The reading blues

Lareia

Before I went on vacation a month ago I did a lot of readings- I was really into it and it was fun, too, but I didn't take a deck with me so no tarot for two weeks. I tried apps but that didn't work out so well, I guess it's not for me. When I came back, I... curiously didn't start reading again. It's not that I don't want to anymore, in fact I really do, but I can't seem to find anything to read on and I don't feel like reading for others right now.

Does this happen to anyone else? Wanting to read but not finding topics or the motivation? How do you get over it?
 

Citrin

Yes, I've been there too. :) I'm kind of there now I think, a little bit...

Sometimes I feel I need a break and I just don't do readings for a while. I mean, why not? I take pauses from all my hobbies every now and then. It's all good, the motivation or need for readings always comes back eventually. :)

Sometimes I do readings for others and try new spreads (Sasha Graham's book 365 Spreads is great for this!) on myself or others. Just to get my intuition going again. I feel like my "spark" comes back when I get feedback on my readings or when I myself all of a sudden get a really "whoa!" reading for myself. And watching great Youtubers review decks or talk about tarot can also really get my tarot motivation going. :)
 

HallowedNight

I've definitely been there before. I've had several months where I just did no readings at all because I just wasn't thinking about it. There's nothing wrong with that! But if you want to do readings and just don't have anything to ask about, making a thread here in the Reading Exchanges forum is a great way to practice and get feedback!

I also find that if I just don't have the motivation, then just kind of spending time with my cards help. I'll just take my favorite deck and shuffle it while I'm reading or watching TV or something, maybe pull a few random cards just to decipher them and practice card meanings... Eventually, I kind of get into the "tarot mood," and I'll want to go do a reading or two. Sometimes it takes a few days, but that's fine! Everyone takes some breaks from their hobbies every now and then. c:

And generally, the more I obsess about readings and thinking that I should be doing them, the less I want to. Don't turn it into a chore! We do tarot because we enjoy it, not because we have to. :^D
 

mrpants

Wanting to read but not finding topics or the motivation? How do you get over it?

When I get tired of reading the cards, I alternate to study. It happens fairly regularly. Put the cards down, pick up a book. Reverse, repeat.
 

Nar

I think I've been there for a while now. I am always telling myself that I'm going to set aside more time for reading, but everything else gets in the way. I pester friends to let me read for them sometimes. I need to do that more, maybe. I'm rusty, rusty, rusty.
 

Assena

When I'm not in the mood for readings what I do is read about tarot, it can be a book, a blog, the forum and it puts me in the mood. I have periods of time where I just need a break from tarot, sometimes because of the job or because I don't feel like picking up the cards, I'm out of energy and just can't focus.

Do you keep a journal? If you don't feel like doing a big spread you could ask the question what's the predominant energy for today? pick a card and write your thoughts, maybe it will put you in the mood. Also like everyone says, you can take a break, it's good from time to time.
 

Tanga

Read a Tarot book instead - or some Tarot history on-line.

Check out other sections of AT that you're not regularly on.

Read someone elses daily Tarot blog or -
Check out Biddy Tarot - weekly exercises on-line (e.g. "in one sentence how would you read these two cards together?" - have a look at how everyone else who's doing it has interpreted the cards. You can get some great new insights from this. I follow Biddy's Facebook page for these.).

Play solitaire with your Tarot deck (nisaba explained how in one of her threads... I can't think where to look for it now...)

Compare and contrast your decks.

Select a card and just look at the imagery without needing to have it give you a meaning "right now" - I have a Tarot altar on my wall. It has a selection of cards I just find pretty and like to meditate on. Or do a path working with.

Go to a Tarot meeting and just sit there nodding and listening to everyone else (offer no readings yourself - say you're suffering reading exhaustion :) ).

These are the things I do when I find myself as you describe.
 

HallowedNight

Play solitaire with your Tarot deck (nisaba explained how in one of her threads... I can't think where to look for it now...)

I second this! I play solitaire with my Fantastical Creatures all the time. You get to see and touch all the cards and admire the artwork without actually reading them, and it kind of just gets some good vibes going. C:

(Just a tip if you do try it though: having the majors as a seperate category to finish is really hard! I usually just put them up by the aces as soon as I see one. :^P )
 

Lareia

Thanks to everyone for all the advice! There's a lot of good stuff in there, I'll try some of it for sure. :)
 

cmarie

I go through this sometimes too, I think I just need to absorb some of the things I am learning. After time it will come back.

There is a book called 'What's in the cards for you' by Mark McElroy. It has a months worth of different tarot exercises in it, and let's you explore different aspects of your deck. It is fun, and the exercises are short - maybe that would be a fun way to use the cards without doing readings.

Have fun! You'll get back in the swing!