Easy Daily Readings

Most of us fish out a Tarot deck when we need an insight, idea, or solution. What's blocking me from finishing this short story? How can I get over my fear of relationships? Should I turn in my winning lottery ticket now, or wait until the media frenzy has died down a bit?

It's good to know you can turn to the cards in a crisis. It's also good to know the cards are there, every day, waiting to help you focus your thoughts and enhance your perspective. Daily readings -- short, quick, three-card readings that answer questions like "What's up?" or "What do I need to know today?" -- offer benefits many people overlook:

- The discipline of a daily routine -- doing the same thing at the same time each day -- provides you with a satisfying continuity and surprising sense of peace.

- Deciding to spend five minutes with the cards each day is one way of saying, "I want more time for creative reflection in my life, and committing to a daily reading is one way to make their desire a reality."

- A daily reading is a good enhancement to that stuffy, fifteen-minute daily review of goals they teach to Franklin-Covey graduates. It provides perspective and context for your plans, and may remind you of tasks you've overlooked.

Ready to start your day? Grab your handy Tarot deck and give this simple exercise a try.

1) Shuffle the deck and draw three cards.

- The first card you draw is your Topic Card: "Here's something you need to know or be aware of."

- The second card is your Reason Card: "This is why this topic is important today."

- The third card is your Action Card: "Here's a suggestion for what you can do."

2) Read the cards, embracing the first ideas that occur to you. (Need help reading the cards? Read the chapter on Making Meaning in Putting the Tarot to Work.)

Again and again, you'll find this exercise helps you identify unexpected or overlooked items that deserve special attention. Want to see the real power of this application? Try it once a day, every day, for a week ... and you'll be hooked!