Anyone ever deliberately ignore the advice?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 26 Mar 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Shesawolf	26 Mar 2004
Has anyone ever deliberately NOT done as the cards advised? Maybe just to test your interpretation of a reading? Or simply because the outcome wasn't too negative, and you really wanted to do 'it' anyway? Or for any other reason?

closrapexa	27 Mar 2004
I don't know if its a question of deliberation. Firstly, to me the Tarot was never a kind of fail-safe oracle of the Gods. It was more a way of asking questions that normally one wouldn't ask. Secondly, the cards don't "tell" me to do anything. Its not like the Ten Commandments are being habded down to me. they shows possibilities, possibilities that can be interpreted in so many ways. In other words, lighten up.

Shesawolf	27 Mar 2004
I think my question needs clarification... We all read/study Tarot for different reasons... for the most part I think most folks are looking for information they didn't consider before... or perhaps we read/study for a view we haven't considered... or perhaps because we're looking for the obvious that we can't see without assistance (like not seeing the forest for the trees).... And I'm wondering if anyone has done a reading (interpreted an outcome/possibility) and then DECIDED to NOT take the path/advice suggested... (mind you, I'm quite aware that there is CHOICE and FREE WILL involved in all of this)... Here's why I ask... (simply put) I'm curious. Here's what brought it up... I did a reading, and the outcome (i.e. the possibility) for what I would like to do isn't as positive as I'd PREFER it to be... but I'm going to do it anyway. And I'm going to do it for 2 reasons: a) I really, really want to do "it"... and the cards don't DICTATE my life... they provide insight, suggestions, and considerations that I may not have entertained otherwise... and, b) I want to "test" my interpretations... I want to find out if what I interpret (if what I believe that the cards are showing me) is accurate... Not because I doubt "the cards" per se, but rather, I'm going to test my ability to fairly, and objectively, interpret MY OWN reading. Soooo... I'm curious if anyone else has ever done something, moved forward, made a decision, that COUNTERS what they read/interepreted. And I'm curious as to WHY. And more so, to deepen my own understanding, what they learned from the experience!

Star Spirit	27 Mar 2004
That's very interesting experimentation. I've never really done this 'deliberately' so to say... I do usually take the advice in the cards. Although when it comes to things like horoscopes and things I don't trust as much, telling me things I don't want to hear, I'm all "I'll show you!!" :D Although you are right, the tarot just provides insight, it doesn't tell us what will or will not without a doubt happen. I understand what you are saying, you just want to test your own interps, as they might be biased (mine often are :)). And if someone really wants to do something, they will, no matter what anyone else tells them. I know I would. But at least with tarot under their wing, they can go into it knowing all the possibilities and potential consequences and prepare themselves for the aftermath :D That is, if it happens.

MeeWah	27 Mar 2004
Shesawolf: I think I understand. My example does not really illustrate not heeding advice, but more of *seeing where the chips fall*. One of the significant experiences was from a general personal reading of at least several years ago. Though it dinna not actually offer advice per se, it was interesting for what it "foretold" & subsequently came to pass. In a sort of idle moment, I was playing with the Celtic Cross & threw cards for a general "What do I need to know?". At the time, I was looking for an overview of my life in all its areas. I was interested in developing my part-time pursuit of readings fro which I saw clients in my home. Hubby was employed at a dead-end job that was physically demanding & of long hours late into the night that I knew was affecting his health & could have long-range complications. He had applied for another job months before & was undergoing a lengthy process of interviews & a background check. He wanted this job & during this period of about a year, was relying on my feedback for which Iused intuition, not the cards. Aside from the immediately relevant to me, I was a wee startled to see part of the reading pertained to hubby & his future. That is how I foresaw that he would get the new job; it would prove to be financially rewarding; after a time span of 3 to 5 years, there would be a work slow-down based on budgetary decisions of thepowersthat be; eventually, loss of employment. Heath matters would also be an issue. All of this has transpired. For the first 2 years, things went went well. Then his office cut-back commissions on which part of his salary was based; followed by a drastic change in job duties. After less than 5 years, he lost the job due to company downsizing whence they closed down his office & similar in neighboring cities. His health became fragile soon after the job loss & deteriorated further. I do not have the reading handy, but I recall that much of the development of the reading seemed to pivot on & around 5-Pentacles (thus my interest in the card itself which led to designing it for SACT). Was not until later, however, that I also saw that some of the aspects referenced manifested more fully in my 5-The Hierophant Year, & that the same such year occurred for him about 6 months later. Should he not have taken the job? No. The job he had was physically hazardous. The other job enabled us to fund part of our children's education. His health would have deteriorated anyway & I like to think its onset & severity was delayed or somewhat lessened by his leaving the former job.

DeLani	27 Mar 2004
Yes, I have. Mainly for the first reason, that I really wanted to do something. And usually, it turns out bad. Go figure. But on the other side of the coin, I've had readings that looked good, but events didn't unfold in a very good way. That's why I don't like to read for myself - too much can get garbled in translation.

Star Spirit	27 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by DeLani Yes, I have. Mainly for the first reason, that I really wanted to do something. And usually, it turns out bad. Go figure. But on the other side of the coin, I've had readings that looked good, but events didn't unfold in a very good way. That's why I don't like to read for myself - too much can get garbled in translation. So true. I've had readings that looked excellent from my viewpoint (although I wasn't very experienced at the time) but I was missing the obvious and it ended up being much different than I originally thought. Might have had something to do with the fact that I didn't read reversals back then :rolleyes: I try not to read too much for myself anymore.

laura_borealis	27 Mar 2004
I don't know that I've ever deliberately gone against the message I got from a reading -- but a couple of times I have gotten a reading full of negative cards and didn't want to listen right then, so raked them back together without reading them. I know it's a bit like sticking your fingers in your ears and singing "La la la la la" but every now and then I just don't want to deal, you know? :)

TheoMo	27 Mar 2004
Shesawolf, Yes I do that a lot. Sometimes I will decide on a course of action, then do a reading on that course of action, but tell myself regardless of what the cards say to do what I initially thought I was going to do. The one example that readily comes to mind is that I was going to email an old friend of mine who I had a quarrel with. The cards said it wouldn't be a good idea (I think the "hidden influence" card was the 3 of swords and the "outcome" card was the 2 of swords) but I went ahead anyway. Lo and behold, nothing good happened from the result. In a sense it was a way to test what would happen, given the rather clear message the cards were giving to me. The hard issues are always when the cards *don't* seem to give a clear answer - then I just proceed with what I was going to do initially, and then look back to maybe glean further insights on what the cards were trying to say, and thus become a better reader. I tend to think of using the cards as just a means of thinking outside the box, maybe poking at areas of an issue one hadn't considered, etc., but I always do find it interesting when real-life outcomes match up with my interpretation of the cards. Theo

TemperanceAngel	27 Mar 2004
Sheawolf you reminded me of a reading I got when I was 18 and I asked about whether I should move into a shared house with some folk and the city etc. It was a very obvious 'no!', I still did it anyway and it never worked out properly. It wasn't really bad, but it just was never right. Since then I have always paid attention to the cards when they are saying no. In saying that I think you can never really properly read for yourself, but if I was and the cards were giving me a strong no message then I wouldn't go through with it. XTAX

MyTquinn	29 Mar 2004
I have regreted everytime I didn't heed the advise that was coming my way - Good or Bad.... and the worst part is I knew what to expect and knew what or how to appropriately handle the situation. But I do feel the need to exercise my Free Will....

Shesawolf	08 Apr 2004
Thanks all for your replies. It's a real trick... isn't it?? Deciding when to listen to your "gut" and when to listen to the "cards"... The key, I suppose, is balance... If you're going to use the cards for "insight" or "guidance" then I guess you shouldn't completely IGNORE the message just because you don't like the answer... and then to balance that message against "free will"... (*sigh*) But, if I had to choose between the two, I'd definately choose "free will"!!! Thank you, all, again.

OakDragon	08 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Shesawolf Thanks all for your replies. It's a real trick... isn't it?? Deciding when to listen to your "gut" and when to listen to the "cards"... The key, I suppose, is balance... If you're going to use the cards for "insight" or "guidance" then I guess you shouldn't completely IGNORE the message just because you don't like the answer... and then to balance that message against "free will"... (*sigh*) But, if I had to choose between the two, I'd definately choose "free will"!!! Thank you, all, again. The way I look at it, the cards are basically a tool for unlocking the knowledge and feelings in my "gut", so the two go together. If it ever happens that they don't seem to coincide then that's when I feel "blocked" or that I'm trying to rationalize away what they're trying to tell me.

Ivy Rhiannon	09 Apr 2004
Yes I have she's a wolf. I was giving a reading to help me better understand a relationship trio. I was told I would be happier with one guy, but instead choose to go with another. I wonder still what it would be like if I had listened, because the one I choose didn't work out so well, LOL! I do not live my life by the cards, but when good advice is given, its usually best to take it!

The Anyone ever deliberately ignore the advice? thread was originally posted on 26 Mar 2004 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.