Free Association versus Intuition

fractalgranny said:

goat farming in iceland would be a great idea

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sound advice for any reading!

I am currently sitting beside my Rorschach poster, and as I free-associate, I remind myself why I often do not trust those fleeting thoughts that pop into my head while reading cards. I have an over-active imagination, to say the least, and as a novice reader struggle with "the noise" coming from myself. So I much prefer, at this stage, relying on what I have learned from books/classes and not much on intuition.

I can totally relate to the discussion of the study that frelkins posted.

Right now, I am really hoping that I don't start to associate with any card the meaning of "goat farming in Iceland"

fractalgranny said:

"he should become a goat farmer in iceland!"

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My stepfather actually used to farm sheep in Iceland. Is that close enough?

Teheuti said:

It's like trained dancers and jazz musicians - you learn the forms and develop skill through rigorous training that focuses on the conventions of the field, and then intuition uses all that (sometimes brilliantly) when improvising.

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fractalgranny said:

the point is that everything we say should ideally go through a number of filters. unfortunately, there are people who think that these filters are harmful barriers, when they are just instruments of refinement. (and like any instrument, they need to be cleaned, repaired and/or replaced regularly )

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These two quotes really sum up my opinion. Training/study does not hobble you; rather, it gives you a foundation, a solid base to work with/from.

goat farming in iceland

well, i'm glad people are interested in goat farming in iceland but it's actually an interesting case in point, and reminds me of jungian dream interpretation: when a dreamer dismisses a dream saying, "that's just a random thing that happened the day before", the jungian would reply, "but why THIS random thing out of the hundreds of random things that happened yesterday?"

when i look closer, goat farming in iceland was the kind of "random" thing that *i* would say - i have had goats, and have been wanting to go to iceland for a long time, and especially in the last 6 or 7 years. so in some way this was totally about *me*. and now it all depends on the context. does my sphere of experience (goats) and sensibilities (iceland) clash or harmonize with the sitter? will the sitter be exposed to *my* secret wishes? that's not so helpful. or is it a wonderful synchronicity that the sitter's unconscious yearning for iceland was mirrored in both the cards and my sensibility to it, and now it can be expressed - which would be fortunate. i think it's the reader's responsibility to tell the former from the latter.

now someone please tell me what card or card constellations would signify goat farming in iceland.

fractalgranny said:

now someone please tell me what card or card constellations would signify goat farming in iceland.

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Right off the top of my head, that would have to be the Devil, the Empress and the Hermit.

Before all of the scholarly studies on the subject (of intuition, not goat farming), there was the "fight or flight" mechanism. If you saw a saber-tooth tiger coming your way, you had a pretty good "hunch" (intuition) that it was going to try to eat you. Most likely because your father, brother and uncle were all eaten by one. A vicarious "conditioned response" of sorts.

Barleywine said:

Right off the top of my head, that would have to be the Devil, the Empress and the Hermit.

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thank you! phew. now i can go to work without wondering about that

Before all of the scholarly studies on the subject (of intuition, not goat farming), there was the "fight or flight" mecahnism. If you saw a saber-tooth tiger coming your way, you had a pretty good "hunch" (intuition) that it was going to try to eat you. Most likely because your father, brother and uncle were all eaten by one. A vicarious "conditioned response" of sorts.

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exactly. it's not as if you'd see the sabre toothed tiger and go, hmmm, here's an idea, why don't i run! your subconscious remembers how your guys got eaten, knows how fast you can run, puts it together, it all happens in a split second and off you go. (and how nice that you're here to tell the tale, barleywine, your ancestors did a good job )