Question about Doing Readings

suedeheadsmiths

Hi everyone. I have a question for everyone. Do you think a person shouldn't do a reading when they're depressed. I was wondering because I'm Bi Polar (manic depressive) and was wondering if it affects the accuracy of my readings. I've read that it does before. I was wondering what everyone thought.


Thanks, Chris
 

Miren

It may influence how you interpret the cards. I'm bipolar as well and I know that sometimes I just don't interpret things well when I'm having a bad phase. Do you have the self-awareness to know when you're able to work through the depression, when you can still think well and when you should just throw in the towel until your brain gets back on track? If not, it's the illness and nothing to be ashamed of, but maybe you'd want to hold off.

Also, you could write down your thoughts on the cards and try reading them later to see how your less-depressed self thinks you did. Do some test runs.

And maybe ask yourself, are you ever depressed enough that if you got, say, the 10 Swords as an advice card you'd seriously consider killing yourself? Because then I'd probably just stay away from the cards, as a rule, when depressed. I was like that a few years ago. Now I'm never that depressed.
 

HonestPuck

I think that no matter what mood you are in, some of that is going to reflect how you precive the cards. If you're feeling depressed, the cards may seem dark and ominous; and if you're in a really good mood, the same cards may seem optimistic and hopeful.

Like Miren said, I suggest that you write down your readings, your thoughts about what it means and maybe include what type of miid you were in. Then you can go back and re-evaluate things later on.

Also, try meditating before a reading. Try to calm yourself and clear your mind of everything.
 

suedeheadsmiths

Thanks so much. The problem that I have is that I'm usually depressed a lot of the time. Not enough to be suicidal, I got over that phase a while ago. I do get very negative alot though. So a lot of times I always picture getting bad cards when i do a reading, and it seems alot of times I get many swords and the devil and tower. Cards that I've always feared, so it's hard for me to gage what's going on. I did start keeping a journal though, so I'll go back and review. Thanks for the replies, I know this is a hard subject.

Thanks, Chris
 

SunChariot

Yes readings are very much influenced by your mood at the time. Whatever mood we are in affects how we see the world and thus how we see the cards. It's only natural when feeling down/depressed to see problems shown in the cards but be unable to see solutions that could clearly be there in the answer. Or it is natural as well to read more negativity into the cards when in a negative mood. I personally would not read when depressed, as I would not trust it to be accurate. In fact I have found in my life that when I am depressed it is precisely because I am not seeing life clearly. And I know that would extend to how I see the cards.

Just I would need to be calm to read, I would need to be relatively optimistic too to trust my answers I am getting.

Bar
 

franniee

SunChariot said:
I have found in my life that when I am depressed it is precisely because I am not seeing life clearly. And I know that would extend to how I see the cards.Bar

I agree with sun chariot in that when I am depressed I am not seeing life clearly (NO DOUBT) but I believe it is personal whether or not that is going to effect the way you read....i think you need to determine that yourself. I think you need to follow Miren's advice and keep a journal and see where you fall.... not on your readings for yourself (NEVER) but on your readings for others....take you out of the equation (because it is you, you are down on) let's see how you read for others happy and depressed. If it is not a personal subject will you be objective???? I know I would be. But I am not bi polar and I don't know how you feel - it is out of my realm. But I have had depression over the years and a nasty bout of post partum which last for a long time and was not fun! but never severe enough to alarm anyone so I just wonder.....

I think you hold the key! See what the journal says.... also try and get oracles or inspirtational cards and work on your mantras.....I try when I am sad to work on thanking the universe and trying to be postive .... it helps some even though I know it is chemical most of the time ... but I try to overcome.....the mind is a tremendous organ that we only use a fraction of.... imagine the untapped potential. I try and try and motivate myself when i don't wan to get out of my bed.....like today! But having a young little one doesn't allow me too much leeway. much :love: and :light: to you!!!!
 

53rdspirit

Hello suedeheadsmiths.

Interesting question. Early on I used to think that being depressed or ill would affect how I interpret the tarot (because that is what I had read) so I decided to test that theory and would go to another reader to have my cards read whenever I was feeling really down, and you know what? --they still came out dark/depressed/whatever, so I have come to the conclusion that the cards are going to come out the same way in states of depression/illness whether I read them for myself or someone else does it (their cards, their readng) for me.

Just like if I do a few readings on the same question --most/many of the same cards almost always show up. It's like something is telling me --"Look, I told you it's gonna be this way, so cut it out!"

That's my experience anyway...
 

EarthFaery

I have struggled with this too. I'm not bi-polar, but I have anxiety/depression. I went through a period of time when every reading I did was negative, and the tower was a regular occurance, it got to the point where I felt such a sense of doom, I had to put the cards down for a while.

One thing I found that helps is to tell myself to clear my negative thoughts and concentrate on a positive reading. It's like having to separate yourself from the cards but stay connected at the same time. I also found that writing out my interpretation helps me realize things aren't nearly as bad as I think.