To Ease Our Mind
Usually we are driven by an unpleasant feeling to consult the cards. We could be worried about the future. We could be fearing rejection. We could be feeling hurt. We could be doubting ourselves. Or we could be feeling totally lost and that our life is over.
Whenever such unpleasant feelings arise, our instinct is to find a way to kill it. We might smoke, take drugs, drink coffee or alcohol, or watch TV. We would do anything pleasurable so that we could forget the bad feelings, for a moment.
Sometimes we want other people to tell us everything is okay. When we fear someone might reject us, we want to be told that it won’t happen. We want be comforted. We want to be told that everything will be fine, we will be able to pay the rent and find the one true lover of our lives.
So we ask the cards and want them to tell us that everything is fine, that we don’t have to be worried or scared.
Sometimes I really doubt if I could make this Tarot blog work, or if I could get a stable income. I’m broke now. Being broke is unpleasant. Don’t know what tomorrow will be like is horrible. So I draw the cards and ask, will my blog be popular? Will I eventually be able to make money from it? When will I stop being broke?
But just like smoking to make yourself feel better. It doesn’t work and it’s unhealthy. It’s a short-term solution that works for a day or maybe two at best. When its effect is over, whatever bothers us will come back and keep haunting us.
Better to quit smoking and face the problem head on.
To Find Answers
When we ask whether somebody loves us, we just want our own fear to disappear. But we could also be really confused. Like when a relationship matters so much but also hurts so much. Should you find ways to make it work, or should you just let it go?
Or when after a fight. Is this an accident, or is it a sign of a bigger problem?
There are times when we are bothered by questions so important yet so confusing that we have no idea how to answer them. We are supposed to act like The Hermit, look within and reflect on our lives.
But that’s not always easy. Or rather, that’s always not easy.
So we let the cards help us. Not to get answers to our questions. But to help us think, to help us see more clearly.
And Tarot does this job perfectly.
With the help of a Tarot reader, it’s always easier to reflect on your own problems. She asks the questions, she gives the possible explanations, and you only need to do the thinking. Part of the burden is on someone else’s shoulder now.
Without the help of a Tarot reader, you will gain insights by looking at the images. Draw Four of Cups, and you suddenly understand that pain is temporary and this too will pass. Draw the Eight of Swords, and you’ll see that your limitations are imaginary and there is a way out.
In Tarot there is wisdom that could help us in times of stupidity stress.
To Make Better Decisions
Some use Tarot reading to get more information so that they could make better decisions. Information like whether someone is trustworthy or whether a city is good for one’s career.
It sounds like a good idea. But it has some problems.
The first problem is that when seeking information, the focus of the reading drifts away from you. Most believe that a reading needs to focus on you to be helpful.
The second problem is that sometimes it’s not about information. Sometimes what really happens is that you are trying to ease your mind. You might feel insecure about your relationship and then ask whether your boyfriend is cheating. You think you want information, but it’s really an emotional issue.
The third problem is that the question itself often reflects problematic views. Asking whether a city is good for your career is implying that your career success is determined by the city. Asking whether your boss loves me is assuming that your boss is more responsible than you.
As a rule, the more you believe someone else is responsible for your problem, the more likely you will do nothing but complain.
The last problem is, I think Googling is a more effective strategy for gathering information. It’s much cheaper too.