How do I find a daily reading to fit my lifestyle?

Willower

Hi all,
I'm very new to the tarot, and I'm trying to get into a routine of doing a daily reading for myself, mainly so I can become more familiar with the cards and how they apply to my life etc.

I'm doing a 4-card reading at the mo, which I found on this lovely site somewhere, of a positive aspect, a negative aspect, how to overcome that negative, and what needs accomplishing for that day.

My problem is...on a day-to-day basis, I have a pretty mundane life, and I can't see how the cards apply to me a lot of the time! Has anyone else had this problem, of wanting to do a daily reading to help learn cards, but had difficulty in finding it meaningful? If so, how did you solve this problem?
 

Alissa

I'm a fan of using less cards to find out more information... my first impression was that 4 cards for every single day is a bit of overkill. It can be very difficult to integrate those messages every single (boring) day of our lives. (I typically use 3-5 cards for a full reading).

Perhaps consider using less cards... 1 or 2? One card readings can be, what do I need to focus my energies upon today? Two cards can be, what is leaving my life/what is entering my life (aka waning/waxing daily influences).

For years I did a one card reading for myself each day and while some days were startlingly accurate, others were mundane and didn't seem to always synch up to my daily card in ways I could interpret.
 

Demon Goddess

OMG four cards for MY very busy life would be overkill.

I'm with Alissa. If you really want to learn the cards, just use one. You can get so much information from just a single card you should only have to turn a second if you absolutely need to.

Welcome to Tarot Willower. It's a wonderful journey.
 

MMTarot

Hi There!
I'm relatively new to tarot (and the forum as well!) and since I'm still in my learning phase, I definitely think one-card as a start is a good idea.
And my newbie-to-newbie advice is to choose a deck that you really like and not just go by the book meanings. Look at the images on the card of the deck you chose and more like be on a passive lookout throughout the day to see if you come across any of those things - a snail, a bird, a rainbow, a man with dark hair (for example), etc.
Sometimes that might be more relevant to your day than the book meanings.
Two recent examples: Fool card on Tuesday. I was reading up on the card on this site, just soaking in information from other members, when I get a text from a friend of mine that said: Oh god, I'm such a fool. (boy drama, and I called and we talked about it) Kind of uncanny!
Then yesterday I had the Knight of Cups, and this guy whom I've been semi-dated told me about his feelings for me. So that's more a book example.
So, you have to be open to interpreting it both ways.
Hope this helps!
 

Willower

Hi again,
Thanks for the advice so far. I think part of my problem is that I'm so keen to get to interpreting cards that I'm going for spreads that are too large, as you suggested.
MMTarot: I like the idea of trying to look at the actual card's imagery (I have the Gilded so there's animals all over the shop!), and hopefully that will make me focus more on what is on the card rather than just learn book meanings by rote!
 

Demon Goddess

Willower said:
Hi again,
Thanks for the advice so far. I think part of my problem is that I'm so keen to get to interpreting cards that I'm going for spreads that are too large, as you suggested.
MMTarot: I like the idea of trying to look at the actual card's imagery (I have the Gilded so there's animals all over the shop!), and hopefully that will make me focus more on what is on the card rather than just learn book meanings by rote!

The best piece of advice my Grandmother gave me when she was teaching me to read, Willower, was "just read the cards"... And here I am almost 30 years later, knowing indubitably, exactly what she meant. I share that advice with you.

You've chosen an imagery filled card and it is well drawn. Look deep into the images and as you look... think to yourself, what does this image mean... think iconically, think personally, think about things you know and try to forget what the person who drew the cards was trying to show you... you'll never remember all that... BUT, what you will discover is that, the more you really go into the details of the cards, the closer your readings will be to the "book meanings" of the cards, even if you don't know them, because THAT is the imagery most often painted.

I recommend staying away from tight non-imaged cards (I learned on playing cards), because that's like trying to read blind. With the Gilded, you get lots of pictures to look at and think about what they mean to you and how they fit in your life.

Enjoy the journey, I hope it is a satisfactory for you as it is for me. :)
 

starrystarrynight

Demon Goddess said:
...think iconically, think personally, think about things you know and try to forget what the person who drew the cards was trying to show you... you'll never remember all that... BUT, what you will discover is that, the more you really go into the details of the cards, the closer your readings will be to the "book meanings" of the cards, even if you don't know them, because THAT is the imagery most often painted.
As always, Demon Goddess has great words of wisdom here. I would add to look at the cards metaphorically, too. If there are birds flying overhead, what could that mean to you? To the image on the card? How about those storm clouds in the distance? Is the Fool really about to tumble down the side of a mountain?

Every artist has thoughts about what the images meant to him/her when he created the cards...but those images could take on whole different "colorings" for you.

But I do like that four-card spread you mentioned. That would make a great situational-question spread! Thanks for sharing it here.
 

Syrah

Willower said:
Hi again,
Thanks for the advice so far. I think part of my problem is that I'm so keen to get to interpreting cards that I'm going for spreads that are too large, as you suggested.

Willower, I've been experiencing the same thing. :) Part of that is because everyone talks about the Celtic Cross, including the book that I'm reading at the moment (it uses the CC in its exercises). But it's often overkill. I like the morning/afternoon/evening 3-card spread. It's not too much, and it gives me the opportunity to try and see how cards work together.
 

Demon Goddess

Syrah said:
Willower, I've been experiencing the same thing. :) Part of that is because everyone talks about the Celtic Cross, including the book that I'm reading at the moment (it uses the CC in its exercises). But it's often overkill. I like the morning/afternoon/evening 3-card spread. It's not too much, and it gives me the opportunity to try and see how cards work together.

Fwiw, I HATE HATE HATE the Celtic Cross, it's the most danged confusing, ridiculous piece of divination that anyone ever wasted their time coming up with. Yuck, yuck, ptooie!

I've actually been thinking to make customers pay extra to get me to use it. :D
 

Libra1

Demon Goddess said:
Fwiw, I HATE HATE HATE the Celtic Cross, it's the most danged confusing, ridiculous piece of divination that anyone ever wasted their time coming up with. Yuck, yuck, ptooie!

I've actually been thinking to make customers pay extra to get me to use it. :D


As well you should! I also hate the Celtic Cross and agree that it is confusing and ridiculous. Nowadays, I'm doing single-card readings for myself and am getting more out of those than dealing with the Celtic Cross.