Summer is a great time to do a mid-year check in! Where are you at? Where are you going? What do you need to focus on right now?
If you’re like me you were so busy being sick over New Years that you forgot to have any resolutions. Then maybe you set a couple of goals in February but can’t for the life of you remember what they were. It’s okay. This spread will fix everything 🙂
1. Card to Represent YOU - This card should be randomly chosen (as opposed to consciously choosing a card) and it represents where you're at right now.
2. Let go of... - This is what you need to release and let go of.
3. Replace it with... - This card tells you how you can let go and what you need to bring into your life.
4. Strongest Influence - What is having the strongest effect on you right now. It might be a person, belief, energy, etc. This can also represent energies and opportunities for you to tap into.
5. Message from Spirit Guides - What your Higher Self and Spirit Guides want you to know and understand.
6. Where to Direct Your Energy - What to focus on, where to put your attention and/or the area of your life that needs the most attention right now.
7. Aspect of Self to Heal & Grow - This is kind of similar to card #6. It shows you what parts of yourself you need to be tapping into and working with.
I want to know!
I'm super nosy and I want to know what card you got in position #6 - where will you be putting your energy from now on? Feel free to share in the comments below 🙂
So this Friday (Aug 17th) at 12 noon (PST) I’m throwing a Tarot party via Facebook Live, over on my Facebook page.
Join me for some fun Tarot chit chat while we discuss hot new Tarot decks and fun Tarot exercises. I’ll be doing free one card Tarot readings for anyone who wants one, so you don’t want to miss it!
If you’ve never taken part in a Facebook Live event before, here’s how it works: at 12 noon PST on Friday, hop on over to my Facebook page – you’ll see me live on video blabbing away about Tarot. You’ll be able to interact with me via the comments so you can ask questions, etc.
If you can’t be there live, the video replay will stay on my page for at least a few days after, so you’ll be able to watch at your leisure.
Can’t wait to party with you on Friday! Be there or be square 😉
xoxo
Kate
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 🙂
I am using the Hezicos Tarot for this week’s reading…and yes, there are KITTENS in this video. My last foster cat Graycie got adopted and I just got four feral kitties, which means I now live in a five cat household!
I’m doing this week’s Tarot reading with my Tarot of the Pagan Cats. I figured it was fitting since I’ve still got a couple cats (probably pagans!) staying in the cat hotel in my basement…
Like sex, Tarot can get stale and boring. Especially if you’re always doing the same old same old. It’s normal to feel kind of “meh” about doing readings or studying Tarot every now and then. If this is something you’re going through right now, here are some ways to spice things up…
Spice #1: Do It Outside!
Or in a cafe, at the library, in a stairwell or the back of a cab…you get the idea. A change in location helps you see your cards in a whole new way.
Whenever I want to breathe life into my Tarot practice, I pack up my deck and Tarot journal and head to the park or beach. Contemplating the Tarot to the sound of crashing waves and toddlers throwing tantrums really brings the magic!
Being surrounded by something other than my living room (where I usually read Tarot) stimulates my brain in a way that makes it more creative and active, enabling a different experience with the Tarot.
Spice #2: Do Something Different
Are you stuck in a rut? Do you always do the same thing with your Tarot cards?
I used to practice only by giving myself readings and this got old really fast as I quickly ran out of problems and issues to read about. When I discovered Tarot journalingeverything changed and it opened up a world of possibility!
So if you normally just do readings with your cards, try journaling about them, meditating with them, sketching them or throwing them up in the air like money and rolling around naked on a bed like your Demi Moore in Indecent Proposal. Remember that scene?
Spice #3: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
Things get interesting when you do something that scares you. So don’t hesitate to push yourself a little when it comes to your Tarot practice. This is how you’ll get better, after all.
What makes you feel a little uncomfortable? Reading Tarot for a stranger? Or perhaps reading Tarot for yourself without your book of meanings? Or is it focusing on a card you really dislike?
Whatever it is, DO IT! And then feel the thrills roll in.
Spice #4: Find a Tarot Buddy or Tarot Group
Tarot is well suited to being a solo practice which is probably why hardcore introverts and those who despise fraternizing are drawn to it.
BUT….
You can have soooo much fun when you share your passion for Tarot with a like minded friend or group. When I was first learning Tarot I was lucky enough to have a friend who was also just getting into it and we’d practice giving awkward readings to each other. It was great.
Heart & Hands Tarot
I’ve never been in a Tarot group before, although I did come dangerously close one time.
I did something totally out of character one day and joined a meetup group – our first Tarot potluck meetup was cancelled but I didn’t get the memo so I showed up at someone’s house, tabbouleh salad in hand. This lady peeked out through a crack in her door and said “it’s cancelled” and that was that.
Spice #5: Get a New Tarot Deck or Book
Ahhh, the old standby. Buying more stuff!
Sometimes this is just the thing you need – a new deck to put some pizzazz in your readings or a new book to give you some fresh ideas and perspectives. But sometimes this just results in more unread books on your shelf and more Tarot decks collecting dust. So proceed with caution.
What I love about getting a new deck is seeing the cards through a different lens. This always expands my understanding of the Tarot and like an alcoholic pretending to be a wine connoisseur I get to appreciate the art of Tarot while feeding my addiction. It’s a win-win!
If you’re not sure what decks to get, here are some of my faves.
Spice #6: Start a Tarot Scrapbook
This is a cool idea that I had that I will probably never actually do but I think you totally should!
A Tarot scrapbook is like a Tarot journal, but with more images and bits of stuff glued on. Get a big scrapbook and dedicate a page for each card and in addition to writing the card’s meaning, you could include things like ticket stubs, dried flowers and leaves, doodles, etc that capture the essence of the card.
For example, The Knight of Wands page could have ticket stubs to an action movie and travel postcards, while the High Priestess page might feature an incense stick and shiny silver star stickers.
This seems like a time consuming project, so I’m out. But I think it would be a fun alternative to a Tarot Journal, especially if your craftsy.
Spice #7: Take a Break!
Absence makes the heart grow fonder. If you’re spending too much time with your Tarot cards it can become like a dysfunctional relationship where you both get sick of each other!
When I first got into Tarot I was doing multiple readings on myself every day. It got too much. My readings began to feel confusing and pointless. I started resenting my Tarot deck and feeling mildly irritated every time I picked it up.
If you’re feeling blah about Tarot, take a week or even a month away from your cards. When you come back to them your interest and enthusiasm will be renewed and invigorated!
Bonus: Spice #8
Explore my website! I’ve designed my site with one goal in mind – to help you spice up your relationship with Tarot.
I’m in the mood for a party…..a Tarot party!
old same old. It’s normal to feel kind of “meh” about doing readings or studying Tarot every now and then. If this is something you’re going through right now, here are some ways to spice things up…
Whenever I want to breathe life into my Tarot practice, I pack up my deck and Tarot journal and head to the park or beach. Contemplating the Tarot to the sound of crashing waves and toddlers throwing tantrums really brings the magic!
