Holding Space for Tarot Time

Emeraud

I converted a closet in my bedroom into a Tarot space four weeks ago, and imagined being in it daily for Tarot study. The reality is that I am balancing being a new student of Tarot with being a parent, spouse, parental caretaker, and (fingers crossed!) a part-time employee
It's been three days since my last reading :)

How are you novices and more experienced Tarot practitioners making space in your life for personal Tarot time? I'm especially curious about how people balance family time and Tarot time.
 

Nemia

It's difficult! Spending a lot of time on AT definitely helps because it pulls you into discussion, inspires ideas and forces you to think over. Not to mention poring over shopping carts to decide which deck and which book are indispensible right now :-D

Don't force yourself. IMO tarot is supposed to be a healing, relaxing, interesting and inspiring practice, not something on your to-do-list.

Having a dedicated tarot space sounds wonderful, but do you feel you have to "justify" it by using it? Hm, you do so much for others, and tarot is for you. That's reason enough to have that space. Even if you use it only once a week. So what? You did other things. It's better to have one good meaningful reading when you need it than force a routine when there's nothing to read about. I read for myself rarely (I do read a lot for others, though).

My children are older now, when they were young, I remember how difficult it was to dig out some time for myself. That's just the way it is, you're in the busy years of life. Times will change again, and you will have more time, and tarot will still be there.

I found that there is wisdom and insight gained just by living this life. Some 30 years ago, I studied philosophy at university and felt super clever. I read difficult texts and was sure I understood them. But life taught me to understand them, nothing else. I know now that I had to "grow into them". I feel the same about tarot. (Of course, we forget the wisdom of youth on the way, that's a pity).

In a more practical mood: I bought the Inner Child cards when my children were young and let them use this beautiful deck. That made them understand better why I was interested in the cards and spent time with them.

My daughter also invented a little game for the Lenormand deck that we used to play (I play it nowadays with my niece). That made my decks a part also of her life. All my children have positive tarot memories with me even though they never showed any deeper interest.

Do you want to know the rules for the Lenormand game for 2 people?

Each player gets an equal number of cards on their hands. Taking turns, each puts one card down on the table. As long as no animal card appears, both players add to the pile. The player who puts an animal card first (bear, fox, stork...) takes the whole pile, adds it to the cards on his hand, and both continue to play. That's it. The cards shift from one to the other.

The funny thing about this game is that it hardly ever ends. :)

We spent many happy hours and we each had our "saving animal" who always brought us luck.
 

Tanga

Nemia - thanks for your Lennie story - I love it!
Just pulled out a Lennie deck to play that game with myself - and decided one hand is one of my guides...
Who knows where this might lead me?...
(insanity probably :joke:).


Emeraud.
I have no experience of motherhood but have a few freinds who are - and I appreciate how much of a full-time-job in itself this is.
It's great that you have a dedicated space - and you may find just glacing for a short while at some cards in it daily, and thinking how that might relate to your day - or just on a possible meaning of the card... could be enough of a "hand in".
I have a Tarot Altar on my wall for this purpsse - so on weeks-on-end when I don't look at any decks or books because I'm busy/overwhelmed with the rest of life/too tired - I'll be looking at what's on the wall because it's there infront of my nose.

The other thing is - I now have some Tarot Apps on my smart mobile 'phone. Makes it so easy when I'm sitting down on a train or bus - or waiting somewhere - to have a quick glance at a card and read up about it.

As for my family.
If I have some readings to do - I'll announce that I have - and if this will be encroaching on "family time" - like say on the weekend - I say so.
They've realised - since I invested in a Tarot Website - how important it is to me.

Sometimes in the morning - when everyone's gone and I haven't... I'll spend some time riffling through a deck.
Or I might lock myself in the bathroom for a bath - and have a look before I get in - or sometimes whilst I'm soaking there (I have a couple of waterproof decks).

:heart:
 

Emeraud

Having a dedicated tarot space sounds wonderful, but do you feel you have to "justify" it by using it? Hm, you do so much for others, and tarot is for you. That's reason enough to have that space. Even if you use it only once a week.

Nemia, thank you for your reply, and especially for these words! Perusing AT and discovering Tarot websites and podcasts have also been a daily part of my journey, and I shouldn't discount that! Even if I don't touch my deck that day, I am developing my relationship with Tarot. When I open my closet door to see a beautiful calm retreat I've made for myself instead of junk I don't use, that justifies it a-plenty LOL

I appreciate your sharing that game! I've shown my oldest my space, but I haven't explained yet what I do in there. I'll keep that game and (deck!) in mind to give my children a positive connotation with Tarot.
 

Emeraud

I now have some Tarot Apps on my smart mobile 'phone. Makes it so easy when I'm sitting down on a train or bus - or waiting somewhere - to have a quick glance at a card and read up about it.

As for my family.
If I have some readings to do - I'll announce that I have - and if this will be encroaching on "family time" - like say on the weekend - I say so.

Tanga, thank you for this! Tarot apps, how clever! And simply telling the family I need space and time for Tarot honestly didn't occur to me LOL I'm so used to making myself available to everyone all the time, and waiting to have spouse and children out of the house. I need to give myself that permission to do my thing while they're home :)
 

Le Fanu

I have a tarot room- a lovely space with sofa, paintings and inlaid marquetry reading table and ALL my decks on floor to ceiling shelving and a balcony and flanking lemon trees and it really is lovely - where I can play with my decks. My partner said that if we rented out my city centre apartment I could have one of the rooms in the house as a Reading Room all to myself. It was a done deal. But I am a little surprised at how little time I get to spend there.

I thought I would spend hours there and every evening but there's always something to distract me. Chores and errands and work and walking the dog. I do try - especially at weekends - because it has such beautiful milky light during the day. But it isn't always easy fitting tarot moments in even when you have a dedicated space for it.
 

nisaba

I'm especially curious about how people balance family time and Tarot time.

When I had a young family, it was good to know that at a certain time of evening, all Small People had to be in their bedrooms and silent, if not asleep. :)

After Bedtime and Before The Day Starts were my sacred times, when I had responsibility for other people, either children or invalids. (And I got to be the Queen of the Daytime Mini-Sleep!)
 

baconwaffles

Oh goodness, I can relate. As a stay at home mother who juggles family life, academic life, writing, and research, it is not easy!
I have dedidacted my nights to all things mystical and tarot related, when the toddler is asleep. That certainly does not mean I read the cards every night because I also love to spend time with my partner. Overall, I would say just taking it one step at a time helps a lot. I have learned to release the stress of not being able to find mr time by just remaining in the moment and letting go of my own expectations. I take time at night, when I see that the space and time allows for it, to read the cards and ruminate on them. I occasionally play with them during the day bit that is quick because my toddlers loves to get his hands on them. In general, tarot is for the night, while in bed, oftentimes sacrificing sleeptime.

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Citrin

I honestly find that good ol' discipline is needed. :p

For the longest time I wanted to do daily morning draws, but it only happened maybe three times every week. Then I decided that I REALLY wanted to commit to a daily draw so I did and now it happens every day unless something really extraordinary happens. I just put the excuses away! I used to think "I really want those 5 extra minutes of sleep, and I really want to be early at work...", but had to come to terms with that my morning draw was more important for me.

I guess it's like those people that work out at 5 in the morning. ;) Nothing I would want to do, but yeah, they start by forcing themselves and after a couple of weeks it becomes a habit and just happens.

I also find that tarot videos on YouTube can inspire me a lot to try new ideas, spreads, methods etc. :) OwlMoon513, The Truth in Story, In The 78 Cards, all have lovely inspirational videos.

Good luck! :)
 

violetdaisy

Full Time - Full Time here

I work full time, have a teen daughter, and my spouse works full time. I'm the only parent my daughter knows that actually cooks a meal most nights of the week. And I'm of her parent's friends that are not either divorced or considering devorce. I have Zero dedicated Tarot Space that I can use for study and Zero that I can convert - we don't make much money and our house is plenty big to be useful but not big enough for that.

However, somewhat recently I decided that I would get up 30 minutes earlier than normal during the work/school week. I would also go to bed 30 minutes earlier. No one seems to care about the 30 minutes earlier in the evening and the 30 minutes in the morning gives me 40 minutes before anyone gets up. I still have to take care of 3 dogs - food, potty, and right now meds. So that takes 10-15 minutes. And I make tea and sit next to a light therapy lamp.

I still have at least 20 minutes to myself after all of that. That's the only time during the week I get. I can be online in the evening but I can't sit down with cards etc.