a little intuition please...

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 14 Apr 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Ravenswing	14 Apr 2004
hi guys-- I've got what i consider to be a problem in the reading end of the Tarot. When I lay out the cards, the mental analysis systems go into immediate high gear and shut down the intuitive. So I get a sword level interpretation of the cards, but the other levels don't kick in. Usually. Any suggestions?? Maybe exercises to shut down the mental for a bit... thanks fly well raven

contrascarpe	14 Apr 2004
One suggestion is to use a deck you haven't used very much for readings. Ideally it should be a deck which is unlike the one you usually read. For example, if you typically use a RWS, don't use a clone. I find that some of the Lo Scarabeo decks work well that way. My intuitive readings hit a high gear when I used the Tarot of the Journey to the Orient. Although the pictures still carry the general essence of the learned meaning, the stories they depicted allow me to analyze things from a different angle. That being said, I TRY to use the "book" meanings as a last resort, but sometimes I revert back to them.

SongDeva	14 Apr 2004
Contrascarpe, what a great, and practical idea. I would add that we shut down intuition frequently due to issues of trust. For me, I trusted what I perceived to be the source, but didn't always trust myself to receive the information right, or to receive it at all. Now I always remind myself that I trust the source to get through to me in ways I understand, and I trust myself to be a clear and perfect channel (I use that as an affirmation to get rid of dust and cobwebs :) ). Also, deep breathing, centering, and a grounding exercise where you connect to earth energies will do wonders. You might wonder why, but it works. I discovered that by accident (though it's no secret), after having some deeply intuitive experiences after grounding. Perhaps it's because in order to have or bring through an intuitive experience on the physical plane, you have to be firmly rooted in the physical. Femine energy connection might help too (some would say it's the same thing). Sd

jlbvt	14 Apr 2004
Hi Ravenswing. Here's an idea- write about your reading. It works for me when my intuition is not flowing. I think it may be because when I am writing down what the card "means" I have to shut off the active thinking process at the moment of writing the words down, which gives my intuition the break in the clouds it needs to shine through. Another reason it works may be that in the process of writing about the different symbols, I tend to be pulled toward the ones that are most appropriate. I just get the feeling... Joan

Simone	14 Apr 2004
... and perhaps you could try one card readings: choose a card and just look at the picture, describe it and say / write down everything that comes to your mind, however unconventional it is: I do have great results with this lately! Love Simone

mercenary30	14 Apr 2004
Maybe even try doing your best Firemaiden impersination and create a good story around the card. The pieces seem to fall in place as you try to flesh it out and make sense out of it....at least I think so.

firemaiden	14 Apr 2004
A couple little ideas for fun: -turn the cards upside down, and "scry". -use a deck you've never seen before (as contrascarpe said) -make yourself look at the card and WAIT. Then close your eyes and WAIT and listen.

zorya	14 Apr 2004
read the cards before you turn them over or look at them. write down every thought or word that comes to mind.

dadsnook2000	14 Apr 2004
I sometimes use the Triangle Spread advocated by Julia Sharman Burke. This spread forms a triangle, each side is made up of two cards giving you six cards in total. A seventh card is placed in the middle. HOW DOES THIS HELP YOUR SITUATION? I find that having to combine two cards gives me a richer and more specific meaning than just one card. Cards 1 & 2 are placed left to right and form the bottom of the triangle. These positions could relate to the present time. Cards 3 & 4 go up the right side and could relate to the very near future. Cards 5 & 6 go down the left side and could relate to the further out future. The seventh card in the middle modifies all of the other cards with its attributes. Using a spread of this nature puts you into a groove. I find that its layout, the combination of cards for now, later and the future gives a straight forward story line, and that the seventh card can give it a coloring. The spread just automatically clicks for me. It may for you -- and it may help you get out of your dilemna. Dave.

Astra	14 Apr 2004
Sometimes it's a reaction to getting TOO good an intuitive reading, or readings, and having the mind go "Hey, wait a minute, this is something I'm not supposed to do". Just for curiosity (and giggles), have you tried doing a reading to ask what you might need to change in order to have the analysis mechanisms take their proper place? They can have a place in readings, especially if the questions are future oriented - you can get an amazing amount of information about possibilities that has to be sorted before it can actually be useful.

Jewel-ry	15 Apr 2004
Get a good Marseille deck ;) J :)

Ravenswing	15 Apr 2004
great ideas from all of you. I'll give them a try bit by bit. I just got a new never-before-seen-by-me-deck, so I've got one to play with. Jewel-ry-- that's one I've considered. Any deck suggestions?? and to you my dear FM-- I'm going to try your upside-down idea. With the vice versa deck. And maybe leave off my glasses so the cards are a little fuzzy... fly well Raven

mj07	15 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by firemaiden A couple little ideas for fun: -turn the cards upside down, and "scry". -use a deck you've never seen before (as contrascarpe said) -make yourself look at the card and WAIT. Then close your eyes and WAIT and listen. good suggestions, FM, but what do you mean by "scry"?

firemaiden	15 Apr 2004
Ah.... a wonderful question -- Scrying is what the seer does when she looks in the crystal ball -- you look into crystal ball, or a mirror, or flames, or smoke, and wait to see what visions come to you. It is a magic art. Here's a website that explains everything about scrying

mj07	15 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by firemaiden Ah.... a wonderful question -- Scrying is what the seer does when she looks in the crystal ball -- you look into crystal ball, or a mirror, or flames, or smoke, and wait to see what visions come to you. It is a magic art. Here's a website that explains everything about scrying hmmm.. interesting, thanks. can it almost be like a sort of meditation??

firemaiden	15 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by mj07 hmmm.. interesting, thanks. can it almost be like a sort of meditation?? Yes, that makes sense to me. I don't know if what I call scrying is the same as what scrying really is, but when I look at patterns in the hair balls on the wall of the shower, or the card images upside down, sometimes I see new pictures -- its like seeing faces in wood knots, roschach ink blots, or floor lineoleum... letting your mind connect the dots to see pictures that nobody actually drew there -- like in the seven of swords reversed of the Thoth deck, I saw a purple tulip, and a snow queen in a ballet dress...

punchinella	17 Apr 2004
Oh, Firemaiden, so that's scrying is it? Well then we've been doing it all our lives!!! The one time I officially tried to scry (with water) something went 'bump' at the wrong moment. It was beyond shocking, I thought my heart was going to quit right then & there. I never tried the experiment again. The thing I would wonder though about scrying with an upside-down card is, wouldn't whatever one saw pertain more to a reversal than to an upright meaning (don't use reversals myself, but so many people do . . . ) Or is that just too neurotic for words :eek: Okay, then, hmmn, well, I wonder what Thoth would look like on its side :D

mj07	17 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by punchinella hmmn, well, I wonder what Thoth would look like on its side :D turning them on their SIDES and then scrying? now there's an intersting idea... I might just try that some time!

The a little intuition please... thread was originally posted on 14 Apr 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.