Frustrated by readings that can't be taken at face value

[aware7]

I'm hoping some of you can help me with a problem reading for myself. It is very frustrating to not be able to take the cards at face value when they are joyful/positive/classic cards of good times etc. I have also had this situation when I have had readings done for me by other people.

I would like to be optimistic when I get cards such as the Sun, two of cups, four of wands etc but I have continually found that they do not represent the face value but rather indicate egotism from other people, things coming out into the open that I would prefer remain discreet (the Sun), other people's relationships (not talking about sex necessarily) and their exclusion of others (two of cups), the setting of boundaries whereby exclusion is indicated (four of wands) and not good times, celebrations or other such positive situations, and in the 3 of cups again the drawing of boundaries and setting of limits whereby the 3 celebrating are the only ones permitted to join in.

It has become so disheartening to me to have to view cards continually with reservations instead of happily. I could understand if they were the kinds of cards that are held to indicate negative situations but these are cards that normally herald positive experiences. On nearly every occas Any ideas as to why?

 

[PAMUYA]

I'm hoping some of you can help me with a problem reading for myself. It is very frustrating to not be able to take the cards at face value when they are joyful/positive/classic cards of good times etc. I have also had this situation when I have had readings done for me by other people.

I would like to be optimistic when I get cards such as the Sun, two of cups, four of wands etc but I have continually found that they do not represent the face value but rather indicate egotism from other people, things coming out into the open that I would prefer remain discreet (the Sun), other people's relationships (not talking about sex necessarily) and their exclusion of others (two of cups), the setting of boundaries whereby exclusion is indicated (four of wands) and not good times, celebrations or other such positive situations, and in the 3 of cups again the drawing of boundaries and setting of limits whereby the 3 celebrating are the only ones permitted to join in.

It has become so disheartening to me to have to view cards continually with reservations instead of happily. I could understand if they were the kinds of cards that are held to indicate negative situations but these are cards that normally herald positive experiences. On nearly every occas Any ideas as to why?

I am just one voice, you do not know me, take this for what it is worth to you:

Many decades ago(over 4) my grandmother who taught me how to read cards (not tarot, playing cards) set out a few rules to follow, which were taught to her by her mother. These rules where passed down for generations, I will give you the first two because they have to do with reading of tarot cards and your question.

#1 never get emotionally attached to any card, that means any given card is not "happy or sad", "positive or negative". I was taught that having these attachments to the cards can block your ability to hear your intuition, your emotions will over ride it. My grandmother told me many times "your intuition comes to you in whispers, your emotions scream at you", keep your own emotions out of the cards. Bring yourself to a reading with a clear calm open mind.

Rule #2 never read for yourself. I know a lot of the members here on the board use reading for themselves as practice, but that is all it is practice, unless you have the fortitude of the High Priestess, you will not be able to keep your emotions from coming to the surface in a reading for yourself. If for some reason I need a reading, I have one done for me, or on occasion I will do one for myself and then post it in "your readings" for others to give me their opinion. Your entire question about reading for yourself had to do with your emotions, they are getting in the way of your ability to hear your intuition.

My advice, is the advice given to me, go back and look at the cards for what they are, do not put emotional meanings to the cards, meaning "positive or negative". Let your intuition do the reading, not your emotional hopes and fears.

 

[Frindle]

Hello Aware7;
My $.02 for what it's worth:
I am trying to understand your stance of the question. May I interject to say, are you looking at these cards in context? Meaning, is this the result of single card draws, or outcome cards? What are/were the surrounding cards? What are/were the original query/ies? It more sounds like your frame of mind (negativity) may be limiting your reception of the information. Yes, every great card carries part of it's yin within, (The Sun can burn as well provide heat) but maybe you are having a sudden rash of thought that hears the hoofbeats of zebras on the prairie? (mind getting carried away).
Remember, if you are asking the same question over and over, you will get muddled results.
Perhaps no more personal/ emotional reading for a moon's cycle.

If any of this applies to your path experience, may I recommend the following?
- cleanse your deck (solar, lunar at full moon, or research for more options)
- a spiritual cleansing for yourself

I have had the experience you listed previously, and these ideas have helped.
My best wishes for a resolution in this issue.

 

[Topsy]

I don't think any one card is entirely positive or negative, except maybe the World, which I have never known to be bad. I understand it can be disheartening if you constantly have to question whether even a card like the Sun could mean something negative. But one thing I find comforting is this: while a traditionally positive card such as the Sun might sometimes have a bad meaning, the vice versa is also true. Ie a traditionally negative card can also have a positive side.

For example, many hearts sink when they see a card like the Tower, the 3 of Swords, the 10 of Swords etc. But the "face value" isn't necessarily true. The Tower can be something positive which comes as a sudden shock, the 3 of Swords can indicate maturity and valuable lessons which can only be learnt through hardship, and the 10 of Swords can mean that the worst has finally passed and it's all uphill from here. You would have to use your intuition and the surrounding cards in a spread to decide whether a positive meaning was appropriate for these cards.

In short, every card in the deck has the potential to be positive or negative - like Pamuya said, you just have to learn to let go of any emotional associations you have with certain cards which you expect to be positive. If you approach the cards without those expectations, it won't be disappointing if they show up with a negative meaning.

Do you use reversals in your readings? It might be something to consider, if you don't already. That way it's more obvious whether the card has a positive or negative meaning. If you use reversals, a reversed card would indicate the negative connotations of that card; eg the reversed Queen of Wands might be a domineering or attention-seeking peron. If it's upright, the positive qualities are emphasised, eg the Queen of Wands upright would be confident, charming and creative. With a more clear-cut line between the good and bad aspects of the card, it might be easier for you to let go of that disappointed feeling when a card you expect to be happy shows up with a negative meaning.

Hope this helps. Most importantly, different things will work for different people so I hope you can find a solution that works for you. Good luck

 

[caridwen]

I am just one voice, you do not know me, take this for what it is worth to you:

Many decades ago(over 4) my grandmother who taught me how to read cards (not tarot, playing cards) set out a few rules to follow, which were taught to her by her mother. These rules where passed down for generations, I will give you the first two because they have to do with reading of tarot cards and your question.

#1 never get emotionally attached to any card, that means any given card is not "happy or sad", "positive or negative". I was taught that having these attachments to the cards can block your ability to hear your intuition, your emotions will over ride it. My grandmother told me many times "your intuition comes to you in whispers, your emotions scream at you", keep your own emotions out of the cards. Bring yourself to a reading with a clear calm open mind.

Rule #2 never read for yourself. I know a lot of the members here on the board use reading for themselves as practice, but that is all it is practice, unless you have the fortitude of the High Priestess, you will not be able to keep your emotions from coming to the surface in a reading for yourself. If for some reason I need a reading, I have one done for me, or on occasion I will do one for myself and then post it in "your readings" for others to give me their opinion. Your entire question about reading for yourself had to do with your emotions, they are getting in the way of your ability to hear your intuition.

My advice, is the advice given to me, go back and look at the cards for what they are, do not put emotional meanings to the cards, meaning "positive or negative". Let your intuition do the reading, not your emotional hopes and fears.

Lucky you! I had to learn all this stuff through experience and hard practice. Some great advice there.

I find that my intuition pulls something out of the iconography which gives a particular card meaning. It doesn't necessarily tie in with the traditional Tarot card meaning and by traditional I mean Pictorial Key or Book of Thoth.

There is no "face value". All those meanings you cited are alternative meanings to those cards and part of those cards. It' part of the Tarot experience and it looks like you're doing really well

 

[MareSaturni]

#1 never get emotionally attached to any card, that means any given card is not "happy or sad", "positive or negative". I was taught that having these attachments to the cards can block your ability to hear your intuition, your emotions will over ride it. My grandmother told me many times "your intuition comes to you in whispers, your emotions scream at you", keep your own emotions out of the cards. Bring yourself to a reading with a clear calm open mind.

Rule #2 never read for yourself. I know a lot of the members here on the board use reading for themselves as practice, but that is all it is practice, unless you have the fortitude of the High Priestess, you will not be able to keep your emotions from coming to the surface in a reading for yourself. If for some reason I need a reading, I have one done for me, or on occasion I will do one for myself and then post it in "your readings" for others to give me their opinion. Your entire question about reading for yourself had to do with your emotions, they are getting in the way of your ability to hear your intuition.

My advice, is the advice given to me, go back and look at the cards for what they are, do not put emotional meanings to the cards, meaning "positive or negative". Let your intuition do the reading, not your emotional hopes and fears.

Pamuya's advices to you are full of pure wisdom! You should heed them!

All cards have a negative and positive potential. However, some cards usually express the negative potential more easily, while other express the positive potential more easily. That is what we consider the 'good' and the 'bad' cards - they are neither, but they usually express one quality better than the other.

So unless your Sun is surrounded by cards that imply a selfish personality, or the disclosure of things you wanted to keep discreet, then it usually has a very positive influence. Because it is a card that expresses its positive potentials better than its negatives ones (although it has both in it).

The problem is that when we read for ourselves, it is hard to have the necessary detachment to see how the cards are really interacting. We put our emotions in the reading, and the first negative card that appears ruins our mood. Or we are in a pessimistic mood, and even the most positive card becomes bad.

I suggest that you read for other people... practice on others, here at the forum, and avoid reading for yourself or even reading about your own issues for a while. This will help you to see the cards interact and influence each other's meanings without your emotions coming into play. It is a good way to get to know your cards without relating them to your own issues.

Don't put so much expectations on the messages you receive from the cards, because then you'll be disappointed, and you'll become more and more pessimistic and frustrated at every reading. Reading for people to whom you are not emotionally attached is a good way to regain the distance necessary to interpret the cards as they are. It is an important exercise, in my opinion.

I have said it before, and I repeat: reading for ourselves is NEVER easy, it is one of the MOST DIFFICULT practices in divination! Whoever spread that it is the perfect exercise for beginners was lying. In my experience, it tends to be a huge source of frustration for those who are beginning... and even to those who are experienced...

 

[aware7]

From the bottom of my heart, thank you!

What can I say to Pamuya and the rest of you (sorry for not naming all the others) except a big, heartfelt thank you for your wisdom, insight, compassion and advice. Your posts all put it in a nutshell, I really needed to think of these things in a different way.

Just a point or two - I do read with reversed cards which is why it has been so disappointing to me for positive expectations from upright cards to turn out as situations that are hurtful. I have to say I don't think I changed the course of actions from good to bad as the appearance of these cards actually made me feel very positive.

I also live in a country which is not my home (this is my second experience of living in a foreign country) and it operates on a system of clearly marked boundaries and reinforces the society's notion that its people's only relationships are with each other and not with foreigners. Not all people here follow this but it is a deeply entrenched way of thinking and sad but true to say that the cards seem to be reinforcing this in their references to relationships and barriers.

Again thank you so much. I think I will stop reading for myself for a while and give myself and my cards a much needed break.