How I do re-connect with my tarot deck?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 03 Jan 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

neptune	03 Jan 2003
So sorry if somebody already asked this question, but I feel somehow when I do readings with most of my decks, the readings are just not accurate anymore--and some don't make sense. There's nothing drastic/dramatic going on in my life so I don't think that's affecting the readings. (Or i hope not.) What could I do so that I can "re-connect" with my deck and do accurate readings again?

tarotbear	03 Jan 2003
First of all - how do you think you 'dis-connected' with your deck? Too many readings? Too many repetitious questions? Did you 'disrespect' your deck? Do you feel the deck is deliberately lying to you? Do you feel like the cards are just gibberish? Do you feel that the cards are holding back? Since a deck is an inanimate object {many will disagree with me I'm sure} the first thing to look at is yourself. Do you tend to read when you are tired? Do you read for someone even though you do not wish to at this time? Do you do a reading without caring about the outcome? Perhaps the cards are reading your own ambivilance. I believe the cards are influenced by the person handling them (the human aura effect) and maybe you are sending out mixed messages. Maybe you are telling the cards 'I don't really care' and that is what the cards are showing you. Sometimes when I am doing a self reading, I can sense the cards are giving me the answer that I want, but not the one I need. I take the deck, rap the long edge against the table a few times and say 'Knock it off! I need the truth!" - believe me, when you get forceful with a lazy deck it can work miracles! Perhaps you should cleanse the deck, place the cards back in sequence, and charge them under the full moon or by placing them on or under a quartz cluster. As much as I think it's trite, there is the ol' "sleep with them under your pillow"routine. Perhaps you just need to put that deck aside for awhile and come back to it in the future.

zorya	03 Jan 2003
i agree that first you should look to yourself... i find it helps to center, ground and plug in. what i mean by this is, first i take a couple of deep breaths and relax. then i ground by feeling the energy come in through my head through my body and into the ground, at the same time i feel energy flowing the other way, up from the ground, through my feet, body and out the top of my head. then i plug in/connect/ tap into the universal. this takes a kind of letting go and allowing, it's not a forced kind of thing.

zander770	04 Jan 2003
and i was just thinking today: w/the posts regarding the text for the LBRP and other golden dawn rituals, i was considering adding the "golden dawn tarot consecration (and deck cleansing) ritual", for the magickian must perform the LBRP in the beginning as well as at the ritual's end. i thought it'd give some sort of logical reason for having the LBRP here and if anyone wanted to actually utilize the thing, but, i've yet to decide. it is something that i do when i purchase a new deck; before i ever even Open the deck's Box! i also do this if someone "touch's/handles" my tarot cards; or, if i would happen to purchase a used deck, or receive one; but, mostly i use the ritual for exact reason's described, above. since i have yet to decide wether or not to post this rite as a thread, if you're interested you may pm or email me and i'll type it out. ~770 :TMAGE

Umbrae	04 Jan 2003
Reconnect? It is about focus. I must admit, in all my time reading, I have never done a ritual or cleansed a deck…I love it when others touch my deck, it bothers me not. For me, it’s about me and not the deck. The deck is a paper product with some ink – the magic occurs inside me… So – Yeah – what Zorya said…

allibee	04 Jan 2003
ditto here :) allibee

zander770	04 Jan 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae I have never done a ritual or cleansed a deck…I love it when others touch my deck, it bothers me not. For me, it’s about me and not the deck. The deck is a paper product with some ink – the magic occurs inside me… is even more supposititious, than i regarding such complicated matters as "it was working just fine, yesterday, what happened today?" and there's even another, much more through rite which comes "later," after the BRH ("banishing ritual of the hexagram") and "that" tarot consecration ritual, mentioned above. i know--i've done what tarotbear suggests, many times; "wrapping the long-edge of the deck on the table," as well as his mentioning a "cleansing," which is what made me think of this in the first place. to "think" that there are NOT "energies;" Positive and Negative Energy, is just plain balderdash! and, i bet that you know that as well as i do! (more below regarding this unlearned, and shameful disregard for The Truth and--worse than that.) i enjoy "ritual" and ceremony; have ever since i was in catechism and an alter boy; probably before that, i bet. i enjoy the "acting" and the "smoke and mirrors" and "the language," but, do you know what i most especially like? i like the fact that it works--magick works and, as a writer w/notebooks is to a scientist and his statistics, i have recorded results that i can turn to--to reread, refresh, and reintegrate! that's mainly why i continue my practice (much like a soto-zen buddhist practicing zazen, merely "sitting still" whilst s/he's "labelling" the thoughts which do and WILL "appear," they too cease w/much "practice." it's also fun, for me! vibrating a good-ole' godname from before antiquity while thrusting your favorite deck of tarot thru the center of a blue-flaming pentagram (which you, just moments ago, "created!!!") and all the time this magnificent, back-throated VIBRATION of: "ARARITA . . . ." zips waving thru the light, crisp air and on to infinity! and to disrespect one's tools and keys (and/or the tarot), even if one doesn't "believe in" the Divine Science or the Secret Wisdom, nor the Great Work is One Choice, for sure; is One Path. there're many. and, yes sir . . . that's all a deck of tarot cards really are: paper & ink. THAT IS VERY TRUE. that is, until you Consecrate them. "By Names and Images are all Powers awakened and RE-awakened . . . i invoke XXX . . ." and, when one is "vibrating" these words, if you concentrate, thru the gift of "practice," you can see/imagine the sound's waves, as is w/in everyone and every THING--even that very chair you are sitting upon, right now, IS "Vibrating!" the chair is NOT "solid," for it is a Universe of ALIVE and VIVACIOUS atoms!!! i'm most positive that you've heard of this, neptune, for the atom was discovered many years ago, split, "smashed," etc, and this is taught in school's throughout the world; right around fifth, or sixth grade, i think. anyway, it's still, even to this day, so interesting what certainly people "say" that they "believe, practice," and maybe even attempt to "defend," yet isn't it even MORE "interesting" (albeit "tiresome") hearing about what they DO NOT "see," and thus, do not "believe!!!" it's truly "never-ending . . ." watch! pay attention! be a "fly" on the wall!!! find out for YOURSELF! ~770 :TMAGE

darwinia	04 Jan 2003
I've had this happen to me although I don't do a large number of readings. I found myself depending too much on book meanings of cards, this external focus completely obliterates my own intuition. Also, I think a depency on ritual can skew some people; I am in this category. Alters, lay cloths, having the "perfect" setting will set you up (pardon the pun) for failure if these accoutrements aren't available, you'll feel something missing, feel restless and unable to focus. Connection with the self, which is pretty much what others have said, and a dependence on the self rather than the worry you might not be interpreting the "correct" meaning is important.

The How I do re-connect with my tarot deck? thread was originally posted on 03 Jan 2003 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.