Do you read for yourself? Why/Why not?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 27 Jul 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

divinerguy	27 Jul 2002
I study my cards, I read about Tarot like a shark eats fish. But I don't read the cards for myself. I just don't care to know. I don't know if I'm afraid of what that cards will say, or if I truly don't care. I'm not ready to be quite that honest with myself yet.

the hermit	27 Jul 2002
I draw a card every morning and meditate about it. I've done that for years. But I also do a 3 card spread (past, present, future) almost every evening. Partly to comtemplate the day, partly to just see what the cards say. I almost never ask a question, not even a general one, other than to just say that this card is related to the past, this to the present, this to the future. I've also done this exercise for years. It helped me learn the cards, their classical meaning and allowed me to become more intuitive with my interpretations. As to why? Because I felt it would and does help me be attuned to whatever decks I'm currently working with. Several books suggested it, so did several teachers... and it worked for me so I still do it.

amyel	27 Jul 2002
I read more for myself then anyone else at this point, although that was not always the case. But it can be frustrating. It is hard to be objective when reading for yourself, and I think this is the problem.

wavebreaker	27 Jul 2002
I too read mostly for myself, when I want some advice on a particular situation. And sometimes I'm just curious what they have to tell me ;). But it's true, it's sometimes difficult to be objective when reading for yourself, so when the reading is important to me I ask somebody else to look at it, for example by posting the reading in the Your Readings section. I also draw a daily card, mostly to learn more about the cards.

Maan	27 Jul 2002
If i would never read for myself i would have never learned tarot:( It is like others stated sometimes hard to be objective but that's why i keep a tarot journal. The daily cards are also a good way for me to stay objective because i can check if i was correct and learn from it for the future:)

Keslynn	27 Jul 2002
I often read for myself simply because of a lack of willing "victims" to practice on. I shall have to become active on the Reading Exchange forum soon, but I'm absolutely voracious. I love to learn, and I love to do readings, so often it ends up having to be on myself. I do a daily card draw when I think of it. I will also do larger spreads (mostly CC) on bigger issues in my life. I find that the cards give me a lot of clarity and help me to work through potentially tough situations a lot better than I might have without the assistance. As for being able to be objective, I'm working on that. Often I feel that I am able to get enough distance to get accurate readings. Strangely enough, the cards seem to lend themselves to more objective analysis - reflecting things like a mirror so I can look at things outside myself. Hmmm... hope that made sense. If I still get confused, I'll post here in Your Readings. Often my intuition will tell me when I'm too close to the situation to get a clear reading for myself, and then I simply don't do it. I have learned to trust that feeling because I've been punished with gibberish readings when I do not. :) Kes

Phoenix	27 Jul 2002
I find that I cannot read for my self unless it is a trivial matter, card a day, or something very very big.

Kyrie Blue	27 Jul 2002
I do read for myself, because frankly, I'm pretty much my best guinea pig at the moment. I have read for family a bit but mostly for myself. I don't have enough confidence to read outside of my immediate family yet...basically because I am still learning.

Sally Gardens	28 Jul 2002
I've read for myself from the beginning. It's part of my spiritual practice. I see Tarot as a tool for reflection and meditation and insight into my inner life and my life's journey; I lay out the cards and the images start to evoke certain responses in me. A thought comes to mind...an emotional reaction, unbidden...a particular turn of phrase...and my mind starts to make connections, card to card, cards to life, life to life. Hope that makes sense. It's a very intuitive process - though after I've done the initial "intuitive" reading, I also refer to the books for additional insight; sometimes the author's phrase will be just the right one to give additional illumination on a key point. But I never scrap my original intuitive reading for "thus saith the book." ;) I'd like to have opportunity to read for others, just to see if I can do it and to learn how to do it, and see if it's something I might be good at. Can I help others use the cards to draw their needed insights from within themselves? Meanwhile, it's part of my solitary spirituality. ;)

Helruna	28 Jul 2002
I sometimes read for myself, but I somwhow don't always feel like I really do need to do a reading on myself. Lately though, I admit, I am trying to do some more readings, more like a "spiritual" exercise, to relate to them on another level then just "reading for others" and find out some things about myself. In the beginning, I only had myself to read for, which I found quite difficult as being objective was hard at times, and I wasn't comfortable with all the meanings yet. BB, Helruna

Liliana	28 Jul 2002
I read for myself because I have this horrid fear of sounding like an idiot when reading for others, I only recently felt I have enough knowledge to read for anyone else at all, and then only online (they cant see if I have to look at a book for a sec lol). But really I dont read often at all, I appreciate and study and meditate, but readings are fairly scarce. :THP

truthsayer	28 Jul 2002
i mostly read for myself b/c there aren't many ppl that i admit i read cards to out of self-preservation. i think i can be honest to myself w/ what i see. some decks refuse to give anything but the truth no matter how harsh it might sound. i really need to do some online readings at least to stay in practice.

Laurel	28 Jul 2002
I read for myself, for lots of reasons that are posted here. I only read about psychological/spiritual matters rather than the day-to-day mundane, though. I use the cards to actually help myself be more objective and to sort through my thoughts and feelings. Journaling is a godsend because I can go back through and see the patterns in both my readings and my thoughts. Laurel

Violet Gargoyle	28 Jul 2002
I read for myself to practice, unfortunately since I know myself best, I cant do it for actual answers, otherwise I will nitpick it and can make the card fit anything that it could apply to in my life, then I double guess myself. When I read for other people, they usually know what I am refering to off the bat. I still like to shuffle and practice on myself but it is from a removed standpoint, sort of like practicing stringing the story together from the cards that come up.

mooncat2	28 Jul 2002
Now I have real people to read for - hurrah for the exchange - I don't often read for myself. There was a time when I was the only person available to read for. If I do its for spiritual guidance/personal development - 3 cards every morning and a monthly spread for focus for the month. I've found that the more I read for others the worse I become at interpreting my own cards. Strange!

Starfish	28 Jul 2002
Yes - as others have mentioned, I'm my own guinea pig :) I am using the Tarot to help me on my path of self-enlightenment :D. It's helped alot already. :THERM

VGimlet	29 Jul 2002
I read for myself; always have. Like everyone else has stated so far, primarily for practice, but also because I enjoy it. I find it very relaxing, most of the time. :) For me, the cards remind me I have a choice in how I will react to any situation that comes up in my life.

catlin	30 Jul 2002
I have read for myself practically for ages. I only started doing readings for others 10 years ago, partly because I did not want ppl to know that I am a reader (I was terrribly shy about charging fees for the reading), partly I was not sure about how others wíll react on the reading. Luckily, these days are long gone by :D

Kiama	30 Jul 2002
When I first started out I read solely for myself and my friend, buit it wasn't serious: We werejust mucking about, asking tehcards if soand-so fancied us, etc... (We were 12!) and none of the readings I did were accurate. However, I definitely learned about the cards and their meanings during those silly readings, so they did come in handy. Nowadyas, I find it best practice to read for othes, and I really enjoy doing it. Whenever a friend is in a quandary, I don't hesitate to offer to do them reading on the mattr! I find however now, that when I try to read for myself, I o not get the sam reaction to the card sas I would if I was doing one for thers. Y'see, when I do areadig for others, I actually have to express the meaning of the cards in WORDS, whereas when I am reading for myself, I merely get images, feelings, and keywords... Not really conducive for a proper reading! This couldbe cuz I don't NEED to actually voice the meanings to mysef, as I do for others, and it cold just be that when I have receieved the images and felins, I cannot be bothered to continue, wereas for others I will carry on. I guess I'm just lazy when it comes to reaqding for myself. I don't do it very often, but only when I really do need to clear up something in my head, which isn't very often anyway, cuz I'm a pretty practical person who knows what's goig on and what she wants in the first place! Kiama

Sorceress_Jade	30 Jul 2002
The inability to be objective with one's own readings is something that I have noticed from the very beginning. It was partly because of this that I struggled so greatly at first to even get into Tarot. It didn't feel like it was working. When I began to read for others is when I came to love Tarot so much. I have completed only one valid reading for myself thus far and know better than to try too often. For those that can do it, more power to you. But I'm willing to bet it's very common not to be able to do it for yourself correctly. I'm not saying that you shouldn't at all, but that you may want to watch for the difference between what is intuition of the cards and what is opinion and idea of yourself that you had been suppressing. Either way I suppose it would be beneficial eh? If ur paying attention at least.

Kirali	31 Jul 2002
I give myself a ton of readings. Sometimes I will read for my friends or sister when they ask me. But it's not very often because they think that tarot cards are scary for some reason. /boggle After doing so many readings for myself, it gets tedious from getting so many blunt, often times negative answers. (yes I know, I must be asking all the wrong questions eh? j/k!) err anyway so I have one other person read for me at times, he gets distressing cards when he reads for me too. What a pattern. I think I need to enlist someone who doesn't know me at all or go to one of those psychic fairs around my area. When I read for someone else, it's a little harder than reading for myself, because I don't know their problems that they ask about. I just ask if what I say makes any sense to them and usually they'll say yeah it does and then I move on.

Sulis	31 Jul 2002
I`ve only ever read for myself. I haven`t got the confidence to read for other people yet. I do practice readings for people on TV etc. because I don`t want to get into the habit of reading for myself too much. I tend to use the cards more as a medative tool at the moment too. Blessings Crystalmynx

fairyhedgehog	03 Aug 2002
I do a three card "theme of the day" reading for myself most days, usually at the end of the day as a way of reflecting on the day. I don't particularly try to be objective about my own readings - I suppose I see them as mainly a meditative tool. It's reading for other people that I have problems with, for all sorts of reasons.

Strega	04 Aug 2002
Yes. I've read for myself (and other people) since the beginning. It has worked well for several years now. :) I always find guidance in the cards... an excellent tool for self-discovery...

Strega	04 Aug 2002
P.S. My fiance` though has stopped reading for himself and for people closest to him (like moi). His reasons are slightly similar to yours. :D

Umbrae	22 Aug 2002
I cannot read Tarot for myself, never have. Runes I read for myself. Soul Cards I can read for myself. Tarot, big no.

starr	23 Aug 2002
As a newbie I read for myself, as a lot of you for practice and to learn the cards, and in so doing the single daily caard gives me some guidance on what the day might bring and also how I should deal with the day. Starr

Mateo06	23 Aug 2002
I read for myself alot, but never really take the readings seriously. I'd much rather read for someone else, then have them read for me. I would trust someone elses reading about me more than mine.

Ladyhawke	23 Aug 2002
I have a difficult time reading for myself at the moment. I'm OK at "card a day" or three cards for the day spreads, but much more than that and I get uncertain. I'm never positive if the cards are telling me "the truth" or if they're telling me what I want to know (or what I dread). I've not done much reading for others, but I think I'm at a learning point where that's what I *need* to be doing. I need practice, not book-reading. :)

Keslynn	23 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Ladyhawke I've not done much reading for others, but I think I'm at a learning point where that's what I *need* to be doing. I need practice, not book-reading. :) You should offer some readings on the Reading Exchange. It's a nice gentle introduction to reading for others since we're all learning on each other. Plus, you get feedback. :) Kes

Ladyhawke	23 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Keslynn You should offer some readings on the Reading Exchange. It's a nice gentle introduction to reading for others since we're all learning on each other. Plus, you get feedback. I'm planning on it, but I think I'd better wait until I'm *not* falling asleep at work.....(it's been a really freakin' long week.....). I'm probably going to post a request Monday or so.... Ladyhawke

All Is One	23 Aug 2002
I agree with Tarotlady- if I didn't read for myself I would never have learned...and I would never have been able to see the interactions between the mood, the events of the time the reading is happening, the issues / hopes/doubts in the mind and spirit of the person handling the cards, and the Tarot itself. I'd never have known how all these and other influences interweave and unfailingly synchronize, because I can only know for certain what is in my own heart. So this was the "proof" if you will- and what continues to draw me deeper and deeper into the Tarot as a lifelong Path of study. (I like Jung's writings on it best) More than any divinatory information, I receive mostly guidance into myself as if a wise and benevolent force were saying: "Now, I understand that You think thus and such is a big deal at the moment, and that's fine, we can look at that little issue- and perhaps you'll try considering this other way of seeing- really SEEING- that "problem"...However- you may have missed a few of the larger shadows in yourself, and if you are willing to look at what is here, and think about it with an open mind, I will show you more." There are other, more Magickal ways I use the Tarot, as well as many other opinions I have about it & it's place in my life...but that is not the question, is it?

Alex	23 Aug 2002
but with the primary goal to learn the meaning of the cards and how the cards connect with each other. However, I would not had learned much wasn't for the "My Readings" forum. Other people have given me interpretations sometimes very different from the ones I'd seen at first, even though mine were not necessarily wrong. They were however... biased. One thing I've learned from my personal readings is that I'm very pessimistic and that I can connect together the most disgraceful meanings of the cards and turn my readings into terrible terror stories, yet very often I fail to see and connect good meanings and predictions. Blessings Alex.

jade	24 Aug 2002
i read for myself all the time. i seldom get anyone else to read for me. i love learning to remove my prejudice to read the cards clearly for myself. in light, jade :D

napaea	28 Aug 2002
i read for myself. most the time i have to pull a few cards for myself before i do a reading for someone else, to get my energy out of the way. but ususally when i pull, say 3 cards, i just look at them and go "ahhh, yeah" jot them down, and that's it. i have started to do more intensive readings at the moon phases, as a sort of marker for my life, and at different periods of the year. but i do find i don't do random full readings for myself, cause i am so close to the issue i can't get much information from the cards.

mara	29 Aug 2002
I only read for myself as I am the only one who knows me "indepth" and can read the cards for what they are trying to tell me. Being totally honest when doing a reading for youself is the most important thing, otherwise you're just fooling yourself;) Like the saying goes "truth hurts". But it can only hurt if your not being totally honest with youself and still live from an ego's point of view (just talking in general here and not aiming this at anyone:)). The reason I read for myself is that when I have a situation that I totally don't know what to do with or am juggling between choices, I lay my cards to get a different perspective of looking at the situation. It always, nearly always (;)) helpes me. Mara

Supletion	29 Aug 2002
i do read for myself, and mostly for myself (at this point), beyond the answer im seeking for my question, it gives me practice in reading and a learning experience, plus its just enjoying and calming. i do, however, often wonder if the way i interpretate the cards has to do with the fact that im also the querent. i mean, its obviously effecting my interpretation to a large extent, its unavoidable. but would i interpretate the cards as good and as accurate, or even in the same interpretation, if i was interpretating the cards for somebody else with the same question? i guess its uncomparable, reading for yourself and reading for another person are two completely different deals.

blue_fusion	29 Aug 2002
i don't really feel comfy reading for myself. and the instances i did try it before, it almost always foretold the unhappy side of thing. which, unfortunately, came true. :(

isthmus nekoi	29 Aug 2002
I started out reading for myself, although I have had readings done for me in the past. Fell in love w/the c/c spread for some odd reason; I never really took to the daily cards, or even the 3 card spread despite the fact that it's really great. I've read that you're not supposed to use a c/c often, but I'll throw one once a week (only) and it's always worked for me. I wholeheartedly agree w/the journaling thing being really handy. I keep track of each card's history, what positions they've come in etc and often patterns arise. Also, every now and then, I do a statistical analysis (I'm such a nerd) and often that's very revealing ie. a major that's waaaaaaaaaaaaay off a normal distribution curve, any 'strong' or 'weak' areas etc One great thing I picked up from doing this was learning not just to look at the cards in relation to other cards of the spread, but to look at them in the context of their history, ie. soandso always shows up w/soandso, or maybe you can pick up a visual theme that develops from spread to spread, or have a throw that's very very similar in dynamics to a throw a month ago etc. It's funny, I feel I'm most accurate when reading for myself b/c I really tap into my intuition, whereas when I read for others I tend to rely heavily on my intellect and rationality... esp when reading for ppl I know - I have a difficult time staying objective b/c I'm *analyzing* too much (Stop thinking, Isthmus! :P).

cyan	01 Sep 2002
I've only been into the tarot since april, so of course i read for myself as practice. i do 3 cards each morning, feeling, thinking, hoping. then i journal. one thing i have found is that the cards i draw tend to relflect my mood, so, if i feel down i don't draw my 3 cards that day because they usually make me feel worse, 9 of swords, and cards like that. I also use them as part of my spiritual/meditation practice.

Marion	01 Sep 2002
I read for myself. When I started, it was because I didn't have anyone else to practice on. Also, no one is ever willing to give me as much feedback on how truly the cards are showing reality, or how things evolve than me :) The thing with tarot is that it gets so intense so fast. I was giving a reading for a friend of a friend. She didn't say much at the time, but later told my friend her real feedback. I needed that directly, but... it was just too personal for her to speak about with a semi-stranger. Reading for yourself deepens how you live your own life. Your level of self-awareness.

osami2717	01 Sep 2002
Alex said- "One thing I've learned from my personal readings is that I'm very pessimistic and that I can connect together the most disgraceful meanings of the cards and turn my readings into terrible terror stories, yet very often I fail to see and connect good meanings and predictions." I also find myself to be very negative--especially in readings I do for myself. :( Which, up until now has been most of them. However since I've begun to do more readings for friends and people at work I find myself trying to look more on the positive side. I'm glad I found this forum--I get the chance to hear more positive feedback, something I really need. I'm going to look back through my Reading notebook and try to look at them in a more positive sense. Maybe things aren't as bad as I've thought. Like many, if I hadn't done readings on myself, I would never have learned Tarot. and would have missed out on something wonderful!

The Do you read for yourself? Why/Why not? thread was originally posted on 27 Jul 2002 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.