Tarot and Fear - Does it Matter?

[David Hooper]

Just an example...

Let's say you have a boyfriend and want to know more information about the relationship with him. What would be the worst cards you could pick? One would probably be 3 of Swords.

Is it possible that NOTHING is wrong with the relationship, but your own fear that things are not working out and your own thoughts of "I hope [insert card here] does't come up" would cause that card to be drawn?

Could the purpose of drawing that card be more to show you your own, fearful energy around the situation rather than the specific meaning of the card?

Interested in your thoughts on this, how to ground the deck when you have an emotionally charged situation, etc.

Thanks!!

 

[Brock Johnson]

Generally, I'd say that this could be up for opinion. For instance, I would find the 8 of cups just as hurtful. The person is leaving something (emotional=cups) behind. There are many cards but the Tarot has a unique way with each person.

For instance, you might think of Subject A happening with the Wheel of Fortune, but I might think of Subject A with the Death card. The tarot knows what cards to show you for you to get the right impression. That is unless you aren't supposed to know something

Brock

 

[fairyhedgehog]

Well, I believe that the cards that come up are always random. But your frame of mind will make a huge difference to what you see in that card. If you're worried about coming to the end of something you enjoy, the Death card might remind you that the end is never really the end and "all is harvest". If someone close to you has cancer, that card might strike you quite differently.

Just my 2p again.

 

[Apollonia]

Reading about a personal situation where you have a personal stake in what happens is always tricky. If it's really important to you to get a reading on a topic that you are very close to, better to exchange a reading with someone else to get a balanced look at the situation.

 

[mtnmermaid]

When I have an emotionally charged situation I usually try to get someone else to read for me. If that's not possible I pretend like I'm reading for someone else and that helps distance my emotions a little.

I do think a card could be pointing to your own fears, sure, it just depends on the other cards, what positions you're using etc. If you think you're having fears you could pick a card that best represents them and do a spread based on that, asking for guidance or what you can do to overcome them.

 

[JAM]

Very interesting...

My 2p is to say that I've had a lot of "difficult" cards come up regarding my recent break-up... Most of them reversed, but including 3, 6 and 10 of Swords, Death and Judgement (am looking forward to 8 of Cups to say that I am moving on/have moved on!).

And my cards have learned that I forget easily (or ignore readily) and so have been bringing up the same cards in the same orientations in the same positions!!!

I think that you chose the cards and it's up to you (or the person reading for you, if you're lucky enough to have someone to do that for you, to help) to find the meaning, but I don't think that worrying can make the cards "lie" when you pre-empt a particular card arising... rather it can bring up a "difficult" card to draw notice to the fact that you are worried and ask you to analyse why you're worried...

 

[Umbrae]

It all depends on the question and the positions of the cards and the surrounding cards.

for example. One may see the 8 of Cups as leaving.

Perhaps they are leaving to get the ninth cup....

Is the 3 of swords bad? What if it lies to the left of the 3 of Cups?

and lastly...who's cards are they? You have a relationship with two people...which of the two people does the card refer to? Or does the card refer the third entity, the relationship itself, which is the result of two energies (participants) combined?

The question, as posed - cannot be answered.

 

[Zephyros]

Um, well... my boyfriend just broke up with me, and I feel I made a mistake in reading for the situation beforehand. I did indeed get the Three of Swords... There are some things that you should know that you are just not objective enough to take...

 

[full deck]

. . . Could the purpose of drawing that card be more to show you your own, fearful energy around the situation rather than the specific meaning of the card? . . . how to ground the deck when you have an emotionally charged situation, etc.

David, the emotion or "fearful energy" is within one's self, not the deck of cards. One would want to "ground" themselves and try reading when they have the right aptitude for such. If not, "mtnmermaid"s suggestion about having someone else read for you is a good idea.

 

[Fatima]

That's the reason behind the "thou salt not read for yourself".
It's very hard sometimes but you have to accept what the cards are saying.
If you don't trust what they say, what is the point of reading cards in the first place?

F.