I picked up my first Tarot deck in 1998. About two years after my initial gung-ho immersion in the cards, I did a reading asking whether it was time to “hang out my shingle” and invest in a Tarot website, flyers, ads, business cards—the works. In response, the cards didn’t just say “no,” they screamed it. And their stubbornness matched my own. Each week I’d do another reading on the subject, hoping to get the green light I felt I deserved.

With each shrill negation from the cards I felt more disheartened, and more than a little betrayed. How could something I felt so passionately about be so coldly discouraged, so consistently? Eventually, I gave up on the question, grudgingly resolved to keep a low profile with my Tarot activities for (big sigh) Lord knows how long.

I know today that the cards’ irritating denials had my best interest at heart. Though my enthusiasm for the Tarot was genuine, deep down I did not truly believe that I could make a place for spiritual consultation in my life. I quietly feared the stigma of being associated with “occult” things, and felt that making money from Tarot would strip it of all sacredness. Had I then pushed forward with my entrepreneurial zeal while ignoring my own unresolved objections, I would have set myself up for almost certain financial self-sabotage. (Hello, Tower!)

Sometimes, the “no’s” we get from the Tarot (aka “Life”) are simply telling us the timing isn’t right; we have more work to do, inner or outer; the elements needed to succeed are not all in place. At such times it serves us to be more strategic, taking small steps toward our goals, rather than insisting on “all or nothing” or “now or never.”

How about yourself? When has a “Do it now!” desire turned into “Glad I waited”?

© 2009, Paul Quinn. All material on this site is copyrighted. If you’d like to use anything, please let me know, and include my name and a link back to this site. Thank you.