So, folks have been asking me how I got into using tarot cards for, you know, sorting out my feelings and a bit of emotional healing. It wasn’t something I planned, really. It just sort of happened.
My First Brush with Tarot
I remember seeing tarot cards around, thought they were a bit woo-woo, to be honest. But then, I was going through a rough patch, feeling all tangled up inside, and a friend, who’s into all sorts of things, casually mentioned using cards to understand her own emotions. I was skeptical, but also a bit desperate for anything that might help me make sense of the mess in my head.
So, I found myself in one of those quirky little shops. I didn’t know anything about decks. I just picked one that felt… right? The pictures were interesting, not too scary. It came with a tiny little booklet. I bought it, took it home, and it sat on my shelf for a good few weeks. I’d look at it, then look away. Felt a bit silly, to be honest.
Fumbling Through Early Readings
One evening, I finally decided to just try it. I shuffled the cards, feeling a bit awkward, and pulled one. Just one. I looked at the picture, then flipped through the little book to find its meaning. It was… okay? Didn’t feel like a thunderbolt of insight or anything. I did this for a few days. Pull a card, read the book. Sometimes it sort of resonated, other times it felt like a random statement.
I realized pretty quickly that trying to predict the future with them wasn’t for me. It just made me more anxious. But I kept feeling drawn to the images. So, I changed my approach. Instead of asking “what will happen?”, I started asking things like, “What do I need to understand about this feeling?” or “What aspect of myself am I overlooking right now?”
Finding My Groove
This is where things started to shift. I stopped focusing so much on the “official” meanings in the book and started looking at the pictures and just… feeling. What did the image make me feel? What thoughts popped into my head?
I started a little ritual. Not every day, but whenever I felt particularly overwhelmed or confused.
- I’d find a quiet spot. No big ceremony, just a moment to myself.
- I’d take a few deep breaths, just to settle my mind a bit.
- I’d hold the deck, think about what was bothering me, or just the general emotional fog.
- Then I’d shuffle and pull one, two, or maybe three cards. No complicated spreads at first.
And then, the most important part for me: I started journaling. I’d describe the cards I pulled, what I saw in them, and any thoughts or feelings that came up. Sometimes it was a jumble of words, other times a clear idea would emerge. It was like the cards were giving me a starting point to talk to myself, to untangle the knots.
A Real-Life Moment
I remember one time I was feeling incredibly stuck and resentful about a situation at work. Just couldn’t shake it. I pulled a card – I think it was the Five of Pentacles. Seeing those figures out in the cold, feeling left out… it hit me. I wasn’t really angry about the specific work thing, I was feeling isolated and unappreciated in a much bigger way. The card didn’t magically solve the problem, but it helped me pinpoint the real feeling, the deeper ache. And once I understood that, I could start thinking about what I actually needed, instead of just stewing in general anger.
How My Practice Looks Now
Over time, it’s become a more intuitive process. I still use the cards, but I rely less on books and more on my own connection to the imagery and the feelings they evoke. Sometimes I’ll do a more structured spread if I’m exploring a specific issue, other times it’s still just a single card for a quick check-in. The journaling is still key for me, though. It solidifies the insights.
It’s not about magic or telling the future. For me, it’s become a tool for self-reflection, a way to access my own inner wisdom. The cards act like mirrors, reflecting back aspects of myself or my situation in a way that helps me see things more clearly. It helps me name my emotions, understand where they might be coming from, and then, hopefully, move through them in a healthier way.
So yeah, that’s been my journey with it. No grand pronouncements, just a simple practice that’s helped me navigate my own emotional landscape a bit better. It’s been a surprising and genuinely helpful companion.
