Books
Once, I gave an email tarot reading to this kid in Malawi whose father was about to have heart surgery. I told him he would be fine, and that he would get into med school and that his dad would see him graduate. I also told him that I could tell he didn't have any money, and he could pay for the reading when it didn't hurt to do so. I figured I would never hear from him again.
About six years later, I get an email from this man in Malawi along with a picture of him and his father on his graduation day and a payment for the reading.
Now, how did I know this? Was it because I've been reading cards for 27 years? I'm sure that helped. Was it because I cast my spidey-sense into the vortex of time and space and pulled forth this guy's future? Probably not. I think it was because my limbic system is highly trained due to years of use and study and I dive into the collective unconscious pretty much on the daily.
Carl Jung said that there was a shared consciousness among all people, and that we all had the ability to tap into it. Our limbic system is kind of like our early warning system, and we've all used it (Limbic system = Spidey Sense). When you left work a little late and missed being in an accident or traffic. Or you just knew you were pregnant. Or that your partner was cheating on you. Or that your new boss was a complete and utter asshole and you couldn't trust them.
We all have this, we just have to learn to use it. We have been trained to dismiss the ‘little voice’ in our conscience and the pull in our stomach. Your instincts are just as available as mine, and you can learn to strengthen them.
For more advice, pre-order Kitchen Table Tarot, available on April 8, 2017.
Kitchen Table Tarot by Melissa Cynova, $16.99, Amazon
1
When You Have An Intuitive Moment, Write It Down
When your intuitions are reinforced, write down the outcome. Example, I had a feeling that this client was shady. I couldn’t explain it – I just didn’t like it. I cancelled our reading (literally made up a reason) and felt bad for lying. Later that night, he kept emailing me far-right Christian propaganda and asking to save my soul. My soul is fine, bro. I can’t imagine what a meeting with him in person would have been like. You get a feeling, you write it down.
2
Take A Moment To Listen To Yourself Before Making Decisions
Take a few moments, actually. Decide that you’re too mad, tired, excited, or scared to deal with this stuff right now. Go for a walk. Listen to music. Pet your dog. Do something that doesn’t have anything to do with The Thing That Must Be Decided. The world will not turn to ash if you don’t decide right now. I promise. As you distract yourself, the solution will become clearer.
3
Use Your Tools
Pendulums, tarot cards, and runes are all tools that can help sharpen your intuition. You don’t have to use them, but they help. Pendulums can answer yes/no questions and if you don’t have one on you, you can even use one of your earbuds as a pendulum. You can find pendulum instructions online. Tarot cards take more practice, but you can always contact a reputable tarot reader (coff coff) to help you out if you want. Runes are another divinatory tool that take some practice but can be learned easily. These tools sharpen and clarify your natural intuitive skills.
4
Read
Read about the science of intuition, as well as instructional books about tarot and other forms of divination to find something that might suit you. Learn about how your brain works and how you can control your breath to help control your mind. There is a great book by Dr. James Doty called Into the Magic Shop that can teach you about neuroplasticity and how to control your breath and your life. Dr. Andrew Weil has some excellent books about this as well. If you can manage your breath, the rest is easy.
5
Trust Yourself.
You know yourself better than anyone. You KNOW when someone is shady. You know that sometimes you should just stay home. You know that the next call will be from your mother and you really should let it go to voicemail. After you take her call, you regret not listening to yourself. I tell you this -the more you honor your intuition, the happier you will be. You will stop getting that “Way to go, Jackass, you should have listened to yourself” feeling and be more in control of your life. Tools or no tools – books or none, trust yourself and you’ll notice a change.
Melissa Cynova is the owner of Little Fox Tarot, and has been reading tarot cards and teaching classes since 1989. She can be found in the St. Louis area for personal readings, parties and beginner and advanced tarot classes. Her first book, Kitchen Table Tarot, is available for pre-order and releases in April 2017.
