Psychic noise across different decks.

I really struggled with coming up for a good title for this thread.

But anyway, I've been doing a lot of reading lately with my Robin Wood deck. I think the art is lovely and it doesn't take much for me to "snap" into the card and immediately pull out what it's telling me.

Based on a few spreads I've done recently, I have to wonder...does this deck just give me what I want to hear? Is it so impressionable that my own original reactions to a situation filter in to it and come back to me as a supposed description of reality? I sometimes get the feeling that this deck can be a little too..."nice" to me. That's what I mean by psychic noise: stuff that I pick up in a reading that isn't actually indicative of anything that's going on. I don't ever recall that happening with other decks I use (Feng Shui, Rider-Waite, Gilded, Thoth, Dragon).

How do you separate your ego from your readings? Do you have a deck that is just sometimes too nice? If so, how do you manage with that?

boy I have felt that way too all last week. I have Robin Wood (my fave!!) and I used it to tell me if i was on the right track with what another deck was telling me (the quest) and I swore it was telling me what I wanted to hear. I thought maybe Im calling the cards or something? but yesterday I got all my confirmations when the friend I was reading for called me and told me what had been going in lately (exactly what the robin wood was telling me) and now I think wow what a powerful deck this is!!

but still that thought you mentioned is always in the back on my head but I have to stop second guessing myself and just believe its telling me whats right.

only my two cents

I've never had that happen to me, however it might be the 'feel' of the deck. It might be too light and fluffy for real deep questions--I don't have the deck BTW--but I doubt it. Maybe you're used to darker decks and the feel is different.

I have the Ator Tarot and feel that it might give more light hearted answers than the Thoth Tarot I'm now using.

The biggest complaint you see about the Robin Wood deck is that it is like a "barbie" Tarot, in regards to the art style (you can check it out on Aeclectic to take a look). I can kind of understand that but I think that's a really nitpicky complaint.

I'm not used to darker decks as much as duller decks. Decks that don't have such lively and engaging art (though, except the Rider-Waite, definitely gorgeous). When interpreting those decks, I generally go with the traditional meaning that I know from reading books and discussion here, maybe a few hints from the pictures, what I know of numerology etc. But the Robin Wood deck is a more intuitive sort of deck, and I think she intended it to be that way.

The Thoth tarot is pretty serious, in my estimation. I love it, but I use it when I'm asking more...abstracted...questions. I think that deck much prefers to help me in my personal development as opposed to being a nosy Nelly. =P So I'm not surprised that any other deck looks light-hearted in comparison with that. =P

This could just be your presonal reaction to the art, the way it affects you. I guess I'm talking about the intersection of the viewer's personal sensibilities and an artist's style.

Most people will get a different feel from a Pollock than from a Vermeer, and those reactions will have just as much to do with the paintings as with those looking at them.

The art on the Robin Wood is very upbeat. The colors are vivid and the general feel is a "happy" one. To me, it looks like it was meant to be a positive, upbeat deck. This could account for its perceived niceness.

If you're used to darker, or more subdued, decks, as others have suggested, then you have an additional reason to find its answers too polite.

Yep. I have this same exact problem with the Hanson Roberts. It's just way too nice to me! Not that all the cards are always nice either...

But then I sort of have this problem with most decks and most readings for myself...I'm not nearly good enough to distance myself from what I see...

that's why I read for myself with oracle decks.

I own a Rider-Waite and a Gilded, and sitters usually prefer the Gilded's illustrations. The images seem to "speak" to the sitters in such a way even the middleman (the reader) is ommited when she flips a card like say, The Lovers. I know someone who'd shrieked when I flipped that card! I quietly expect the girl's reaction wouldn't be so strong if it were a 2 of Cups that got flipped instead.

Look at the different mulitudes of intimacy the 2 of Cups and The Lovers could hint at, or the different multitudes of harshness of 9 of Swords and 5 of Swords. Now the Gilded is usually a kindly lady spirit. I once queried the Gilded, pointedly asking her "whose fault was it?", and she gave me a tongue-whipping -- the fault was wholly mine, like everyone's told me.

primier position, Page of Cups = you
9 of Swords = letting your emotions keep you awake at night, needlessly
The Fool = naive path
advice, 8 of Cups = put this behind you. you must resume your search for the ninth cup

There...
That did make me move on in life.
BUT, sometimes the Gilded can be charming. If a sitter is in obvious distress, the Gilded will do its thing.

Point is, sometimes decks will sugar-coat their messages, and other times it will shout at you. As a reader, I can't always decide if the sitter ought to hear the harsh truth or not, but I trust the cards will apply the appropriate energies for the greater good of the sitter, usually.

Kobarot said:

That's what I mean by psychic noise: stuff that I pick up in a reading that isn't actually indicative of anything that's going on.

Click to expand...

In my opinion, it's not stuff that's not indicative of what's going on, but rather stuff that may be going on that you're not allowing yourself to see. It's stuff that the cards are trying to tell you and that you're not going to be able to "snap" out of them and that, in fact, you may even be in denial of.

Kobarot said:

How do you separate your ego from your readings? Do you have a deck that is just sometimes too nice? If so, how do you manage with that?

Click to expand...

I don't think it's the deck being too nice. I think it's just that the deck's art work is easier for us to tune into. I think what you're referring to is the meanings that pop out at us easily. Right? The surface, immediate meanings on first glance, not the ones that we have to dig a little deeper for. The Robin Wood is certainly that kind of deck for me. I think it is for a lot of people. That's why it's such a good deck to learn from.

And by getting our ego out of the way, maybe you mean how do we become objective enough to read for ourselves? In that case, my answer is that I usually prefer not to read for myself because it's very difficult to be objective enough to get good answers. I just usually don't even try.

Kobarot said:

How do you separate your ego from your readings? Do you have a deck that is just sometimes too nice? If so, how do you manage with that?

Click to expand...

I think that when a reader (and this happens to me as well) seems to get a lot psychic noise from a deck, that the problem is a disconnect between the reader and the deck art.

I don't know if it is even possible to completely separate your ego from anything.... well, maybe Tibetan monks who have studied and practised since they were three years old!

The deck can indeed be 'too nice' for your turn of mind. And, it may be a deck that would work for you in another period of your life.

Marion

I think it would be helpful for people to stop associating positive messages with 'ego' or 'lack of objectivity' or 'hearing what you want to hear' or the deck being 'too nice'.

Sometimes messages are positive and that's that. Sometimes your intuition is already giving you the positive message beforehand (but you're dismissing it because it's good or what you actually would enjoy) and the reading merely reflects the same positive message or shows you a path and mindset to achieve that positive end that you want.

I don't know why so many people want to attract negativity and scariness to readings, or for the truth to always be 'harsh'. Life is already harsh. I believe tarot is a tool to help and attract positivity and improvement, not to scare the crap out of you or tell you off. I tend to think that in itself is a bit... wrongheaded. You can embrace the good in life (and yourself) and attract it and not fear it. You can use tarot in a kind and loving way, and 'use your powers for good' as the saying goes. People so often think they're being clever by maligning the good (and the ego, in this sort of topic, lol). They embrace and revel in negativity way too much. It's like using 'I was just being honest' as an excuse to be rude and cold to others. Why do that to yourself either?

As to psychic noise, that's just a matter of focus I think. You'll still have thoughts going through your head as long as you're alive. The mind never stops. Also, it could be that you are guessing, not truly 'picking up' on something.

Also, the more you use your intuition the more open you will become to listening to it and getting accurate impressions, whether they correspond to the cards or not. They might be extra things you're picking up on, while reading, that are also valid - or that are valid for yourself or someone else, but not the querant in front of you.

Also, and finally, sometimes you will simply be wrong. No one's ever going to be 100% accurate. Humans are imperfect.