for others, read on world events, do readings on fictional and historical characters. It helps your readings skills and improves your confidence.

Here's the real trick. You are picking good cards for yourself. For the time being you are blocking them. This will pass.

Some time, when I can’t read the spread for me, I do this.
I leave the spread on the table doing something else, for example: cooking meanwhile I trying to focalized what card is the most important
In other word I try to understand what the spread it telling me. Is some kind of apprehension.
That works for me

There are probably as many reasons for not being able to read for yourself as there are people in that position.

As an analogy...consider an dancer who is learing a new dance. The first few times through it, the dancing is probably pretty stiff. The dancer is not moving with the grace and fluidity that will be present after the dance becomes second nature.

Go through the motions. Do a "by the book" reading. If you are just learning, have your cheat sheets out. Reduce the pressure on yourself. Consider this time as rehearsal. Develope a pattern of behavior until it is second nature. For instance, when I'm reading I -

Make a cup of tea.

Prepare a space for the reading (usually the table is covered with the latest project).

Prepare myself, grounding, protection, creating a sacred space/circle.

Focus on the deck and the question in my mind as I shuffle.

Lay out the cards.

One by one consider the meaning of the card within the spread, and this is where the tea comes in handy. Give yourself time to relax.

When finished I collect my cards, clear my space, close my circle.

Sounds like a lot of steps, but I've only broken things down into manageable steps. Building up a ritual will make your reading easier. It got so I could pull out my cards in a noisy party, focus and do a reading without being distracted.

If you find that you are just unable to read for yourself, well, that's what your friends are for! But if you've tried it once or twice and it hasn't worked, remember to keep trying. You may just need to develop your own patten and second nature.

to SjN reading your own

obviousely guides around you are working if you're reading others' and its accurate. Get to know how they speak to you by doing the following:

When you do readings for consistant friends/relatives, find out not only their court card, but when they are well and happy which cards "follow" them, they own that one or two or...even where it comes frequently. For a Celtic Cross, Like a 4 Pent (the Rook) up in the "How Others See position", might be some person who is misunderstood.

This requires taking really careful notes.
This is how you work into yours backwards, you'll note how they enter into your day or week, Like the Hopes position on the Celtic Cross can also be like a computer e-mail "in box"

When individuals "own" a card, the definitions don't always translate by the book, that's where the confusion is. But if a person is typically a "person who knows how to do...(anything) not only might he or she be the Hermit, that person might guide the activities of the 9s around the "board".

Through process of elimination, you'll get to see who you are percieved as, and don't be afraid of the truth. All the cards have a positive reason for being there. Go outside of the "little white book" and use intuition about how your own guides are "languaging" to you.

One great example when you are doing your own, note when the [19] Sun pops in, who will you see that day/week and is the "heart" of the spread you, or are you picking up that person strongly.

Here's another test. If you use reversals, note when you get an Ace of Wands reversed, and somebody else gets it Up, who did you help with your life force? Lend a hand to... There again, by sneaking in backwards, you'll get to know your role.