oh, the mindblock!

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 16 Jul 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

colusaskye	16 Jul 2004
I know that some people won't do a reading for themselves because they think they're biased and whatnot. I can't even get that far. I'll do readings for other people and everything goes smoothly. I pick some cards for myself and suddenly I just don't get it. I can't read the cards, I can't put them into a story, nothing. Even if I get the little white book for help, I STILL don't get it! Anyone else have this issue? I don't really mind not doing readings for myself, no big deal, but I think it's strange that my mind goes absolutely blank as soon as I see my cards.

Little Baron	16 Jul 2004
I get that a lot. When I read for others as well. I just totally blank. Sometimes, I know what it means instantly, but find it really difficult to put into words, tie it together and not contradict myself. I think, when reading for others, I know I have a responsibility and therefore a fear that I am not giving them the best service I can. Usually, the people I read for say they are spot on but it is only occasionally that I read and am really happy with how the cards were translated from me to them.

jlbvt	16 Jul 2004
I get that. When I read for other people, it's usually obvious. But when I read for me, I have no idea what the cards are trying to say. I think it may be because it's really hard for me to narrow in on one question. Even if I do ask just one, I stiill have others on my mind. Then the cards come up- and I don't know which issue they are addressing. I think maybe a bigger spread, like the CC would help, since it has cards for things like- the heart of the issue, etc. It may help me (us!) figure out what the cards are talikig about! Joan

Aun	16 Jul 2004
When this kind of blockage happens, I immediately stop struggling with the cards... I just try to free my mind from any conscious thoughts and I stare at the cards, almost like meditating with them... out of the sudden something comes up... sometimes the results are very surprising, yet very accurate...

Flavio	16 Jul 2004
Had this terrible trouble myself! but I used this little trick and the block walked away I hope can help you: Do the spread for yourself and then read it without thinking in yourself, do it as if you were a character in a tale, in my case I read like this: Flavio have to trust his intuition in this bussiness, but he has to act quickly otherwise he might regret later... Reading like this do not completly eliminate temptation to do a biased reading (that might happen with any person) but help you to jump the obstacle and contunue the reading. ADDED: This trick works also very well when you are discussing a trouble with your loved ones, everybody can speak their minds and talk in a very honest way, is less hurting and very effective.

ros	16 Jul 2004
I think for me it depends on what level my energy is at. Somedays I get it, somedays I'm feel drained just trying. It's like trying to be on both sides of the table or talking and listening at the same time. Maybe you have to be aware of your breathing. Breathe in and breathe out so your voice comes back after it goes out???

Little Baron	16 Jul 2004
Your idea is so simple Flavio, but I really like it and will try that next time. Thanks. Yaboot

Alta	16 Jul 2004
I know Flavio already said it, but I can also assert that it works. Even two nights ago I did a spread and could only stare at the cards. So I said, what if you were reading these for someone else, what would you say? That released it!

mingbop	16 Jul 2004
i havwe never been able to read for myself...

colusaskye	16 Jul 2004
Flavio, I'll have to try that out! You're right though, I've used that trick when having a conflict with others and it just calms everything down and makes things work out. Maybe that's it. When I'm doing something for myself, I get all uppity over it, and yeah, a million and one questions suddenly go to my head and I just sit there going "Duhhhhhhhh"

morandia	16 Jul 2004
actually, I usually read mostly for myself.. more as a laterial thinking tool I guess.... I get less block reading for myself than others.. maybe it's stage fright! That or maybe I'm just weird.... hehe

linabeet	19 Jul 2004
Yeah, it's tricky. I think maybe it's part of the advice being hard to take sometimes aspect of tarot. Why would you go out of your way to give yourself hard advice? Even when it's good stuff though it's still hard. I have to do the reading for someone else trick. I have to say it out loud and even use third person language. "What this card is trying to tell you is..." Even so i'm not a very good listener sometimes.

DeLani	19 Jul 2004
Mary K. Greer's book, "Tarot for Yourself," is an excellent resource. I went through a phase like this a couple of years ago, and her book helped me get my head back on straight. It's like a workbook format and uses questions to pull that insight right out of your head. I highly recommend it.

Tarot Sparrow	20 Jul 2004
I also get that a lot. It just feels so forced when I see my own cards. It sucks because lately I feel I need to get to know my decks better personally before I do too many readings for others, but in getting to know them I'd love to do personal readings yet have trouble with this. I just go blank or feel blah. Thanks for the insight Flavio, and DeLani for the book recommendation! Maybe that's what I need.

purple_scorp	20 Jul 2004
I think my problem in reading for myself is that I know myself too well and sometimes just assume the meaning of the card, without delving too deeply into it. But, when I read for others, I will investigate everything I can about the card. I think it also helps if you are confused about a spread, or just go blank, to leave the cards laid out for a while. Walk away, do something else and then come back to the reading. Better yet sleep on it if you get a chance. Cheers purple_scorp

Pook	21 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by jlbvt I think it may be because it's really hard for me to narrow in on one question. Even if I do ask just one, I stiill have others on my mind. Then the cards come up- and I don't know which issue they are addressing. Joan YES!!!! Exactly!! I started a thread about how to ask the right question and I think the problem was that even though I was asking a question that I really wanted an answer to, there is always so much other 'stuff' up there in my head distracting me. Getting a blank, for me is a way the cards tell me to slow down, breathe and really concentrate on what I want to know and then they will give me an answer.

Sillanza	22 Jul 2004
Sometimes when this happens, I'll just pull out another deck and "cross" all the card positions of the previously laid spread. This can be surprisingly effective, as opposed to information overload, especially when done with a smaller sized spread.

The oh, the mindblock! thread was originally posted on 16 Jul 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.