Grounding
Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 03 Oct 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.
| Bosorka |
03 Oct 2003 |
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I´ve read in thread about reading for another person, that in case to do reading about your querent´s topic you need to ground yourself. Usually, when I read for another, I found that I´m able just to sit down and read without any preparation, just I let querent to pul cards from fan, telling the names of positions, they´re picking for. (Well, as I have my first bought and very new deck, I don´t feel comfortable when they are sufling my cards for a very long time.) Doing this, it never happen to me that reading was about another person in room, or that cards seemed just like pulled for me.
Anyhow, that method seems not to work very well when I do readings for myself. Is this because of lack of preparing for reading? Can I fix that by grounding myself? And also, how do I know that I´m grounded?
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| Ganymede |
03 Oct 2003 |
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Bosorka,
The need to ground before reading is entirely a matter of personal choice. There are some individuals who do not see the need for such a practice, due to their non-spiritual and non-metaphysical approach to tarot. May I pose a question and ask what your approach is?
Let me clarify my points.
I am of the opinion that good grounding skills are necessary in order to create an energy balance within oneself. Energy fluctuations can in my opinion impact upon the nature of the tarot reading. This is why I find it particularly difficult to read tarot when I am in a state of heightened emotion or experiencing great stress. I feel that the presence of such emotions, and thus the energy surrounding these emotions can impact upon a reading.
One might argue that the querent may be emotionally upset and this is itself will impinge upon the reading. However, this is to be expected and will enhance the reading, as it is the QUERENT who is impacting upon his or her own reading. The problem is when other individuals begin to imprint their energy onto readings which are not meant for them. This leads to confusion and misunderstanding.
If require further information with regards to grounding, I can provide you with some excellent links.
Yours.
Ganymede.
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| Thirteen |
03 Oct 2003 |
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As was pointed out, it's all a matter of spiritual and metaphysical preference. No, it's by no means required and if you do just fine without it, don't worry.
As for reading for yourself--many tarot readers find that a difficult thing. It's because we know the cards too well and tend to look for the meanings we want--or conversely, pessimisticly see the meanings we fear. We can't be objective--all the possibilities come to mind and we get muddled--or none come to mind and we get muddled. Some of us just don't read as naturally or instinctively as we do for others. And for that reason, some of us don't read for ourselves at all. I don't.
Grounding or not grounding has nothing to do with it.
If you want to ground yourself--or indulge in any other personal ritual before doing any kind of reading (casting circles, lighting candles or incense, shuffling a certain number of times) by all means, do so. From a personal stand point, I think it more important to find a way to ritualistically bring the reading to a close (drain the energy) at the end. And I usually do so with a quick and simple method--like knocking on the table. Again, it's all up to you.
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| gloria |
03 Oct 2003 |
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Thirteen please tell me, what does knocking on table mean, I've never heard of it.
G.
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| SongDeva |
03 Oct 2003 |
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While it's easy for some of us to read for others, as someone mentioned, many find it harder to read for themselves.
In this case, it doesn't mean you can't, but that some preparation or grounding might help.
It can be as simple as taking 10 deep breaths while concentrating on relaxing and asking for clarity.
Also take a moment to set your intention:
"I am now relaxed and calm with balanced, flowing energy. I will now do a tarot reading for myself, and I will receive clear, accurate guidance that is easy to understand."
Let me know what happens if you give this a try.
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| Teranar |
04 Oct 2003 |
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When I first started reading I read myself, and often I didn't want to believe what it was telling me... I ended up regreting not listening, but after I got over that plugging my fingers in my ears phase I've been pretty accurate about reading myself... but like the most holy number (Thirteen) and Violet Lotus said, whatever makes your readings most comfortable and 'right' to you is what is best. For me sometimes it is lighting a bit of incense (But that's because of tons of stress I've had lately and the need to relax before I explode) Something else you could try is pretend you are reading someone who looks and feels exactly like you. Hope my ramblings somehow help!
A rather tired soothsayer,
Teranar
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| Thirteen |
04 Oct 2003 |
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Originally posted by gloria
Thirteen please tell me, what does knocking on table mean, I've never heard of it.
I'm trying to remember where I learned it...I seem to recall it was from some professional reader who didn't like longish grounding rituals to drain away the energy that a reading calls up.
Anyway, it's really simple and, in my experience, very effective. When the reading is over, you just knock, gently, lightly, on the tabletop a couple of time (or on whatever surface you're doing the spread on). It's kind of a short hand to cards, reader and querent that, "we're done!" Any energy raised is drained out through your knuckles on down into the earth--grounded. Pick up cards and shuffle for next querent or to put the deck away.
Another thing I usually do that I'm sure you've heard about is "close" the deck by taking out two cards and placing one on top of the deck and one on the bottom of the deck facing inward--bookending the cards, if you will. Can't say where I learned that either, but I always feel better about my deck if I put it to bed all snug, rather like closing up a book rather than leaving it lying open.
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| gloria |
04 Oct 2003 |
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No I hadn't heard of "closing deck" either.
Two things for me to try out.
Many thanks Thirteen.
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| bonnycat |
04 Oct 2003 |
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I have always grounded when doing a reading but never i have formally closed after. I usally feel as if something is incomplete and once i got the impression that reading was for the pervious querant I have been trying to find a simple way of doing this, i like the way thirteen suggests so i will give it a go
bonnycat
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| WolfSpirit |
05 Oct 2003 |
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When I do a reading for myself I first make an objective story from what the cards show me as if it does not concern myself, and only after that try to make a connection with my own life. If I don't do this, I say with every card: o, this is X, this means Y... and I loose all perspective.
But if I have a big issue, I will ask someone else to do a reading for me.
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| Bosorka |
06 Oct 2003 |
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Thank you all for your advices! Surely a lot of things to think of.
Well, I do not know what approach to tarot I do have. When I´m reading for others, I believe that person somehow feels the symbols on cards, even if he/she doesn´t see them, and that´s why he/she picks right cards. It seems to work. But then my sister came with question "what about reading for person, who´s not present?". We´re doing it time to time, and we´re quite accurate. (But still didn´t solve the problem ;))
As to closing deck - I´m putting cards in random order after reading, before I wrap them in piece of cloth. It´s quite long procedure, and my sister use to say that she´s lacking energy to do it after reading, but it makes pretty sure, that cards "forgot" previous reading.
MeeWah, thanks for link. Sometimes I feel that here in Slovakia I can have a really good tarot book just when I happen to translate some ;)
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| Gaidheal |
06 Oct 2003 |
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Ganymede, I would love to get some good links on grounding and the like if you would care to post them. This wasn't my thread, but I'm always looking for new good sites...
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The Grounding thread was originally posted on 03 Oct 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.
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