Tarot Realizations #5 – from Bill Vincent
Knowing When to Take a Break…
Tarot can be challenging. Everything from doing readings, to studying the symbolism, to finding the proper balance in your life for Tarot can be challenging. I am what I would consider an Intermediate Tarot student. I feel I have come a long way in my intellectual understanding of the cards. I have read and studied several of the classic books on the topic. I have worked with the cards doing readings and flexing my intuitive muscles. But, over the course of time I have been working with them, there have been times when I felt the need to take a break from them, in order to be able to process all of the input that the cards themselves and their study present to me.
The first time this happened I had let myself get mentally over stimulated to the point where I put everything out of sight for a few weeks. At that time I felt a sense of frustration and failure at my inability to handle all of the information that was coming my way. I needed a vacation from the intellectual study of Tarot, and I took one. When I finally returned to my cards, books, and thoughts on Tarot, I was much better prepared to understand my limits, and how much I could do without overload.
Since that first vacation from Tarot, I have learned to pace myself better. I find time to work with them or study when the best time presents itself, and don’t try to force it into my schedule, nor allow it to take up too much of my time. The Tarot is meant to enhance our life, not to control it. Sometimes our love of something can also be our undoing. If Tarot is becoming so much a part of your routine that you are ignoring responsibilities or relationships, it is probably time for such a vacation. If you can recognize those signs for yourself, you’re better off than I was before my first Tarot vacation, which was brought on more by force and frustration rather than a rational assessment.
Some people, especially professional Tarot readers, may balk at the idea of not consulting the cards for more than a day. While everyone chooses their own path, I believe that learning to be able to take a break from it increases your appreciation and love for Tarot. For those that depend on Tarot for their income, I think it is all the more reason for you to plan a time where you don’t have to read, study, or otherwise think about Tarot. If you don’t, you may find your higher consciousness making the decision for you. Tarot is very rich and intellectually and spiritually stimulating– but is best when used judiciously and not as your only source of stimulation. It’s a very useful and wonderful tool – but even the Tarot is all about balance. Finding the right balance for the cards in our life is just as important as the messages they bring to us.
For those finding themselves being frustrated or overwhelmed with learning the mysteries of Tarot, try taking a breath – take a few days off. The cards have been around for hundreds of years, and aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Give yourself and your mind a chance to process all of the things the cards, your studies, and your intuition have been telling you. The first time I did this I felt as if I had somehow let myself down by doing this. But now, I know that those times are very important to my overall mental health and appreciation of Tarot study. These breaks are as long or short as they need to be, but I always come back feeling better about my studies. From time to time, give yourself a chance to live and put into practice some of the things that Tarot has taught you. Give the seeds time to sprout and grow. And soon, you will return to your study and will find new truths, and new Tarot realizations.
April 22nd, 2007 at 9:37 pm
[...] The first time this happened I had let myself get mentally over stimulated to the point where I put everything out of sight for a few weeks. At that time I felt a sense of frustration and failure at my inability to handle all of the information that was coming my way. I needed a vacation from the intellectual study of Tarot, and I took one. When I finally returned to my cards, books, and thoughts on Tarot, I was much better prepared to understand my limits, and how much I could do without overload. (read the full post) [...]