Does anyone else feel drained after reading?

[Smokebender]

I have a ton of magic/sorcery ebooks on my PC that I read daily. I've started to notice that if I'm reading one that just doesn't "fit" me I'm fine after finishing it. I retain very little of what I've read. On the flip side, if I'm reading one that does "fit", I can't read more than a few chapters and I have to put it down. I feel like all the snot has been wrung out of me and I retain a good portion of what I've read. I'm also talking about maybe 20 minutes of reading yet reading for 6 - 8 hours at a time is nothing unusual for me.  The experience doesn't frighten me but I do find it bizarre. By nature I'm a reader and can turn many a page in a few hours time. Does anyone else experience this wrung out feeling?

[RandallS]

Does anyone else experience this wrung out feeling?

Nothing like this has ever happened to me -- nor to anyone I know. Is there something different about how you read a book that seems to mesh well with you as compared to how you read one that doesn't?

[Annie Roonie]

Does anyone else experience this wrung out feeling?

Yes. When reading material resonates with me, my head makes so many connections of which only a few I am aware of completely during reading. I can tell that I will need to cogitate in order to get to the deeper meanings I sense are there. It is difficult for me to fully understand the impact of something or even begin to see how interconnected and deep it goes unless I see/put the concepts in actions. When I know this is going to happen, it is as if my body and mind are already in the garden and riding the bike. Like I can see the map, and the journey, while very welcome, has begun and is, like much learning for me, exhausting.

If it interests me deeply, it takes far longer for me to digest. It has to hit all the bases and just realizing that even a little wrings me out. But keeping at it, however slow, usually turns out for the best in my experience.  A slow and meaningful assimilation.

[Jenett]

I have a ton of magic/sorcery ebooks on my PC that I read daily. I've started to notice that if I'm reading one that just doesn't "fit" me I'm fine after finishing it. I retain very little of what I've read.

On this part, there's a running joke in the mystery-focused bits of the Pagan community that runs like this: "Protect the mysteries: constantly reveal them"

Which is to say, that if people aren't ready to take something in, they won't, largely. (They may take in bits and pieces, or slide across one aspect and pay attention to others). But it won't click and connect fully until someone's in a position to really make use of it, no matter how often you explain something.

(The partial understanding is actually more of an issue in some ways: people can get into a fair bit of trouble if the bit they think they get comes without appropriate self-care or safety precautions, for example.)

So, yeah. Not terribly uncommon in some circles.

There's actually also neuroscience behind this: we make our best memory connections when something engages us in multiple ways - experience and intellectual understanding *and* emotion, for example. So, if we're just reading something in a book, it's less likely to connect than, say, being in a ritual or a class where something is discussed. And if it doesn't arouse an emotion in us, less chances of building memory connections too.

So if you read a book, and you don't really connect with it, you're losing two of the three ways to anchor that memory.

On the flip side, if I'm reading one that does "fit", I can't read more than a few chapters and I have to put it down. I feel like all the snot has been wrung out of me and I retain a good portion of what I've read. I'm also talking about maybe 20 minutes of reading yet reading for 6 - 8 hours at a time is nothing unusual for me.  The experience doesn't frighten me but I do find it bizarre. By nature I'm a reader and can turn many a page in a few hours time. Does anyone else experience this wrung out feeling?

 
There's all sorts of different *kinds* of reading. I read thousands of words most days, and some of them go very fast, and some go much more slowly, and some I can only do for a short period of time, before I need to take a break and let it sit. (I'm about to start a research project like that, actually. Yay for 15th century philosophy, magical theory, and astronomy.)

So, again, not that unusual. Reading metaphysical work, or philosophical work, or anything along those lines is particularly likely to lead to this kind of experience, just because you're looking at it from different angles, different things will spark memories/ideas/etc. for you, and that all takes time and energy to process.

I'm inclined to think these kinds of patterns happen for most people - but that it's really easy for people not to notice them unless the effect puts a lot of space between their usual reading speed and the speed/amount they can cover of denser material. (I am a very fast reader - it's how my parents met, and I swear it's genetic to some degree - and so I really notice when I'm going a quarter of my usual pace or distance.

For friends whose reading speeds are naturally slower, or where the gap is just plain smaller, they've noticed a difference if I've asked about it (with non-leading questions, just general conversation about how they read Craft material), but it's much less obvious to them. (And I think it's also most noticeable for people who read widely in a range of genres: if most of what someone reads is, say, non-fiction, they tend to notice less of a gap between general non-fiction and metaphysical works, than someone who reads some of those, but also some stuff that tends to read very fast - young adult novels, light fantasy or mystery, etc.

Interestingly enough, the thing that makes me go slowest isn't the metaphysical stuff: it's really thinky fantasy or science fiction, because that's the place where I get the most connections trying to form.

[Smokebender]

Nothing like this has ever happened to me -- nor to anyone I know. Is there something different about how you read a book that seems to mesh well with you as compared to how you read one that doesn't?

 
I don't mean any sarcasm but I only know one way to read a book. I pick it up and start reading. In this instance the topic will of course be anything related to the field of Magic. If I start reading a book by Crowley for instance, I'll watch for whatever meshes with me. A lot doesn't but I still can finish the book in about an hour and go to another one no problem. If I read one written by Spare or Mace as examples, I can't go more than a few chapters.The majority "fits". I don't know how but somehow I've expended a good amount of energy and it has profited me because I've retained what I've read and the paths for my goals are slowly forming. The only other time I get this wrung out feeling is when I'm working sigils.

[Smokebender]

Which is to say, that if people aren't ready to take something in, they won't, largely. (They may take in bits and pieces, or slide across one aspect and pay attention to others). But it won't click and connect fully until someone's in a position to really make use of it, no matter how often you explain something.

(The partial understanding is actually more of an issue in some ways: people can get into a fair bit of trouble if the bit they think they get comes without appropriate self-care or safety precautions, for example.)

So, yeah. Not terribly uncommon in some circles.

There's actually also neuroscience behind this: we make our best memory connections when something engages us in multiple ways - experience and intellectual understanding *and* emotion, for example. So, if we're just reading something in a book, it's less likely to connect than, say, being in a ritual or a class where something is discussed. And if it doesn't arouse an emotion in us, less chances of building memory connections too.

So if you read a book, and you don't really connect with it, you're losing two of the three ways to anchor that memory.


 
There's all sorts of different *kinds* of reading. I read thousands of words most days, and some of them go very fast, and some go much more slowly, and some I can only do for a short period of time, before I need to take a break and let it sit. (I'm about to start a research project like that, actually. Yay for 15th century philosophy, magical theory, and astronomy.)

So, again, not that unusual. Reading metaphysical work, or philosophical work, or anything along those lines is particularly likely to lead to this kind of experience, just because you're looking at it from different angles, different things will spark memories/ideas/etc. for you, and that all takes time and energy to process.

I'm inclined to think these kinds of patterns happen for most people - but that it's really easy for people not to notice them unless the effect puts a lot of space between their usual reading speed and the speed/amount they can cover of denser material. (I am a very fast reader - it's how my parents met, and I swear it's genetic to some degree - and so I really notice when I'm going a quarter of my usual pace or distance.

For friends whose reading speeds are naturally slower, or where the gap is just plain smaller, they've noticed a difference if I've asked about it (with non-leading questions, just general conversation about how they read Craft material), but it's much less obvious to them. (And I think it's also most noticeable for people who read widely in a range of genres: if most of what someone reads is, say, non-fiction, they tend to notice less of a gap between general non-fiction and metaphysical works, than someone who reads some of those, but also some stuff that tends to read very fast - young adult novels, light fantasy or mystery, etc.

Interestingly enough, the thing that makes me go slowest isn't the metaphysical stuff: it's really thinky fantasy or science fiction, because that's the place where I get the most connections trying to form.

Ok. You've made a fair amount of sense to me. I'm very big on protecting myself. Me no wanna hurty. All I'm doing though is reading and learning. I shouldn't need protection I think for just that. As an aside, before I do anything that requires opening myself up, I'm protected.

Based on what you've said, Certain authors/styles click with me and I recognize it. So I'll reread paragraphs over a few times to commit them to memory as well as make sure I fully understand the intent. In retrospect, a few chapters in this field can be a ton of memory used up.

I'm also a speed reader and a sc-fi/fantasy fan along with other genre's. I prefer anything that makes me think actually. I can devour most novels in about an hour. Stephen Kings The Stand took me a day and a half. Best novel he ever wrote imho.

[stitchinwith]

Ok. You've made a fair amount of sense to me. I'm very big on protecting myself. Me no wanna hurty. All I'm doing though is reading and learning. I shouldn't need protection I think for just that. As an aside, before I do anything that requires opening myself up, I'm protected.

Based on what you've said, Certain authors/styles click with me and I recognize it. So I'll reread paragraphs over a few times to commit them to memory as well as make sure I fully understand the intent. In retrospect, a few chapters in this field can be a ton of memory used up.

I'm also a speed reader and a sc-fi/fantasy fan along with other genre's. I prefer anything that makes me think actually. I can devour most novels in about an hour. Stephen Kings The Stand took me a day and a half. Best novel he ever wrote imho.

 
Just finished reading Un-Spell and thoroughly enjoyed the book.  It's an easy, understandable read, and rather than feeling tired and wrung out, I am feeling energised. So much so, I'm away to practice the exercises from the book.

[perdurabofan]

I have a ton of magic/sorcery ebooks on my PC that I read daily. I've started to notice that if I'm reading one that just doesn't "fit" me I'm fine after finishing it. I retain very little of what I've read. On the flip side, if I'm reading one that does "fit", I can't read more than a few chapters and I have to put it down. I feel like all the snot has been wrung out of me and I retain a good portion of what I've read. I'm also talking about maybe 20 minutes of reading yet reading for 6 - 8 hours at a time is nothing unusual for me.  The experience doesn't frighten me but I do find it bizarre. By nature I'm a reader and can turn many a page in a few hours time.Does anyone else experience this wrung out feeling?

 All the time. But I see it as  a reaction
  from the "this is your life" script  issued
from them what knows better than we. The
status quo doesn't go down quietly. I think
the closer we get to who we really are the
further we get from "home" (the script)
and the more drained, confused we get.
At least thats how I think it's working
with me. I sure hope that's what it
means.