headaches after readings

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 18 Feb 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

theredhead	18 Feb 2003
The other day a friend of our family came over, saw my cards and me on AT and wanted a reading. Viola my first reading for someone else. Went well, good atmospere, understanding person, all that, but we ended up throwing about 4 spreads, and by the end of the night i had a headache. Didn't think anything of it figured i was tired. Today I was laying out the cards, and I tapped into something and they really spoke to me. The story flowed, I understood the message, pictures jumped out at me, Wow. Humbled, thankful, almost fell off my chair in surprise. Anyway I was tooling around and decided to experiment with Umbraes Relationship spread, threw it a couple of times, and Wow, massive head mashing headache. Seems to be fading now. So maybe the message is don't do too many spreads, ok I get that. but i've been throwing spreads for months, no headache. And before anybody asks if its eyestrain I think not, I'm in college, read all the time. Any thoughts??? Maybe its just me or maybe its not even related to tarot, just coinincidence. But I was just wondering if anyone else had this happen to them.

zorya	18 Feb 2003
congratulations on "plugging in" :) when channeling energy it is important to channel it through you, rather than just into you. backing up energy can cause physical pain. think of it going in through your head and out your feet, and visa versa. after practicing this for awhile, it will occur more naturally and easily. in the meantime, if you have any lavender oil or candles etc. you might try a whiff or two for your headache.

Teranar	18 Feb 2003
You can do what my gypsy godmother does, sip wine with every reading... wait, you may not want to do that, but it helps her concentrate as well. I know she doesn't NEED the wine, one year she swore it off... then on day two decided she sounded too much like a preacher and switched to scotch and ended every day drunk. If I get a headache I take a few minutes to clear my mind and meditate, or take some painkillers, or both. You might try what Zorya suggested first, then try meditation. I don't recommend the Wine or Scotch.

RedWood	18 Feb 2003
You may need to ground yourself..There have been lots of threads on grounding..that may help.

Umbrae	18 Feb 2003
H20 Water... You need massive amounts of water... remember, your brain is 97% water...you start using parts you are not used to, and start 'plugging in' you need water...lots before and after... Then...no headaches

le-mat	18 Feb 2003
I had been reading for myself for 6 months or something and a friend asked me to do a reading for her. I actually did 3 or 4 readings, cause she wanted to know everything. So I finished the reading, went home, and suddenly I felt dizzy and thought I was going to faint. I was totally drained and I had the worst headache! Then I found out about grounding and centering. But I don't ground & center myself before a reading anymore, I don't need to, I guess my body accustomed to tarot work!

le-mat	18 Feb 2003
yap, i've found out that water really energizes you. yoga teachers say that the energy body feeds on water.

Aoife	18 Feb 2003
I can't recommend grounding, centering and shielding highly enough. Since starting, about a month ago I've felt increasing connection - and no headaches [previously 2-3 a week routinely]. I'm often in challenging situations at work which increasingly had been leaving me feeling completely drained of energy - a powerful physical as well as intellectual and emotional response. Last week - in the midst of a threatening situation I uncrossed my legs, placed both feet firmly on the ground and concentrated on grounding myself quickly. The results were remarkable - a flow of energy which cleared my head so I was able to react quicker and more effectively. I would always have emerged from such situations with a headache in the past but this time I was thinking clearly, felt energised and cheerful. It's still early days and I'm aware that sometimes I'm not as focused as I could be but I practice.... I persevere.

angelwhispers	18 Feb 2003
When I first started doing several readings in a day I would get massive headaches also. I was very new to tarot, I posted the same type question in another tarot forum I used to belong to, their response to me was "you're just trying to hard". I'm so glad I found aeclectic where the responses are more helpful and diversified. :) My headaches eventually went away as I got more practice in, I haven't tried centering or grounding unless centering is like asking my spirit guides or angels to surround me and guide me through my readings, which is what I do.

Umbrae	18 Feb 2003
I came back to finish my half-a post…only to find everybody else had already said it…grounding and centering. Good advice. One addition…all the grounding and centering in the world will do nothing if you are dehydrated. Most of our American population is clinically dehydrated (it’s a staggering statistic)…drink for thought…

MeeWah	18 Feb 2003
Besides grounding & centering, I also wash my hands after a reading; sometimes my face, too. Taking a break during a reading, especially during a lull or one of length to ground helps to keep the energy flowing, to clear the mind & the personal energy field.

bighairymonster	18 Feb 2003
I don't get head aches - I just happen to feel VERY dizzy and drained so much that I sleep for 19 hours without waking. But that only occurs when I do too many readings at once.

Centaur	19 Feb 2003
I agree. Grounding is what is need. I discovered that I was not grounding until I found some rather enlightening posts on this forum, and I was frequently feeling fatigue after reading cards. Now I imagine myself breathing in energy through the top of my head, channeling it through my body, and out of my feet, into the ground. I imagine roots coming through my feet and gripping deep into the Earth. This, is a fantastic method; well at least for me anyway! HEHE! Keep Grounded! LOL C

Trogon	19 Feb 2003
Hi theredhead, Congratulations on your first readings for someone else! Those first readings, especially when they really "click" are totally awesome. Just something special about those "first times", huh? ;) ;) You've already gotten lots of good advice... the water suggestion from Umbrae is the one I've found most usefull. :D I've been doing the grounding and centering all along, as well as other things to help with the headaches. When I first started, I would get a headache after just one or two readings, now I have to do quite a few before I get one... or one or two really intense (or long) readings. I personally think that the basic thing with these is just like when one starts physically excercising after a long-ish period of being somewhat sedentary. When you excercise, you have to build up the muscles you're using... but the "building up" actually follows something of a breaking down of the old tissues. So, you have to work slowly and carefully to get to a point where you're gaining strength and muscle mass. It is, I feel, very similar with your brain... you're using a part of the brain which is not used to being excercised. Old pathways have to be bypassed and signals have to be redirected. The intuition, your ability to channel these energies, work with them and process the information you're getting, has to be built up slowly. And, if you try to do too much too fast you strain your brain and you get a headache! It's the same thing with excercising... you try to lift to much weight, or jog too far... you get muscle strain and pain. In either case... when you excercise (physically, mentally, or psychicly) your body uses up nutrients to get the energy it needs. It also uses water. So, drinking water and replacing electrolytes helps. By the way... do not drink distilled water... if you drink bottled water make sure it is something like spring water or drinking water. Distilled water is lacking in trace minerals which your body needs. Okay... I guess I've rambled on enough for now...

theredhead	19 Feb 2003
Thanks to all who gave suggestions, at least i know it's not just me. I understand the bodies need for water, (not coffee, tea or soda) and i'm still guilty. I hadn't had any just plain water all day yesterday, and i know better. Sometimes i just get lazy about it. Downed a couple of big glasses and i did feel better. Grounding, centering, these i understand (somewhat) but is this something you work, focus on the whole time while reading? or is it a once and your done kinda thing? I know in the beginning when you practice something knew it takes effort and you must think about it to maintain. After a while it becomes second nature like breathing, you can just maintain while doing other things, is grounding and centering like this? Work in the beginning eventually second nature? And what exactly is shielding? never heard of it. Thanks again to all.

MeeWah	19 Feb 2003
I agree with Umbrae about the need for water; to remain hydrated. I drink a couple glasses of distilled water prior to a session but it has not occurred to me to try spring or mineral water as Trogon suggests. I also need to drink throughout a session, & oft use herbal teas such as chamomile. Shielding is usually implemented after the grounding & centering. In effect, one casts a circle or bubble of protection around the self. It can be imaged as being encompassed by Light--no harm in, no harm out. I see it as "sealing all personal boundaries".

theredhead	19 Feb 2003
MeeWah, I figured it was something like that, but it begs the question, shielding from what? Are there negative forces that can be introduced?, unleashed? not sure what word i'm looking for here. Just curious is it just precautionary. Still left with questions, sorry its in my nature i guess. Trogon, your post was helpful and informative and we must have been typing at the same time.

Diana	19 Feb 2003
Water sounds good. And MeeWah: I agree with Trogon about the distilled water. And it is good to change mineral waters from time to time, as each one has their advantages. Perhaps a breath of fresh air (as fresh as one can find if one lives in a city) between readings could also help.

le-mat	20 Feb 2003
i once read in some diet book that you should drink distillated water, and that mineral water wasn't good for you, etc. rain water is distillated by nature... i know, with acid rain and pollution it wouldn't be a good idea to drink rain water. but why not distillated? you get minerals from food anyway. i know i'm going a bit off-topic, but what do you think about this?

HudsonGray	21 Feb 2003
Here's a GREAT site for learning how to ground, center and shield. Go down to the 'basic skills' section. It's in plain language & it works. http://www.psipog.net/activepsy/contents.html As to 'shielding from what', it works both ways, stopping energies coming in at you, stopping someone from TAKING energy from you (think crowded rooms & feeling exhausted afterwards), and from using too much of your own energy just to the space around you--when you're tired your aura can be WAY out from your body, and loose energy that way. Either tighten up the aura or put up a shield, once you know how to do it it's very quick & easy. You'll feel the effects right away, like a wash of cool water or a breath of fresh air. Sort of a clarity, actually.

theredhead	21 Feb 2003
HudsonGray, Thank you i found that site very helpful, it gives a very clear understanding of grounding, centering, shielding, and how to work at it. Thanks

Trogon	22 Feb 2003
Quote: Originally posted by le-mat i once read in some diet book that you should drink distillated water, and that mineral water wasn't good for you, etc. rain water is distillated by nature... i know, with acid rain and pollution it wouldn't be a good idea to drink rain water. but why not distillated? you get minerals from food anyway. i know i'm going a bit off-topic, but what do you think about this? Howdy le-mat, Ah... well, the problem with diet books is that for every one that you find that says ABC, you can find 3 that say XYZ. It's difficult to pick out the nuggets of truth one is panning for. And, while I could go on and on about this, I will try to confine myself to the topic. ;) First off... I want to preface my comments by saying that this is my own understanding of the topic based on what I have read or heard from many sources. These sources include a few "diet" books, books on general health, natural and herbal medicine, meteorology, earth sciences, the internet, and speaking with dieticians as well as people at a few "health food" stores and scattered other studies here and there. I am an expert, though I feel that I have done my homework... ;) So... take my comments with a grain of salt ... or a glass of water. :joke: Now then... there is a big difference between water distilled by machines and rainwater. Rainwater is not actually completely free of everything except H2O. Even discounting man-made pollutants, there is litterally tons of stuff in the air. Rainwater picks up bits of dust (in fact the water vapor begins condensing around particles of dust as it forms into raindrops) and other chemicals in the atmosphere during its formation and the journey to the earth. There is ozone, dust, sulfur, carbon, and so on... these are from volcanic activity, fires, picked up by the wind, cosmic sources (meteors, cosmic dust, etc...), and others. These are all in very minute quantities, but they are present. Man-made distilled water contains basically, nothing except H2O. Now... as to the benifits of water from these sources. Distilled water can be very good for you in the context of various diets, especially those designed to get one free from food addictions (such as sugar or salt). This is because distilled water is pure water. It will help to flush out impurities and help to detoxify the body. However, in the context of the original question, this was not the affect we wanted to achieve. Instead, we want to add trace minerals as well as adding water to the body. As we work, either physically, or mentally, we use up these commodities and must replace them. You are right that we do get what we need from the food we eat... but some of this can be depleted during these bouts of mental labor we call Tarot readings. While we could eat a meal between readings, it isn't really practical. Instead, drinking spring water which has some of these trace minerals we need, will serve the purpose very nicely. The trace minerals help to replace some of what has been used, the water rehydrates us and does flush waste matter left over from the work. Besides Tarot, I also have a love for the game of chess. I have noticed an effect very much like what we're discussing in this thread after playing multiple games of chess. Drinking spring water almost always helps. Nowdays, if I'm going to be sitting down to several games of chess, I make sure I have a bottle of water. I've learned to do the same thing if I'm going to be doing several Tarot readings. I hope this has cleared up my point of view on the matter...

Umbrae	22 Feb 2003
Here in the states, often the term ‘mineral water’ refers to carbonated water, which is not good for you. But real mineral water…water and trace minerals…

HudsonGray	22 Feb 2003
I think they call it 'spring water' here in the states. Anything other than 'distilled', and which is 'naturally' bottled (ie: no city water), should have the minerals in.

le-mat	22 Feb 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Trogon Now then... there is a big difference between water distilled by machines and rainwater. Rainwater is not actually completely free of everything except H2O. Even discounting man-made pollutants, there is litterally tons of stuff in the air. Rainwater picks up bits of dust (in fact the water vapor begins condensing around particles of dust as it forms into raindrops) and other chemicals in the atmosphere during its formation and the journey to the earth. There is ozone, dust, sulfur, carbon, and so on... these are from volcanic activity, fires, picked up by the wind, cosmic sources (meteors, cosmic dust, etc...), and others. These are all in very minute quantities, but they are present. Man-made distilled water contains basically, nothing except H2O. Now... as to the benifits of water from these sources. Distilled water can be very good for you in the context of various diets, especially those designed to get one free from food addictions (such as sugar or salt). This is because distilled water is pure water. It will help to flush out impurities and help to detoxify the body. thank you! that was very enlightening! :-) -- love

the_querent	28 Feb 2003
i experience this too.

The headaches after readings thread was originally posted on 18 Feb 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.