Is the Truth what Is or what the Querent Believes it to be?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 17 Jun 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

closrapexa	17 Jun 2004
Not long ago I did a reading for some one I had never met before. At the time I felt the reading went well, and the querent told me that I was correct and accurate on most accounts. What I read for him was this: That he was on a kind of spiritual journey, he was finding himself and his place in the world, in preparation for the beginning of the more material matters which would begin over the next year. That was the reading, in a nutshell. Now, since then, a friend of his told me that he was indeed a drug addict, that ever since his return from abroad he was having trouble finding his place in "real-life" and that he was depressed and was using drugs more and more. Now, I'm sure he believes he is on a journey of self-discovery, and maybe my reading picked up on that. But I remember that the Star was one of the prominant cards in the spread, among others, and maybe if I had read it today, maybe Iwould see that he is practicing escapism to such a degree that at this point the drugs come in and whatnot. So what is the truth? What the querent believes it to be? If a querent tells me that he is in the process of renewing his life and has new vision and clarity, and then I here later that his "visions" are mostly while he's stoned, then who is right here? Me, who read the situation wrong? Him, who so clearly runs away from his problems into drugs? Or no-one. Any thoughts?

tmgrl2	17 Jun 2004
Hi closrapexa... You did nothing wrong...it sounds like you are asking a question no one can answer. The real concern is that you are second-guessing yourself. There could be dozens of reasons this person is behaving this way right now...all not having to do with you. Perhaps, in fact, he may be heading toward a bottom, and then can reach out for all the help out there. He had this problem before you read for him. We read the cards ...we don't expect outcomes or behaviors from our querents. That's theirs. The reading is what it was. Everyone has "sources" of help within their own community if they choose to reach out for them. You may have actually done some pushing toward help. You will never know. It's not up to anyone to decide where "truth" is here, as long as you read with good intent and did your best...even if you had been more specific than you were, you still don't know nor do you need to know... just my two cents worth from what I have learned around AT and from what I hold true in my heart, or I would never read for anyone. Keep at it. terri P.S. I got worse before I got help with alcohol..so who should I "blame." The therapist who was right about a drinking problem I knew I had (that was 14 sober years ago)? Or my friends for getting on me. Or maybe I should take all the credit for myself, since no one "made' me stop and get help. I chose to do it on May 25, 1990, a day like any other day, but I just knew that I was going to stop for the rest of my life a day at a time and that I needed help. Not everyone makes it. It's no one's fault. As I learned about addiction when I see others that I wish would get help. Al-Anon teaches: You didn't cause it, you can't control it and you can't cure it. It's up to the person with the problem. So this doesn't answer the question you asked, but maybe you need to rethink the question. If Tarot is for you, stay with it. It's a beautiful spiritual and emotional process for Reader and Querent. We read because we love and that's what we get from the process if our heart is true.

MeeWah	18 Jun 2004
Closrapexa: On a mundane level, Truth can be both what is--that to which one is privy to as a detached observer--& what the querent believes it to be & practices. The individual perception influences & can determine the manner in whidh one approaches, explores & lives the life; interacts or not with the environment. That is, in his way the querent is living his own "truth" as seen through his eyes & mind. He is *living proof* of the journey he has chosen to take &/or the manifest of his belief system. Whatever has led him to live in this manner, he is responsible for that choice, made before the reading not vice versa. His reality is thus created by him & barring any unusual circumstances or the influence/imposition of outside forces, not created by someone else.

tmgrl2	18 Jun 2004
Well-said, MeeWah...so both objective and subjective truths... terri

Sillanza	18 Jun 2004
closrapexa, I agree with tmgrl2 that second-guessing yourself is never a good thing. The other thing that bugs me is that this second-guessing is coming about after talking to a "friend" of the person you read for. Sometimes you have to consider the source. What the friend might perceive as a major drug problem might just be an experimental phase that your querant has to go through right now. And I think the answer to your original question is that there are many truths within the same reality, since every person's perception colors their intepretation of that reality (in this case, your perception, the querant's perception and the friend's perception).

Indigo Rose	18 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by closrapexa What I read for him was this: That he was on a kind of spiritual journey, he was finding himself and his place in the world, in preparation for the beginning of the more material matters which would begin over the next year. That was the reading, in a nutshell...... Now, since then, a friend of his told me that he was indeed a drug addict, that ever since his return from abroad he was having trouble finding his place in "real-life" and that he was depressed and was using drugs more and more...... So what is the truth? Any thoughts? I don't see a conflict between your reading and the "reality" that your friend informed you about. You saw this searching soul in your reading. You saw that he was trying to find his place in this world; THAT is exactly WHAT HE IS DOING RIGHT NOW. If in fact he is a drug addict, that does not make his spiritual seeking or future hope null and void. It will surely make his journey that much more difficult, yet it doesn't mean his STAR won't shine and that HE won't find his way. A person with an addiction is no less a person, and no less worthy of positive feedback; in FACT THEY NEED IT MORE!!!! Your reading may really proove to be an excellent source of encouragement for this man about WHAT CAN BE! Trust YOURSELF in your readings. If you are keeping an open mind and heart when you read for others, trust YOURSELF. I find the more I doubt ME, the less effective I become. Blessings, Indigo Rose :)

MeeWah	19 Jun 2004
Closrapexa: I see no conflict with your reading & what the querent said. Also, agree with Indigo Rose that even if he is in fact using drugs, that does not negate his personal journey nor what could arise from same. If anything, may be part of what the cards spoke of. That of "preparation for ...the more material matters..." in his life which could include a reality check somewhere during the year ahead.

Moongold	19 Jun 2004
Yes, I agree with Indigo Rose and others , that your querent's alleged drug addiction does not negate the reading. Part of his spiritual journey may involve the use of drugs, if only to lead him to different ways of dealing with depression or lack of purpose. I am not implying that this is the case with your querent but sometimes the use of drugs by individuals is what has kept them alive until they could deal with other painful situations or feelings in their lives. This can't go forever of course, but sometimes it is the only way some people can cope in the present moment. It is amazing the value that people put on certain drugs as well. Coffee and nicotine are drugs, and the latter certainly has a major impact on health. Would you have had the same response if you'd known your querent was a heavy smoker? Some people take benzodiazipines without realising how addictive they actually are and people often don't actually see these as mood altering drugs. I guess the key questions around addiction are: 1. Why is the person taking the drug or doing the addictive "thing"? 2. Is the behaviour causing problems in his/her life? 3. Is it possible for that person to stop the behaviour if it causes problems? I guess it may be possible to see if a person has addictive problems in a reading but you would have to be very sharp and sensitive to pick them up per se. And very careful in the judgment of them. All of which you have been by bringing the question here :)

closrapexa	20 Jun 2004
First of all,thank you all, truly. Whenever I welcome new members to the forum I always tell them that Aeclecic is as supportive a place as you could wish for, and once again, you have all proved this. And you are all right. Second guessing myself and assuming too much responsibility will lead me nowhere. We as readers cannot expect to save the world everytime. And in any case, maybe my reading isn't as far off the point as I thought. Indeed, I should have looked at myself and all that the changes I have made in the past year. Spiritual Journies take all kinds of different forms. Even getting to the bottom in order to rise up again is valid. Maybe in my reading I saw deeply, beyond all mundane considerations and then second-guessed myself after hearing what was basically gossip. Thank you again, you helped me get my self confidence back. Edited to add: Maybe before posting my original post, I should have read my own signature!

The Is the Truth what Is or what the Querent Believes it to be? thread was originally posted on 17 Jun 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.