So, for those of you who read my second to last post (which was written oh-so-long ago) you know that I’d been seeing the Devil card come up quite a bit in my readings.  I knew that something wicked was brewing in my life that I didn’t want to deal with.  Interestingly enough, the something I suspected I was in denial about wasn’t actually the culprit.. but that’s another story for another blog.. the story here is the clever tarot and how it dealt with my denial.

Basically, the tarot, in an attempt to finally get through to me, played a little trick.  I did a reading for a friend, via email, and it was very worrying.  I looked at each card, gathering the meanings and my heart sank.  I didn’t want to send it to her, but I felt that I had to.  There was bad news all around–I mean this was a reading that struck at the roots of some serious personal issues.  Most of the time, I can handle readings like that, if there is a good bit of light at the end of the tunnel, but in this reading, I didn’t see much light at all.. at least not any light that could be come by easily.   I sent it along, anyway, hoping for the best and hoping it would help her out somehow.  Days passed and I couldn’t shake the reading.  My friend was too busy to reply with her thoughts, so I sat with it for a long time.

Then mid-March hit me like a tidal wave.  The “S” hit the “F”, if you know what I mean, and I felt like my life was in a shambles.  It was probably one of the worst months I’d ever had.  And, in the midst of my chaotic emotions, I remembered that reading and I thought, “Huh, that’s funny, that reading really could apply to me.”  So I sent my friend quick email, saying that some things were happening which seemed a lot like her reading and asked if it had applied to her at all.  It turns out not only did the reading not apply to her, but she’d been having dreams that the reading was really about me.  She didn’t know how to tell me because the reading was such a bummer.  At that moment, I knew the tarot had shown me what was happening in my life via what I thought was a reading for a friend and I needed to listen up.  Luckily, I did get the message after that and, while things did not get too much better right away, I did take the tarot’s advice and was able to stop the bleeding and work on making a new start.

I’ve only experienced the tarot’s unique response to rampant denial one other time and to a much lesser degree.  It was pretty much the same scenario: I was in denial about something in my life, did a reading for someone else (in person this time), they looked at me like I was Jabba the Hut, and then I realized (duh!) that the reading was really for me.  I believe that experience eventually led to me quitting a job.  Oddly enough, this last instance of trickster tarot is leading to me trying to get a job.

I don’t know what would have happened if I didn’t realize the reading was for me.  I know that, even if I knew it was mine before everything started falling apart, I wouldn’t have changed a thing about what I was doing.  But, when I was ready to accept the tarot’s message, it was right there, like a neon sign.  I had that email to go back to and use as a guide through the turmoil and out the other side.

It’s taken me an entire month to feel better and get over everything that happened; including the tarot’s little trick.  I picked up my cards for the first time last night and it actually felt good.  I remembered the part of the tarot that is like a friend and I remembered how I used to read the tarot to help myself and not just try and avoid this or that or the other.  I hope that, in the future, I’ll be more able to handle things that I don’t want to deal with, but it’s okay if I can’t because that sort of thing happens.

One thing I do know I’ll be more in tune to in the future is looking at each reading I do and see how it might apply to my life.  I’m sure every reading, whether it is secretly for me or actually for the person I’m reading for, has little gems of wisdom that can be applied to my life.

Related posts:

1. Denial: Not a River
2. Knowing When to Take a Break #1
3. Self-Reading Technique: Revisiting the Past

Life-Balance Spread Designed and Developed by Cathy Hughes. Copyright © 2010 Cathy Hughes and Cathy Hughes Tarot - All right reserved.

This reading is broken up into four different rows.  The top row is the various states of your life from work to love.  The second row is three obstacles that are standing in your way.  The third row is two things that will help unblock you and bring balance to your life and the final row is the wild card, whose meaning you will glean based on the rest of the reading.

Cheers!

Related posts:

1. Spread for Daily Readings
2. Breaking in a New Deck
3. My Own Two of Wands

So, let’s talk about denial, shall we?

I keep getting the Devil card in my readings right now.  I know the meaning of the Devil card and I can easily tell someone else what it means when it comes up in their reading.  But, when it comes to me, I am uncertain of the card’s significance.  I know what it might be talking about.  It might be talking about me putting material concerns over other, more important concerns in my life.  It could also be talking about feeling trapped or being in denial.

1485 Painting by Hans Memling.

What I most fear is that the Devil is talking about a large pattern that I’ve been stuck in for about nine years now; probably more.  I fear this because, if that’s the case, I’m about to start another cycle.  And this fear, mixed with the Devil card, makes me very nervous.  But just because I fear a particular meaning from a tarot card that’s come up, does this make it the meaning du jour?

In this case, I don’t have the answer.  I’ve pulled up cards and used my pendulum, looking for clarification.  It seems like this pattern stuff is a possibility, but I don’t like that.  I don’t feel that I have a choice but make my next move the way that I plan to.  Ah, and, that’s another aspect of the Devil card, too, isn’t it?  Not feeling like I have a choice?

Truth be told, even if someone else were to read my cards today and tell me that my worst fears are true and I am about to make the wrong move, I wouldn’t listen to them.  It would go right over my head.  I would still insist that I don’t know what the Devil card is talking about; only what it might be saying.

As a tarot reader, I come in contact with people who’ve reacted that way to my readings all of the time.  I tell them something I know might be a bit uncomfortable and they look at me blankly.  ”Does that make sense?” I ask.

“I guess so,” they pause, “I don’t know.”

I can feel that it’s true.  The cards all confirm it.  I’ve picked up the scent and I know I’m on the right track.  So, I decide to phrase it a different way and then ask,  ”How about now?”

They just scrunch their nose.

Some people will ask direct questions and I’ll give direct answers and they’ll still respond as if they don’t know what I mean.  They’ll ask the same questions in different ways.  They’ll get frustrated or want me to reshuffle the deck.  In return, I would become frustrated, too.  I used to become angry that people would ask me for a tarot reading when they didn’t really want to know the truth about their lives and then persist in making me feel like I wasn’t doing a good job.  But, as you can see, I am no different from them.  I read my cards all of the time, looking for guidance, but when I don’t get what I want to hear, I ignore it or, even worse (and more likely) I shuffle the cards and re-deal, asking the same question.  The thing is that ignoring the answers and continuing to search for  an answer isn’t even all that conscious!  I write about it now, still not believing that the Devil card probably means what I’ve been fearing it does.

I used to look at denial as a choice (in all honesty, I saw it as a failure–what an idealist I was!).  They don’t want to know, I’d think.  These days, though, I can’t make that same judgment.  It would be wrong.  The truth is that sometimes we can’t know what the cards are telling us because we just can’t–want has very little to do with it.  The meaning doesn’t compute.

Until a person is ready–and this readiness is beyond their choosing–they can’t know some truths about their lives.  Right now, I am one of these people and I can fully recognize that; even while being unable to believe I am about to make a mistake.

So, the next time you read for someone else and they get defensive or blank and you know you’re on the right trail, try to understand their perspective.  It isn’t personal, it isn’t the cards or you as a reader, it’s where they are in their life.  For whatever reason, tackling that love issue or the problem with their career is much too much for them to handle and prying open the truth would be like opening Pandora’s box at the time of that reading.  Instead of getting upset or defensive or judgey, like I used to, just shrug your shoulders and say, “Maybe it will make sense if you sleep on it.”  Eventually, the truth will be revealed–at a time that is right for the person.

And, if you find yourself getting a card and feeling unsure of what the heck it is saying to you, just keep your eyes and heart open and allow things to unfold.  There is probably a lesson somewhere in there that you need to learn.  Oh, and don’t try too hard to figure out if your worst fears are going to come true, because then the Moon card starts appearing and things just get kind of messy from there..  trust me!

Related posts:

1. Denial: A River I Nearly Drowned In
2. Me and the Strength Card
3. Knowing When to Take a Break #1

How accurate are the cards?  Do you associate a spiritual aspect of life with the responses you receive and give? Or do you think of tarot as coincidental responses?

-Wanda

Well, Wanda, I am sure it will come as no surprise that this is a question I’ve been asked before!  In fact, the question of coincidence is probably one of the most frequent questions I get as a tarot reader (right after how did I get into reading tarot).  I think that most sincere tarot readers will tell you they don’t feel the tarot is a coincidence and, sometimes, it can be startlingly accurate.

Of course, I say this realizing how easy it is to brush off tarot readings as coincidence.  Here, I feel I must acknowledge this before getting into my own experience.  The fact of the matter is that, as humans, we all tend to struggle with the same things and these items are the bread and butter of a tarot deck. Just look at what the four suits of a tarot deck represent:  money (pentacles), relationships (cups), thoughts (swords), and career or drive (wands).  When addressing these four things, it is nearly impossible not to hit home with the majority of people with one reading.  In fact, many times, when I’ve posted a reading on this blog, I’ve received responses from a variety of people saying they felt the reading was for them.  Not only were they struck by the message of the cards, but they were also touched.  Again, this makes sense because the tarot not only talks about money, relationships, etc., but also the universal laws that govern them.  In that way, the tarot is like Jungian archetypes which we can all associate with in one way or another.

This, alone, brings value to the tarot as a tool for understanding yourself and human nature.  But, add to that the accuracy that I, and countless others, have experienced when using the cards and you’ve got something amazing on your hands.  There are so many ways I could talk about the accuracy of the cards or the fact that synchronicity (and not coincidence) is at play when using the tarot.

My number one reason for believing the tarot isn’t a coincidence is reading for strangers.  When a tarot reader takes the plunge and reads for their first stranger–or even their 15th or 350th, for that matter!–and is able to tell them exactly what is happening with their lives, any idea of the tarot being coincidental goes out the window.  In the cards, I’ve seen people who suffered from abuse and are in recovery, I’ve seen someone whose coworker was up to no good and I’ve warned them against future problems, I’ve seen specific details about people I’ve never met who are close to the client, and the list goes on.  Each time, I’ve been right and not just to the surprise of the person I’m reading for, but to my own surprise as well!  To me, this has been one of the larger signs that the tarot is not a coincidence and can be incredibly accurate.  In fact, if the tarot were not so accurate in these things, I would just chalk it up to coincidence–but it’s so specific that it can’t be about just anyone.

There are also other signs, like having the same cards come up again and again in regards to your own life (or others).  Lately, the Lovers card has been coming up for me as something to embrace in my life.  It’s come up so many times that I know it’s worth paying attention to.  A little over a year ago, in regards to work, the Tower card kept coming up and for as long as I ignored the message of this card, it continued to come up until I finally understood what the tarot was telling me and changed my ways–and I actually haven’t gotten the Tower again until recently.

These are just a couple of ways that I’ve learned the tarot is not a coincidence.  I invite other readers to share their feelings on this topic in the comments, too.

And, lastly, is the spiritual aspect of the tarot.  I don’t know if I fully understand your question, but I’ll answer to the best of my abilities.  For me, the tarot is a very spiritual thing.  It exists between the realms of the seen and the unseen, letting readers know when something new is manifesting or when it’s time to let go.   For me, the tarot is a spiritual guide, and a very gentle one at that.  The tarot warns me when I’m becoming off center, it helps me to know when to trust my gut and when to reach for something else.   When doing this, it doesn’t speak to any particular aspect of my life every time, instead it speaks to those places where I need help or guidance most.

To be honest, without this spiritual side of the tarot, I wouldn’t be interested in reading at all.  The tarot would just be something to impress your friends with, and I’m not really looking to impress anyone, I’d rather lend a helping hand.

Well, Wanda, I hope this answers at least some of your question.  Again, I invite other readers to add their own feelings and experiences in regards to your questions in the comments section.  Thanks for writing in!

-Cathy

P.S.  Having said all of this, however, the tarot as a tool can sometimes be only as good as the person who is using it.  Sadly, there are people out there who call themselves tarot readers but are not worthy of that title!  I had a friend, who was definitely taken advantage of by someone posing as a tarot reader and just let me say that if a reader tells you, you are cursed or tells you to bury money somewhere to break a spell, this is not the tarot speaking.  It is always important not to leave your good judgement at the door when working with a tarot reader.  If someone makes you feel uncomfortable or like you are being taken advantage of, I recommend taking your business elsewhere.

Related posts:

1. Why Do You Read Tarot?
2. Ask Cathy!
3. Ask Cathy: Six of Swords for the Year

Recently, a reader wrote in and asked:

What would be the best way to interpret the 6 of Swords as a temporary forecast for the year?

-Patricia

Thanks for your question, Patricia!  Sometimes, when people read tarot for themselves, they get a card that they don’t quite understand or they just want a second opinion on.  In this post, I would like to look at a couple of techniques for getting to the meaning of a card that you might be stumped about with my focus on the temporary year card that has come up for you.

In the class that I teach at the Boston Center for Adult Education, I have the students each draw one card and try to figure out the meaning of the card.  The first thing that I stress, which I also stress here, is to wait before looking up the meaning of the card.  The reason for this is that the instant a meaning for the card is introduced from an outside source, you start thinking about the words instead of the images in front of you.  This block your intuition and can take away a meaningful opportunity to bond with a card and enter its depths.

Instead of hopping right into the card meaning, I recommend just looking at the images in front of you and seeing what comes up.  Let your thoughts wander as you survey the card and see what emotional connections you may make.  For me, there are a few telltale signs that I”m connecting with a card.  I may feel like an object is moving a particular way within the card or I may find something odd and want to know more about it.  Another sign is that I notice something entirely new in the card (yes, that still happens after over a decade of working with the same cards!).  Feeling drawn to an object within the card is another good sign.  Still, other people may have different hints at the card’s meaning; perhaps a smell or just  a feeling in your body.  I recommend, taking a few minutes to really look at this card and see what comes up for you before continuing to read this post.  You may find yourself surprised at what comes up and these things can often be much more powerful than anything a tarot reader or a book can tell you about the card.  In fact, you may even surprise yourself.

So, you’ve looked at the card and, hopefully, it has spoken to you in one way or another.  Let me share with you my own experience with looking at this card in regards to your question.  The thing that is standing out to me at this moment in the face that everything is colored so similarly.  The land, the water, the swords are all colored much the same.  One thing that always makes me wonder with this card, too, is the swords poking through the bottom of the boat.  What would happen if they were removed?  Would the boat sink or would removing them be a good thing? Finally, another image that is standing out to me is the man guided the boat to its destination.  I feel like he must have great upper body strength as well as balance to create a smooth journey for the two people in the boat.

So, I’ve got my clues and you probably have some clues, yourself.  Now, the trick is to figure out what those clues mean.  Many times, when I’m reading for someone else, this is where I am making a lot of frustrated sounds and closing my eyes, trying to understand the message my subconscious has thrown my way.  Occasionally, the knowledge will come instantly, but the good stuff usually reveals itself after a bit of a mental struggle.  When figuring out the clues, follow your train of thought and let your mind wander.  Think about what these things might symbolize.

For me, I’m going to start with the last thing that I noticed, the man steering the boat.  First, since my attention was drawn to this figure, I feel like this person must be very significant and they are either you or someone very close to you.  While they appear as a man in the card, this does not mean that they are definitely a man, just that they may be taking on a masculine role.  At the same time, this could also very well be a man.  His upper body strength could be more literal, indicating something about the person’s health or physique, but there is certainly more to the feeling than that.  The upper body strength combined with this need for balance indicates a very sensitive emotional time.  I think of getting something off of your chest, because of the strength, and then I think of not really being able to do it because for fear of upsetting the balance in the boat.  Things need to run smoothly and they need to move forward and this person feels they have to have this continuous pressure in their lives in order for that to happen.  The presence of the two other people also indicates, to me, that it is a problem involving others–probably family because they are so close and they are all in the same boat.  Their hunched posture makes me feel like they are closed off emotionally, perhaps because they have been through a rough time recently.  It also stands out to me, in this particular card, that they are very closed off from the man, despite the fact that he is doing the work to help them get to a new destination.  These two are close enough to whisper to each other, but I feel like if the man wants to be heard he has to yell.

The swords in the boat go along with this need for things to stay the way they are in order for everything to run smoothly.  Swords, in tarot, can represent thoughts and, here, we have all these thoughts plugging up holes in the boat so it can reach its destination.  There are two things that are interesting about these thoughts.  The first thing is that they’ve actually helped to create the mess you are in and the second thing is that there is a strong belief that these thoughts are helping you, when they may actually be causing more pain.  The notion of maintaining balance holds in this symbolism as well, only the balance here is the water level in the boat.  Water represents emotions and the unconscious.  So, there is a very strong fear that if someone stopped thinking the way they do and, possibly, trying to control the situation, then everything would get all out of whack and you might drown in emotion.

The last thing that really stood out to me is that fact that the swords and the water and the land you are heading to are all the same pale blue color.  When a color stands out to you in a reading, it is important to have a system for identifying what the color means.  There are many methods out there to help you identify the meanings of colors, like Feng Shui.  Personally, I’ve always used the chakra system.  In this case, the pale blue color symbolizes, to me, communication.  This is very interesting, since I believe that communication is a problem just now for these people, especially for the man guiding the boat.  There are many things left unsaid and it leaves the world around you to project these feelings and bottled up emotions onto.  Suddenly, the people are no longer living in the real world, but they are living as prisoners of their thoughts and all the things they have left unsaid.  Going along with this idea that everything has to stay the same in order for progress to happen and to maintain balance, the color indicates that the emotions of the water are still running over despite your best efforts.  These emotions are coloring everything and make it impossible to leave them behind.  They are, in fact, controlling your thoughts instead of you controlling them as you may think.

So, without even looking at a meaning in a book, we’ve got some pretty strong ideas represented in the card.  Not only do we see an emotionally trying situation, but we even see a potential solution.  The solution is recognizing that the balance of things is already screwed up (as symbolized by the colors in this card) despite your best efforts.  So, taking the chance to mess up the balance and communicate your feelings openly but with compassion for the other person’s situation (whoever you are, you’re in a tricky place; if you are the man, you want desperately to help the other people in the boat, so much so that you are willing to forget your own needs to be heard or taken care of to try and get the people to the other side; if you are the woman, you feel so wounded by something that you are afraid of opening up and sharing with others because you don’t want to be vulnerable and expose your belly; and if you are the small person, then you feel very overwhelmed and unsure even of how to feel).  This open communication may help to dislodge some long-standing thoughts and create much needed breathing room in your life.

Now, as if that weren’t enough information, after you do this portion of reading for yourself, you can go to a book for a definition.  So, let’s look somewhere online for a meaning of the six of swords.  One of my favorite sites to use when looking up card meanings is Crystal Reflections.  You can read their meaning for this card here.  When reading a meaning from a book, you also want your intuition to be “up.”  Notice when a sentence or thought stands out to you because it is most likely significant.

Adding together a written meaning with your intuition is the next step.  Sometimes, you may find your intuition got a very different message from the images in the card than it does from a written meaning.  This does not make either message wrong.  In fact, it can help create an even clearer message to put the two together.  Other times, the written message will confirm what you receive from the images.  For example, in my feelings about the card, the idea of a need for communication is confirmed, etc.  But, we can also add to this something that my intuition hinted at, but I didn’t get into.  There is also the notion of the end of something and the beginning of something new.  In that boat, with these other people, there is a new destination and right now is a time for healing and letting go.  My intuition tells me that the best way to do this is not just in advancing and letting time pass, however.  It is in opening up and giving voice to your feelings.

As you can see, using your intuition to work with the cards first is really a must.  In my readings for clients, I rely solely on this intuition to bring a deeper meaning and, sometimes, I come up with things that completely veer off the beaten path where traditional card meanings are concerned.  I also use this technique when reading for myself.  A key in this process is to detach and allow your intuition to wander wherever it likes without judging it or putting a leash on where it can go.

So, it looks like for this year–at least for now–you are headed towards calmer waters and healing is taking place in your life, due to the efforts of yourself and others.  There is also the warning that this new destination may not feel any different if you are unable to open up and express your feelings with the ones you love.  This expression may also quicken your journey and bring more joy and balance to your life.  Trust is a word that has just popped into my head–so maybe a little trust is required here.  Not only in others, but in yourself and the world around you.

I hope this helps.. not only with the upcoming year but also with your own efforts to read tarot for yourself.  Happy New Year and bright blessings all around!

-Cathy

Related posts:

1. My Own Two of Wands
2. Ask Cathy: Two of Wands in the Past
3. Ask Cathy!

The Visualization
To my surprise, when I entered the card this time, I inhabited the body of the snail at the bottom of the card.   I could not see well because I was so small.  I knew the woman was there, but I could only see the yellow pebbles and sand on which I stood.  I wanted to back up and try to get a view of the woman, but I knew it would take too long.  I complained that I could not see her and she put her face down to mine.  It was very large and I could only make out bits and pieces at a time; mostly I only saw her left eye and her nose.  Her size was overwhelming compared to my own and I was very disoriented.

“I want to see you,” I complained.

“You will have to inhabit a different body if you want to be able to see all of me,” she replied.

I tried for a moment, feeling that I must be able to it… this wasn’t the real world, afterall.  But, surprisingly, in the snail I remained.  ”How do I do it?”  I asked.

“I don’t know,” she picked me up and placed me on a plant next to her shoulder, but off a little distance so I could see her better.  Her demeanor reminded me of Snow White or Cinderella; she was very calm and in touch with the world around her, especially the plants and animals.  I asked where her bird was and she explained that he was out flying.

While we might have discussed something more to the point, I was pretty much fixated on the fact that I was stuck in a snail’s body, unable to see more than a scrap of the world around me and feeling very overwhelmed.  Compared to both her grand size and demeanor, my small size made me angry.  I was deeply disappointed.  I found her suggestion that I move into a new body unfair since it ended up being impossible.  When I brought it up again, she shrugged her shoulders and I took this to mean that she didn’t know all the rules of her world, either.

“Listen, you know the way the world around you should look, right?” she asked.

“Yeah,” I replied.

“Well, then just close your eyes and imagine that you can see everything.”

It was a simple idea, but it made sense.  When I tried it, I felt an immediate relief.  I was able to see the whole scene, just like it is in the card, only with me (the snail) sitting on a leaf next to her and the bird soaring in the sky.  I was no longer overwhelmed or even angry.  I could make everything out just the way I needed.

“I can’t see everything all of the time either,” she explained, “but I know that I’m connected to everything around me.  So, I just imagine it in my head and bring all of those elements together.  Things tend to work out better that way.”

As she told me about this, I imagined her visualizing the world and everything went sort of electric.  I could see her pulling things into her life just with her imagination.  At the same time, I also felt my body change.  Suddenly, I was a turtle standing with two feet on the ground, instead of a snail.. and I was wearing a sailor’s uniform (I decided to add a little doodle of what I looked like for anyone interested–and for my own amusement!).

Feeling the message of my visualization complete, I asked the woman if she could help me with anything else.  She said I had all that I needed for now, which was no surprise.  I thanked her and came out of the visualization.

What I Learned
If you’ve read my first post in this series, you know that I am working with the Nine of Pentacles to learn about cultivating abundance, confidence and success in my life.  I think I expected, when entering the RWS card, that I would simply learn about how the woman in the Nine of Pentacles lives or something like that.  I was surprised to find myself thrown into a snail’s body with a warped perspective and, consequently, a bad attitude.

But, in retrospect, that’s pretty accurate!  This unexpected circumstance captured so clearly my own feelings about being successful.  First of all, I feel I am too small, too insignificant to have such things.  Secondly, I believe they are so out of reach that I’d have to be an altogether different person in order to clearly comprehend what success looks like.  These beliefs create a huge mental (and emotional) divide between myself and who I want to be, which is all so clearly captured in the difference between the snail and the woman.  This perceived divide angers me, just as the snail me became angry when he couldn’t see clearly.

The fact that this goal of mine is so much larger than what I’ve achieved so far, makes the distance seem that much greater and I feel even more upset and overwhelmed when I realize this.  Working towards the goal, I can only achieve bits and pieces here and there, which is never enough to satisfy my impatience.  The snail, who could only make out the sand in front of him and then the woman’s eyeand nose, was frustrated, too.  He wanted to change, instantly–just like I do.

It’s worth noting, too, that the snail felt like a victim.. and I have to admit, I feel that way a lot in regards to where I am in my life.  The snail was born into his body; it wasn’t his choice to be so little.  I was also born into some tricky circumstances (weren’t we all!?) and my life took unexpected turns that have limited me more than I’d like.  The visualization represented this challenge as a matter of nature and not of choice, which is important to me.  It means that, in some ways, yeah, I was a victim of circumstances but it also means that I can change despite these limitations.  The way I change, however, is not by willing it to happen or wishing or complaining, as both me and my snail-self tend to do.

I believe this visualization’s gift to me is the notion that change will come through intuition and imagination.  When I can’t see how I am going to make it work, I can close my eyes and run through the scenarios.  I can sense the world around me and call upon the things I need for help.  I can allow myself to daydream about being successful and this will help me grow from a snail to a turtle–and not just any turtle, but a seafaring, get-up-and-go turtle.  I do find the distinction significant.  First of all, it is interesting that I stay a slow-moving creature in the next incarnation, and also that I still carry my home on my back; but I have grown larger and I do move a bit faster.  This certainly hints that I won’t change completely, all at once, patience will be required and I’ll probably still have a few personality challenges; but progress is progress.  And, the sailor part is just plain neat.  When I think of the symbolism of someone who navigates in the water and a fighter, no less, I think of a person comfortable with emotions and working in the unconscious, which I like very much.  I also think of a brave person who is willing to defend others in emotional realms, which is also very cool.

So, right now, it is a matter of believing in myself and the world around me and using my imagination to help dreams come true.  I must also remember that even the woman in the Nine of Pentacles doesn’t know how everything works, but she knows how to connect with the world which is far more powerful than knowledge.

Related posts:

1. I Dream of the Nine of Pentacles #1
2. Ask Cathy: Six of Swords for the Year
3. My Own Two of Wands

The two of wands showed up in my recent past what does it mean in that position?

Not too long ago, I wrote a post about my own experiences with the two of wands that might be of help.  You can find it here.  Be sure to read the comments because there were new insights into the card there, as well.  To answer this specific question:

Of course, the other cards around your two of wands may affect the meaning a bit, but the general meaning of the card and position is a good place to start.  In a reading, the past position indicates not only something that occurred in the past, but also something that is influencing the current situation (and possibly other positions around it).  The two of wands in the past position indicates that it’s influence is not terribly strong, since it is not a major arcana card.

The two of wands is in the wands suit, so I would say that this card is dealing with your career or desires.  The two indicates advancement in the suit, but at a very early stage.  Here, you could have felt a rush of excitement as you realized you may actually be able to achieve what you desire.  The man holds a globe in his hand, while also looking down on the world–making one think of “feeling on top of the world.”  At the same time, you may have started creating goals that were too lofty and not down to earth.  Being in the past position, these things helped to create your current situation.

In the mix with this, I will mention a bit of intuition that came to me as I was looking at this card.  Intuitive readings change from reading to reading and person to person, so this isn’t a static definition at all.  I am getting the feeling like a project or something you were working on in the early stages started to branch out a bit.  In looking at the two wands there, I feel as though something new presented itself or there was a unexpected (positive) response to your work, but instead of making you feel more confident, as the card typically means, you may have felt a little overwhelmed.  I am not positive on this, but I thought I’d throw it out there just in case my hunch was right.. It looks like you definitely made some progress, but it may have caused you to take a step back instead of forward.

You can learn more about how to read this card based on the cards surrounding it.  How do these cards relate to one another?  A good example of how to see the way card relate to one another is available in my Experimental Reading post.  You basically want to see how the figures in the cards relate to one another.  Is the figure in the two of wands the only one looking in that direction?  Is he looking at another card?  Getting a feel for card interactions can help to deepen your reading even more.

Anyway, in this particular reading, and for this particular card, I would have to say that in the past you started moving towards a new goal or making a career move and you were making good progress despite the very early stages.

I hope this helps!

Thanks,
Cathy

Related posts:

1. My Own Two of Wands
2. Self-Reading Technique: Revisiting the Past
3. Ask Cathy: Six of Swords for the Year

Thanks!

No related posts.

Read a Good Tarot Book
Over the years, I’ve found that seeing the way another person uses or looks at the tarot can help me re-frame my own feelings.  One of the best ways to do this is to read a good tarot book.  Such books vary from teaching books to books about the history of the tarot and more.  All of these can go a long way to opening your mind and seeing a new light when it comes to your practice.  Not only will they help you enjoy the tarot on levels, but they can also enhance your reading style for the better.

Teach Others
This is an absolutely tried and true method for falling in the love with tarot over and over again.  Teaching the tarot through blogging or even starting a class can be a great reminder about why you started reading tarot in the first place.  After I teach my class at the Boston Center for Adult Education, I usually leave buzzing with a desire to do more research and readings.

Buy A New Deck
How to choose a new deck is a blog entry all it’s own, but rest assured that buying a new deck to suit your current needs and mood will certainly take you out of the doldrums.  New artwork means seeing the cards in a new light which, in turn, will open your imagination.  I have quite a few decks that have rekindled my own romance with the tarot.  And, if you don’t have the money to go out and buy a new deck, you can always find images of tarot decks online and spark your imagination that way.. or, even better, try making your own deck.

Journal with Your Tarot
If rekindling your relationship with the tarot seems like a particularly troubling task, it may be time to sit down and have a good conversation with your cards.  For anyone who has read my blog, you know that I look to the tarot as a friend and, just as with any friendly relationship, there are times when you feel hurt and need a heart to heart to keep the relationship alive.  Taking some time to write in a journal with your tarot cards handy, as I do in this post and making the subject your relationship with the tarot is an effective way to clear the air and start anew.

These are just a few ways that you can rekindle your romance with the tarot but they are powerful.  If any of you have additional ways that you like to come out of a tarot hiatus, please feel free to share with us!

Related posts:

1. Self-Reading Technique: Revisiting the Past
2. Ask Cathy!
3. Breaking in a New Deck

Spooky Tarot
Spooky tarot can lead right into tarot obsession and then, of course, spiral into intense tarot burnout.  As a result, it is best to nip spooky tarot in the bud before it gets its creepy little hooks in you.  Not too long ago, I experienced spooky tarot and it led to my recent hiatus.   Basically, it occurs when the cards that come up in your readings start to freak you out.  Doing a couple of readings to clarify what the cards might be saying is okay, but if it only leads to more fear, take a step back.  Continuing to read the cards when they’ve spooked you is like taking the express lane into burnoutsville (or an all out anxiety attack).

It is inevitable that the tarot isn’t always going to tell you great things about the future.  I mean, life is, after all, life, and it wouldn’t be the same without those unexpected twists and turns.  In my experience, the people who want to know bad news are actually not as brave as they seem; myself included.  Trying to find out bad things before they happen is really a way to try and control future outcomes and it rarely ever works.  Being freaked out by negative cards is a good indication that you are trying to control things you can’t–which is, honestly, perfectly normal, but it can lead into murky waters that are not advantageous.

Take me, for instance, one month ago.  The death card kept coming up in my readings.  I asked the tarot some clarifying questions and the answers completely spooked me (this is, in part, due to a past experience with the Death card that I may share with you some day).  I was convinced that something terrible was going to happen and this feeling had a profoundly negative affect on me.  I felt depressed, out of control, and paranoid.  Luckily, I was smart enough to recognize what was happening before I started reading the tarot over and over and trying to figure out what it all meant.  Instead, I took a break.  I read my cards occasionally, but not too frequently, and I regained balance in my life.

Whether or not the Death card indicated something that’s already happened or something that is still going to happen, I don’t know, but I do feel better about things.  I’m not spooked anymore, so I know I can return to reading.  But, if I get spooked again, I’ll take another break.

Here, I’d like to point out that it I really think it’s normal and okay to get spooked by the tarot.  I’m sure some people think it’s dumb to read the tarot if I get frightened by it every now and again, but the benefits of reading far outweigh the risk of being frightened.  And, if it were that much of a concern to me, I could cut out cards about the future in my spreads altogether, but I like those future cards because they can help me figure out the direction I’m heading in.  So, I do keep reading about the future, knowing I might get spooked from time to time.  The key, here, is to stop reading for a little stretch of time after I’ve been spooked.

Sheer Exhaustion
These first signs that you need to take a break from reading the tarot are mostly about reading for yourself.  This one is about reading for others.  When you start feeling exhausted at the prospect of reading for other people, it’s time to take a break.  Clear your calendar of all tarot obligations and take some time to care for yourself.  If tarot is your main source of income, you may want to get a temp job for a month or a few weeks.  Personally, I like to do freelance admin work and sell books, so that’s what I focused on in the month of November.  Getting away from reading for others and, particularly, reading at parties, was vital in restoring balance and strength to my life.  If you can’t take off that much time, I recommend doing other little things to care of yourself.  The key is to make putting yourself first a priority.

Of course, exhaustion can come in guises other than feeling tired.  You may feel resentful towards the people you read for or you may find yourself secretly wishing they’d cancel their appointment.  Another good sign is blanket thinking about your clients or your practice; thoughts like:  ”No one listens to what I say”, “They don’t know how hard this is”, “My business stinks!” and the like.  This kind of imbalanced thinking indicates it’s time to take a step back.  While stepping back, you may want to evaluate what is happening to cause this exhaustion.  Is it just normal wear and tear or do you need to be more selective with your clients?  Are you not charging enough for readings?  Asking these questions during or after a break is a good way to refocus.

Summary!
These three items are indications that I use in gaging when I need to take a break from the tarot and focus on myself.  As with anything, finding balance is a lifelong pursuit, but it does get easier over   time.  Being able to recognize when the scales are tipping in the wrong direction and you’re using the tarot in an unhealthy way is a key in maintaining a vital tarot practice.  In my next post, I will talk about ways to evaluate and re-energize interest in the tarot after a break or burnout.  Until then, happy reading!

Further Reading:
Tarot Eon: 7 Early Warning Signs of Tarot Reader Burnout

Related posts:

1. Knowing When to Take a Break #1
2. Rekindling Tarot Romance
3. Denial: Not a River