How many times can I do readings????

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 25 Feb 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

jeank74	25 Feb 2003
I just want to know whether there is a "limitation" on the number of "readings" that I can do on myself or to any person..... The reason is that, ever since I was a little girl, my family often tell me not to have my "fortune" read by someone. It is because the more my "fortune" is read, the "poorer" and "worse" my life will become. If you ask any Chinese about it, that person will agree with that....... So, I wonder whether the same thing apply to "tarot-reading?" Has anyone heard of that? BTW, I am a Chinese. :D I know tarot reading is different from fortune-telling. But somehow I believe tarot is also a method for people to foresee their futures and be awared of it. Your answer will help me to ease my fear and comfort me. Currently, since I don't have many friends and family who believe in tarot, I can only read myself or do "exchange reading" here, which involves someone reading me..... :confused:

Umbrae	25 Feb 2003
The danger is that it is easy to become too dependent upon Oracular devices. One may begin to use them for every little thing that arises. In this respect they are not dissimilar to drugs or alcohol. Over-reliance is to be avoided, lest you lose the meaning – of your own life – and create an illusion

jeank74	25 Feb 2003
Umbrae!!!! Thank you for the insightful suggestion. I am just so happy to hear from you, for the very first time. If you go to the "new member" section, you will see that there is a thread dedicated to you "who is Umbrae?" I just joined the forum since last week. Your name has appeared in many messages. So I was wondering who "Umbrae" is. I thought "Umbrae" is a great Greek philosopher or a famous writer of books on Tarot.... So many people responded to that thread for my question "who Umbrae is" :D.....

GreaterSecrets	25 Feb 2003
In astronomy Umbrae can be defined as... The completely dark portion of the shadow cast by the earth, moon, or other body during an eclipse or the darkest region of a sunspot. Hmmm...the blackest part of a shadow from which all light is cut off. Gilabno: Greater Secrets

Trogon	26 Feb 2003
Quote: Originally posted by jeank74 I just want to know whether there is a "limitation" on the number of "readings" that I can do on myself or to any person..... Hmmm... I don't know Jean. I've never heard of anything like you mention, where having your fortune told too many times will have an adverse affect on your life. I can see what Umbrae is saying, about becoming overly dependent upon any given oracle to the point where it becomes the only way for you to make every decision in your life. On the other hand. I have noticed that I can get a little "burned out" if I try to read for myself too often. I am finding that doing a daily reading every single day eventually leaves me feeling a bit used up. It's a great way to learn the cards, but I don't get the energy from these readings that I can from doing readings for other people. So, when I start feeling that way, I lay off for a week or so, give myself a chance to rest. I can suffer a slightly different kind of burnout from doing too many readings for other people in a very short period of time (say several readings in the space of a few hours). Then I get a headache and need to rest and replenish my resources. If I give several rather emotionally intense readings in a row, it can leave me feeling a bit overwhelmed and I need to take a break, to get centered and grounded and release the pent-up energies I've accumulated from these readings. But, aside from all of that, I, personally, have never heard about getting too many Tarot readings having some deliterious affect on one's life.

jamesriouxctm	26 Feb 2003
Jeank74, I want to start by seconding Umbrae's warning about becoming too dependent on readings - for some clients it is indeed a real problem and as a reader you have to be careful to prevent this. In addition, even if there was no chance of becoming "addicted" to getting readings done, there's still no reason to do readings unnecessarily. Think about it in the same way you think about looking at your watch. If you check the time and it's 2:00, if you look again a few minutes later you know it's still going to be about 2:00 - the situation has not changed considerably. In the same way, if you keep getting readings done about the same subject over and over, but never make any changes in your life to reflect what you learn in the readings, not only will you end up getting the same message over and over, but you're wasting your time and energy (and perhaps another person's too, if you and your reader are not one and the same). To go back to your original question, there are no theoretical limits on how many readings you can give, or how many you can receive. But in practice there are limits that can only be defined by your own limitations (or those of the reader) in terms of time, energy and so forth.

GreaterSecrets	26 Feb 2003
It was unfair of me just to post my sly remark about Umbrae but I couldn't resist. ;-) In any case, I really do agree with his comments.... Though, let's look at it from my slightly skewed perspective. How many is too many? Well one a day is probably ok. One an hour? What else are you doing?! Something between these two extremes is probably the crossover. This is where judgment comes in, your good judgment. Relying on these repeated assessments will bring to a halt any action, and this is where Umbrae's admonition comes in, at some point it becomes illusion and useless. Time is a river right? You've heard this analogy. And the proverb that one can never walk in the same stream twice. Think of the table where your reading is done as a slice through time. A freezing of the "moment" the cards are selected. You are still looking at the future through the immobilized eyes of the past. It has already changed, however slightly. Time is still moving onward! So yes you could sit there doing continuous readings. You have not taken any action though you could. You will also become frozen in time. Gilabno: Greater Secrets

sunflowr	27 Feb 2003
My opinion is that, if doing several readings a day doesnt tire you, then it is ok. Do what you feel like doing but if it is burning you out or you feel tired, then take a break. There is no "too many or too few". Or, as my grandma says, "everything in moderation". She isnt a tarot reader or ANYthing like that at all but she always follows this rule and it's gotten her thru her life and she is now 93 years old. :) And no, you cant get bad luck from someone doing your reading. Heck I have heard the opposite of that too.. that it is bad luck to do your OWN reading. So... it's just superstition I think. Of course you dont want to do more than 1 reading per issue or question otherwise you get confused and the readings cancel themselves out. Like you wouldnt want to ask the same thing twice in the same day or so and use the same spread and all.. you could choose to explore the question further however. But, as a general rule, try not asking the same thing all the time. Trust your 1st readings.

magpie9	27 Feb 2003
Jeank74 - I think the idea that getting your fortune told too often is bad luck comes from the fear that once the Oracle says it, it sets it in stone. Nothing could be furthur from the truth. By using good simple direct layouts you can find ways to change outcomes. Sort of like the slice of time view...if the future is fan shaped, you can walk down a path in the woods and a tiger can jump out of a tree and eat you. walk down a different path in that same wood, and you can see the hind end of the tiger in the tree, or never know there is a tiger in the wods at all. We have free will, but we also do things in a habitual manner. We always do what we always do, and as long as we do, we always get what we always get. :D So what I learned is to stop obsessing on the same darn question, and layout for the change I want, instead. You can do it in a 3 card reading easily, if you want to try it. [1] [2] [3] 1= what you have 3= what you want (choose this card before shuffle) 2= how to get there from here. which is why I call this layout "the Bridge" :)

genna	01 Mar 2003
I have had it happen several times with my decks,that if I use the same deck for readings for myself over and over for weeks-months,without any break(for the deck),the readings turn worse and worse.Now,if I then give this deck vacation for a couple of weeks,and use another deck,I stop getting those negative readings.After the vacation,my old deck acts normal again(cleared of my negative vibrations)? I know the deck is a tool,that the cards are not people,magic etc,but then,why do they act like this,and has anone else experienced it? I donīt think itīs any danger this happens when you only do one-card-a-day,and a reasonable number of readings a week.Itīs when I know myself I do too many readings my deck gets/feels negative. When I did too many readings,I also felt tired all the time.

mario	01 Mar 2003
Jeank 74, I' d not really worry for this, because I think that every effort we make The Tarots tell us always about present and not about the future. Obvously they show hidden things and in this way they give you tips about what can happen. They can show that your friend is working against you, but if the day after you choose, by your will, to go in Nepal and remain to live there, it doesn' t work anymore. If you try to make a reading after a major changement is happened in your life or after you have taken an important decision, you will verify this. I have the same experience that Genna. Probably is it because you are bcoming obsessed by that matter? I can' t verify by changing the deck, because I' ve only two decks, one for my readings and one for the querers. Mario

genna	02 Mar 2003
Hi Mario! I think you are right.I become obsessed,and the deck tires of it(yes,I know itīs only card-board,but sometimes these decks seem to have personalities of their own):

WolfSpirit	02 Mar 2003
If you do a lot of readings in a short time about the same matter, the danger exists you don't take notice of readings that are too difficult or negative and you go on throwing spreads until you get the result you want. It's easy to fall for the temptation to just try another spread that will clarify it all. It's better to stick with the first spread even though it may be difficult to understand, because that is the original message from the cards. If something in the situation has changed you can do another spread on how things are after the change.

Alex	02 Mar 2003
I do one then I wait a time to do another on the same question. One doesn't usually answer my question, but more answer my question even less. Go figure. Best way to practice is to visit "my readings". Or to do exchange. Alex. Quote: Originally posted by jeank74 I just want to know whether there is a "limitation" on the number of "readings" that I can do on myself or to any person.....

Karenwhe	03 Mar 2003
I guess the biggest problem is when someone is reading over and over on the same subject just to get the answer they want. Other than that if you use your common sense I don't see a problem with how often. Just my 0.00001 cents

Major Tom	03 Mar 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Karenwhe I guess the biggest problem is when someone is reading over and over on the same subject just to get the answer they want. Indeed. :) I discovered, when I was learning, that if I asked the same question enough times - tarot would tell me exactly what I wanted to hear. :laugh:

cheekyminx	03 Mar 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Major Tom Indeed. :) I discovered, when I was learning, that if I asked the same question enough times - tarot would tell me exactly what I wanted to hear. :laugh: Odd that isn't it? i remember doing my cards, if I wasn't happy with the reading I'd just say "oh, crap reading....cards aren't shuffled enough" lol & do them again, & again till I got just the right answer ;) I must say there are a few people out there who aren't in the right emotional/mental state to do readings, e.g if they have come out of a relationship & they're still in love with the ex. People out there take the Tarot too seriously & the same with clairvoyants. It is not 100% accurate as one can change the future or even someone else can.

Alex	03 Mar 2003
It does happen but then I don't believe it. :laugh: Quote: Originally posted by Major Tom I discovered, when I was learning, that if I asked the same question enough times - tarot would tell me exactly what I wanted to hear. :laugh:

Karenwhe	04 Mar 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Major Tom I discovered, when I was learning, that if I asked the same question enough times - tarot would tell me exactly what I wanted to hear. :laugh: Does that also changed the outcome to what you wanted it to be ????

Alex	04 Mar 2003
One thing I've learned from reading for myself is that I'm very pessimistic and defeatist. When the cards aren't bad enough I think they aren't for me. So I guess that's a learning too, a valuable one. Pay attention to what kinds of outcomes you expect, when you read for yourselves. If the cards frustrate you, it's always good to ask, why? The cards can be pleasing, yet frustrating, or shallow when we expect something deep and profound. My point being, it's best to analyze these parterns of expectations we put on the outside world thought the cards, than through failed relationships and unmet goals. Alex. Quote: Originally posted by cheekyminx76 Odd that isn't it? i remember doing my cards, if I wasn't happy with the reading I'd just say "oh, crap reading....cards aren't shuffled enough" lol & do them again, & again till I got just the right answer ;) .

Major Tom	05 Mar 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Karenwhe Does that also changed the outcome to what you wanted it to be ???? Repeated readings do not change the outcome of the first reading on the same question. :laugh: There are, however, a number of ways to go about changing the outcome. })

The How many times can I do readings???? thread was originally posted on 25 Feb 2003 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.