Contents
Even the most useful tool can have a negative effect if used incorrectly. In what situations is it worth turning to metaphorical cards, and in which it is not recommended to do this, and why?
Metaphorical cards help to better understand ourselves – in the context of communication at work, personal relationships, internal contradictions and other situations in which we sometimes “get lost”. What we see in the image, the way we explain to ourselves what we see, is the key to those answers that are already inside us, but so far remain unconscious, hidden.
To discover them for yourself, it is important to ask yourself the right questions. Correct wording will help to make vague sensations clearer, to understand what is happening and draw conclusions.
When drawing a card or cards, it is important to be honest with yourself and, looking at the picture, answer the questions – out loud and in as much detail as possible. The details often hide something that does not immediately catch your eye, so you can write down the course of your thoughts, ideally by hand and on paper, but you can also print it wherever it is more convenient for you.
We have already talked in detail about how to work with metaphorical cards in various situations, and compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions. The basic principle is this: all of them should concern you, your feelings, thoughts, experiences or possible choices in certain circumstances.
With what requests do people most often turn to this tool of psychotherapy?
5 common situations for referring to metaphorical cards
- Relationship analysis
- Search for resources and good mood
- Choice of two or more options
- Analysis of one’s behavior in a particular situation and choice of course of action
- Self-knowledge, reflection, self-development
Relationship analysis
Metaphorical cards help to establish contact with loved ones or someone from a distant circle. The main thing: you study yourself and what is happening between you, and not another person. For this, decks that are designed to study personal, social relationships, as well as any others, are suitable.
Cards can be asked the following questions:
- What’s going on between us?
- How do I feel in these relationships?
- How do I behave?
- How / what do I want to look like for another person?
- What kind of mask do I wear?
- What do I want to hide?
- What do I want to show?
- What am I really showing?
- How do I want to see the other person?
- How do I perceive it now?
- What do I like/dislike about the relationship or the other person?
- What can’t I deal with?
- What will I have to put up with if I want to continue this relationship?
- What can I change in a relationship?
- How much do I need these relationships?
Ask exactly what is relevant to your circumstances. At the end of the exercise, it will be helpful to draw out some advice or resource cards with the questions: “What will help me? In which direction should I move in a relationship? What qualities, strengths and resources can I use to improve the situation?
5 situations in which metaphorical cards will not be useful
1. Don’t guess on metaphorical cards, they don’t predict the future.
Metaphorical associative cards are not intended for divination and predictions of the future. At best, you will not see anything, at worst, you will program yourself, deprive yourself of freedom of action and subconsciously relieve yourself of responsibility for your life.
2. Maps will not give information about anyone but you.
Looking at metaphorical maps, “what is happening with the neighbors” or “how Masha feels”, is at least unethical. But even if you try, you still won’t see the real picture. Metaphorical maps are designed to work with your own unconscious, which means that everything you see will be just your projections that are not related to the psychology of another person.
3. Metaphorical cards should not be laid out for other people, especially in their absence.
Even if you were asked to make a layout on metaphorical cards for another person without his presence and direct participation, it is better to refuse. The reason is the same: everything you see is only personal projections. Moreover, your own, and not the person for whom you are doing this.
If you are helping another with metaphorical cards, your job is to ask leading questions and “pull” as much information out of the person as possible. But you cannot interpret the cards for him or impose your vision. Of course, you may have your own assumptions and metaphors, but you should keep them to yourself. The basic rule of working with MAC: only what I see myself is correct!
4. Working with the MAC in a state of passion and strong feelings is undesirable and can harm
During the experience of any strong emotions, the human brain turns off for a while. He loses objectivity and the ability to think rationally. Do not take cards in a state of stress, euphoria, anger, irritation, acute resentment, with tears in your eyes and with similar experiences. You won’t be able to see anything.
If you want something very strongly, passionately, then you also will not see that it can prevent you from achieving what you want. You will have blinders on your eyes. And before you work with cards to study the situation, you need to get out of an acute emotional state. But the good news is that metaphorical cards can help you with this!
Only a specialist should work with the psychosomatic causes of diseases of the physical body, especially serious ones.
To cope with any experience, you can draw a card from a deck, such as a universal or abstract. Ask the question: “How do I feel now?” Open the card and describe your emotions and feelings. It is important to do this out loud or write it by hand on paper or on a computer. It is necessary to throw out what is inside – to speak, to write.
Remaining only in the internal dialogue, you can go around in circles endlessly. The danger is that your experiences can go deep and remain in your psychological world forever. When you get back to normal and can think sensibly, then you can take the MAC to work with the situation.
And it is best in difficult life situations to turn to a specialist – a psychologist whom you trust. It will help you cope with feelings and find a way out of a difficult situation.
5. You can not work with MAC-cards in case of complex conditions and serious diseases
It is categorically impossible to work independently with metaphorical cards in complex psychological conditions, such as depression, acute grief, post-traumatic disorder, phobias, nightmares, panic attacks, and so on. You can not work with cards and people with any psychiatric diagnoses and chemical addictions in the extreme stages (alcoholism, drug addiction). This is only possible with the participation of a specialist, if he decides that this is the right thing to do in your situation.
Whether to work with the psychosomatic causes of diseases of the physical plane, especially serious ones, should be decided only by a specialist. Do not try to “cure” at home on your own. It may be dangerous.
***
Metaphorical associative cards can do a lot: support you in difficult times, guide you on the right path, help you understand yourself. Do not forget about safety precautions and follow the basic rules for working with them. And then in the process of studying with MAK you will learn a lot about yourself, about the world and about other people in your life!