When You Read For Yourself....

[greatdane]

Do you usually read for self-reflection, self-discovery, or divination? Do you usually do a daily read in the morning or evening, to see what the coming day may hold. Do you read to really just reflect on what's going on with you and your life and help you think of options you may have missed? If it's all of the above, is there something you particular look for in your readings?

So...when you read for yourself, what's literally in it for you?

 

[Kissa]

I only read for myself. Oh and sometimes for my partner, and strangely it works (both the reading and the partner part LOL).

I read for self-reflection, I think. I use tarot -when facing issues/questions- as a tool to make me see things in a more intuitive way than I do normally. Thus the concentration part before reading (actually even before shuffling) is very important. I turn inwards completely, visualize the 4 elements, I have my own little sentence to the Creator for asking help and guidance.

Only short 3-5 card readings.

I also do daily cards but it depends when I have time or feel the right moment to do it, sometimes in the evening (to "meditate" on the card during the night and let it influence my dreams) sometimes in the morning (to know what will be the theme/energy of the day). I used to do a 3 card reading in the morning based on the Body Mind Spirit spread, something like (apologize in advance for lousy translation from my mother language):
1- What does my body is telling me today
2- What do I need to focus on today
3- What do I receive and/or give forward today

Really for me tarot is mostly counseling, I started to get into tarot when I was and felt very isolated from my family, I missed at the same time an ear to listen to my problems, a shoulder to lean and cry on and some pads on the back, smiles and good advice, I think. Yep, you could say that tarot is a friend, the kind of incredibly friend that makes you trust yourself more

 

[greatdane]

Loved that post, Kissa!

Tarot as a friend. It was lovely.

Liked the three card spread you do. Right now, I'm only doing daily one card draws, but now I'm interested in your three card.

So glad you shared that. It's so nice seeing what others get from tarot. I know each of us know what we each take from it, but so nice to see how others feel about it as well.

Merci beaucoup, mon amie!

GD

 

[kittiann]

Pretty much the only reading I ever do is for myself.. I've read for my hubby once or twice, but he always says I'm being biased

I'd really like to get into doing a daily draw; one card to think and meditate on for a whole day. I think this would really help me 'get into the head' of a deck so to speak, as well as help internalize all sorts of different meanings for a certain card. For me, it'd be a lot like a word-a-day calendar; a way to learn and incorporate new concepts into my life where they may be lacking.

I read for myself fairly rarely, especially on more serious questions. Honestly, I don't trust my fortune-telling abilities, and so I don't usually use that aspect of the cards and if I do, it's very light-hearted. Mostly I read for self-reflection, to help crystallize my feelings and ideas on all sorts of topics, and to help me with ideas for things I would have never thought to try.

For instance: my brother recently tried to commit suicide. I did a reading where I asked the cards to tell me about my relationship with him: where it could improve, where it was good, and what if anything I could do to help him. There were swords all over that reading! And it was very enlightening.. my family interacts in a very cold, intellectual, oftentimes sarcastic manner. We know (at least I do) that the love is there, but it took seeing all those swords to realize that we almost never mention it. It's like seeing a situation with new eyes, and that is extremely helpful to me.

 

[greatdane]

Wow, Kitti!

So sorry about your brother! It sounds like the cards help give you insight though, which is good, right?

I try to do at least daily one card draws with two decks early morning or late evening, to focus on the day and maybe get an idea about some things I may be overlooking. More of just self-reflection really and helping me clarify.

Correct me if I'm wrong, Kittiann, but it sounds like after doing a very telling reading re your family and feeling you understood exactly what the cards were telling you, you'll be doing more reading for yourself?

Getting to know the cards seems an ongoing challenge for most. It's sure a challenge I'm enjoying.

Thanks for sharing, Kittiann, and I hope all goes well with your brother.

GD

 

[kittiann]

Correct me if I'm wrong, Kittiann, but it sounds like after doing a very telling reading re your family and feeling you understood exactly what the cards were telling you, you'll be doing more reading for yourself?

Thanks for sharing, Kittiann, and I hope all goes well with your brother.

GD

Thanks, GD . It's been a hard time for the family, but as spring warms up here things inevitably get better

I suppose the reason I don't read very often is that I have so little to read about! When I need them, the cards are always wonderful and insightful; but it isn't often that such a serious situation comes up for me. Normally my life is incredibly mundane.. and though I think it's certainly fine for other people, I'm just not interested in coming up with a spread to help me decide what to make for dinner

 

[emmsma]

My tarot reading is mainly for self reflection. I am trying to get back into daily draws.

My dailies for a while were one cards from 3 decks.

1. What do I need to know today.
2. What will be my greatest challenge
3. What is my best course of action.

Other common additions to question #1:
2. What do I need to accomplish?
3. What do I need to avoid?

And then there are the times when I get conversational. I'll start as usual with question 1. And then just go on.

How am I feeling?
What do I need?
How can I get this?

And it can end up that I will ask a question based on the card before.

I do occasionally ask things of a divinatory nature, but I suppose they are not my primary interest/goal in using the cards.

 

[greatdane]

Thanks for that, Emmsma!

Reading all these posts gives me ideas for different daily draws, as I've just been doing one card dailies, but with two different decks. It's nice to see variations on various draws. I really like how you adjust yours to what you feel you want or need on a particular day.

Hope it's cooler there than here!

Blessings on you and yours,

The Crone south of you, GD

 

[avalonian]

I only tend to read for myself, but not in a predictive way, more to see if I am on the right path or not. I also use it for journalling (pick a card and write down whatever comes into my head) which I suppose is a sort of reading.

Sometimes I use the "bridge" spread (from the Songs for the Journey Home book)

1)Where I am now
2)Where I need to be
3)How to get there.

To try and use the tarot with the Law of Attraction I sometimes draw two cards:

1) What am I creating at the moment?
2) What can I do to change or improve it?

 

[greatdane]

Really like that, Avalonian!

I write things down, partly because I'm new to this, partly because I want to look back and see how it's working. I am going to try your two spreads as well as the others I've been seeing here. I knew I wasn't interested in attempting the Celtic Cross, at least not yet, but wanted to change things up a bit. It really is helpful seeing what everyone else does, because it gives me easy, real spreads to try. I prefer to see what others do rather than just what's in one book or another, because it's more real life to me. I like that everyone explains why they do what they do, that helps me as well.

I'm sure I'm not the only newbie who is watching this thread!

GD