Perpetual bad news

Aesoteric

Would you keep reading tarot if all it ever told you is that you are going to fail, no matter what you do? Out of all the tarot readings I've done or had done for me over the years, I can count on two fingers the times the spreads have come out positively, even when I ask how to avoid a bad outcome. And I'm talking Ace of Swords Reversed kinds of outcomes, or Ace of Wands Reversed, or Lovers Reversed. I'd love to know the thoughts of other readers out there: if you basically never got any good news would you keep reading? Do you think it's better to not even ask?

Thank you.
 

Grande_Ariana

I would go ahead and say, first and foremost, that while it might feel negative at first, it usually isn't that black and white. A negative read can imply a 'be careful' and 'be vigilant' message. Basically I would say try to see each reading as a more descriptive possibility as opposed to a prescriptive reality. I wouldn't be discouraged to continue readings/getting read so much as I would want to investigate deeper into the cards and my own life to sort out the readings.


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Tanga

I met someone else recently who told me that whenever she reads for herself the message just seems dire every time. :bugeyed:
After listening and asking questions - I suggested in the end, that perhaps she should get herself a Doreen Virtue Angel Tarot deck and try working with that - as, Doreen, having taken all "the dark side" out of her decks - only has happy images to work with...

I can't believe that every single reading is dire for you - it must be how you're managing to look at it. Just like this lady?
Have you found that in real life you're just lurching from one disaster to the next all-the-time??
Awww! :heart: :heart:

What about reading exchanges here on the forum etc.??


I hardly ever do serious readings for myself - I'm just too invested in the outcome.
I do all sorts of other exercises with the cards, including one card draws at the end of my day to see how it might have applied - but rarely this. If I have a real burning question - I'll get someone else to read for me.
(though this is rare now).


Ace of Swords reversed - "pessimism and/or lack of confidence, the need to try a different approach - or ahh, perhaps you've got a migraine?" ;)
Ace of Wands reversed - "you are simply dis-interested - or you're focussing on access to your inner powers, going within"
Lovers reversed - "soul communication on the inner planes, 'the great rite' - in pagan practice, balance on the astral plane between your masculine and feminine halves - in the dream world."

(these are all from Mary K Greer - Tarot Reversals)
 

Grizabella

A lot of people, me included, find that reading for oneself is difficult to do because it's hard to be objective.

Also, there are differences in Tarot readers so that getting someone else's reading for yourself might also be a problem, depending on whether the reader is experienced and impartial. Some readers have hidden agendas or a different idea of what Tarot is about, so they might tend toward giving worst case scenarios because they believe Tarot is intended to be super-dramatic and serious. Tarot isn't all dramatic and/or doom and gloom. It even has a sense of humor if a reader is able to read impartially and see the humor.

I suggest just sticking around this forum for awhile and you'll see what I mean. We have all levels of readers here, from beginner to advanced, and participating in some of the sub-forums will be very enlightening for you, I think. :)

Welcome to Aeclectic Tarot, by the way. :)
 

Maru

Dumb question, but have you tried asking the cards about what is really going on?
 

Aesoteric

Grande_Ariana said:
I would go ahead and say, first and foremost, that while it might feel negative at first, it usually isn't that black and white. A negative read can imply a 'be careful' and 'be vigilant' message. Basically I would say try to see each reading as a more descriptive possibility as opposed to a prescriptive reality. I wouldn't be discouraged to continue readings/getting read so much as I would want to investigate deeper into the cards and my own life to sort out the readings.


Dear Grande Ariana,
I'm curious as to what you mean by 'descriptive possibility', could you elaborate?

Thank you!
Click to expand...
 

Aesoteric

Maru said:
Dumb question, but have you tried asking the cards about what is really going on?
Click to expand...

Dear Maru,

I have, in fact, and unfortunately I have either been unable to understand the response, or I picked cards that were plain wrong, or else I get answers along the lines of "It's your fault because you have a bad attitude". If you will forgive the disclosure, my own experience and not simply a case of bad nerves tells me that I have reason to think the way that I do, and while I acknowledge the power of positive thinking, I have never thought that blaming someone for being unhappy was fair.

Thank you.
 

Aesoteric

Tanga said:
I met someone else recently who told me that whenever she reads for herself the message just seems dire every time. :bugeyed:
After listening and asking questions - I suggested in the end, that perhaps she should get herself a Doreen Virtue Angel Tarot deck and try working with that - as, Doreen, having taken all "the dark side" out of her decks - only has happy images to work with...

I can't believe that every single reading is dire for you - it must be how you're managing to look at it. Just like this lady?
Have you found that in real life you're just lurching from one disaster to the next all-the-time??
Awww! :heart: :heart:

What about reading exchanges here on the forum etc.??


I hardly ever do serious readings for myself - I'm just too invested in the outcome.
I do all sorts of other exercises with the cards, including one card draws at the end of my day to see how it might have applied - but rarely this. If I have a real burning question - I'll get someone else to read for me.
(though this is rare now).


Ace of Swords reversed - "pessimism and/or lack of confidence, the need to try a different approach - or ahh, perhaps you've got a migraine?" ;)
Ace of Wands reversed - "you are simply dis-interested - or you're focussing on access to your inner powers, going within"
Lovers reversed - "soul communication on the inner planes, 'the great rite' - in pagan practice, balance on the astral plane between your masculine and feminine halves - in the dream world."

(these are all from Mary K Greer - Tarot Reversals)
Click to expand...

Dear Tanga,

It's inevitable that the people we learn from influence the way that we see the cards and I had a very practical, down-to-earth kind of teacher. With respect, one of the most frustrating things about tarot has been the degree to which subjectivity influences readings, the difference between my teacher's Ace of Swords Reversed ("OUCH!") and Mary Greer's being an excellent example. Since all readings of the cards seemed equally valid to me when I started learning, I finally had to commit to one method or else drive myself crazy trying to memorize EVERYTHING everyone has ever said. Where one reader might say, "You will have a chance to downsize" another would say, "You're going to lose your entire house in a hurricane", and both of these would be true. I, personally, would rather know in advance that I am going to lose my house so that I can pile on the insurance before it happens, and I chose my teacher accordingly. All of that being said, perhaps it is time to re-visit some other peoples' interpretations.

And yes, there has been a great deal of lurching for me, so unfortunately I come by my pessimism honestly. I do have an oracle deck which is distinctly more light-hearted than my tarot instruction and I admit I have grown rather fond of using that one, even though it isn't nearly as specific.

Thank you for your advice.
 

Aesoteric

Grizabella said:
A lot of people, me included, find that reading for oneself is difficult to do because it's hard to be objective.

Also, there are differences in Tarot readers so that getting someone else's reading for yourself might also be a problem, depending on whether the reader is experienced and impartial. Some readers have hidden agendas or a different idea of what Tarot is about, so they might tend toward giving worst case scenarios because they believe Tarot is intended to be super-dramatic and serious. Tarot isn't all dramatic and/or doom and gloom. It even has a sense of humor if a reader is able to read impartially and see the humor.

I suggest just sticking around this forum for awhile and you'll see what I mean. We have all levels of readers here, from beginner to advanced, and participating in some of the sub-forums will be very enlightening for you, I think. :)

Welcome to Aeclectic Tarot, by the way. :)
Click to expand...

Dear Grizabella,

Thank you, I think I will!
 

Shade

Were the readings accurate?
 
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