Monday, 24 October 2011

going cold turkey with tarot

It's my belief that Tarot can be a helpful tool for navigating life's rough seas. When you're suffering with addiction the cards can be used to help you to define a pathway out of the darkness and to strengthen your resolve so that you can get the best possible results when you attempt to move beyond your problem. Several cards address the matter of addiction and negative cycles, but more importantly, when the right questions are asked, Tarot can give supportive, emotive answers. Why did you first become addicted? Is there a history of addiction in the family or some other way in which you were influenced through seeing addiction first hand? If you have attempted to recover before, what went wrong and what's holding you back, both practically and emotionally? What are you most afraid of? What is the key advice at the moment?

Let's look at the main ways to use Tarot as a positive tool for dealing with addiction.

- fall in love with world again
One of the major signs of addiction, whether it's to drugs, food, self-harm or any behaviour that's become an emotional crutch, is a loss of interest in things you used to find enjoyable. As the addiction takes over it can rip the heart out of life. Hobbies, friendships and passions that used to fill up your life become sidelined and then replaced with the substance or behaviour. Use the Tarot to discover who you really are beneath the surface problems. What are your qualities, your potential, your dreams? Hold a mirror up to the parts of you that addiction has been eating away at.

- find the core issues
An addictive substance is used to mask the true problems which are often seen to be insurmountable. When it's believed that the core issues in one's life cant be dealt with or solved, they're often denied or avoided through the use of an addiction. Remember, addiction is a symptom, not a cause. Tarot can be used to find the cause and give advice on how best to attack it decisively.

- address the emotional symptoms
Addiction causes anger, anxiety and stress. When the sufferer finds themselves unable to get hold of an addictive substance, for example, anxiety will run high. When the sufferer has indulged in their addictive behaviour the guilt and disappointment they feel can turn to anger. When the addictive substance is constantly available to them (ie food) they can feel incredibly stressed in their quest to avoid it. Use Tarot to show how these emotional issues are caused by the addiction and also see if the cards have any advice for dealing with depression or anger. You may be at the very beginning of your journey and you may have to deal with setbacks along the way so you could use any scrap of advice on how to remain balanced through the emotional lows.

- reach out to others
Many people try to deal with addiction on their own with no outside advice or motivation. This can be due to feelings of shame and a reluctance to be a burden on loved ones, but without any encouragement or monitoring from others, kicking the habit can be ten times tougher. As mentioned earlier, addiction tends to destroy the sufferer's passion for hobbies. It also tends to put massive strain on the sufferer's relationships with friends, partners and family. You should encourage yourself to reach out to people you can trust and to not fear the notion of building a network of people to offer perspective, tough love or guidance based on experience. Tarot can give great pointers on this. Many of the cards deal with the problems which arise when we try to take too much onto ourselves without seeking outside advice.

A quick warning about physical addiction. Remember, some substances, such as heroin and alcohol, incur physical withdrawal symptoms as well as emotional. This is where you must proceed with caution. If you're experiencing sleeplessness, sweats, headaches or anything that could be linked to physical withdrawal you should speak with a doctor.

useful cards for addiction:
The Moon
King of Cups

visualisation exercises:
  • Meditate on the Six of Swords. Imagine sailing away from the negativity and danger of the present situation, and going towards a new environment full of hope and potential for the future.
  • Use the imagery and message of the Nine of Swords to address all the negative things that have come from having an addiction. Consider the strain it's placed on you and those around you as well as the financial and spiritual cost.