questions for all

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 13 Jul 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Pob	13 Jul 2002
howdo guys i have struggled to do readings for myself for years, absolutely fine with others-just me! I think it can be difficult to pick up the subtle indications revealed by the cards as you quickly associate them to areas of your life that may or may not be relevant. what do you all think? also where does everyone stand on the intuition/textbook meanings debate? Personally i feel that although books can be a fantastic source of information and help you see things in different perspectives, intuition is the key to unlocking the truth of the tarot. You could read books till the cows come home but you dont ever connect until you FEEL! opinions please peace Pob

Marion	13 Jul 2002
Hi Pob, 'Your Readings' is used for folks to post their throws so that other members can comment and add suggestions. I hope you don't mind but I am moving this thread to 'Reading Tarot'.

Jenny-Li	13 Jul 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Pob howdo guys i have struggled to do readings for myself for years, absolutely fine with others-just me! I think it can be difficult to pick up the subtle indications revealed by the cards as you quickly associate them to areas of your life that may or may not be relevant. what do you all think? also where does everyone stand on the intuition/textbook meanings debate? Personally i feel that although books can be a fantastic source of information and help you see things in different perspectives, intuition is the key to unlocking the truth of the tarot. You could read books till the cows come home but you dont ever connect until you FEEL! Yes I think sometimes it can be trickier to let go if the fears and hopes you have for a reading itself, so that you can really listen. What I do is I try to detach a bit, not take it so seriously, because it's when you do that you put the pressure on yourself, at least for me that's how it works! I read the cards as well as I can, and if they teach me anything I hadn't thought about (and they usually do!) I thank them for that and figure that might be the key after all. If not, or if I think there is more there than I can figure out, I post the cards, and sometimes my own thoughts about them in the Your readings-section here at Aeclectic. There are usually a couple of answers, that can give an alternative point of view, which is very helpful. Very often I end up realizing I expect the cards to tell me ecerything,but I think they like me to figure out a thing or two for myself! And besides, when we read for others, it's not like we give them the full future story, there will always be blanks and open possibilities, whether we read for ourselves or for others, don't you think? I guess basically I'm saying, don't worry about it, and if you ever need help from the rest of us here, don't hesitate! When it comes to intuition versus classical meanings, I think I use a bit of both. I explained in a different thread that when I lay out the cards, there are usually a couple that stand out, and shout their meanings to me, not the textbook ones, but what they want to say in this case. That's where I start. Then the ones that are more silent, I interpret as the glue that binds the major/louder ones together, usually with one of the many classical interpretations. But that's just the method that has grown on me, I'm not saying this is the best way, or the way I'm gonna stick with...! Light and love, Jenny :)

wavebreaker	13 Jul 2002
I too find it difficult at times to read for myself, because with some situations that involve yourself it's difficult to step back and look at the bigger picture. What I usually do in such a case is I simply write down the reading in my tarot journal and leave it at that for the moment. After a while (sometimes weeks or even months) or whenever there are new developments in the situation I look up my older readings again and they often make sense then. In case the reading doesn't make sense at all and I really need some advice, I ask somebody else to look at it or I post it here on the forum, to get a more objective view on it. As for the intuition/textbook meanings debate: I think textbooks are a good way to start, to learn about card meanings and to get a basic understanding of them. But I agree with you that, in the end, intuition is the key to unlocking the truth of the tarot. I try to rely on my intuition as much as possible, but because I'm still fairly new to tarot, sometimes that is not enough. In that case I look up the card meaning in a textbook, preferably different textbooks with different meanings, and that usually helps. My ideal though is not to have to use the textbooks at all; I'm working on that (practising, practising, practising)... ;)

fairyhedgehog	13 Jul 2002
It's funny, cos I /only/ read for myself. But maybe we're doing different things. My favourite reading is a three card 'advice for the day' reading, but done at night as a way of reflecting on how the day has been.

divinerguy	13 Jul 2002
I concur completely with the idea that traditional card meanings are only a guide. Sometimes a card will take me in a direction that's totally opposite the "accepted" meaning. That's the difference between a tarot reader and a computer program. There are no fixed answers. If there were, all the cleansing and centering and energy focus would be meaningless. I won't believe that. Divinerguy

WolfSpirit	14 Jul 2002
If it's a good book, it will not tell you "the one" meaning but offer suggestions to look at it differently. If you have a lot of experience you may not need a book at all at some stage, but now I sometimes find I'm the one with a fixed meaning in my head and a book making me look at it from a different perspective. I like the book with the Shapeshifter deck, it does not say "this is the situation" but "this is what you can do". So it offers advice on how to act rather than predicting.

zorya	14 Jul 2002
intuition textbook debate; http://tarotforum.net/showthread.php?threadid=5132 i find keeping a journal of self readings to be helpful. by reviewing the readings later, i can refine my self reading skills.

divinerguy	19 Jul 2002
I don't read for myself, and I'm not really sure why. I tell myself that I just don't want to know, because I'm an independent guy, who can handle problems without any help. But a great part of me doesn't want to know because I fear what might be out there waiting for me. Either way, I prefer ignorance.

Lightlike	19 Jul 2002
I read for myself and others. My readings for myself are fairly decent but most of my readings for others seem more objective and/or clear and detailed. I think everybody is different and readings for one's self doesn't always work depending on the person. I also agree that you should use a mix of textbook definitions and intuitive feelings when you do your readings. Good luck on your readings :)

Laurel	19 Jul 2002
I also think keeping a journal of self readings is a good way to go. At least for me, writing down my impressions of a self reading leads to more honesty and exploration of my feelings than just thinking about the cards for a while- and lets me look back, over the journal over time. Its on my "To-Do" list to get in the habit of daily self readings and journaling again. Laurel

wetsheep1	19 Jul 2002
I found that because I have difficulty a lot of times seeing the forest for the trees, my biggest help is journalling!!! Unfortunately, there's a lot of homeless squirrels out there today as a result of the reams of paper I've gone through doing this -- but it definitely helps. And as to your last question, I think you're right: reading's great, gives one a different perspective sometimes or even helps to understand some of the symbolism in/on one's cards, but if you don't feel, then you will forever have difficulty being able to interpret things in a way that makes sense. But that's just my nsho...... Be well! -- k

Greenelin	19 Jul 2002
Oh, getting the necessary distance to do a reading for yourself can be the pits. And the more involved your ego is with the subject of the reading, the more you want a certain outcome, the less distance seems possible. I never could do them very well either until I learned to tell myself, "Put the monkey-mind aside." (It's called that because it does all the chattering, jabbering, and lusting after things it doesn't have. Think of a three-year-old in a tantrum. Pure monkey-mind.) I trained myself eventually to achieve a state of (slightly fractured) calm, sort of, using the trigger phrase, "Now I put the conscious mind aside." Keep repeating it unitl it works; you'll actually feel room for an answer not driven by desire make itself available. Or at least that's the best explanation I have of it.

HOLMES	19 Jul 2002
yep 1. book meanings guide 2. natural abilities the real stuff. yet as a tarot reader i know it is my duty to know all the cards meanings and the deeper meanings so i can answer the tarot quereents questions. yet praticing readings has develped my connection to myself. when i read in the reading exchange i do it free form stright there without no editing. it is hard to read eheh "O)

VGimlet	19 Jul 2002
I read mostly for myself, and little for others. I write everything down. I find that if I don't understand a spread at the moment, it usually makes sense later (not always, though :D) . I do a three card spread - my hope is to do it daily, but it ends up being more like 2-3 times a week. I've noticed my last few readings have morphed into more of a story-telling format, which I didn't realize until I went back. I do find books helpful up to a point, and for me, it's good to keep studying -I find it rewarding. Even if 90% of what's read is the same old thing, sometimes I'll stumble across an new insight, or another way of looking at things, which I always think is good. BUT I think intuition is the best. My most accurate readings have been when the meanings seemed to jump into my brain.

Greenelin	20 Jul 2002
Actually, I view the "memorize the cards" stuff like this: You have some natural abilities at birth. Our society, not knowing how to deal with these, drives them underground in the psyche (unless you are very lucky in your choice of family). Then, whenever you get a Tarot deck, you re-awaken them. Some decks will resonate between what you know of the world and what the artist/designer knows; you'll get a "good fit" from these cards. You put the effort into learning 78 or 156 meanings (78 upright and 78 reversed, if you do that) to give your psyche the knowledge it needs to work with the cards while your conscious mind is shut off or moved aside or sent to Bermuda, whatever you do with it while you're reading. If you don't think it works like this, try this: next time you buy a new deck, go through it carefully BEFORE CHARGING IT, prior to your first reading. Shuffle it 7 times (it takes 7 shuffles to totally randomize a deck of cards - although that's a 52-card deck). Go through your new deck, card by card, making no effort to memorize the order or to note whether a card is upright or reversed. Then, shuffle until it's "done," and lay out your reading. Let me know what your results are!

Jenny-Li	20 Jul 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Greenelin Actually, I view the "memorize the cards" stuff like this: You have some natural abilities at birth. Our society, not knowing how to deal with these, drives them underground in the psyche... YES! This is exactly what I think too! :) People have become "oversocietized" and forgot what was once just another sense among the rest of them, Tarot helps "distract" the concious so it doesn't bother the unconscious while it's working. Someone once told me that everytime the concious sees (or perceives perhaps) something that seems out of the ordinary, it starts rationalizing, because that's the only way it knows how to handle it. And we're just so used to listening ONLY to the conscious mind, we take its rational explanations to be The Truth, the One and Only... Quote: Originally posted by Greenelin ...while your conscious mind is shut off or moved aside or sent to Bermuda, whatever you do with it while you're reading. :D *lol* :D Great idea, next time I do a reading, I will definitely send my concious mind to Bermuda!! :D Jenny :)

The questions for all thread was originally posted on 13 Jul 2002 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.