Exercises for Lesson 7
The first step is to review your situation thoroughly. Think about all the people involved, directly or indirectly. Go over your options for the future. Let your mind wander freely. You want to look at your problem without judging or censoring any part. Jot down the ideas that occur to you, but try not to be too systematic. You want to use your intuition, not logical analysis.
Once you have finished your review, you can write your question. Here are some suggestions:
Accept Responsibility
Write your tarot question to show that you accept responsibility for your situation. Consider these two questions:
In the first question, the writer gives up her responsibility for making a decision. She wants the cards to tell her what to do. In the second question, she is simply asking the cards to give her more information. She knows the decision lies with her.
It's tempting to write the first kind of question. We all seek the certainty that we're making good choices, but the tarot can't make our decisions for us. Avoid questions that deflect responsibility, such as:
Will I get the job at the ad agency?
Can I stick to my diet this month?
Am I ready to retire?
Should I let my daughter live at home?
Should I go out with Jose?
Should I apply to more than one university?
When will George ask me to marry him?
How long will it take to find a new car?
When will I get my promotion?
Instead, begin your questions with phrases such as these:
In the first question, the writer is not keeping his options open. He has decided on one solution - having his mother-in-law move out. The second question is more open-ended. It's OK to narrow the scope of a question as long as you don't decide on the answer ahead of time. Both of the following are open questions, but the second is more specific:
The first question is unfocused. It doesn't specify which work area is of interest. The second question is too detailed. It looks at one minor aspect of the problem. The third question is best because it finds the balance between the two. Include only the details necessary to make clear what you want to know.
Focus On Yourself
When you do a reading for yourself, you are always the central character. Your question should focus on you. There are times when questions about others are fine (see lesson 9), but not when you are concentrating on your own concerns.
Sometimes you may not realize you are orienting your question around someone else. Consider these:
The first question focuses totally on Arthur and his problem. In the second question, the writer is included, but his attention is still on Arthur. The third question is best because it is grounded solidly in the writer's own experience.
Stay Neutral
You want to stay as neutral as possible when writing your questions. It is easy to begin a reading convinced that your position is the right one, but if you truly want to receive guidance, you need to be open to other points of view. Consider these sets of questions:
In the first questions, the writer feels his position is the correct one - others are not getting with the program! The second questions are more neutral and open-ended.
Be Positive
Be positive when writing your questions. Consider these:
The first questions have an air of defeat. The second questions are more confident. The writer knows she will be successful given useful advice.
You may be wondering why I have gone into so much detail about writing a question. This process is a focusing exercise that prepares you for the reading that follows. Writing a question usually takes no more than three or four minutes, but, for that small investment in time, you reap big rewards. You understand your situation better and can interpret your reading with more insight.
