"tuning in" to consult the cards

I'm not interested (in this thread) in how people prepare to read, incense or rituals or the cloth or shuffling method. I'm not talking about whether you need to be "in touch", in the right frame of mind, to read accurately or wholesomely. I'm talking to anyone who does find they need to be, and my question is about when you can't.

Being tuned in, or not being. Actually it's not a yes/no, an on/off, black/white thing (in my experience). But the degree to which you're tuned in and how it affects the reading - that's my theme.

When I'm not feeling very "settled" I find, of course, it's harder to centre and reach that stillness that I'm calling tuned in. That goes without saying. I'd like to say that I do meditate and have enough experience of tuning in to talk about it; I'm a healer (wondering whether to try and make some living from it, but that's another question entirely) and so on. So I am not asking for the basics, find a comfy place to sit and turn the phone off, focus on a gentle scene in your mind... y'know.

Looks like I'm having trouble getting to the point. Bear with me. This waffling is how I find the point.

For example: I may sit quiet a minute or seven, consider aspects of the subject, and begin shuffling, which settles me further, and feel very well tuned in. Then while deciding how to lay down the cards, I am distracted by the positioning and find I've put the spread on the table while I wasn't at all focused on the subject of the reading. Or the other way, I keep slipping in and out of tuned-in-ness during the shuffle, but feel/hear the right connection as I set the cards out and begin to read them. Or sometimes I don't feel really connected until I'm gathering them up afterwards to shuffle and put away.

Part 1 of my question is whether you get this.

Part 2 is whether, if this happens to you, you can still trust the reading. I don't trust myself to be finding a reliable truth if this has happened while I read.

Part 3 is what to do about it. Less coffee and more meditation isn't really what I mean...

I have wondered whether I just should be reading (trying to read) less often. But I don't even get the cards out every day. Beginning to think about trying Lenormand, now I've found out that's for everyday, mundane subjects whereas tarot can get deeper. It's hard to practice since my life isn't eventful and the few events that grab my attention are repetitive (the household finances and my son's teen tempers, rarely anything else). Maybe I'm trying to get a "deep, important" vibe going for things that aren't deep or important.

I have also wondered whether I ought to be bothering at all, or maybe this is signalling that I'm wasting my time. I know my mother's take on it would have been that I subconsciously don't really want to connect.

But I have found that the sense of being totally disconnected (from everything - the world, and the world-beyond or whatever you call it, and people) is an indication that there's extra "stuff" stirring, extra energies. For example it may happen for a few days and later I hear that a lot of significant stuff was going on astrologically at that time. Etc. I have my theories on that (which is yet another thread ).

I'll be very interested in your thoughts on this and your own experiences.

ps. When I came here to ask this, I found Cidel Willow's and thought it was the same question http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=214402 ... but mine's not about self-consciousness, or the consciousness of being inexperienced (or inexpert). I decided mine is different enough to merit a different thread. Sorry if you don't think so too.

And I hope I've got it in the right forum.

You might just be worrying too much. Actually, there was a similar (I think) thread recently - How to keep your readings "pure"?.

If you're not a great yogi with a one-hundred-something-year experience of focusing your energy, chances are you won't be able to stay 'tuned in' and focused on the question for the whole 20/30/40-minute length of your reading. And you'll keep slipping the focus while laying out the cards every now and then. I do it all the time. And the greatest block will always be... right, your worry about not being tuned in.

I'd say, don't bother that much. Do your best, but don't worry about not making it perfect every time. Maybe, even not making it perfect ever. It might not affect your readings that much, actually. And if it does, take a break from divination for a month. And yes, sleep and meditate more, eat and worry less.

Hi

Am I right in thinking you don't read for other people - only yourself? This might be why you have trouble tuning in. Because when you "know" your life and not much is going on it could be kind of boring. Maybe do some readings for other people and see how you feel after that.
Just a thought.
Spiderwoman

Are you tuned in while drawing? if so a suggestion could be to get "tuned in" draw the appropriate number of cards while in that tuned in state. My belief is that the accuracy is the same whether you draw each one and lay them down or if you draw them all at once then position them so long as you are taking the time to feel the energy of the cards when you are doing it.

maybe drawing it all at once will help you stay "tuned" to the cards, then its a simple matter of positioning, then meditating on the message of the cards once they are in position! unless you dont read like that <~< and im just being a weirdo....again....

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Nothing, if I have a client infront of me and others waiting I push on, to traditional meanings (number and suits), there have been times when I have asked my clients what they see in the cards, at times that has "primed my intuition" and I am back in sync. If it is really bad, I pull out my trusty old playing card deck. Normally "tuning in" problems happen if I am too tired, had too much to drink, or upset.

I do't ever really "tune in", in any way that other people would recognise.

When I'm reading for a person in front of me, I'm vaguely aware of the fact that I'm reading for them. When I'm reading by email or in the exchange circles here, I lose all sense of even whom I'm reading for, let alone any question they might have asked.

It all seems to work out in the end. I don't find it necessary to be rigidly focussed, screwed into the reading. It's enough that it starts flowing.

Way too much thinking going on.

Have a root beer float. In case this doesn't translate to other cultures you get a big glass, the bigger the better. You fill it with vanilla ice cream. Now add root beer. This might take a bit as the root beer will foam.

Enjoy the root beer float.

Now pick up your cards. You will be fine.

I have a synchronistic view of how tarot works, so I feel a need to be 'in tune' with the universe at the instant a card is chosen. I have no idea how this works, but it does, at least for me.

LRichard said:

I have a synchronistic view of how tarot works, so I feel a need to be 'in tune' with the universe at the instant a card is chosen.

Click to expand...

<nodding> And here's how to tell if you're in tune with the universe. If you are, you'll feel an impulse to breathe, sooner or later. If you've stopped breathing for good you're even more tuned into the universe - but might find handling cards a little tricky.

(And I'm only partly joking here).

Hi MandMaud!
The first thing I "got" when I read your post is that you were not grounded at that moment. You seemed scattered. When you started worrying about your spread positions, that felt like Ego and a "good enuff" syndrome that got triggered...

MandMaud said:

I have also wondered whether I ought to be bothering at all, or maybe this is signalling that I'm wasting my time. I know my mother's take on it would have been that I subconsciously don't really want to connect.

...Sorry if you don't think so too.

And I hope I've got it in the right forum.

Click to expand...

Do you see the Self-doubt "good enuff" syndrome rearing it's self here big time? Becoming conscious of when this niggling little self-doubt fear is creeping into your space will be VERY powerful! Then congratulate yourself when you do see it invading your space! That is a great way to deflate that doubt fear that is messing with you...

nisaba said:

<nodding> And here's how to tell if you're in tune with the universe. If you are, you'll feel an impulse to breathe, sooner or later.

Click to expand...

This is a big one from the very wise Nisaba.

Breathing is a great way to ground, selled, collected and get in touch with yourself. Being a healer, you already know this, but sometimes we forget to be "in-tune" with what we know... darn it...