Self-Reflection through Tarot

[MeganB]

I came across this tarot spread yesterday from The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram and immediately felt like I needed to do this reading. Well, I didn’t pull cards until today and I’m just… The cards I pulled make total sense to me and have given me a lot to reflect on.

I wanted to share the spread with you and discuss how you use tarot as a tool of self-reflection, if at all.

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If you give this spread a try I would love to know your experience! Using tarot for self-reflection is a newer practice for me and it has certainly been eye-opening!

[MeganB]

For reference, I wanted to add my reading here using this spread and how I interpreted it - or at least part of my interpretation.

Deck: Dark Days Tarot

I can be The Hierophant - Right, even when The Five of Cups - Right, because The Devil - Right.

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So, anyone that knows me well knows that I struggle with consistency and follow-through. This happens with a lot of things. I’ll start something and then not finish it for one reason or another. I have so many projects left abandoned (including a book about shadow work that I’m turning into an email course, maybe) and so many things I want to start but don’t because I’m afraid it’s just going to get abandoned.

So, I interpret this sentence with the cards as this: I can be moving forward on my spiritual and religious path as a teacher or mentor, even when I feel like I’ve failed so many times, because my shadow is trying to teach me a lesson.

Pulling The Devil here was confusing at first until I made the connection to shadow work and the darker sides of life. The Hierophant is one I definitely feel relates back to spirituality, religion, teaching, and mentoring others. I don’t think I want to take on one-on-one mentorship. I honestly don’t think I know enough about witchcraft or a specific tradition to do that. But I think it would be cool to eventually have my own courses, books, and stuff - plus have it sustain my family with an income. That’s been the ultimate goal for me and I’m hoping to one day make it happen.

The Five of Cups is a card of failures, and I think with it facing right, it’s pointing to my fear of failing in the future. I was talking to a friend of mine recently about different things that I’ve done in my life. I always have high hopes and expectations, but things never worked out the way I wanted them to. Take YouTube, for example. I’ve been on YouTube since 2019, I think, and I haven’t even hit 10k subscribers yet. There’s a lot of factors that go into that, of course. But my hopes and expectations were much different and I’ve always come away disappointed even though I know my videos have helped people because they’ve told me so.

Anyway, that all got very personal and very long! So, if anything, I guess this was a good exercise in being vulnerable and open with everyone here.

[Phoenix_Rose]

@MeganB

So, anyone that knows me well knows that I struggle with consistency and follow-through

I have this struggle also.

I was taught to use tarot as self reflection so it is hard for me to read it situationally.

I am looking forward to doing this spread I. The next few days

[MeganB]

At least we know we aren’t alone!

I learned to read tarot for divination first, rather than self-reflection. It’s interesting how reading for each one is a bit different. I wish you all the luck when you do this reading!

[Phoenix_Rose]

Well I did the spread sooner than I thought. I pulled 10 of wands, emperor, 5 of pentacles.

Which is hilarious given what is going on right now. Basically, I take on too much even when things are stable because I fear loss/instability. I could also read this as I feel overwhelmed when I don’t I maintain by boundaries, not being in my own power because I fear loss and am afraid of asking for help.

To take the self reflection further, I would then ask further questions on how best to deal with this.
Having said that each card in this reading can be used as this tool. For example with the 5 of pentacles I can meditate on it -focusing on lack breeds more lack, believe in my worth and invest in myself.

Some questions I thought of : how can I maintain my boundaries, what is a different/‘healthier’ “I can be” approach I can take, how can I challenge my fear thoughts related to the 5 of pentacles.
It is this last question that I asked and pulled the 9 of cups. Lol. Ties in with the message I was getting from the 5of pentacles, be satisfied, be grateful for what I have, share.

I really like this spread @MeganB ! Thanks so much for sharing!

[MeganB]

I love that spread for you! And you even came up with more self-reflection questions to dig deeper. That’s perfect! Thanks for sharing your reading!

[tracyS]

I’ve always used oracle for self reflection and shadow work. Only recently used tarot for same. I also use tarot/oracle for predicting where I’m going in relation to where I’ve been and the connection to help me not to repeat mistakes from the past. It’s a really magical tool, probably my favourite.

[MeganB]

I think utilizing tarot and oracle as a tool to analyze your path is a great idea! It can show you signs and symbols that you may not have seen before that connect with our inner mind. Sometimes I’ll see a card and immediately know what it points to based solely on the images and symbols, even if the meaning doesn’t fully align with the card.