tarot exercise

Nervous? Drawing a Blank? Here’s My Fave Technique for Getting Unstuck During a Tarot Reading

8 Comments / August 2017 / /

I always tell people that the key to being a good intuitive tarot reader is relaxation, because insights and ideas can’t enter your head when it’s a solid block of anxiety.

But what if you just can’t relax when you’re giving someone a Tarot reading?

Being all chill and laid back doesn’t come easy to everyone, myself included, and sometimes giving a reading can feel as awkward as dancing in public when you were thirteen.

Here’s a sad confession: despite all my years reading Tarot cards, I still occasionally struggle with this and relaxation exercises only take me so far.

But then I discovered a totally new way to kick back and put my critical “but you’ll screw this up!” part of my mind on pause. No, it’s not weed, it’s even better….I created my very own alter ego.

Now when I’m caught in the throes of self-consciousness, I ask myself what would Veronica do?

So before we go any further, let me introduce you to my alter ego Veronica Noir…

Veronica is everything I’m not but wish I could be – fearless, slutty and independently wealthy with a hankering for day drinking, younger men and eating chocolate for breakfast.

At first I used to hide behind my alter ego whenever I wanted to write bitchy tarot readings or blog posts about dicks, but pretty soon Veronica went from part-time nom de plume to full fledged alter ego status.

An alter ego is basically a fearless, naughtier version of yourself! Tapping into your alter ego gives you permission to kick back, explore, play and make mistakes – which is exactly the kind of attitude that helps unlock your intuition and heighten your Tarot reading abilities.

In order to be a great Tarot reader you need to know how to let go, relax, shift gears. Stepping into your alter ego self helps you do this. Think of it as a relaxation tool, but way cooler.

Your Turn!

The good news is you don’t need to create an alter ego because your alter ego already exists inside of you. You just need to uncover it.

So pour yourself a drinky poo and ask yourself this:

1. Who would you be and what would you do if there were no rules or consequences?

For example, if sleeping around and copious day drinking didn’t result in chaos and problems (for me), I’d probably do it! Therefore, Veronica does it… All. Day. Long.

2. What are your guilty pleasures and true desires?

And don’t feel you have to get all weird and kinky here – just be honest with yourself. What do you really want?

The answers to these two questions make up the backbone of your alter ego. From there you can exaggerate and embellish to create a character, adding in little details like clothing style, hobbies, career, etc.

Practice!

Once you’ve got your alter ego all fleshed out, try drawing a couple Tarot cards for yourself. How would your alter ego read these cards? What would they say? Have fun with this. Use a notebook and pen if it helps you.

Test it out

During your next reading, if you find yourself stuck or nervous, try asking “how would my alter ego see these cards?”

I want to be clear: I’m not suggesting you go all drama student and start channeling your alter ego in a really over the top way. I’m just suggesting you allow your mind to become playful and elastic, letting go and seeing where it takes you!

So tell me…

Who is your alter ego and did this exercise help you limber up your Tarot reading muscles? Tell me all about it in the comments below 🙂

 

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What your LEAST favorite Tarot card says about you…

14 Comments / January 2017, Tarot Tips / /

A while ago I wrote a blog post about what your favorite Tarot card says about you, but I think it’s actually your least favorite card that is the most revealing…

I was inspired by a fellow youtuber who said she was journalling about everything she disliked about the 6 of Pentacles as an exercise in shadow work. And this got me thinking about all the cards I just can’t stand!

So what Tarot card do you dislike the most? Which card makes you cringe whenever it shows up in a reading?

It may not even be a typically “negative” card – perhaps The Magician just pisses you right the f*ck off or the Queen of Cups makes you want to shank someone.

Personally, I can’t stand the Justice card. It just sucks.

Rider-Waite Tarot

Okay, so go through your deck right now and pick out ONE Tarot card that you don’t like. It doesn’t even have to be the worst card for you, just one that generates a general feeling of contempt.

Now, ask yourself this: what it is that I can’t stand about this card? Write it down on a bit of paper.

I’ll go first: I can’t stand how the Justice card is so serious. She seems totally humorless and un-mysterious like she is lacking magic and sexiness. She reminds me of what sometimes happens to people when they become “adults” – they turn responsible and boring.

Go over what you wrote and highlight the keywords. My keywords are serious, humorless, responsible and boring.

Working with one keyword at a time, ask yourself this:

In what ways am I ________ (insert keyword of choice here).

When I ask myself in what ways am I serious? I can think of lots of things. I diligently read all the ingredient labels of food and cosmetics before I buy them. I’m a non-drinker at parties and so I’m usually the only sober one. I use five methods of birth control…at the same time. I could go on, but you get the idea.

Now, look back at the card you totally hate.

If there’s a figure on the card, does it remind you of anyone?

Lady Justice reminds me of a dear friend who is so incredibly serious and rigid about everything that it’s a struggle to connect and have fun with her. I’ll say “hey let’s have a girls night out!” and she’ll say “no, I have to clean the mold out of my window sills. It needs to be done.”

What feeling arises within you when you gaze at this shitty card?

When I look at Justice, I feel that b*tch is judging me. I feel judged. And I feel like I’m not quite up to snuff.

Where in your life do you sometimes feel this way?

This can be a real eye opener. Often, the Tarot card we despise brings up feelings that we also happen to be experiencing in other aspects of our life.

In my case, I judge myself constantly. I am always thinking things like I didn’t get much accomplished today, I need to be more organized and hardworking, I’m going nowhere in life.

My inner judge is very active and mean so when I see a representation of her in the Justice card, I’m irritated.

Okay, so now what?

You’ve identified the parts of yourself that you dislike. You’ve identified the feelings that you dislike having. But now what? Where do you go from here?

Ask yourself this….

What is the upside to being _________(keyword of choice)?

So I would ask what’s the upside to being serious?

Just because you don’t like a certain part of yourself, doesn’t mean it doesn’t serve you well sometimes.

Then ask: What is this feeling of _______ trying to show me?

So I would ask what is the feeling of judgement/criticism trying to show me?

Negative emotions are there because they’re trying to tell you something.

When I judge myself harshly and feel crappy about it, I’m trying to tell myself something – that I’m not living up to my full potential, AND/ OR that I need to be kinder and more accepting of myself.

From there, I’ll leave it up to you to decide what changes you want to make or if just having the awareness of all of this is enough. Sometimes you don’t actually need to do anything at all. Which is nice 🙂

Want more? Check out my online course Tarot Journalling for Soul Explorers…

What your LEAST favorite Tarot card says about you… Read More »

Tarot Challenge: What advice do you have for someone stuck in a love triangle?

11 Comments / July 2015, tarot challenge, Tarot Challenges, tarot practice / /

It’s been ages since I’ve done a Tarot challenge on my blog, and it feels like now is a good time! Here is your situation:

It’s a hot Summer night and you’re sitting outside at your local, late night cafe shuffling your Tarot cards and flipping through your new Tarot book. Suddenly, a total stranger sits down at your table. He’s tall, lanky and wearing those weird hipster glasses that everyone now thinks is “normal”. He has a creepy Leave it to Beaver style haircut and he smells like strawberry shortcake.

“I’m in the middle of a torrid love triangle,” he confesses to you, “and I need to know what I should do.”

As you begin shuffling your cards, he gives you the dirty details…“I have been madly in love with my best friend Damien’s ex-girlfriend Jane for three years. She has reciprocated these feelings – well, sort of. I think she might just be using me for sex, but I’m okay with that. Anyhow, Jane has recently got back together with Damien and now we have to keep our love a secret. I am not really sure how to proceed – do I stay with Jane and tell Damien? Do I continue sneaking around? Or do I break it off with Jane, even though she’s the love of my life?”

You lay out three cards….

dame darcy tarot
Dame Darcy Mermaid Tarot

Based on this stranger’s situation, how would you interpret these Tarot cards?
Please share your interpretation in the comment section below 🙂

If you would like to see how I read these cards CLICK HERE.

Click here to see how I read these cards... +

Here is my quick and dirty interpretation of these three cards:

"Well, mysterious stranger, the Knight of Pentacles tells me that you're a creature of habit and you like to proceed carefully in everything you do. Part of you might be tempted to not do anything right now because you don't want to rock the boat and cause chaos in your life.

However, the 10 of Swords indicates you are feeling majorly stabbed in the back! And rightly so. It sounds like you haven't really acknowledged your hurt over the fact that Jane has taken back up with Damien. Part of you knows that if you do acknowledge it, how you feel about Jane will change dramatically.

The Ace of Swords seems to be encouraging you to take the initiative and change things. Stop hiding and pussy footing around! It's time for you to be honest with yourself about what you want and what you will not stand for. It's time to turn over a new leaf and start doing things differently from now on. I feel that this Ace denotes a fresh start - a new beginning in your life that quite possibly does not include Jane. But only you can know that for sure.

Out of the three options you presented, which one feels the most empowering and liberating for you? Do that!

I’m looking forward to reading your advice for this mysterious stranger!!!
xoxo
Kate

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Tarot Card Combinations Exercise!

10 Comments / April 2015, tarot card meanings, tarot practice, Tarot Tips / /

As I was writing my upcoming Tarot card meanings e-book, which should be out in June, I had a bit of an epiphany and an idea for a fun Tarot exercise.

My epiphany was this: the Major Arcana in the Tarot (The Fool through to The World) represent different aspects of your self, while the Minor Arcana represent the different aspects your life.

This of course is not my own idea, as I’m sure it’s been written about in many Tarot books before, but I really truly got it as I was writing this book. It was one of those things I already knew intellectually, but suddenly understood it on a deeper level.

So here’s my idea for a fun Tarot exercise:

As a way to practice card combinations, lets pair up a Major Arcana card with a Minor Arcana card (not a court card, though). I chose the The Emperor and the Four of Cups.

emperor and four of cups
Universal Waite Tarot

 

How would The Emperor deal with feeling bored and uninspired (Four of Cups)?

Or, how does your inner Emperor – the part of yourself that is independent, a bit rebellious and stubborn – respond to feeling this way? When you feel like the mopey moper in the Four of Cups, how does that effect your ability to be the Emperor in your own life (ie: the captain of your ship)?

Personally, when I’m feeling bored and blah about life, I tend to feel un-confident about making decisions and taking charge of my own life. This is when I might sleep till noon and spend the evening watching shit TV or reading celebrity gossip blogs. Aka Saturdays.

Let’s try another!

How would Death – the part of you that ruthlessly clears out what is no longer needed  – experience the Ten of Wands (feeling overburdened and exhausted by crummy chores and stuff)?

death and ten of wands
Universal Waite Tarot

 

I’ll bet he’d delegate certain chores and start saying “no” more often. He would have no trouble allowing things to die (like droopy houseplants, dull friendships or lacklustre hobbies) if the upkeep of those things didn’t make him feel alive.

Through this exercise, you’re able to learn things about yourself and explore all the possibilities of who you really are.

Now it’s your turn!

Choose your favorite Major Arcana card and then randomly pick a card from the Minor Arcana. Ask yourself this:

1. When I feel like the Minor Arcana card, how does that effect the part of myself that is like the Major Arcana card?

2. How would the part of myself that is like the Major Arcana card deal with the life situation illustrated by the Minor Arcana card?

3. What does this tell you about yourself? Is it relevant to your life right now?

Share your results and interpretation in the comments below 🙂

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Tarot Challenge: Interpret these cards in 3 sentences or less!

36 Comments / October 2014, tarot challenge, Tarot Challenges / /

Imagine this: It’s 8pm on a dark and rainy night. Thunder and lighting boom and flash in the distance as you sit in your armchair by the fire, shuffling your Tarot cards.

Across from you sits Minxy Blue – a friend of a friend. Minxy is a high class escort who lives a lavish lifestyle, “escorting” distinguished gentlemen and the occasional celebrity. But she has recently met someone special who has a problem with her chosen line of work. His name is Vlad Smith and he has proposed to her on the condition that she quit her escort job and do something else.

Minxy loves Vlad but she also loves her work. She’s in a conundrum! She asks you “what on Earth am I supposed to do?”

Just then, two cards come flying out of the deck, landing upright on the table in front of you.

But here’s the challenge: Minxy doesn’t have the time or the patience to listen to you ramble about the cards. So make it quick! In just 3 sentences or less, interpret these two cards in a way that is helpful to Minxy:

tarot challenge
Hanson-Roberts Tarot

Please feel free to post your interpretation in the comments below!

If you would like to see how I interpreted these cards, just click on the text below…

Click to see my interpretation... +

Speak openly with Vlad about how you feel about leaving your career (Two of Cups). But make sure you go within and do some soul searching to find out what is truly important to you right now (The Hermit). There is much light and brightness in these two cards which shows that now is not the time to hide from your feelings and issues, Minxy girl!

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Tarot exercise: Be your own life coach….with Tarot cards!

25 Comments / October 2014, Tarot Tips / /

Do you wish you had your own personal life coach? Well guess what? If you have a deck of Tarot cards you kind of already do have a life coach. Let me explain…

Think of your Tarot deck as a mediator between you and your Higher Self (or Inner Self, Unconscious, Inner Wisdom, Inner Guru, whatever).

Here’s my easy peasy formula for gleaning important info and guidance into your life via your Tarot cards:

If you would like to do this exercise along with me, the video version is below. Otherwise, read on!

1. Identify your “issue” or problem that you would like some guidance around.

When I did this exercise last night, I chose my “issue” of not finding the right house to buy. I have been searching for over a year and haven’t found the right place yet.

2. Ask “what do I need to know about          (issue)        ?”

For example, what do I need to know about finding the right home (and why I haven’t yet)?

3. Draw ONE card.

The card I got was The Moon.

the moon anna k
Anna K Tarot

4. Which suit is that card from? This will indicate the area of your life in which your “issue” is based.

Major Arcana = spiritual, life path, major life lesson
Wands = energetic, creative, career
Cups = emotional, relationships
Swords = mental, thoughts, communication
Pentacles = body/health, money, material stuff
Court card = A particular person or personality trait

Keep an open mind here. The area of your life that your issue is based in may surprise you. For example, your health problems could be connected to your relationships (Cups) or your relationship issue could be rooted in your money issues (Pentacles).

Because I got The Moon, a Major Arcana card, I know my issue of not finding a house has to do with my life path and is acting as a major spiritual lesson right now.

 

5. Now, lets take a closer look at the card. We know the area that it relates to, but what is it trying to tell you? Jot down the traditional meaning of your card.

Feel free to look it up in your book or refer to my Tarot meanings cheatsheet.

The Moon Tarot card has to do with the subconscious, dreams and that which is hidden. Sometimes it can indicate deception or not being fully aware of something.

 

6. How does the traditional meaning (or keywords) apply to your specific issue and/or the area of your life in which this issue is based.

Here is where you are really getting into the nooks and crannies of your issue. This is a chance to look at your issue/problem in a way that you probably haven’t yet.

When I did my reading I felt that The Moon applied to my life in that I have been having lots of dreams lately about going down into basements to view disturbing things (which I suspect is a symbol for exploring the unconscious). This could indicate that subconscious issues are holding me back from finding a house.

 

7. What advice does my chosen card have for me? What should be your next step?

Now you are switching the lens through which you see this card. You are asking a different question, but there is no need to draw a different card. You only need to look at this card in a different light.

When I gaze at The Moon, the advice that jumps out at me is this: study your dreams and explore the scaryness and ugliness that lies beneath the surface. The frightening things you find in the basement of your dreams may represent thoughts, fears and feelings that you have repressed because you’ve deemed the unacceptable or too scary to face.

 

8. Set a goal. Write it down. Give yourself a timeline. Take action.

This is where the life-coachy part comes in! The impact of a really insightful Tarot reading can vanish like a fart in the wind if you don’t write it down and do something about it.

I set the goal to consult some dream books and take a closer look at the symbols in my dreams and do some journalling around this. I aim to do this over the next 7 days.

 

9. Bonus question: what message does my Inner Self have for me in regards to this issue?

If you still feel a little unsatisfied with your reading, this can be a nice way to wrap things up. Spend some time gazing at your card, noticing the symbols and general vibe of the card. Can you decipher a comforting or encouraging message there?

When I gazed at The Moon, I noticed that it wasn’t a full moon – it was only a crescent moon. When I pondered this for a bit I heard the phrase “the moon is not yet full” meaning that the time has not yet come, but it will. In other words, now is not the right time for me to find a house. So I can just relax.

 

Was it good for you? Let me know what you think!

In the comments below feel free to share your own experience with this Tarot exercise 🙂

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Trouble learning the Tarot Card Meanings? Try this!

5 Comments / September 2014, tarot practice, Tarot Tips / /

Here is a question that I often get asked:

Q: I am having trouble learning the Tarot card meanings. It’s a boring process and I can never remember the meanings. Do I really need to learn them? Or can I just learn to read “intuitively”?

A: Reading Tarot “intuitively” without first learning the structure of Tarot and the card meanings is kind of like visiting a foreign country without learning the language.

Sure you will be able to get by with charades style communication and drawing pictures, but things won’t be smooth and you will feel like a total moron! Even learning a few key words and phrases can make a world of difference.

This is what I have found to be true….

1. Tarot is like a language – its a way for you to communicate with spirit and with your Inner Self.

2. Sometimes there is real value in tossing the “traditional” Tarot meanings aside to explore the cards more deeply and engage my intuition as I interact with the card figures, symbols, etc.

But…

3. The traditional card meaning always acts as a trigger or a doorway into my inner, intuitive landscape.

doorway-crete

So while you don’t need to learn the Tarot card meanings in order to get guidance from your Tarot cards, your readings will take on a richer, more grounded quality when you do.

But if learning the Tarot card meanings feels boring to you, I suggest you vamp up the way you study your Tarot cards.

One of the techniques I love to teach is the “creating a story/character” approach.

Here’s how it works:

Step one: Choose a Tarot card that features a person.

Any court card will work good for this, as will Major arcana cards like The Magician or The Empress.

For this exercise I am going to be working with the Knight of Pentacles from the Crystal Visions Tarot.

knight of pents
Crystal Visions Tarot

Step two: Consider the traditional meaning of this card.

The Crystal Visions companion book describes the Knight of Pentacles as being “cautious, thoughtful and hardworking” with an “all work and no play” attitude.

Step three: flesh out the character by imagining other details and quirks.

I bet this Knight is the kind of guy who loves to read non-fiction and will spout off “facts” about things at dinner parties.

I suspect he’s also rather boring between the sheets.

But I also think he would make a mean apple pie and is particularly talented when it comes to making curries and casseroles and stuff like that. Yum!

Step four: Imagine a backstory & create a history for your character.

When I imagine the Knight of Pentacles as a real person, I see him working in a “safe”, repetitive job – like a factory or office.

His home life growing up was average and uninteresting, but then he met the love of his life and suddenly everything changed. He had never been happier.

But he was slow in proposing to her and she ended up running off with a rich playboy on a yacht in the Bahamas. That was years ago, but his heart still aches, so he wears a thick layer of emotional armor….etc, etc…I could go on all day.

What’s the point of all this? you may be wondering…

When we craft our own stories about the Tarot cards, we are adding our own creative spice to our studies.

Not only will you now have an easier time remembering the meaning of The Knight of Pentacles, or whatever card you chose to do this exercise with, but you will feel like you know this dude and he’s no longer a stranger on a Tarot card.

In the comments below, tell me….

What card did you pick for this exercise and what sordid personality quirks did you uncover? I can’t wait to read your response 🙂

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Tarot Challenge: Interpret This Reading!

33 Comments / September 2014, Tarot Challenges / /

Ready to practice your Tarot reading skills?

It’s been a while since I presented you with a new Tarot challenge, so I decided to make this one extra tough…..by using only Court Cards!

First I will present you with a fabricated scenario:

You are doing a reading for Stephen – a middle aged man who works stocking vending machines in government buildings. Stephen has been divorced two years, has two teenaged daughters who hate him (he sees them every other weekend) and a Chihuahua with a bladder control problem.

Despite this dreary description of Stephen’s life, he is actually quite happy and content. He is coming to you for a reading because he’s just met someone new – Larissa – a new-agey maven who runs the local crystal shop.

They’ve been on a few hot and heavy dates and now Larissa wants him to come to Sedona with her for a Shamanic drumming weekend. He is reluctant. He hates that shit! But he doesn’t want to upset Larissa. What should he do?

You shuffle your cards, lay them out and turn them over. This is what comes up…..

tarot challenge
Druidcraft Tarot

Remember: Court cards can represent people and/or personality traits. They can suggest how to act (or how not to act). Notice the facial expressions, body language and action in these cards.

You are not using a particular spread, so feel free to interpret the cards however you like.

So….what advice would you give Stephen, based on these three cards?

Please post your interpretation/reading in the comments below. This challenge is open to ALL levels of readers – so don’t by shy if your a beginner!…I can’t wait to hear what you come up with 🙂

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Tarot Challenge: Interpret This Reading!

54 Comments / July 2014, Tarot Challenges / /

Are you up for a challenge? A Tarot Challenge?

I hope so!

Unlike my last two Tarot Challenges, this reading isn’t for a made up, fictitious character. This situation is real, so hold onto your hat!

Note: I have gotten permission from this person to share her reading and ask for interpretations and I have changed her name and any identifying details.

So here goes…

Lola is a 42 year old woman, married, no kids and working in her “dream career”. Everything in her life is wonderful – her husband and family are great and she has lots of money, friends and interests. She is in excellent health and is also quite a sexy lady!

However, these past several months she has felt a certain emptiness in her life. It kind of feels like she is dead inside. She keeps thinking “there must be more to life than this.”  She loves her life, but she doesn’t feel fully alive in it. Some days it just feels like she is just going through the motions. And that feeling is only getting bigger and bigger.

She has come to you for a Tarot reading and has asked you “Why did my life loose it’s ‘spark’ and what can I do to inject magic and joyful zest back into my life?”

These are the cards that come up:

sample reading
The Anna K Tarot

Just to let you know….Lola is a close friend of mine and is one tough cookie – she can take whatever no-frills advice you have for her. So don’t hold back or sugar coat your interpretations! And whatever you do, don’t worry about getting it wrong.

Based on these 3 cards, how would YOU interpret this reading? What advice do you have for Lola?

Feel free to share in the comment section below! I am really looking forward to reading your responses 🙂

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