grounding and centering before readings

I find that doing a spread when I am sick with the flu, or worried or preoccupied for some reason has a negative effect on the reading. Anyone else with the same experience? What rituals do you all go through before a reading to ground and center yourselves? And what rituals or suggestions do you have for closing a reading?

I just started Tarot, but I noticed this-unless I am completely and totally focused on the question I am asking the cards, and I mean at LEAST 110%, the readings are inaccurate. I have to be extremely concentrated or else it simply doesn't make sense in the reading. It took me a while to get this, since I was just drawing cards and wondering why they weren't making sense. Then one day I focused myself completely on the question and the results were amazing.

Even the slightest distraction and the reading is done. If I'm in the middle of pulling cards and something-even a sneeze-distracts me, I put all the cards back, reshuffle, and start over. If I'm under stress, there's background noise, or I'm tired, I can't do any readings.

What really helps is meditation before the readings to get myself focused, along with a blessing for the cards and asking God and my Guides to help me.

As for a closing, I bless the cards and erase all negativity or influence from the reading and essentially "clean" them...I do this simply by waving my hands over the cards and say "You are now free of any energies you might be retaining from this reading" and affirm it in my mind. Then I thank the cards and put them away.

Hope this helps!
~Nicky

Take a look at http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=55565. There are some really similar notions here. I'm a believer in the communication we establish when we sit mindfully and let this all flow through us. All I would suggest is to allow yourself to sneeze, cough, and yawn and get distracted - just get your mind back to it as soon as you can - the guides know how human we are.

~B~

Wow, I am so glad this question came up! I have been wondering why the last few days my readings have been crazy. I have been really stressed and have been rushed when I did the readings.
It all makes sense now. I even feel like I am blocked in some way, I don't know why. I am not "feeling" the cards like I was a couple of weeks ago. I did go and buy a new deck for my friend and she asked me to do some readings with her new cards for her. I loved the new ones, and maybe some how I am stuck on those cards now.
I tried clearing my cards and blessing them. I still feel blocked though

Evaliana-That's kinda like what I went through. Last week I was extremely stressed, being pressured from everywhere in my life, and on top of that I had the flu! So I turned to the cards for guidance, but my readings just wouldn't make sense!

I think it was because I was SO stressed and I had SO many things on my mind I couldn't concentrate long enough to get good readings. Then, finally, I slowed down for a second, took a deep breath and focused, and voila! Amazingly accurate readings!

I think it all has to do with focus...if you just go up and pick a card (something I did a couple times before I noticed it wasn't working) you won't exactly get a good reading.

I find the suggestions on Robin Wood's site perfect for preparing for a reading. It really gets me in the right frame of mind and I always feel energized too.

Try this:

http://www.robinwood.com/LivingtreeGrove/Magic/MagicPages/GroundCenter.html

Mimi

Just a side note...

..the past few weeks, I've been less energetic, but practised readings quietly even when feeling sick. What happened is I let the readings simmer more over a few days. So perhaps I'm suggesting grounding and centering when you do analysis of cards pulled...

I have the cards in a bag that I've carried around for a few weeks. It's been busy, but I don't have much time to attune myself, just quietly pull some cards, then separate them out from the rest of the deck. But I think having them around for awhile has helped me feel in sync with them. So I'm okay with not being tight with the on the reading right after the card pull. In fact, I'm more relaxed, because I've pulled some cards and when I have a few minutes, I'll see the draw.

I found for myself, I was less apt to make quick and glancing judgements.
When I did pictures alone, quick glimpses... I thought of similarities right away, then took what wisdom I thought it was suggesting...but now, my process was to glance at the cards a few times after the first pulll...then a day or two after I made notes and looked at the cards again. Then I glanced at one-sentence meanings in the booklet. I found deeper and interesting patterns to make notes about, as well.

I have a feeling because of long practise with writing snippets in snatched moments, this is my way of 'focusing energy' and concentrating--the act of writing brings things together for me.

So I learned more with doing maybe one or two readings a week with over five to nine cards each reading...rather than three or four one to three card draws. I was thinking because of the limits to my energy and time, I'm allowing for deeper readings to develop.

I was using 1001 Nights, which has tiny pictures and lots of detail. Maybe the nature of this tarot is absorbing and more attuned to slower readings--at least for me. Hope this is helpful...

Regards,

Cerulean

thank you guys for all your important advice and input. I realize that it is really important to be patient when it comes to readings, and not demand answers right away, accept that sometimes the readings have to steep with us like tea bags before we can make sense out of them. Not consume readings so to speak. Which is why keeping some sort of journal is a really good idea too.

Another aspect of grounding and centering before readings is fear, a friend of mine worried about a lump she found in her breast and of course, went to see a doctor before she consulted the cards. But during the week she waited for the analysis of her tissue-sample, she did several readings, all which gave her the same card for her question: The devil. She was of course devastated and interpreted it as a confirmation of serious illness. I however, thought that the cards were messing with her, challenging her fears, and that they instead reflected her state of mind concerning the question. In my opinion she searched the lump out in her breast herself, because she was worried for other reasons in her life, and needed something tangible to focus on.

When the result came back, it showed that she was perfectly healthy.

What do you guys think?

Thanks again, Téa

With the Devil card, I would totally agree with you. If she had drew it prior to going to the doctors, I would think it would have meant - face up to your deepest fears and do something about it. As it was whilst she was waiting for the results, it was a reflection of how scared she felt.

As for rituals for grounding - I don't do anything specific with my cards, but I always make sure that all my chores and errands are done first. That way I have nothing else nagging at my mind, other than the reading.

No real rituals at all. Well lots of shuffling and concentrating on the question or general matters while shuffling. And I don't do readings when I'm ill or very tired.

When reading for myself or outdoors there are absolutely no rules besides that I try to keep my cards clean and have them all together after the reading. Which can be hard at times when the wind is suddenly blowing away cards... When reading for querents at home I take care that my house is not too messy and that water is boiling for some nice tea of their choice. I use insense but not only for querents, I burn that often because it adds to the atmosphere I like in my house. Because I let querents touch my cards I let them wash their hands before handling the cards. I wash mine then as well so nobody has to feel uncomfortable and in a way it looks like a ritual When people like it and THEY are a bit nervous I found it may help to have soft ocean or naturesounds or nice music on the background. But that is a difficult one as it may also easily distract from the cards. I've found a balance in that but it took me some time. (what do I hear? music? or what? so a bit louder then... OMG where am I? in the middle of a storm in a rainforest? etc.. )
Blessings