The Tarot & Reading For Yourself

By Kelly O'Tillery

There are a lot of myths out there about reading for yourself. I remember being told early on in my experience with the Tarot that a person couldn't read for themselves. To this day I still hear it from students as well as professional Tarot readers.

Isn't this exactly the reason most of us become interested in the Tarot in the first place, to read for ourselves? Are we not searching for a tool which will give us insight into our wants, needs, and desires? Are we not searching for a way to tap into the subconscious part of our mind, the part which holds the secrets of how and why we respond to our world the way we do? We all yearn for a way to connect with our higher self, the part of self that holds the infinite wisdom of our soul, the part that understands our purpose and the reason for all our life's experiences.

Why else would someone be interested in learning the Tarot? Most of us won't and don't put much energy or effort into something which will not benefit us in some way. Yes, having a tool which will help others gain insight into their lives is wonderful and fulfilling, but we still learn the most from our own experience.

Reading for yourself simply takes a willingness to learn how to be honest with yourself. You need to be open-minded enough to explore the many possible interpretations the Tarot will reveal in relation to your question about a situation, problem, or issue. You need to have the patience and tenacity to keep asking questions until you discover the real meaning and answer to your question.

Start with a simple yes/no question. An upright card will indicate a "Yes" answer, and a reversed card will indicate a "No" answer. Example You have met someone new and you're wondering if you should accept an invitation to go out sometime. Your question would be "Should I go out on a date with (________)?" A right side up card indicates a "Yes" response, go on the date. An upside down card indicates a "No" response, don't go on the date. Ok, simple enough, but if you really want to go out on a date with this person and the card comes up "No" you're naturally going to want more information. "Why shouldn't I go out with (_______)?" "But I really want to go out with (________)!" Now is the time to begin asking more questions to discover the reason behind the "No" answer. To find the reason for the "No" answer you must keep an open mind and maintain a high level of curiosity about the initial question. This is easier said than done. None of us like to hear "No" in response to something we want. It is easy at this point to get angry or frustrated or just decide you pulled the wrong card in the first place and disregard the reading.

So what questions do you ask now? Well, your knowledge of yourself and the other person will play a large role in the questions you ask to find the reason for the original "No" answer.

Start with yourself. Maybe you have recently ended a relationship with someone and you're not really ready to begin dating yet. Your question could be something like this "Do I need more time to process my past relationship before I begin dating again?" A right side up card indicates a "Yes" answer to this question and the reason for the original "No" answer.

Perhaps you need to consider why you want to go out with this person? Are you truly attracted to this person or do you want to make someone else jealous? Your question could be something like "Is my real reason for going out with (_______) to make (_______) jealous?" An upside down card indicates a "No" answer to this question, so this is not the reason for the original "No" answer. So you try again and ask another question.

Try asking a question about the person who asked you out. Let the information you have about this person help guide you in which questions to ask. Example If you have only met this person once or twice you may not really know much about them. Perhaps they are already involved with someone. Your question could be "Is (________) involved in a relationship with someone else?" A right side up card would indicate a "Yes" response to this question and the reason for the original "No" answer.

Continue asking questions until you learn the reason for the original answer to your question. Even if the original answer to this question was, "Yes" you should go out on this date, you could ask why. "Do I have something to learn from this person?" "Is there potential for a long-term relationship with this person?" "Will I discover a pattern of behavior I have when I date someone new?"

As you become a better reader for yourself so too will you become a better reader for others. With the curiosity of a child and the wisdom of a sage you will step into the pictures of the Tarot and a whole new world will open up for you.

Kelly is a professional Astrologer, Tarot card reader, & instructor in Metaphysical practices. She can be reached by e-mail, otillery@aol . com or the web www.etcpublishing.com/kelly