How often do you do personal readings?

[Polkacat]

How often do you read for yourself? Do you do it during challenging situations, or do you do it as part of your daily self care routine? 

[DanielJUK]

I should say that some people find they can't read for themselves, it just doesn't work out well. They always get readings from others.

 

I have definitely reduced reading for myself whilst I got more experienced at reading. At the start I read over everything and now I use it minimally, it's there when I need it or need some advice.

Sometimes I don't read for myself for long periods. I would say at least one self reading a month. I do look at a daily card every day though for some guidance however.

[stephanelli]

3 hours ago, Polkacat said:

How often do you read for yourself? Do you do it during challenging situations, or do you do it as part of your daily self care routine? 

Personally, I pull a daily card as something to focus on or ponder for the day.  I also do a short reading as part of my spiritual journey on the new, full, first quarter and last quarter moons and also the solstices, equinoxes and the cross quarter festivals.

 

As for challenging situations, I usually get a reading from another reader as I seem myself too bias to read clearly for myself.  Once I've done or got a reading on a situation, I won't read on it again until something has significantly changed in the situation.

[Guest]

I used to only perform two personal readings a week or so, usually when I need guidance. Of course I'd also read for myself whenever I come across an intriguing spread in my feed. 

 

Aside from these, I now do daily draws too, from which I've begun to discern some pretty interesting patterns. 

[Chariot]

I don't do personal readings all that often, tbh. I find that frequency is counterproductive.  If I have a pressing issue that I need advice about, I will do a reading, and nearly always get an accurate view of the situation.  However, if nothing much is happening in my life, I find the readings reflect that, or simply don't come through with anything accurate that I can use.  I'm not keen on the daily one-card reading thing, as I think it can (or could with me) develop into quite a crutch and worry point.  I don't really need that, do I?

There is also the fact that I don't live alone, and I need space and uninterrupted time to myself to get into readings. At least a couple of hours. That doesn't happen very often. Then when I DO have time to myself, I feel pressure to take advantage of that time—even if I don't actually need a reading. A 'meh' result usually appears when I read for myself during those short me-time periods.  I journal all my readings, and when I look back on some of them, I realise that, in truth, nothing was happening.

I'm starting to deal with my wish to use my cards nearly every day by working with them in other ways, other than readings.  For example, right now I am working through Mary K Greer's Tarot For Your Self, and doing all the exercises.  This keeps me in touch with my cards without having to dig an accurate reading out every time.  I occasionally re-interview my decks (a lot of fun.)  And I have one deck I use for politics and predictions of political situations. I can usually get something from the cards, when I read from that perspective. There is always SOMETHING happening somewhere in the world that it's useful to think about.

I also read lots of books and other material on the tarot.  I take notes, and use them to deepen my card meanings handbook that I wrote for myself, and keep revising. I also jot down ideas for spreads and other ways of looking at tarot. I do occasional reviews of tarot-related decks and publications.  So there is lots to keep me occupied with tarot without doing daily readings.  (And no, I'm not a deck collector!)

 

In short, I read for myself when I need to, but I keep my interest in tarot active in other ways.  Like joining this forum! 😀

Edited February 8, 2023 by Chariot

[gregory]

10 hours ago, DanielJUK said:

I should say that some people find they can't read for themselves, it just doesn't work out well. They always get readings from others.

 

This. I don't do it. If I need a reading I ask someone else.

[KiMo]

I don't often read for myself, to be honest with you I find it very boring! At the risk of sounding conceited (I don't mean this comment with any arrogance at all), I think I'm probably a lot more self aware than I give myself credit for and the cards tend to reflect what I already know. I suppose it's a good way of getting validation and confirmation in that respect. I do enjoy taking part in the the lunar cycle readings on TT&M to observe patterns and tides, and every now and again I will do a reading on a message that I'd like clarification on, like a particularly interesting dream or a synchronicity that I've experienced. Otherwise I live a pretty humdrum day to day life and reading daily wouldn't serve me. As others have said, if there were a major question that I wanted guidance on, one that I was emotionally invested in, I would likely seek out another reader.

 

I really prefer to read for others when I get the opportunity, I get much, much more satisfaction out of it. And as Chariot mentioned I would rather read regularly on situations outside of myself, such as social or political issues. I find that much more interesting.

[Rosebud]

I do personal reading often, maybe 2-3 times a week because currently I have no one in my personal circle who are interested in tarot 😅 my personal reading is becoming a self-care or comfort routine for me. I live in a quite religious country, so I'm quite afraid to open up. I just want to make myself safe. At times before joining here, I jumped on Reddit to do some reading interpretation, but it's a bit chaotic there. Although, still good experience to have. But then this year I start to join reading exchange here, and agree with others that this is interesting!

[Guest]

Same here @Rosebud. I'm Catholic, and my peers in my industry would most likely more than raise an eyebrow when they get wind of my sub rosa pursuits. Aside from myself, I only ever read for family and some very close friends. Divination is my jam, and if I were to solely read for others I would be limiting myself to at most half a dozen readings a year lol. Thank the heavens for the circles here, I'm given opportunities to flex dem cartomantic muscles for strangers.

 

The self-knowledge I gain from reading the cards is priceless. I would like to think that of all people, I have at least figured myself out, but the Tarot has taught me that there are heights and abysses of my psyche that I've yet to explore. 

 

I just love the cards. Their feel, their solidity, their mystery. I love working with them. That's why the Deck of the Week threads have been such a revelation. I thoroughly enjoy seeing how others work with their decks as I do mine, be it in the form of complicated spreads or through simple adulatory posts. Many of these are self-readings though, like in most group reading threads. There is also this little problem of unbidden deck lust, so enter AYOR lol. 

 

For new decks that I want to commune with or prized ones that I wish to form a deeper connection to, it would be rather lacking for me if I were to simply study their symbolism, correspondences, combinations, etc. without actually working with them. I learn best by practical application, and since I can't let other people's fortunes be my training ground, in my learning process I may only resort to self-readings. There is of course the very real problem of confirmation bias. That's why when you're reading for yourself, cultivating the virtue of detachment is important. I also respect that how people imbibe knowledge effectively is personal, so what works for me may fall flat for others. 

 

It's only last month when I began performing daily draws and they're amazing! To see my year slowly being painted by a kaleidoscope of cards of varying aesthetic styles, hues, media, etc. is a visual delight. My days are mostly ho-hum, so I take most card interpretations as meditative rather than divinatory, like the passages one heeds in daily devotionals or such. An exception would be if cards of an intensely inauspicious aspect show themselves, in which case I'll heed them as warnings. 

[Misterei]

20 hours ago, Chariot said:

I don't do personal readings all that often ... I find that frequency is counterproductive.  If I have a pressing issue that I need advice about, I will do a reading ...

Yes. This was something I saw on the reddits. People were reading for themselves like every day. It seemed narcissistic and self-obsessed. I think a personal practice is important. I read professionally for others, yet also keep Tarot as a personal practice ... but I save my personal practice for something meaningful. Not "just for drill"

20 hours ago, Chariot said:

I'm starting to deal with my wish to use my cards nearly every day by working with them in other ways, other than readings.

I sometimes struggle to find those other ways ... but I really liked what you wrote about this. And of course this forum has been wonderful to expand my personal practice in new directions.

 

12 hours ago, Rosebud said:

... At times before joining here, I jumped on Reddit to do some reading interpretation, but it's a bit chaotic there.

I'm also a reddit refugee. This place is SO much better!

1 hour ago, Akhilleus said:

The self-knowledge I gain from reading the cards is priceless. I would like to think that of all people, I have at least figured myself out, but the Tarot has taught me that there are heights and abysses of my psyche that I've yet to explore. 

And blind spots. If I'm coming from ego ... Tarot can't help with the blind spots. But when I open up to the cards and purify my mind ... then Tarot shines a bright light on the blind spots. A good personal reading might give me something on which to meditate for a week or more. And a direction to change my thoughts and behaviors.

1 hour ago, Akhilleus said:

For new decks that I want to commune with or prized ones that I wish to form a deeper connection to, it would be rather lacking for me if I were to simply study their symbolism, correspondences, combinations, etc. without actually working with them. I learn best by practical application, and since I can't let other people's fortunes be my training ground, in my learning process I may only resort to self-readings.

Yep. Definitely gotta test a deck on myself before I would use it for a client. Of course the number of decks I actually use for clients is limited. Some decks I know I'll only use for personal practice.

1 hour ago, Akhilleus said:

... the very real problem of confirmation bias. That's why when you're reading for yourself, cultivating the virtue of detachment is important.

*sigh* how to escape the echo chamber of my own ego, its confirmation bias, and its blind spots??? I find if I meditate before reading it helps.

Definitely the most difficult apect of reading for oneself!

 

Edited February 9, 2023 by Misterei

[Rosebud]

On 2/9/2023 at 11:06 AM, Misterei said:

I'm also a reddit refugee. This place is SO much better!

Glad to know I'm not alone @Misterei 😂 I guess this Tarot Tea forum makes a good "initiation" with that minimum 5 post so that people are getting more serious and "civilized" about tarot! I realize that when it becomes so easy to join a forum, there might be something to compromised.

 

On 2/9/2023 at 9:54 AM, Akhilleus said:

Same here @Rosebud. I'm Catholic, and my peers in my industry would most likely more than raise an eyebrow when they get wind of my sub rosa pursuits.

I can't say I am glad to know that I'm not alone but I feel you so much @Akhilleus! But also nice to know that you have people that interested to your reading.

 

I do understand that personal reading can be counterintuitive or makes us a bit narsisstic. But one thing that helps me to balance my personal reading is, beforehand I learned about cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and it helps me to separate my thoughts and emotions. I also got lucky to have access to affordable therapy, but I learned CBT by myself. CBT is a method that we can do without therapy, and there are plenty of books that can teach us. I can say that tarot has some similarity in psychology, since CBT teaches us to spot our thought distortions, i.e. all-or-nothing thinking, self-blame or other-blame, emotional reasoning, mental filter, magnification or minimizing, etc. For me, diffusing CBT to my personal reading makes it more insightful and theurapeutic. So I'm able to focus on the solution rather than blaming people or self-pitying myself. And it helps me to think outside of me in a (more) neutral way, like reading to another person. But ofc that is just my experience 😄 we have many different methods to read for ourselves.

[DanielJUK]

@Rosebud and @Akhilleus over the years here and on our old tarot forum, we have had many members from very religious and conservative countries. They felt it was a safe place for their interests where they could be in danger or divination / tarot was just really frowned upon. Some of the people had strong personal religious beliefs themselves but divination was an important thing for them and didn't conflict with their beliefs. It was always very interesting. I think one part of tarot and divination is working out your personal belief structure, it changed mine and made me more open to what we don't know and the mysteries out there!

We aim to be a safe place for anyone who needs it and wants to read with others or need help with their personal readings 🙂

[trivialuvs]

I've been doing several spreads a day, but it's mostly to get to know the cards. Most readings align. It's helped me grow confident in myself and my mind.

[Jewel]

On 2/7/2023 at 1:12 PM, Polkacat said:

How often do you read for yourself? Do you do it during challenging situations, or do you do it as part of your daily self care routine? 

When the spirit moves me is my primary answer, but I try to do a deck of the month project every month to review decks in my collection and end up doing a lot of general readings for myself to test drive the decks for purposes of the review as well.

[Grandma]

I read almost entirely for spiritual and therapeutic reasons. It frequently involves a lot of shadow work. About once a week is about all I can manage. I may start doing less serious readings on the off days. Another thing I might start doing again is keeping a deck with me and drawing a single card at random times of the day for a quick read assessment of how the day is going. Both of those ways of reading for myself were productive and enjoyable. I wonder why I stopped? Perhaps I'll read on that.