I used a three card spread that I started using to get familiar with an oracle deck, The Shaman Wisdom Cards.
I wanted to get a general impression for each card in the deck before I started asking questions. I would pull out cards that had been drawn until I went through the whole deck.
It began as a standard daily Morning-Afternoon-Evening spread, where I'd find time during that part of the day to study or just spend a few moments reflecting on the card. This was so therapeutic for me I decided to keep using it after I'd gone through the whole deck.
It evolved to being a more specific time for each card. At night in bed, I would draw three cards for the next day. Two of the cards are for 6 hours of the day and one is for 12 hours.
Card 1: 6am-12pm
Card 2: 12pm to 6pm
Card 3: 6pm to 6am.
This spread motivates me to take a Tarot/Oracle Time Out. If I hadn't done it spontaneously, I'd make a point of it when I noticed the time. This spread also helps me get out of or avoid altogether a 9 of Swords type situation. Its like I’m using the card the way a woman would use a focus object during labor. It doesn't stop my nasty midnight thought-loops completely, but it does help me ride them out and break the self-perpetuating cycle that makes it so much worse.
That's the reason I named this blog Midnight Tarot. Often I find myself awake in the middle of the night for various reasons. Instead of counting sheep, I play tarot games in my head.
Since I didn't buy Lisa Hunt's Fairy Tale Tarot deck for doing predictive readings I thought it would work well for this spread. This is a beautiful deck and I'm fascinated with fairy tales and enjoy reading ones from different cultures. That's what this deck is all about. During the day I would stop and read the story from the book out loud to the kids. At times they would sit and listen, mostly they'd quietly play or draw while I read.
Here are the cards I pulled:
Card1: 2 of Swords
Story: Snow Daughter & Fire Son
Culture: Russian
Keywords: Opposing Forces, Stalemate
Lesson I picked up from the story: over-reaction to energy or ideas that conflict with mine (i.e. kids that want to run around and shout before I've had my morning coffee) will cause a complete breakdown in communication and nobody wins. For now a temporary truce is best.
Card 2: 10 of Cups
Story: The Girl Fish
Culture: Spanish
Keywords: Dreams fulfilled, Peace
Lesson I picked up from the story: Take the afternoon to enjoy my life and the people in it. Sharing the things I take pleasure in with loved ones. And doing things they enjoy with them.
Story: Sealskin
Culture: Irish
Keywords: Loving, Intuitive
Lesson I picked up from the story: Take some time tonight for myself, writing in my journal or playing with my cards. I don’t want to become cut off from my true nature. Being compassionate and loving to my inner self will “strengthen my love and compassion for others.”
