In a rut ... help?

Zephyros

You might also keep in mind that Tarot isn't merely a tool do deal with problems, or even for telling fortunes, but for self-improvement. No one is perfect, and we all have vices and fallacies that could be worked on. It doesn't have to be a big thing, draw a card in the morning and think about it throughout the day and how it relates to you.
 

Richard

You might also keep in mind that Tarot isn't merely a tool do deal with problems, or even for telling fortunes, but for self-improvement. No one is perfect, and we all have vices and fallacies that could be worked on. It doesn't have to be a big thing, draw a card in the morning and think about it throughout the day and how it relates to you.
That's what I do. Unfortunately, this morning I drew the 9 of Swords. :( Sometimes you don't want to think about a card all day.

ETA. 9 of Swords: My daughter called. She has the flu. Fever 103°F.
 

Zephyros

That's what I do. Unfortunately, this morning I drew the 9 of Swords. :( Sometimes you don't want to think about a card all day.

And that's exactly the Nine of Swords! The funny thing about the Nine and Ten of Swords is that the way people feel about them (fear, apprehension, confusion) is exactly what those cards are. Sometimes how you feel about a card is exactly what the card portrays, and in just that there's endless avenues for exploration. Not that I'm saying it's pleasant, but rather illustrative of yet another way of approaching a card.

That's my trick of having readings that are never wrong. })
 

seedcake

And that's exactly the Nine of Swords! The funny thing about the Nine and Ten of Swords is that the way people feel about them (fear, apprehension, confusion) is exactly what those cards are. Sometimes how you feel about a card is exactly what the card portrays, and in just that there's endless avenues for exploration. Not that I'm saying it's pleasant, but rather illustrative of yet another way of approaching a card.

That's my trick of having readings that are never wrong. })

That's the awesome trick ;) I adore swords btw, they can make you ready for many things and even avoid them. I had such story with 10 swords - engine of my car didn't want to start at early morning. I even hadn't been angry. Such stuff happen and you go on.
 

fairylights

There are some cards that follow me around ... either I draw them a lot or they fall out of the deck when I'm shuffling, stuff like that.

The Seven of Swords is a big one for me.

I honestly feel like my deck is judging me for not being fully honest with myself. And, I have problems with dishonesty, I guess, in the sense that I tend to shy away from unpleasant truths sometimes, but I didn't think it was all that bad. I've told myself that it could just be bad shuffling but each time that card falls out, I feel like I'm a fraud and shouldn't be drawing at all.

I guess that feeling of reluctance has kind of been extending to having anything to do with the deck at all. I still love reading and talking about tarot ... I just have the big mental block towards doing it.
 

seedcake

There are some cards that follow me around ... either I draw them a lot or they fall out of the deck when I'm shuffling, stuff like that.

The Seven of Swords is a big one for me.

I honestly feel like my deck is judging me for not being fully honest with myself. And, I have problems with dishonesty, I guess, in the sense that I tend to shy away from unpleasant truths sometimes, but I didn't think it was all that bad. I've told myself that it could just be bad shuffling but each time that card falls out, I feel like I'm a fraud and shouldn't be drawing at all.

I guess that feeling of reluctance has kind of been extending to having anything to do with the deck at all. I still love reading and talking about tarot ... I just have the big mental block towards doing it.

@fairylights, believe me or not but I know exactly the place where you are. I'm in the same stage. When I do readings for myself, all the time (except only one spread) I get Swords, and of course, from 7 to 10 and courts like Knight or Page. I was so afraid. I had in head the whole idea from books and some people and I knew, it is bad, so so bad. It blocked me for some time. I was doing readings for others but not myself. But I needed to change it. Swords are still appearing but I know why finally. Swords tell me that I need to work with myself, get open more, let all the emotions out and stop over-thinking things.

So the point of my very chaotic post is to tell you that you shouldn't feel guilty about anything, or feel ashamed etc. 7 of Swords is telling you the message and it's time to sort it out. This card is not to block you (in "Tarot of Refelections" 7 means blocking) but to show you a change. What change, you should find it out by yourself, also with help of Tarot if needed. Open your mind for more ;)
 

Marie-Bernard

There are some cards that follow me around ... either I draw them a lot or they fall out of the deck when I'm shuffling, stuff like that.

The Seven of Swords is a big one for me.

I honestly feel like my deck is judging me for not being fully honest with myself. And, I have problems with dishonesty, I guess, in the sense that I tend to shy away from unpleasant truths sometimes, but I didn't think it was all that bad. I've told myself that it could just be bad shuffling but each time that card falls out, I feel like I'm a fraud and shouldn't be drawing at all.

I guess that feeling of reluctance has kind of been extending to having anything to do with the deck at all. I still love reading and talking about tarot ... I just have the big mental block towards doing it.

Oh heck, my Tarot decks (or Tarot genie, or spirit guides, or what you will) are just as dishonest as I am. When I was doing Rachel Pollack's 'Wisdom Readings' about half the time they'd answer a question like, "What turns the Wheel of Fortune?" with the Wheel. "What is Death?" Did you guess Death is Death? That's the insightful reading I got from one of my decks.

I believe we, the readers, breathe the breath of life into our decks, so any feeling you get from them, negative or positive, come from you when all is said and done. If Tarot is making you feel bad, then don't use it. Whether you use the cards or not though, I really hope you start to feel better about your self. Best wishes - MB
 

shadowmack

Like people said above, you don't have to give yourself, or anyone else, a reading. If you don't want to put the deck away just keep it out with you and look at the images. Maybe when you look at a card just think of the first word that comes to mind when you see it. Small things such as that continue to build your relationship with them in a positive way.
 

hunter

For me, ruts often come when I've been overcomplicating tarot–I love the current thread on the topic. I tend to study cards instead of just BEING with them. And I tend to interact with my cards, deity, and other people with a victim mentality that makes me very very fragile, and sometimes all I can do is run away for awhile, to lick my wounds.

As I'm diving in again after a long rut, I'm keeping it simple and shallow and safe. I chose the Rabbit Tarot.

I'm not studying them. I'm just letting them be with me. In the past I was taught that my worth was tied to what I produced; people didn't want to be with me unless I was doing for them. I can approach my cards with that same working mentality. It's time to just be with people and with cards, without having to earn that time.

And I'm trying to practice the lighthearted skills I'm practicing to respond to what people say to me. People often treat victims more meanly as they sense they can get away with it, or they even think this person deserves that treatment. I don't think that comes up with the cards, but I tend to expect that out of any relationship and respond in fear and expectation of harm. I need to laugh more at what people say and push back a little. I'm kinda rambling about this as I don't have it all figured out. It's just...I have some control here in changing how people treat me, and I also have the ability to experience what happens though another lens. And some of that applies to card reading and deity.

I did a one card reading last night, and just used the book meaning and didn't even study the picture, never mind more. And I played a round of solitaire. That's it. I kept it light.

I'm not sure if any of this applies to you. If not, just ignore me. :)