Weekly Forecast pt. II: A Lovey-Dovey Follow Up
Yesterday was one of those days when the cards had a lot to say. It's exhilarating when a reading speaks on so many levels. There was so much going on! Two majors! The same Ace from the week before! I found myself struggling to stay within the limits I set for the weekly forecasts. As I'm sure you've noticed, I can get carried away and I like to jump right into deep subjects.
This latest reading was pretty hard to resist. I was also very moved by the continuing message that transformation and clarity can come from the unexpected. I love how the tarot makes room for the gifts and difficulties that come with change, and so I focused in on that theme. And it definitely gave us a heaping dose of wisdom for the week.
But there was a striking visual connection between the cards that suck in my mind, one that moved us away from change and towards the transformative power of The Lovers. I woke up this morning with it on my mind and I’d like to jump in and share that with you all today. After all, who says a forecast has to be just one post?
Tarot cards have many ways of speaking to each other that go far beyond any “set” meanings you can find in a book. Context, symbols, and history all have a say in how we interpret readings.
And then there’s the illustrations. I love how images relax us and invite our imagination and intuition to come out and play. The Fountain Tarot is an especially intuition-friendly deck. The ethereal paintings, colors, and compositions seem to present the perfect atmosphere for our minds to relax and let our inner wisdom work its magic.
What really grabbed me about yesterday’s reading were the vertical lines appearing in each card. The Fountain depicts a gorgeous, swirling universe with a ray of light emanating from the center, The Ace of Swords is divided by a… giant sword of course, and The Lovers shows a sliver of light shining at the point where a couple is joining hands.
I find this thread of connection so moving and tender. My initial notes on the reading were, “opening up & expanding our ideas of love.” That is, using the clarity of The Ace of Swords to illuminate the doorways love opens for us both interpersonally (The Lovers) and universally (The Fountain.)
The readings lately have been showing a persistent theme of moving beyond limiting ideas and absolute thinking. To see opportunities in places we’re trained to see setbacks. That maybe the most surprising thing is to realize that our experiences aren’t what we were told they’d look like.
I see this possibility so beautifully represented by these rays and lines of light. We might traditionally see a line as a point of division or a cut into something we assume should be whole. A line is a division, yes, but it is also a space. Something we can widen and walk through. Is this a representation of how difference and change bring us new opportunities? I think so.
Seeing this dividing light in The Lovers is especially interesting. Aren’t lovers supposed to be coming together as one? Is this ray of light separating them? Of course, with the positive meaning of the card and the soothing, beautiful colors, we know this isn’t the message.
In my mind, this is a complex and moving representation of how love brings together separate entities who, in nurturing their love for each other, open up a new path. Only by honoring their differences, choosing each other, and loving one another as two unique, whole people are they able to illuminate and expand their lives.
What’s more, the ray of light in The Lover’s is a smaller version of the one in The Fountain, suggesting that the love we share with others reflects the love and possibility in the universe around us. Ah, what beautiful stuff. I like to imagine what will happen next: The Lovers standing up and walking through the doorway they have created together. What a wonderful direction to be moving toward this week. Where is our love surprising us and what new places will it take us if we choose to follow it?
Weekly Forecast: February 27 - March 5
Cards by The Fountain Tarot
Have you ever had a flash of inspiration? Or an experience that radically changed the way you look at the world? Moments that open your eyes to something entirely different?
This week sees us moving out of old patterns and into a brave and exciting new direction. In some aspect of our lives we’ve been staring at a blank wall, hoping for change. Like most walls, it looked solid and unnegotiable. Not something flimsy you could take a hammer to, but the kind of wall that only a wrecking ball could smash to smithereens. Maybe we didn't even notice it in the first place.
A lot of the stories we tell ourselves about change involve us rising to the occasion, taking control, and making things happen. We’re the hero of the story, the person who harnesses their power and creates their own destiny.
But this narrative can be exhausting. “Am I really responsible for everything?” we might think. In this story, there’s so much striving and struggling. And, to make things even lovelier, failure is personal.
If we don’t get what we’re after it means it’s our fault. We’re not pulling on those bootstraps hard enough! But what if we don’t have boostraps? (Who does in this day and age?) And what if we don’t feel like pulling?
Luckily, the world doesn’t work like this. We’re not meant to be straining all the time, making the veins on our forehead pop from effort. Revolutionarily enough, there are forces of the world that are out of our control.
If we believe wholeheartedly in this myth, we’ll be constantly disappointed when things don’t go our way. But if we don’t? Well, the world gets much more interesting.
Remember The Tower from last week? This is a card that expertly sorts out these two worldviews. If we’re obsessed with control and personal success, the random outside forces that The Tower represents will certainly seem catastrophic. Everything is falling apart! It’s ruined! It’s… my fault!
But as The Star and The Ace of Swords told us, embracing an open mind and making space for what’s out of control can give us an incredible opportunity. When the lightening recedes and the dust settles, we can either rebuild a better tower or move on to something new.
And sometimes we need The Tower's force to break through the walls we can't see or move ourselves.
The Ace of Swords has followed us from the calamity of The Tower last week and is now front and center. This tells us that however The Tower manifested itself in your life last week, it was for the better.
This week is where we begin to really experience the clarity that comes after a big storm. We’re feeling refreshed and invigorated. Beyond that, we’re seeing new avenues for change we didn’t before. The wall has been torn down and the way forward is clear.
The Fountain drives home the idea that our universe and our lives are complex, unpredictable, and full of possibility. That our lives aren’t simply plunked into a predictable framework and left to run their course. The universe is much bigger than us, and we’re free to revel and play in all its possibilities.
This card was created specially for The Fountain Tarot (perhaps another sign that this week is all about thinking outside the box.) The creators couldn’t put it better: ”The Fountain card is the eternal context beyond human experience in which anything and everything can happen.”
Anything and everything can happen? Well if that seems intimidatingly vague, have no fear. The Ace of Swords is bringing its powerful intellectual force into our lives for some much needed clarity. It looks like we’re already hatching some ideas and plans that, like a sword, are sharp and ready for action.
The new thoughts and ideas that are emerging represent the beginning of a path. It’s all fresh and inspiring right now, so pay attention to what’s on your mind while the clarity lasts. Now is a good time to journal, meditate, and think things through. You can be confident in your perceptions and abilities – use The Fountain card to inspire you. Think expansiveness and possibility. How would you like to explore it all?
This leads us to The Lovers, suggesting that the changes and ideas we’re hatching are going to bring us closer to a complimentary person or situation. When we have a clear idea of who we are and what we want we’re able to attract what we truly need.
Figuring this out, as seen in the Ace of Swords, is like polishing a glass lantern. The changes of the past few weeks have done an excellent job and things are looking shiny. Now our true self, our inner light, is shining brightly for all to see.
We can expect this new shininess to attract people and opportunities in the week to come. Using our newfound sense of clarity and direction, we’ll likely be able to determine who and what is worthy of letting into our lives. Whether romantic or otherwise, the coming connection we make will be taking us down a lush and creative path.
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Weekly Forecast: February 19-25
Cards from the Tarot del Fuego
This week is packed with events and energy. There’s going to be an upheaval, the kind that we can’t avoid. Thankfully we’ve been channeling some grade-A serenity that will come in handy as we navigate the shakeup. There’ll be a mixture of peaceful little moments, satisfaction, and drama.
What can we do with this grab bag? Do we have to get swept up in the chaos or is there another way out?
The answer is yes, but before we get into all that, let’s take a look at one of my favorite tarot cards, The Tower.
This card commands attention in any reading. It’s impossible to ignore a tower crumbling in flames. The image is one of the most arresting in the deck, along with old favorites The Devil and Death. Though not warm and fuzzy like the Six of Wands or The Lovers, these cards are what make tarot such a powerful system. They account for the struggles and bumps in life. Without them we’d have lukewarm readings with no depth at all. And we wouldn’t be able to plan for the less than perfect moments in life.
So what do we do when the tower crumbles? Or, as in this epic illustration by Ricardo Cavolo, giant tiger paws destroy it?
The answer is, while it’s happening, nothing.
There’s absolutely nothing we can do against giant tiger paws as tiny humans. We just get out of the way and watch our tower get torn down from a safe distance. We don’t even need to run around screaming and waving our hands. It’s best to conserve our energy and remain calm.
The Tower shows us instances where forces outside our control swoop in and shake things up. It doesn’t have to be wholly traumatic, but it will definitely be noticeable. The landscape is going to change drastically and we’ll need to do some rebuilding when the dust settles.
This card indicates that some structure in our life is about to be dismantled. The change will leave us reeling, but in most cases, it’ll be necessary and pave the way for more growth. Though we may not have made the decision to initiate the change, chances are a part of us was ready for it.
Consider the tower itself. The walls are thick and clunky – built more for keeping people out than inviting them in. We probably didn’t build it in the first place. Taking it down brick by brick would be time consuming and intimidating. Luckily, or not, the universe has swooped in to make a change for us. The only question left is how we’ll rebuild.
Interestingly, underneath the drama, we’re in quite the pretty place this week when it comes to our personal and emotional lives. The Star is a bright-eyed card that shows the peace and beauty that can emerge when we’re solid in our identity and engaged with the world. Our self-esteem is just peachy and we’re doing a good job of feeling our feelings.
In other words, we’re more than prepared to hold our own during a little chaos.
There’s a quality of playfulness and ease to this card – the feeling you get when things are flowing naturally. We feel good, we notice the world around us, and we’re able to nurture ourselves in the best ways possible. In this mindset, when something makes a tower crumble we can see it as outside our control. Most importantly, we know that it’s not the way the world always is. We can see the sun shining through the dust and trust that we’ll be back on track soon.
If we pay attention to this powerful undercurrent, we can coast through the upheaval of The Tower with minimal hairpulling. Water puts out fire after all. Perhaps the watery fish arms seen in The Star are just what we need to deal with those marauding tiger paws. This week our attitude counts the most. Sure, the burning tower may command our attention, but it seems that we have bigger goals that will whisk us past this dramatic tableau towards something even better.
The aftermath of The Tower comes in the form of an ace, truly the most overt card we could pull to tell us that the mayhem and change is worth it. Aces symbolize new beginnings and energies arriving in our lives. It’s the breath of fresh air that clears the dust away.
In this case, something from this week’s shakeup will cut away a lot of our mental fog around an issue we’ve been considering for a long time. Tied with The Star, this ace suggests that a truth we’ve held close to ourselves is bursting forth into a clear thought and mission.
This is A LOT of energy swirling around and our dear ace tells us it’s just the beginning of a new ride. We must stay grounded with the energy of The Star if we want to avoid getting burnt out by all this fiery passion and change.
Take time to survey the scene, take it all in, and take care of yourself. Embrace all that’s watery because the world is heating up. That means paying special attention to your feelings, finding joy in the world around you, and making space for your own creative expression.
With that in mind, buckle up, because it’s going to be a wild and exciting ride.
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Tarot Valentines
Happy Valentine's Day my darlings!
I love any excuse to get mushy and give cards, so I couldn't resist making some tarot-themed valentines for everyone.
Find Your Valentine Here
Pick the tarot card that best fits your approach to love for a special valentine.
Thank you for being so lovely :)
xoxox,
Gina
Weekly Forecast: February 13-19
Tarot Cards by Kazumi Niikura
What do we do with our feelings? Do we let our tenderness shine at full force or express ourselves more cautiously?
This is an interesting question to bring into a week that’s been overstuffed with meaning. The biggest presence, of course, is Valentine’s day. Who could miss the piles of heart shaped candies that have been in the grocery store since January? (I, for one, am more excited for the candy sales the day after Valentine’s.)
Regardless of your feelings about the holiday (cynical corporate commodification? Romantic bonanza? A bit of both?) the cards we’ve pulled for this week are quite lovey. Whether you’re feeling it in a sexy and spicy way or a platonic one, love and how we express it is on our minds.
So how do we honor this? What about our plans? Whether you’re single our coupled, there’s a pull to commemorate your relationships. A ladies’ night out? Treating yourself to some chocolates and a bubble bath? Some schmancy candlelit supper with your partner?
I’ve been rushing around feeling February gain momentum and now look where we are. Just a day away from Valentine’s and I have no plans. What I do have is a growing sense of urgency and several options I’m convinced I have to pursue. Valentine’s for all my friends. A romantic dinner. AND a decadent self-care ritual.
Funny thing is, I haven’t really sat down to think about it all. Do I really want to be doing all these things, cramming them into my already busy schedule? What’s important to me right now?
The cards for this week tell us to take some time to reconnect with ourselves. They also show us struggling between outer expectations and inner desires. Getting stuck between the two can lead to inaction, which would be a shame seeing as we’re feeling very sentimental and effusive. There’s no better time to be writing Valentine’s and professing love than when you’re feeling it.
Now is a good time to consider who we want to express our love to and how we’d like to do it. There’s no time to get stuck in prepackaged ideas about what love “should” look like. This is all about you.
The King of Cups is a somewhat conflicted card. As the ruler of emotions, he must maintain distance. Emotions are notoriously slippery things. They shift constantly and are hard to pin down. Their ephemeral nature is what makes them so enticing and powerful. We can’t force ourselves to feel a certain way, though we can train ourselves to observe our feelings from afar.
The King of Cups has mastered this skill. He is able to separate himself from his emotions and those of others. Just look at him peering at the cup in his hand rather clinically. This can be helpful during times of conflict or when you’re engaging with healing work, but holding one’s own emotions at arm’s length is also stifling. We need to feel things directly in order to fully experience both the joys and pain of life. We can’t always be king.
The Empress shows us another way of being. She’s been a guardian angel of sorts lately, popping up in the past few weekly forecasts. Clearly her teaching is not finished, and thankfully so, because her approach is decidedly much more romantic and rejuvenating.
This is a card that unabashedly revels in sensuality. Rather than draining her and making her weak, displays of joy and affection renew her strength. She is able to both experience her feelings and communicate them. With her powerful boundaries, she is able to block out any negativity without blocking out her own experience of life.
How does she do this? By remaining utterly inside herself. Not locked away or removed, but present. Just look at her cradling a juicy pomegranate, a symbol of abundance. She embodies her feelings instead of removing herself from them like the King holding his cup at a distance.
This is a week to consider what acts of love make you feel like The Empress: solid in yourself, warm, and loving. Perhaps you need a bit of the King of Cups’ remove to figure out what works best for you before you jump into action. Once that’s done, however, jump on in. Now is not a time to limit your expression. When you feel it, you feel it, so let the world know. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s joyous and brings you strength while communicating your love to others.
And the rest of it? Leave it by the wayside. Fancy dinners don’t hold a candle to your own authentic feelings.
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Weekly Forecast: February 6-12
Well, the Tarot is being delightfully cheeky in these cards this week. Looks like love is in the air in the days leading up to Valentine's. Yes, you’ve got it right, this week has us feeling zesty and romantic.
Rather than coming from a place of neediness, these cards outline the culmination to a crash-course in empowerment. There's something in it for all of us, from the hopelesss romantics to those more excited about the deeply discounted candy on the 15th.
We’ve been practicing self-care for a while now, and as we all know, it doesn’t always come easily. But look what’s coming out of it all! The sensuality that is emerging in the next few days is springing from the most natural of sources: ourselves.
While it may be easy to dismiss pleasure and enjoyment as unnecessary or silly (particularly when it’s centered around ourselves) it’s certainly not conducive to a vibrant life. Who wants to be constantly questioning their joy? Being humble is all well and good, but not when we use it to hide our accomplishments from the world.
The Mother of Wands (aka Queen of Wands) who tells us that we’re not coasting into this week on a cloud of puffed up ego. This sense of security and confidence? It’s genuine and well-earned.
A Queen sits on a throne that gives her a solid foundation and represents her power. Spend some time considering what your throne is made of this week. Get to know its contours and feel how stable it is. Appreciate all the hard work you’ve done to build it. This is where you are right now – where would you like to go next?
The Mother of Wands is a card that’s all about feeling yourself, with a real focus on the feeling. Now is not a time to get caught up in our heads or bogged down by practicalities. Embrace the general air of romance and you’ll find a wealth of enjoyment all around you. This can be overtly romantic or not. Just think effusive, blossoming, and pleasurable.
Yes, I’m telling you to get sensual. There’s an abundance of sexual energy in the air, so revel in it. Enjoy yourself, your partner, a delicious pastry, a decadent bath… this could go so many ways. And don’t feel the need to limit yourself! I certainly won’t.
All this confidence is building on itself to create a prime environment for coming together. Our central card is the Two of Cups, an overtly romantic card if there ever was one. Once again, however, don’t let this message leave you feeling excluded if you’re couple or simply not feeling a romantic attachment for whatever reason. In tarot and in life, romance can mean many things. At its most general, look forward to a delightful feeling of coming together and satisfaction between yourself and something (or someone) else.
We’re going to have no shortage of charisma this week. Now is a good time to appreciate and celebrate the hard work we’ve done on our own behalf. And it is definitely a time to engage with the world and be seen. This week has a great potential to forge new alliances and partnerships so get out there and show yourself off.
We end with Strength, a card that really reinforces a theme of coming into our own. Taking up the sense of stability we get from the Mother of Wands, Strength shows us that we’re actively embodying our true selves. When we put this kind of energy into the world we can attract what we need most back to us. This type of victory – our ability to enjoy our lives and ourselves – is hard won and something to be proud of.
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How to Get out of Your Head when Reading Tarot
Cards from the Fountain Tarot
Whether you're a seasoned pro or a tarot newbie, it's easy to get stuck in a rut with reading tarot, especially if you're doing a lot of reading for yourself. If you're anything like me, you may find yourself fixated on reading tarot "the right way." As I can personally attest, staying in your head and focusing on getting it "right" is the fastest way to cut yourself off from the magic of the cards.
Reading tarot is an intuitive practice that requires a special headspace. You don't need to have a permanently furrowed brow and uber-serious dedication to the original meanings of any deck. (However, if this is your preference, go for it!) It may, however, limit what you're able to see in the cards.
Personally, I've found that the best readings allow plenty of space for the unexpected to pop up. This can be a message you may not directly see in the card's imagery or traditional meaning, but feel coming through nonetheless. As an intuitive tool, Tarot is meant to access parts of our minds that don't make logical sense. Maintaining total control actually stifles the potential of a reading.
Embrace the uncertainty and see what you can teach yourself about the cards. You may be surprised at what you find. A sense of play and exploration are actually essential to quality, insightful, and accurate readings.
Here are my favorite ways to break free of the "doing it right" mindset:
1. Transition to a Different Headspace before Reading
Yes, I am telling you to ground/meditate/center before you read. Going into tarot readings for yourself or another person "cold turkey" is the perfect recipe for an overly-analytical reading. You're basically jumping straight into things without allowing your mind to transition into a different space. And I think we'd all agree that ideally our tarot readings should be different from a standard conversation.
This is a good time to mediate on your purpose for the reading and open yourself up to the meaning of the cards. It even helps to directly address your mind/thinking brain or whatever you'd like to call it. Direct your analytical thoughts to take the backseat and invite your intuition in. This can be done directly, through ritual, or simply through a brief meditation session. Do whatever feels best to you.
2. Step Outside of Yourself
Sometimes ego can take over a tarot reading without us even knowing it. Rather than read as yourself (or your idea of yourself) take the time to shift into a different headspace. If I'm reading for a client, I mentally shift gears, reminding myself that I am here to interpret the cards and transmit their readings. It's not about me, my ideas, or any of my ideas about what I think "should happen." Simply acknowledging this allows for more fluid, accepting readings that also honor the individuality of the querent.
3. Set the Stage
Ritual and ambiance are an amazingly effective way of shifting the energy of a reading. Yes, those candles and crystals serve a purpose. You can get as woo as you want to with this, but I believe at the very minimum, taking the time to create a magical space for your reading results in more powerful readings. You get out what you put in. And who doesn't enjoy a little candlelight?
4. Be Playful
Yes, tarot can be fun! Run with things that pop up in readings. Do you see a story emerging? Does a figure remind you of a person or a story or event? A dream? A song? Follow it and see where it leads you. Don't give your mind time to cut your inspiration and excitement off. Often these seemingly random threads lead to powerful insights.
The magic of Tarot is that it uses the language of symbols to access our own subconscious. Taking the time to explore your client's or your own symbolic language is absolutely priceless. Explore why the color blue makes you sad or why The Fool's costume reminds you of a dress your mother wore. This is one of the fastest ways to move tarot out of the realm of pre-determined meanings and into a place of great personal transformation.
5. Explore New Insights
With the last suggestion in mind, don't be afraid to incorporate these insights into your understanding of a card. This is how readers develop their own unique styles and deep reservoirs of tarot knowledge. The best advice I can give here is "if you can feel it, follow it." Does the Page of Cups make you feel a sadness about your relationship with a friend? You're probably on to something. Gently explore what it could mean to you and give it plenty of time to percolate. Just because it doesn't match up with a card meaning doesn't mean it's not valid.
Weekly Forecast: January 30-February 5
Sometimes Tarot has a beautifully helpful way of reframing situations that leave us feeling drained and depressed. I don’t think I’m alone when I say that the events of the past week have left me feeling a huge mix of emotions: hope, joy in community, deep sadness, and a powerful rage against injustice. It's exhausting. Where to go with all of this when things show no sign of slowing down? How can we remain engaged while caring for ourselves and feeling out our many emotions?
We draw three cards this week that urge us to zoom out of our individual reactions and focus on something different. This is one of those readings where instead of reflecting our current state, the cards show us another option, a way of being, we may be overlooking. Here, they’re giving us much needed perspective, like a close friend telling us to snap out of it and look at the world around us. We need this and the message is supportive and encouraging.
The two Major Arcana cards bookending the reading show us that since larger forces are at work in the world right now, it is best to focus on our own larger goals and motivations instead of getting lost in the details. We’re being asked to do big things, but we can gather a great deal of energy and inspiration from our values. We must focus on why we’re here in the first place. What really matters to us? How do we want to be in the world? How do we want to feel? This is not a time to be putting one foot in front of the other in a monotonous march forward. We need inspiration, and we have a lot of inspiration around us if we take the time to look up and see it.
So where should we be directing our focus? The Empress and Justice give us a clear answer. How can we be grounded in our world and work towards justice that honors the interconnectedness and diversity of the world? This springs from The Empress whose solid ties to nature, relationships, and generosity gives her the kind of flexible strength and power we could all use right now.
She reminds us to feel the ground under our feet, breathe in deep, and remember that this is our world and those around us are of this world too. We cannot forget this as we move forward otherwise we risk spinning off from our center and losing sight of each other and our goals. This is what leads to burnout and confusion. This is what allows for injustice to flourish.
The Empress is part of nature. She changes with the seasons, she feels her body, she is flexible. She knows there is a fall, winter, summer, and spring and she excels in all of these seasons despite their limitations. Seen here, she is a prime reminder that focusing on self-care – caring for our bodies and minds – is extremely important, just as thriving through these difficult times in whatever ways we are able is not a detraction. We can’t allow ourselves to be cut off from our source of power and rejuvenation. It only makes us weaker. To feel joy in times of darkness is not callous or frivolous. It’s essential for our survival. And all the better if we share it with those around us.
If you recall, we ended last week’s forecast with The Empress. I find it quite special that she’s appearing as the first card here. Last week’s theme was the embrace of tenderness and openheartedness as a new way of being the world. However we applied that in our lives, The Empress showing up again this week tells us that this was important and validating. We made changes and they have brought us to a new place. What we’re doing is working and now is not time to abandon ship.
This brings us to Justice. This week we must spend some time considering how we can apply our embodiment of The Empress to our ideas of Justice. I think this is particularly on the nose given the political climate, and the cards seem to suggest we must work to embody the values of The Empress – community, holistic living, respect for all forms of life, and love. I think this is the justice we want to see; focused on equality, community, and honoring each other’s place in the world.
We’re grappling with big issues and coming from a very good place. This isn’t easy, and we’ll be needing to draw on all of our resources, personal and communal. The Knight of Swords indicates that we can’t take a break just yet. In fact, we’ll be rushing forward to confront things head on. If we keep the messages of The Empress and Justice in mind, we’ll be able to move in the right direction and maintain our focus. This Knight tells us to keep on keeping on, our heads held high. We must stay focused and confident in our ability to rise up and bring light to truth. We must keep our eyes on the prize and be ready to cut through any distracting bullshit in our way to a better world.
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How to Avoid Burnout when Reading Tarot for Yourself
The typical aftermath of one of my personal readings
Admittedly, I am a huge fan of long, windy, soul-searching readings. I can stay up all night laying out cards and really getting into it. This is how my mind works. I love to analyze, dive into the world of detail, and draw connections. But this is also a shortcoming, especially when reading for myself.
When I first started using tarot, I only dealt in these epic card-slinging sessions. It was fun, it was engrossing, and it also made my life seem muddy and confused after a while. Luckily, I've since learned many ways to incorporate tarot into my life in more productive and easily-digestible ways.
Longform tarot is an experience that is best to linger over, savor, and let unfold over time. I've found that 10+ card readings often reveal their deepest insights long after the reading is over. In my personal practice, I'll do one a month do get a big picture take on my life and its currents. Add any extra of these "big picture" readings and I quickly find their meaning diuluted and diffuse. Plus, I'm not able to focus on the trickier aspects, say a card that just doesn't seem to connect, and pay enough attention to notice when its true meaning reveals itself in my life. (This is, in my opinion, the most magical part of Tarot.)
Yes, time is a key ingredient. Advice I am always loathe to hear and have trouble following myself! The same things goes for readings about personal issues or big decisions. Keep drawing cards and you could find yourself quickly overwhelmed with information.
This can be seen in relationships readings when you are simply dying to know if you should/will get back together with your ex or any similar situation where the stakes feel high and you're highly invested in a particular outcome. Simply put, it's not wise to pile on cards. You might be burying the wisdom you most need at the moment. Alternately, you could be tempted to continue drawing cards until you get the message you want. Never a wise move, but it comes from a very human impulse.
So how can you enjoy tarot for yourself without getting burnt out and bogged down with information? I've found that limting myself to one large general reading a month, plus medium readings around sticky situations, decisions, and changes works wonders.
If I were to distill my practice into some sort of guideline, it would be to give each topic one month to percolate. So I'll only read on one subject once per month. If I find it's still present later, I'll draw cards again. Luckily, the question has usually changed as my life has unfolded and the sitaution has evolved.
And my favorite antidote for personal-reading burnout? Supplementing my practice with small, lighthearted readings on creative and sometimes random topics. These usually come in the form of one-card-draws and help me flex my tarot muscles in new directions. I limit my time, usually going off my immediate first impression, and keep it simple.