Meditation promises many benefits including reduced stress and improved mental and physical health. It's long been something that I've been told that I should do by well-meaning others. But my mind and heart weren't ever able to connect with it. That changed last year when I found tarot. Now, I'm a practical person who doesn't put any stock in hogwash. Tarot isn't something I ever would have even remotely considered because there's no way I could buy into the belief that cards (or anything else) can tell me my future. But it turns out that’s a misunderstanding. In reality many people use them in a way that makes practical sense for someone like me.
What finally engaged me with the tarot was learning that it can be used as a meditative tool. It provides a physical object to handle and interact with. When I sit down with my cards, it automatically puts me in a different mind-state because they are a tool used only for meditative purposes - I’ve created an association that helps my mind and body slip into a quieter and more focused state of mind. As I start shuffling them I begin to breathe more intentionally and think to myself about what it is that feels out of balance or unanswered or in need of attention inside of me. Then I ask a question to myself in that vein. When no questions come to mind, I just inquire about general wisdom to guide me through my day.
So far, this may still sound to some like hocus-pocus mumbo-jumbo. But it's the intent with which I approach it that makes the difference. I'm know that the cards don’t hold the answers. I approach each meditation knowing that I already have all of the answers within me. The cards are just a tool to help me quiet and focus and find what's already inside. The question emanates from within, and the answers do too.