Getting back in the habit

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 24 Mar 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Jenny-Li	24 Mar 2004
Hi all, guess I haven't been around much lately - again... And not only have I neglected this place, what's worse is that I've neglected my tarot work altogether. But I miss it. At the moment I have two people who have asked me for readings, and I just don't feel I can do those readings, cuz I'm just too OUT of it. So what I would like to ask, is for exercises, solitaire-games, and whatever else you can think of to get back in the reading habit again. I wasn't half bad back last summer, but I've been so away from reading cards since then... I lost some of my feeling for it. And that is very sad, I miss reading very much. I draw cards for myself as often as I can, but I am not really looking for guidance in my life right now, I feel very on-track - oddly enough. So it feels weird to be doing readings for myself, even just for practise. And I don't want to read for others until I feel OK to do that. Question is - how do I get to where it does feel OK to do that?? Thanks in advance! //Jenny :)

Astraea	24 Mar 2004
Hi, Jenny, nice to see you! You might be in one of those self-limiting lull periods we all seem to go through, or -- because your life feels on-track now -- you might just not be experiencing the buildup of "charge" or friction that often drives readings. If you want to get back into tarot because you miss it, then my suggestion would be to do it out of love, without pressure or any sense of obligation or commitment to specific disciplines (unless you enjoy them). That relaxed frame of mind can sometimes work better than anything. If you don't feel the personal need for guidance but want to read and get back in practice for reading for others, you might try reading for television characters or literary figures -- something fun but engaging. Just be open to the whispers of imagination and let it flow!

Emily	24 Mar 2004
Hi Jenny, Welcome back :), Maybe take a look at a deck you haven't worked with before, don't use it to read with at first just take look through the images, then perhaps just take one card a day. I find that when I lose interest in reading, which has happened - I spend time looking through my other decks and sooner or later one will call out and I'll use it - I spend more time on meditation and study these days anyway. I do still try to do daily cards and a big spread at least once a month buts thats about it. But for now I'm happy just shuffling and looking :)

Nevada	24 Mar 2004
My suggestion is similar to Emily's, only I would suggest going to one familiar, old favorite deck, and going through it, taking a look at each card and getting back in touch with your feelings about it. Limit yourself to just this deck first, then maybe a couple of others once you feel warmed up to that one. Do a few readings for yourself. Then see how you feel. Nevada

Thirteen	24 Mar 2004
Do the readings, Jenny! It's like riding a bicycle. Once you've shuffled that deck and laid out the cards, it'll all come back to you! But if you really must have a little practice before hand, why not just re-read one of your favorite tarot books, or better, the book that came with one of your favorite decks (NOT the LWB of course, the real book!). I find just going back over card meanings of a specific deck helps enormously. It reminds you of all the little bits artists put in cards--like lobsters and rivers and canopies of stars--and what they can mean. Better yet, if you have a tarot journal, re-read that. Try to remember what it was like riding that bicycle so when you get back on, it's like you never got off at all.

Jenny-Li	25 Mar 2004
Thanks guys, for your input! I guess most of my feeling "out of it" has to do with fear of delivering crap/unintuitive readings for those who have come to me for advice. And since I'm not really in need of serious advice for myself - I can't make a judgement of "how bad I've become". Maybe it's like Thirteen says - it'll all come back to me, if only I sit down and start spreading the cards... Guess I shouldn't be such a wuss, huh? ;) Astraea - I like the idea of reading for fictional persons, I wonder if I can connect with them but it's worth a shot! Emily and Nevada - Yes, I think I'll do just that, but I think I WILL pick the deck I usually work with. I love my Cosmic Tribe very passionately, and want to reconnect with it. Am glancing at the Universal Waite too though, so maybe... Thirteen - thanks for your encouragement - I think I will do just that. Just do the readings. I found a spread today, in the spread section here, the "personal report card spread" or something like that, that seems just right for for me AND for my friends. So I feel more inspired now, to just get started with it! Thanks again, all of you! //Jenny :)

Moonbow*	25 Mar 2004
Hi Jenny We haven't met! But you have my favourite avatar on the site so it's so nice to see you here 'live' at last. How about picking out a post from 'Your Readings' or the 'Reading Exchange' and without reading what others have said - do the spread yourself. I know you are not a beginner but, like Thirteen was saying, doing a reading really does get you back into it!

The Getting back in the habit thread was originally posted on 24 Mar 2004 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.