how often should i do a reading on one topic?
If the situation hasn't changed and it's been less than a few weeks, don't bother reading again on that subject until significant time has passed.
If you asked for advice via the cards and you haven't followed it, don't bother reading again until you have. If you have, make sure enough time has passed for your actions to have made a difference.
If you don't understand what you're seeing, you're too close to the situation. Put the cards away.
If you know you're liable to get emotionally worked up by a reading, put the cards away.
Many, many people do not have the detachment to read for themselves. Others cannot read for themselves on certain subjects (I'm in this category.) You can either get ONE reading from someone else--don't fall into the trap of getting more than one from different readers hoping for a different outcome!--or you can leave the cards out of the equation entirely until the situation is resolved.
One of the worst things you can do for your mental & emotional health is keep reading for yourself on a specific topic that you KNOW is triggering for you. I get stressed about travel, convinced that the plane will fall out of the sky. As a result, I've found I can't read on that topic for myself--period, end of statement, EVER. Any readings I do around it will be both stressful and blown out of proportion. The same wretched cards will turn up every time--things like the Tower and 10/Swords. So I simply do not involve Tarot in any travel plans I have, and that helps keep me from winding myself into a full blown panic attack.
As far as actually interpreting whether the cards are giving you advice, guidance, showing you actual events, or mirroring your feelings, using spreads with carefully thought out positions can make a huge difference, as can forming the right questions. People get very slack with both, and then wonder why their interpretations are so off.
Words matter. Make sure you know what you're actually asking--there's a big difference between "what is the best possible outcome in this situation?" versus "what is the most likely outcome?" versus "what do I need to do to GET the best outcome?" The first two will provide you with a picture of what could happen if things go perfectly, and what will probably happen if nothing changes between now and then. The last actually provides you with what you should do to influence events. These are very different things--two are predictive, while the third is proactive.
If you thrown down a positionless five card spread with just a vague thought about what you're reading for, you're more likely to find yourself grasping at straws when interpreting unless you're very good at reading for yourself & can remain emotionally detached. Likewise, if you use a Celtic Cross for a question that's seeking proactive advice about what you should do next, well, you may have chosen the wrong spread. Many CC variations don't even have an advice position--they're designed to give you an overview of the querent's situation; if you are the querent, you probably already know most of what it can tell you! If you read regularly without positions and are confused, try using good questions and smaller spreads, or try a spread with positions. If you already read from spreads with positions, make sure those positions actually reflect what you actually NEED to know. Don't just label a position as "action"--is that action from another person that I can expect to happen, action I *should* take, or action I should avoid? Be clear in advance what a position means, and don't use positions that contain information you don't need. Using more cards isn't going to guarantee a better reading, especially if you're already confused.
Use spreads, positions, and well thought out questions to provide appropriate context to the cards you draw, and you should get more easily interpreted readings. If you've done all that and still think your emotions are coloring your readings on a subject, they probably are.
