nicole8 Posted October 16, 2019 Posted October 16, 2019 Hi All Just wondered what you think is essential when reading for yourself in order to achieve an accurate reading? and to avoid the cards reflect your deepest fears, desires etc. instead of the truth?
Eric13 Posted October 16, 2019 Posted October 16, 2019 You have to be honest with yourself in what you see in the cards in relation to your question.
Eamane Posted October 16, 2019 Posted October 16, 2019 Ask the right questions, even if you don't like them. Accept whatever comes up, good or bad cards. Be ready not to understand at first, some times. Do not avoid the cards that show depest fears and desires, work with them; most of the time they'll show things you didn't know about. Do not hesitate to ask and do research about card meanings.
Wyrdkiss Posted October 16, 2019 Posted October 16, 2019 1 hour ago, Eamane said: Ask the right questions, even if you don't like them. Accept whatever comes up, good or bad cards. Be ready not to understand at first, some times. Do not avoid the cards that show depest fears and desires, work with them; most of the time they'll show things you didn't know about. Do not hesitate to ask and do research about card meanings. excellent experience to share Eamane. IMO your diligent work is evident in your sage advice. @nicole8 your hopes and fears are partial keys to the totality of your life decisions. Being able to recognize, modify or embrace them is key to informed, conscious decision making. @Eric I fully agree with your take too -- honest exploration and introspection required I add one two options to the the suggestions and thoughts above: Document your readings and revisit them. Make notes, journal and return to journal again when compelled. Use a spread. This pinpoints those areas you find troubling (such as using a specific position for, "what do I fear," another for, " desires and motiations," etc). This affords you more identifiable rumination, and removes the newer user tendency to somewhat be all over the place in their interpretation. If stuck on how to make your own layouts, I recommend The Deck of 1000 Spreads: Your Tarot Toolkit for Creating the Perfect Spread for Any Situation available on amazon. it is quite helpful. Let us know how it is going!
Aldor44 Posted October 17, 2019 Posted October 17, 2019 Hey there The positioning assignment is a REALLY nice tip for more accuracy. What I like doing is first reading the cards as if I read them for another person and ONLY then to relate the message I got to myself... I find it makes things more objective to not automatically project them onto myself
Little Fang Posted October 17, 2019 Posted October 17, 2019 I pretend I'm reading for somebody else, which allows the intuition to flow. If I am focused on myself overall, my intuition blanks out.
Albadawn Posted October 17, 2019 Posted October 17, 2019 I tend to write down all my initial impressions and then leave a nice big space below it for later reflection. Sometimes things will sort of ‘develop’ over a few days or I might want to add hindsight after an event I was reading about has passed.
nicole8 Posted October 17, 2019 Author Posted October 17, 2019 Thank you everyone for your input and insight!@Wyrdkiss that is an amazing tip about having a "fears" and "motivations" card in the spread thank you !!! I will go and check that book out 🙂 I will start going back to readings again and again, I haven't been doing that as I thought first impression are usually the ones you 'have to' go with. Thank you all!
Wyrdkiss Posted October 17, 2019 Posted October 17, 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, nicole8 said: Thank you everyone for your input and insight!@Wyrdkiss that is an amazing tip about having a "fears" and "motivations" card in the spread thank you !!! I will go and check that book out 🙂 I will start going back to readings again and again, I haven't been doing that as I thought first impression are usually the ones you 'have to' go with. Thank you all! My pleasure Nicole, glad the input was helpful. Unfortunately, Deck of 1K spreads looks to be now out of print and experiencing collector pricing. Here is an example, however, of the product-- it is a variety of cards to lay down and put your tarot cards over, so you remember the positions. looking at the picture, perhaps you can copy the idea. Some people us index cards with the position meaning written on the top. Should you need further help with designing layouts, crate a separate post and many will be happy to assist. I will chime in on your custom ones, and a lot of members here own great books of spreads they can recommend. Edited October 17, 2019 by Wyrdkiss
DanielJUK Posted October 18, 2019 Posted October 18, 2019 My top tip is like what @Little Fang said, pretend you are reading for someone else. The big risk is looking at the cards and changing the interpretation to what you want to hear. It's so easy to see the Magician and think wow that is my future husband right there but really the reading is saying the man with the tools is coming to fix your broken home appliance 🤣 What would you say about the card to another person? The test here is to be impartial. My bonus extra tip is to get second opinions if you need them, there is no shame in doing that. Sometimes we just cannot decipher a reading ourselves or it's just too emotional to deal with. You can always post readings in the forum section here to get interpretations and ideas from others, as long as you give your ideas first and give feedback on the repliers. I also have tarot friends that we send readings privately between us and give each other ideas, discussion and support. Getting someone else to look at your reading often gives you inspiration and just the thing you need to understand it all. But I have done my own readings where I am just too close to deal with it and normally I am good at being impartial 🙂
Annabelle Posted October 18, 2019 Posted October 18, 2019 Reading for myself has become easier since I switched to primarily reading with TdM decks. It's visually easier to maintain objectivity with non-scenic cards. It's also a matter of practice and experience -- the more I use and read with a deck and stick with the same "system," the less likely I am to let emotions lead me into seeing something that just plainly isn't there. My biggest tip? Form a good question and write it down before you pull any cards. And decide in advance how many cards you will pull and whether they will have positional meanings -- then STICK WITH YOUR PLAN. Where I see people go awry is when they start with a fear or desire rather than a clear question, or when they don't like what they pulled and start to stack up a bunch of "clarifiers" until they get the card they want to see.
DanielJUK Posted October 18, 2019 Posted October 18, 2019 3 hours ago, Annabelle said: My biggest tip? Form a good question and write it down before you pull any cards. And decide in advance how many cards you will pull and whether they will have positional meanings -- then STICK WITH YOUR PLAN. Where I see people go awry is when they start with a fear or desire rather than a clear question, or when they don't like what they pulled and start to stack up a bunch of "clarifiers" until they get the card they want to see. O.M.G definitely write down / type out the question and any positions you read with. I have forgotten the positions (I made up freestyling a spread) and the question so many times after dealing! 😂 Make a note of everything before you start because it stops it becoming so confusing
Eamane Posted October 28, 2019 Posted October 28, 2019 On 10/16/2019 at 4:10 PM, Wyrdkiss said: Use a spread. This pinpoints those areas you find troubling (such as using a specific position for, "what do I fear," another for, " desires and motiations," etc). This affords you more identifiable rumination, and removes the newer user tendency to somewhat be all over the place in their interpretation. This is great advice @Wyrdkiss. I've tried "reading" without a spread and it's just confusing. I've learnt to trust the spreads I use the most and, sometimes, create my own after things I read, learn or want to explore. What I need to be better at is at keeping my tarot jornal updated!
Guest Posted October 28, 2019 Posted October 28, 2019 Personally, I’ve never found reading for myself difficult or problematic. I do force myself to sum it up. Some of my students have raised difficulties. One thing I get them to do is perform the reading in the third person. The delineation and then summing up (a short sentence). It’s odd at first, but they’ve all said it helps.
Wheel of Fantastic Posted November 2, 2019 Posted November 2, 2019 On 10/16/2019 at 3:26 PM, Eric said: You have to be honest with yourself in what you see in the cards in relation to your question. This. So much this. Treat reading for yourself as though you were reading for someone else - it helps with being more objective. Also, only read for yourself when you are feeling calm; reading when you are experiencing high emotion definitely biases the reading.
Wyrdkiss Posted November 2, 2019 Posted November 2, 2019 On 10/28/2019 at 10:50 AM, Eamane said: This is great advice @Wyrdkiss. I've tried "reading" without a spread and it's just confusing. I've learnt to trust the spreads I use the most and, sometimes, create my own after things I read, learn or want to explore. What I need to be better at is at keeping my tarot jornal updated! Hi @Eamane! I'm glad you found my thoughts helpful. And yes, creating one's own spreads can immensely integrate the importance of context, position and inter-relations with the cards, if they are dignified in the layout, etc. As for journaling, when I get tired of it, I just take a picture in an app on my phone -- I can look at it and usually remember the entire reading significance later, and jot down things then if I wish. Cheers and good to hear from you.
AJ-ish/Sharyn Posted November 3, 2019 Posted November 3, 2019 use positions/spreads (smallish) at least until you trust you are reading the cards and not your heart. Ask clear precise questions, no ramblers covering several thoughts, no yes or no, they teach nothing. Ask about yourself, not someone else. What we often see in posts asking for help with self readings is something like What does he think of me. And then see they've read the card as 'this is what I think he thinks of me'...not the card itself. It's all practice, and the cards are just paper, we generally know the answer before we ask. But it's a hell of a fun ride 😉 In nearly 2 decades I've probably read for myself maybe a dozen times. Because we DO know the answers, if it is any of our business in the first place.
Taurus Posted December 30, 2019 Posted December 30, 2019 On 11/3/2019 at 4:55 PM, AJ-ish/Sharyn said: use positions/spreads (smallish) at least until you trust you are reading the cards and not your heart. Thanks, that really struck a cord with me and is a good reminder to have now and then.
Jewel Posted January 22, 2020 Posted January 22, 2020 Having a good question and being objective are key. Do not ask if you do not want to know! accept the cards as they are dealt. I read for myself a lot, and you have to be willing to see and deal with parts of yourself you are not particularly proud of sometimes. I find reading for myself for insight and guidance is very helpful as it allows me to understand and admit how I feel about things so that I can effect any changes I feel I need to. Excellent for self growth.
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