Getting Reacquainted with Tarot

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 12 Jan 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

sweetscarlet	12 Jan 2005
Hi everyone. I've only posted a couple of times, but I read the posts here regularly ( I guess the term 'lurker' would be a good, if not exactly pleasant, description of me). I've always gotten a lot of interesting thoughts and ideas from what ya'll write, and I'm hoping now for some help. I've been studying tarot for just about three years now. I started slowly and only within the last year and a half or so did I feel like it clicked and I really started to get it. I started reading more in-depth books, my readings really took on so much more depth and meaning, and I was so excited to continue learning. Right in the middle of this, about seven months ago, I started going through a rough time personally, and at a time when tarot would have probably been really beneficial to me, I just stopped studying and doing readings. My decks, books, notebooks, everything got sort of pushed aside and burried under other things. I've missed it and thought picking up my decks again several times over the last few months, but never quite got around to it. The other day, while cleaning out my closet, I came across a couple of my familiar, most loved decks and became determined to use them again. My problem is now that I've decided to get back into it, I don't know where to start. I don't feel like I can just pick up my deck and do a reading now after all this time. I'm a little intimidated, and more than a little overwhelmed when I think about all the information and knowledge I just hucked aside and now need to refamiliarize myself with. And it sounds kinda funny, but I feel almost guilty for abandoning my decks. So my question is, how do I re-begin? In truth, I've thought of a couple of ideas: draw a card every day and write about it in my journal; read back through my tarot journal. Does anyone have any other ideas? Have any of ya'll ever been through anything similar? I guess what I'm really looking for, as well as advice and suggestions, is a little support as I try to pick up where I left off. I would really appreciate any ideas or thoughts you guys have. Thanks :) sweetscarlet

Grizabella	12 Jan 2005
I put my cards away for several months at one time and when I came back to them, I found I had a much refreshed take on them. I found that information I hadn't really realised I knew then came to the surface and I could read better and more intuitively than before. Maybe it will work this way for you, too.

Greyling	13 Jan 2005
I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I read a lot of threads on this board with a similar theme: I took a break from tarot because I felt I needed one, and now I don't know how to return. Should I revisit my journals? Should I begin a new journal? Should I draw a card a day? Should I just jump right in and pick up where I left off? I thought it might be useful to create a spread for people returning to tarot; it might be helpful in the same way a "new deck spread" is helpful. Anyone who has more experience with spread creation, feel free to criticize or to add your thoughts. I would really appreciate it. I am much less knowledgeable and experienced than many other people on this board. It's shaped (roughly) like a doorway, with the significator card walking through the door, and I call it "Coming Home". ......3............4 .............1...... ......2............5 1. The Significator--the person you are right now, the place you stand in this very moment. 2. Why were my reasons for taking a break from the tarot? Why did I feel this need? 3. Why did I feel compelled to return? 4. What is the best way to reestablish my relationship with you (the tarot)? 5. What do you (the tarot) still have to teach me? Good luck, sweetscarlet, and all my support.

FaeryGodmother	13 Jan 2005
Hi sweetscarlet, I have found over the years I have studied Tarot that my commitment to it ebbs and flows over time. Its not that I've ever ceased to be interested in my decks or readings just that at some times I'm just do busy living day to day to even worry about the future or looking into the deeper meanings of things. I like to think of the Mae West quote "Good girls keep diaries, bad girls never have the time." So sometimes I'm a good girl and sometimes I'm bad. :D Just kidding. As for getting back into it, I think Greylings spread suggestion is excellent. At the end of the day though it will probably feel a bit like getting back into exercising after a break. You'll be using (in this case spiritual) muscles you haven't used for a while, it may ache for a couple of days but eventually, you'll feel fantastic again. Good luck FGM

contradiction	13 Jan 2005
sweetscarlet, the best way to get reaquainted is the same way you would with an old friend. spend some time with your deck, talk to it, let it talk to you. do some readings. you might be more comfortable doing some easy readings for yourself. i also put my cards aside for a while. but a friend needed a reading badly, so i pulled my deck out. and jumped right in. come to find out, they spoke to me just like we had never been seperated. i actually found my readings to be more accurate for a while, because i had to listen to the cards, instead of using what i had in memory. so, you can be hopeful, they will not be mad at you, and you will find that you still have what it takes.

The Getting Reacquainted with Tarot thread was originally posted on 12 Jan 2005 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.