using tarot - for what?

I use the tarot for spellwork if I don't have questions to ask. It helps me research the deck and discover the energy of each card and seeing how the correspondences of each card affects it. It helps me learn the meanings.
Additionally I also meditate using the cards and this helps me greatly in getting to know them.

I feel like my use of the tarot has changed SO much since 2004, when I started studying the cards. Back then I really wanted to do readings, often predictive, and then see how "accurate" I was. During the last two years I feel like my STUDY of the cards has actually been the most beneficial. Learning about symbols, archetypes, etc has made me learn more about myself. Sometimes I rather study/meditate on a card I choose, and that can almost give me more than doing a full reading for myself. It's fascinating.

When it comes to using the cards for myself I feel like I used to be so respectful of my cards that I hardly used them? I used them when I had "very important questions" but that was like once every two weeks or once a month. Nowadays I feel very inspired by a couple of videos on youtube I saw (by owlmoon513) about connecting daily with the tarot. Just asking for a card to reflect energies of the day and then remembering that card through out the day has helped me so much more with connecting with my decks. It feels like spirituality and self reflection has entered my everyday life, instead of special occasions. I like that.

I've recently signed up to do free readings on a tarot network, to get practice and feedback, and I feel you on the questions people ask... I get a lot of "Will my flirt/ex/random cute guy contact me in the coming week?" and I personally feel like that is such a superficial question that is just wasted on such a beautiful and complex system as the tarot. But at the same time I am getting lots of practice rephrasing questions! It's okay to write back saying "I personally don't do those kind of readings because....... But I have rephrased your question as 'How will mine and X's relationship develop in the near future' and I will use a spread that shows what you can do with this situation and how to be pro-active. Does that sound good to you?".

I'd love to do more readings for others regarding their spiritual path, getting to know themself, and similar... But it's not what the average persons wants it seems.

Citrin said:

I feel like my use of the tarot has changed SO much since 2004, when I started studying the cards. Back then I really wanted to do readings, often predictive, and then see how "accurate" I was. During the last two years I feel like my STUDY of the cards has actually been the most beneficial. Learning about symbols, archetypes, etc has made me learn more about myself. Sometimes I rather study/meditate on a card I choose, and that can almost give me more than doing a full reading for myself. It's fascinating.

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thank you. i still haven't finished the adept level of 21 ways to read a tarot card, and what yyou're sayying inspires me to go back to that.

Just asking for a card to reflect energies of the day and then remembering that card through out the day has helped me so much more with connecting with my decks.

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another practice i could go back to ...

It feels like spirituality and self reflection has entered my everyday life, instead of special occasions. I like that.

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i have lived my life like that for many years - but of course it waxe and wanes ..

at the same time I am getting lots of practice rephrasing questions! It's okay to write back saying "I personally don't do those kind of readings because....... But I have rephrased your question as 'How will mine and X's relationship develop in the near future' and I will use a spread that shows what you can do with this situation and how to be pro-active. Does that sound good to you?".

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yes, i think i should be more assertive about rephrasing questions.

I'd love to do more readings for others regarding their spiritual path, getting to know themself, and similar... But it's not what the average persons wants it seems.

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let me know if you want to do an exchange! (i think we've done one or two before ... )

fractalgranny said:

...how can i get lots of tarot practice without asking and answering questions i'm not that interested in?
what questions are worth asking?

...i'm also considering becoming a bit more public with my tarot use. given that i'm not interested in the superficial or the pointless, how do i fashion my offering?

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I think this is why I don't chase up paid tarot work, and why I gravitate towards the YR forum here. In YR people post up their readings for anyone, and I can pick and choose which ones I feel better about answering.

I have actually thought about ways in which I could bridge that gap; between how I prefer to read here with picking and choosing and getting paid for it. I have formulated a lot of ideas, but it would be tedious for me to plan and build on my own... and likely, the best option would include a large group of readers aside from myself anyway.

Amanda said:

I think this is why I don't chase up paid tarot work, and why I gravitate towards the YR forum here. In YR people post up their readings for anyone, and I can pick and choose which ones I feel better about answering.

I have actually thought about ways in which I could bridge that gap; between how I prefer to read here with picking and choosing and getting paid for it. I have formulated a lot of ideas, but it would be tedious for me to plan and build on my own... and likely, the best option would include a large group of readers aside from myself anyway.

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yes, i have gone through periods of spending time at "your readings" as well, for similar reasons.

sounds like we have similar questions/ponderings - let me know if you want to talk more about it!

I don't know if it has been said because I didn't read all the posts but I also use Tarot for communicating with loved ones who have departed.

ana luisa said:

I don't know if it has been said because I didn't read all the posts but I also use Tarot for communicating with loved ones who have departed.

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Yes, I do this too.

fractalgranny said:

that's part of my problem. i know people do that and think it's super cool - but i just can't connect to doing that. i've tried it a few times and didn't go any useful place.

it's a bit like pendulums. i am fascinated by how i can get pendulums to do what i tell them to do but i find asking pendulums questions (yes/no questions, or the ones where you use a chart) about as interesting as counting peas.

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You needn't ask questions, but rather take advantage of the cards' progression. My main use for the cards is studying them, mapping out the ideas and interconnection between them. The more you study the structure the better you can see the cards less as disparate entities and more as one following from the other. In terms of systematic thinking, this sharpens your wits. I've even used the cards to make flowcharts, and to map out likely outcomes of projects. This was done not in a reading or divination, but plain old boring allocation of steps to cards.

I don't use Tarot to communicate with the dead, but to communicate with my self (aka inner self or higher self, as distinguished from the ego or various personae). Temple of Apollo at Delphi: "Know thyself."

I use tarot to get another point of view when I'm trying to make a decision. I also like to pull a card to get the energy of the coming day.