Emotions and Using Tarot Cards

[KMilliron]

Hey everybody.

Well, if you didnt see my other update, i just came out last week. Needless to say, emotions are running wonky, and i find myself dealing with a sort of dull depression, where i want to do readings and work the Craft, but i'd rather not do anything because it's kinda like if i do anything, i might start sinking into the mud and im doing everything i can just to keep moving as the ground starts turning into liquid (metaphorically, of course.)

Anyway, the point of my question, is that i just keep feeling like my emotions are gonna affect my readings, and i can't even pull energy together to work anything. It's kinda like i dont wanna talk to anyone, least of all the Cards or the Gods. I don't really know how to handle it.

I know this isnt a pagan forum, so i dont expect everyone to answer that question, but does anyone have any advice on dealing with down emotions and keeping them from interfering with cards? I don't know how to just jump into it again. So any advice you give me would be lovely. Thanks all y'all

Well first of all congrats on making such a difficult step. I'm game to talk if you need anything. It gets better.

Second of all, it should come as no surprise when I say I turn to music to help with my emotions. Not listening to it, because if I'm upset and listening to happy music it pisses me off, but if I'm upset and listening to sad music it doesn't help me at all. So I write it, and try and get my emotions down. I get so caught up in the technical aspects of writing the music I forget my sorrows. It takes me an hour to get a decent copy down, and once it's down and sounding how I want it, I feel proud, which is generally a good feeling.

Try that with some art form such as poetry, short stories, painting, hell do some tie dye. I just made a giant peace sign wall hanging out of tie dye, and it has brightened my room up quite a bit

 

[hunter]

I live in a constant state of hysterics. If I put my cards away waiting for a better a day, I'd probably never use my cards again, because I carry a diagnosis of "not expected to recover".

Just pulling one card from Tarot of the Vampyres works well when I am furious, terrified and/or want to self harm. The readings in the book really talk me down.

When I want to be enabled, the Rabbit Tarot always eggs me on to get into trouble.

My new deck The Game of You, can be counted on to tell me to STOP and use the tool suggested in the reading.

"Spiritual Tarot" and the Aquarius Tarot is soothing.

If you want some man-bashing company, Motherpeace is sure to say something so weird it will leave you laughing.

The teachers and the elementals in the Wizard's Tarot make me feel safer and protected.

Hanson Roberts seems to dull the hard edges of life somehow.

There are some books on Tarot spells. I like to put a card on an altar and put an herb or a stone of something on it, when I want something, but cannot bring myself to even utter my want, becuase I feel like I have such little chance of getting it.

There are some books on tarot games and everyday activities.

I play solitaire with my cards. I often carry them around with me like a security blanket.

 

[Asbestos Mango]

I've found that when emotions are running high, it's helpful to use a gentler, softer deck, one that is soothing. Personally, the Gilded, Pearls of Wisdom, Universal Waite and Tarot of Mermaids fill the bill, but YMMV on what decks you find soothing, calming or encouraging. Also, too lazy right now to link, but if you go into the Tarot Spreads forum and search "Poor Man's Therapist", there is a wonderful spread that is great for helping you sort through your emotional turmoil. I've used it several times when I'm depressed, and it always gives me good insight.

Another thing I've done is when I'm feeling depressed or anxious is to ask the cards to give me something encouraging or soothing, and they will either comply or give me some insight into the cause of whatever negative emotions I'm feeling.

I have found that asking "what do I need to know about myself" when I'm depressed will simply result in my depression being reflected back at me.

 

[Zechariah13]

I have found that asking "what do I need to know about myself" when I'm depressed will simply result in my depression being reflected back at me.

lol. i have noticed that too. But, i've also found that if you do a larger spread, where things have to interact, the sheer complicatedness of the spread forces you to think beyond your mood and read the cards in front of you. that is unless it makes you crack first.

For instance, i recently started feeling more steadyfooted, so i tried a tree of life, just as a sort of energy check-up. Lo and behold, all but 2 of the cards were reversed, and IIRC, it read with 4 cards in the cups suit, 4 cards in the swords suit and 2 majors. one cup and one sword were upright, and right over each other IIRC. I will be posting this reading to the site in a little while, as i LOVE me some ToL's

EDIT: totally forgot my original point. The fact that each card not only progresses to the card in front of it, but is connected pretty much to the 3-4 cards around it, if not every card, REQUIRES me to think past "oh, its an inverted cup, boo hoo, my life is so sad and miserable, i think im gonna drink whiskey and listen to Toby Keith boo hoo!" I have to wonder, why, in the presence of a reversed 6, 7 and 10 of cups, do i have an upright 9 of cups? and how does the fool in the 9th position interact with everything else? It makes me think. i like being forced to think

 

[Trogon]

A lot of very good advice. The one thing I would like to add, is that don't forget to "learn" from this. All of your experiences and feelings that you're going through right now will be something which will give you insight into something that someone else will be going through and coming to you for answers on. Some day you'll be doing a reading and you'll think to yourself "oh, I've been through something like this" and it will help you to relate to them and to better communicate what you're seeing in the cards.

I'm glad that bringing it out and talking about it has helped. It usually helps me to be able to talk out things like this too.

 

[Always Wondering]

Sometimes when I am in a funk, I scan one of my favorite cards, resize it big, print it out and hang it up somewhere I can see it for a few days.

AW