Is It You or Your Trauma?
Is It You or Your Trauma?
“I am an anxious girl.”
“I tend to be an angry person”.
“I am very sensitive”.
“I am extremely independent”.
Have you ever noticed that we often mistake trauma responses for personality?
When we look at who we are and how we act, how much of what we see is truly who we are, and how much is our trauma?
When we look at the people around us, do we really know who they are, at heart, or do we know them by the behaviors that were shaped by their trauma?
We all have trauma in our history. For some, that trauma is egregious and tragic. For others, the traumas may have been slight enough to be forgotten. Yet, those traumas, little or big, can shape how we present ourselves to the world, and how we act and react.
Sometimes trauma calls us to do our best. Perfectionists, altruists, leaders, and caregivers are often shaped by trauma. Sometimes trauma responses get in the way of our success and happiness.
There are many ways to separate our true selves from our trauma responses. The first step is always to recognize that who you are and the way that you feel and act may be two separate things.
Getting to the core of who you are is a journey of self-discovery. Therapy, journaling, divination, and contemplation are all ways of figuring out the true essence of yourself. From there, you can discover the trauma responses that get in the way of living your most authentic life, and work on healing and releasing them.
If you claim your trauma response as your personality, you are losing the opportunity to know and be your most authentic self.
The StaarCorner
StaarCast, our podcast and YouTube show, is back with a twist! You can watch the first episode of The StaarCast Variety Show on YouTube. The podcast will be available within the next few weeks.
The StaarCast Variety Show is hosted by Frank Kwiatkowski and Christiana Gaudet. The first episode features an interview with StaarCon 2023 presenter Arwen Lynch-Poe, a review of Dark Wood Tarot, a new tarot spread to try, and a fun tarot guessing game.
Each episode of the StaarCast Variety Show will include interesting tarot and divination topics, and introduce you to members of our StaarCon community.
Make sure you mark your calendar for January 20-22, and plan to attend StaarCon 2023 either in person in West Palm Beach, or online on Accelevents.
Find Yourself in Tarot
There are many ways to find and understand yourself with tarot. You can find your birth cards and see how those cards reflect who you are. You can find cards that are associated with your astrological chart and see what those cards say about you.
You can simply look through the deck and find the image that you most enjoy and think about what that says about who you are.
I like to do a single-card reading by asking the question, “Who am I at this moment?”.
You can also try a two-card spread to explore the differences between your personality and your trauma response. Simply pull one card for the personality and one card for the trauma response and see what you learn about yourself.
The ways to explore yourself with tarot are endless. Use your creativity and imagination to discover new ways to find yourself in the cards.
The Week in Review
The YouTube workshop, Tarot and Anxiety, discussed many important topics, including why the cards can sometimes make us anxious, and what to do about that. You can watch the replay and learn some important techniques for using tarot in a way that is healing, rather than anxiety-producing.
If you are a member of my YouTube channel and missed our Members-Only Livestream this week, you can enjoy the replay at your convenience.
Tomorrow, Thursday, join us on YouTube to discover your tarot birth cards, and what those cards say about who you are.
From Around the Web
This interview with Theresa Reed shares some ideas for using tarot to heal trauma.
Here is a blogpost about using tarot to recover from childhood trauma.
Here is a download to help you use tarot for self-discovery.
Guidance on the Journey
In our YouTube workshop on Tarot and Anxiety, many people said that the disturbing images in tarot caused upset when they appeared in a reading.
There was consensus about which cards people found disturbing. Many cards from the suit of Swords made the list, as well as the Five of Pentacles, the Devil, and the Tower.
One of the things we discussed in the workshop is that each of these disturbing cards offers an opportunity for healing.
To heal from trauma, either recent or in the distant past, we must first see that trauma and acknowledge it. One of the ways trauma makes itself known to us is through those disturbing tarot cards. When a disturbing tarot card appears, we have an opportunity to understand and confront our trauma.
The first question to ask yourself is why that particular image disturbs you. What is your reaction to the image, or the keywords you associate with that card? How have those feelings shown up in your life before? Does this image remind you of something you have experienced?
A negative reaction to a tarot card can be a doorway into self-exploration.
A card with a disturbing image can help us confront the difficult things in a current situation, or from the past.
The next time you see a card that disturbs you, explore it with curiosity rather than with fear. Use the image to understand yourself better, and to confront what has hurt you in the past.
Upcoming Events
Card and Craft Academy
Classes presented by Christiana are available right now at Card and Craft Academy!
Christiana’s Eleven-Card Celtic Cross
Finding Meaning in the Minor Arcana
The Major Arcana, Magical and Mundane
Personal Tarot: Reading for Yourself
Sharing Wisdom: Reading for Others
The Meaning and Magic of Tarot Reversals
Journey Through the Major Arcana
Your Journey Through the Minor Arcana: Numbers, Elements and Truth
Your Journey Through the Tarot Court
Tarot Stories, Trends, and Blends
Tarot Readings for Personalities and Relationships
Fearless Wisdom Tarot Workshop
Tarot Keywords and Interpretations Workshop
Tarot Spreads Tools and Techniques Workshop
Tarot for Magic and Mediumship
Tarot Communication for Clarity and Depth
Weaving the Tarot Reading Story
Minor Arcana Numbers, Elements, and Truth
Create and Interpret Custom Tarot Spreads
What the Court Cards Want You to Know
Catch up on your missed Zoom webinars and more!
cardandcraftacademy.com
About Christiana Gaudet
Card and Craft, Inc.
Southeastern Tarot Artists and Readers, LLC.
Christiana Gaudet
3559 SW Corporate Parkway
Palm City, Florida 34990-8152
On the web www.christianagaudet.com
Online classes www.cardandcraftacademy.com
StaarCon information www.staarcon.com
Private telephone, Skype, FaceTime, Zoom and in person readings and instruction are available by appointment.
Tarot parties at your home or office are available throughout Florida.
Call or text toll free 866-99TAROT (866-998-2768)
Palm City 772-301-0232
or call or text 561-655-1160
for more information or to schedule your event.
Agent inquiries are welcome.
Tarot Topics Newsletter
Volume 5 Issue 30
July 27, 2022