Instincts in readings? Advice

[corey]

Hi. A lot of what I've been studying about reading cards, aside from the meanings from books, you go with your instincts. What happens when your instincts are totally wrong? And so far of the mark it just isn't funny? Are some people just not meant to use tarot cards? Even though I want to damn it! For example: I never in a million years would have thought the ace of wands (especially Robin Woods) would have been a phallic symbol - never! Am I so blind to these kind of things, I don't find that thought offensive in the least, so why am I not seeing these things before I look up the meanings?
What advice can someone give me to look deeper?

 

[GryffinSong]

The book that comes with the cards is simply one person's opinion. Sometimes it's the artist who drew the cards, sometimes not. I've NEVER interpreted the ace of swords as a phallic symbol. Just because that's what the book says, doesn't really mean squat. If you'll pardon the expression. We all evolve our own path, our own interpretations, or own "way". Some will overlap with others, and with so-called traditional meanings. But, really, there is no absolute right and wrong. This is an art, not a science.

So, my advice is to relax, let your intuition flow, and don't worry about the book unless something in there clicks with you.

 

[Mellifluous]

All the cards have many potential meanings. Now that you've read that one for ace of wands, it's stored in your memory and could be called up in the future when you see that card. (Whether it occurs to you or not in the moment, is where intuition comes in again.)

Besides, how do you know your interpretation was wrong? Several different interpretations can apply to a card within the same reading. So, even if you read for someone, there was an ace of wands, and they indeed had sex at some point... it doesn't necessarily follow that your own interpretation was wrong. (People have sex all the time without drawing the ace of wands, too. lol)

However, anyone can be wrong at any time - and definitely will be sometimes. Humans aren't perfect.

Keep reading the cards, reading books if you want, talking about tarot with people, learning. No matter how long you've been reading tarot, you can always stumble upon a new meaning for a card. It's a lifelong learning process, so try not to get too frustrated.

Good luck and happy tarot-ing!

 

[Bloudwedd]

Hi. A lot of what I've been studying about reading cards, aside from the meanings from books, you go with your instincts. What happens when your instincts are totally wrong? And so far of the mark it just isn't funny? Are some people just not meant to use tarot cards? Even though I want to damn it! For example: I never in a million years would have thought the ace of wands (especially Robin Woods) would have been a phallic symbol - never! Am I so blind to these kind of things, I don't find that thought offensive in the least, so why am I not seeing these things before I look up the meanings?
What advice can someone give me to look deeper?

This could really have been written by myself. Sometimes I really ar baffled by the more pragmatic and/or intuitive meanings I read for a specific card when I read about it for example on these forums. Usally I do understand where it is coming from, but like you no in my wildes dreams could I have seen that myself! What it comes down to I think is EXPERIENCE. 1)Life experience - the more life you have walked through the more different events you have encountered that you can relate to. 2) Card experience - as someone else here wrote: The more you work with a card, read about it and let it interact with other cards in readings - the deeper understanding for it you get.

To take ace of wands as an excellent example. First of all, it really depends on the illustration I think if you see directly it as a phallic symbol or not. Well, some are just uuhm more obvious than not^^ Then we have to look at the meaning of the card as come to keywords: Ace=Spark, new beginning Wands=passion, drive and enthusiasm. And together= Spark of passion. Now, this might mean different things for different persons (and ofc depending on the question asked!!!) for me that are greatly focused on tarot cards atm they are my passion and I could say it mean that I will get more new fuel on my passion for my cards. But someone that are looking for love passion might equalize physical love.

Dont know if I made it any clearer, but rest assure that you are NOT alone and the only thing you can do is really practice, practice practice! And never give up - never surrender! :-D

 

[Dragon-Capricorn]

I'm going through a lot of this myself right now.

I tend to stick to the more traditional meanings for right now, as I'm learning, and doing really "basic" readings on myself. That doesn't mean I'm not asking serious questions, I'm just interpreting them very basic.

And one of the VERY helpful resources for me is to be a stalker on this forum ;-)

Especially if I want to know more about reading, I go to the section where people post their readings for help/discussion. It's great to see readings where I can go and try my own insight and see how close (or far off ... LOL) I come to some of the tarot masters here!

 

[franniee]

What advice can someone give me to look deeper?

Put the book aside and look at the cards - together. Look at patterns - look at colors - get up walk away and come back with a fresh look. See the symbols - see the story. Leave the book unopened and just look and feel. What do you see? What do you hear? What are your thoughts? Write them all down....free form. Still your mind - leave the meanings alone and just look and note. Let it flow.

Sometimes the ace of wands is a phallic symbol - next to the chariot it could mean a lot of sex and stamina... all depends on what the cards look like.

Also I would read as many people as you can get a hold of....the more you read the more you will see. If you love it you can do it.