Feeling a bit left out!

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 20 Apr 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Niomi	20 Apr 2004
I've been learning tarot since the beginning of this year. Just last month I've finally gotten a hold of a deck that I truly feel close to, the cards tell me more and more with it every day I work with them! The images and readings are so inspiring, it's just wonderful... But.. the thing that's slowing me down in my learning is that I don't know anyone else that's into it, no good friend I can -really- talk to and learn from. My friend is into it, but she sees it as more of a fun thing to do at parties and doesn't really take it seriously. I would really like to join some classes in my area, but I'm only 14... I'm not sure if they'd let young kids like me into classes.. and even if they did, my Dad wouldn't let me. He'd be very put off if he new how much I've been studying tarot. Not so much because he thinks the cards are 'evil'.. just.. full of bull (think miss cleo). I would LOVE to have a reading in real life, even over the phone, but there's no way I could get to a real life reading since my Dad doesn't support it. I doubt anyone would want to sneak behind my Dad's back and do a reading for me anyway, even if I COULD find someone in my area or over the phone who I could afford to hire for a private reading. I don't know what to do, I feel really left out. The best way I learn is with others, and while reading the forums are great I want a more personal connection. What should I do?

HudsonGray	20 Apr 2004
The forums here will be a good feedback audience if you wanted to post a spread you've done & your interpretation--for practice. But for fact to face contact, check around to see if you have any New Age stores in your city (they carry a bunch of neat stuff & sometimes have readers on the weekend), they usually know if there are any spirit fairs going on for the month. There are always readers at those kind of things. You can get a face to face reading with one. Our local health food store puts out a newsletter every month & those are the kinds of things that are listed in the community section (another place to look). To get a reading on the board here, you need 25 posts (they put that rule in place so people didn't show up just to get free readings), BUT you can offer to give a reading in exchange for getting one, if someone wants to do one for you on the side. That's how exchanges work.

Phoenix Rising	20 Apr 2004
It's good to see a young person starting and interested, I wished that I could of started younger. You keep it up. I started a few months ago and have learnt so much on here. People around me aren't that interested in it either. But I do give them readings and they do seem to take note. I don't like doing it much for family though. As I know too much about them. It's actually easier to do perfect strangers so there is no biasm. But just do a exchange with one of us. I'll be happy to do one for you. If you like to do a practise on me too then that will be fine as well. Have you got a tarot journal, and draw a card daily just to get a feel for your cards?

hyatt	20 Apr 2004
hi- i understand your delima. just wait a little while... i know that is frustrating advice but maybe wait till you can drive yourself to get a reading. do you have a sympathic relative that could give you a trip to a tarot reader as a birthday gift? i too would love to take a class - but living in the ol' deep south bible belt i know that there are not any classes available where i live. but the more i get into it the more people i met that show an interest. i found another girl at work that reads and she has given me a reading. i think that if you start looking around that the right opportunity will come to you. i will do a reading for you if you want - or you can practice on me. i think it is great that you are learning tarot on your own and so young!

hyatt	20 Apr 2004
ok...i replied and then started to study my cards in the den. i felt bad...because i can in my house and it sounds like you have to keep your studies on the DL. i understand - even though i am 28 i could NEVER tell my parents about my cards. they would flip out and disown me. so i did a reading...i just pulled three cards: the three of swords reversed,the star, and the seven of cups. i am using the buckland romani deck. here is what i think they represent: the star: that's you. you are trying to open yourself to a whole new world of the beautiful tarot and collected unconscious. it takes patience and self controll. but it is a beautiful card....splendor three of swords: this is your family situation. your new studies have created discord in your family. these are people that love you - consider their emotions. since the card is reversed it may mean that there is confusion and possible loss seven of cups: this is your personal situation. you have a multitude of ideas and interests. sometimes this card is called the castles in the air card...meaning you might be too imaginative right now (if there is such a thing?). maybe your daydreams of a personal face to face reading will not measure up to your daydreams. i hope this helps and i wish you the best of luck!

contrascarpe	20 Apr 2004
Niomi - I sent you my keyword list as requested. Hopefully that will help. I agree with the sentiment here - this is a community of non-judgmental people who are here for the same reason - enlightenment. I was introduced to Tarot at an early age, probably between 6 and 8. Granted, I grew up in a time where things were different, and I was lucky to have parents who were open-minded. Realize in your own heart that Tarot is not evil and you will be fine. Self-realization is important, especially in this day and age, and Tarot can help open those doors for you. Dan

Star Spirit	20 Apr 2004
Everyone makes good suggestions. I've never had anyone to talk to about it really, though. I don't know anyone who's into it either. It doesn't bother me though--I like learning independently. I talk to my boyfriend about it, although he hasn't seen it in action really so doesn't really know much about it or believe in it....ah, but soon I shall snag his interest :D

smleite	21 Apr 2004
Niomi, I am new to it too, but please feel free to ask me for a reading (I can’t offer more than a short reading, for the moment) if you need one. But maybe you should do it in a Reading Exchange thread... Post yours too, and I will be among the people that will surely try to help you. I doubt that in a “real” tarot class you will be given more attention and personal advice!

hedgecub	21 Apr 2004
I'm in a similar situation. I'm not living at home anymore, but I'm at a science and technology university, so very few of my friends are interested in anything spiritual at all, and those that are tend to be Christian and not much interested in the occult. I agree that Aeclectic is a great place to find others interested in tarot.. it keeps me sane :)

closrapexa	21 Apr 2004
Remember that throughout your life people will try to stop you from doing the things you feel drawn to. However, ultimately you will have to choose your own path, you will come to a piont where you will have no choice. I know that isn't really reassuring, since we mortals are always in the NOW not in the Future, but keep it up. You've come to the right place to give vent to all those creative urges. And note: Rome wasn't built in a day, but it was burnt in one. It is always easier to destroy than to build and if you give up now, you will always have that lingering feeling of what if...

WalesWoman	21 Apr 2004
I'm way older, but in the same boat. No one I know is into Tarot, so I have no one to share it with where I live. But coming to the forum, you do meet people that you "click" with, even becoming pretty good friends via email or chats and that helps a lot. We exchange our spreads we do for ourselves for comparison readings, do readings for each other and seem to becoming more and more in sych, having the same cards coming up in our readings lately. Which gives us another challenge, how to interpret the same cards in different ways that apply to where we are at and what we are doing. It's almost like having two seperate lives since I began studying Tarot 10 months ago, the "real" one and the cyber world of people I may never physically meet, but have become so real and important, that in some ways I know them better than I do the people around me. Sorry, off topic sort of. learntarot.com is a great resource for learning as well as the study groups on this site. Hang in there, your friends may see this as a game, but as you become more confidant and familiar with Tarot and your abilities, they may see it in a different way. They may be nervous and make jokes to hide it, but be dying to know more about it and just afraid to ask.

miss_apples	21 Apr 2004
I know just how you feel. This is the reason I am here so much...its the only way to express my love for tarot and other non-traditional spirituality beliefs. My best friend is into tarot too but I dont like to talk to her about it as much as I do here because she comes off to be an elitist about it. My other friends and my boyfriend try to show a little fake interest when I talk about it but thats about it. Ive actually been told by my boyfriends brother that I better hope that God has mercy on me for reading tarot and my boyfriend wont let me set up a tarot table at our garage sale because he thinks its wierd and it will scare people away...even though we have a well known metaphysical store right down the street. People are so uninformed!

Niomi	21 Apr 2004
Thank you everyone, for the reassurance. I'm glad to be among others who love tarot, even if it's just online. And who knows-- the best friends I have (a group of girls in my city) I met online on an art board. ;) Quote: BUT you can offer to give a reading in exchange for getting one, if someone wants to do one for you on the side I'm not really good enough to do a good reading on my own yet for someone else, but I'll definitely keep this in mind for when I am confident enough to attempt a reading. I can't wait to read for others, but I have to say I'm a little shy about it.. especially someone I don't know with something so personal! It's a little scary. o_O Quote: i think it is great that you are learning tarot on your own and so young! Thanks! I'm glad I was able to overcome my fear of trying and experiment with something new.. but definitely not out of my element. I love studying ancient symbols, cultures, new spiritual movements and finding out so much about myself at the same time. Thank you as well for the beautiful reading... I sent you a PM. :) Quote: I am new to it too, but please feel free to ask me for a reading (I can’t offer more than a short reading, for the moment) if you need one. I would love a reading, thanks for the kind offer. :) I looked through the reading exchange board and some of the threads were confusing, though my attention span isn't thick enough to read all the way though at the moment. (someone needs a good night sleep and a cup of tea, hehe) Quote: I'm not living at home anymore, but I'm at a science and technology university Wow, that's really neat. Most would consider tarot and science to be contradictory interests, but it's good to see them existing harmoniously. I have an interest in science and technology, especially. Quote: Hang in there, your friends may see this as a game, but as you become more confidant and familiar with Tarot and your abilities, they may see it in a different way. One of the things I love about tarot is that it can be as serious or as lighthearted as you want it to be. :) Quote: Ive actually been told by my boyfriends brother that I better hope that God has mercy on me for reading tarot and my boyfriend wont let me set up a tarot table at our garage sale because he thinks its wierd and it will scare people away... That's just silly... I don't see tarot any more morally different than reading a fortune cookie. Except the tarot is so much more beautiful and so much more inspiring to be around :)

Lady Eclipse	22 Apr 2004
Hi! I do understand what you're going through. When I first started out, there were no support groups to be found and I only knew very few people who actually read cards or practiced some type of divination. I was lucky to have family members who were metaphysically inclined and that helped. Thank Goddess for the Internet! Now getting together with others of like mind is SO much easier than it used to be. :-) Joy to you, Maralee

smleite	23 Apr 2004
Niomi, I almost missed your answer to my reading offer, because you did not include my name in your quotation (or anyone’s names in their quotations, by the way)! Well, I guess you can post a question here (specific or not), and I can open a thread with the reading in Reading Exchange, or send you a PM if you prefer. But the forum has a rule saying that you need 25 posts to ask for a reading, so I think you should wait till there; 25 posts is not much, and posting will teach you a lot!

HOLMES	23 Apr 2004
well, when i was your age and i started to read the tarot i was torelated ehhe , i took the tarot book everywhere i went and read for friends with the book besides me and the deck . it took about 2.5 years to read without a book besides me and even now and then for a non waite deck i pull out a book like when i read with the inner child cards . what i would do is . 1 pratice self readings here on the forum, 2. people advocate using one card daily draw or 3 cards i advocate celtic crosses but then that is how i learned 3. it is ok to use the book for as you pratice you will be learning when you read. 4. but also to help you you can go through each card and compare five decks or your three decks and come up with a universal key words, example for me high priestress is heavenly mother, 5. if you get a chance to buy it, the tarot reversals and tarot court cards will help you with those. 6. alternavily some do not use reversals i swear by them it is a personal preference. 7. then after you feel comfortable you can offer readings here on the forum. yess, 8. that will prove to you that tarot workss, (hey i read better long distance then i do live eheh for i can just type without having to worry about sounding stupid ) 9, you will get your pratice, 10, and develp you style 11, so when you do read live, you will have a good basis to come from, 12. the key words however shouldn't be held to rigidly but expanded in times of need. 13. what i did was took about five books and wrote down the general meanings in between each card comparing what was written , then i put it into my words, 14. it is good to learn by teacher,but i never did and look at me . (says the crazy holmes ehhe ) 15. books are in a way teachers, 16. you will be ok :O)

miss_apples	23 Apr 2004
HOLMES...its very comforting to know that an advanced reader such as yourself sometimes uses the book. Now I dont feel bad for doing it myself. :)

Niomi	24 Apr 2004
Today I went down to OSU campus and went to the new age store near there-- got a few books, a beginner's and one on reversals. I also got a beautiful velvet bag and a wooden box for my cards. I think I might have finally found a few groups in my area that are into tarot, though I'll have to wait till my dad isn't around so I can call and look into them. I might be able to get my friend to attend lessons with me. :) And I still think of tarot as rhyming with carrot, go figure. XD Thank you again for all the good wishes and advice. I must say I'm surprised such a large board could be so personable, but the surprise is a pleasant one. :)

HudsonGray	25 Apr 2004
Don't forget to check the online Barnes & Noble site, they run an online tarot class regularly (uses the RW deck). If there's no local classes available, at least you can use this one then.

The Feeling a bit left out! thread was originally posted on 20 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.