Reticent Readings

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 01 May 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

stenoboy	01 May 2003
Hi, all, I've not got my Tarot cards out for a while now because I am scared, I suppose, really. The past few months have been very difficult with life crises being thrown at me (stuff we all go through one time or another: relationship problems, death, and sickness). During this time, I was turning to the cards for answers, and the three of Swords came up again and again and again. I am now too scared to consult the cards lest I should get the same card, or generally what are perceived to be negative ones. *sigh* I'm missing my Robin Wood and Cosmic Tarot decks! Does anybody else get this? Peace, Andrew.

Nao	02 May 2003
I understand what you mean...there are times where you just don't want to know or times where you just don't want to face something. It's like...things are happening and sucking the life out of you...the last thing you need is being reminded of it again in your cards. I think it relates a little bit to taking time off cards...or giving it a break when you're just not in the right mentality or state for it. I'm not sure if I'm making sense. =P I'm actually one of those people who are venturing back to reading Tarot cards again...I've only started again recently- less than 1 month ago. Prior to this, I pretty much "retired" from the cards for almost 6 years. In this 6 year span, I probably did at most 5 readings total. I've been told that it's natural to take breaks from Tarot...for whatever reason it is that we each feel the need to leave it for a while. I had missed my cards quite a bit...so I know what you mean by missing your decks! Why don't you try and see if someone can give you a reading? Perhaps a "detached" reading might be beneficial to you...I'm not sure why I said that, but sometimes it's easier hearing someone tell you or their take on the cards rather than you turning the cards yourself and stare at the 3 of Swords in horror because of your own feelings towards it. Finally...you can also meditate on various cards in the deck. Taking a break from reading for yourself doesn't mean you have to take a complete break from the cards. ^_^ As a last note, I hope everything will start to look up for you and that things will begin to get better. Your message touched me more on a personal note just because the last few months for me has been hard as well...you can definitely say all the life crisis is very existent in my life. Perhaps that is why I eventually decided to turn back to Tarot cards...I want to go through rebirth. I want myself to grow again...

Umbrae	02 May 2003
Yup… But remember – your future is not set in stone… A Three of Swords can be a warning about your behavior. It can be a warning about allowing yourself to be placed in a compromising position. It can be a reminder about drunk-driving, or drunk-chainsawing… Make sense?

Diana	02 May 2003
Andrew: first of all, Happy Birthday! I do believe that if you were turning to the Tarot for answers, and if you were really getting the 3 of Swords as advice so often, then there is probably some wonderful positive message that is attempting to get through to you. The universe is not out here to bash you on the head but guide you gently into the light. Why would the 3 of Swords be a negative card? There's NO SUCH THING as a card that is negative or a card that is positive. It depends on so many factors. This idea of Negative cards and Positive cards is where Tarot seems to have landed up thanks to that darned Rider Waite deck and its numerous clones that spring up like wild weeds for which there is no effective pesticide. They must have been genetically engineered. Hearts pierced, women waking up after nightmares with their heads in their hands, people sprawled on their stomachs with swords sticking through them, young damsels tied up between swords in some kind of marshy place (probably full of monsters), dark Towers that look like a Hollywood version of Armageddon. Go beyond the picture on the card. Go into your heart. Take three Swords with you. And go exploring. What can you do with three Swords? Remember, there are three. Not two, not four. And they are Swords. What are Swords? What do you remember about Swords? Are Swords scary? *Diana mutters sulkily to herself about melodramatic pictures on Tarot decks that have the same bad influence on Tarotists than Walt Disney movies do on children.*

allibee	02 May 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Diana *Diana mutters sulkily to herself about melodramatic pictures on Tarot decks that have the same bad influence on Tarotists than Walt Disney movies do on children.* chuckle, chuckle :O) Andrew, when a card comes up repeatedly, it is trying to tell you something about an area of your life that needs your attention, and in this case the three of swords is asking you to look at a situation that you may be in denial about, or just don't want to deal with. I would say that it is telling you to face this situation, however painful it may be, so you can get passed it and on with your life. There's nothing too negative about that is there? In fact, it sounds like a very healthy card to me :O) Negative cards .... bah humbug! And bear in mind that tarot doesn't provide you with answers, it only shows you a road map so that you can make more informed decisions of your own on which route you may want to take. Tarot as a life tool - is the car- you are the driver. Allison

Alex	03 May 2003
that it is not about "this" or "that" card showing up for me more often than any other card. It is that I pay attention to the cards that speak to me at the moment. I could pick the 4 of Wands hundreds of times and never notice it. But it only takes me the Death card twice in a year, to get me worrying. Alex.

The Reticent Readings thread was originally posted on 01 May 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.