Nervous about giving readings?

Every time I think about actually giving readings I get nervous and am afraid that I just won't be good at it. I guess I'm just not that confident in myself since I haven't mastered the meanings yet. Does everyone feel this way in the beginning?

DA,

I felt that way for many years. But I didn't have Aeclectic at my side then. To gain confidence in your reading ability, you need a "safe" environment. Aeclectic provides that environment in the Reading Circles and Reading Exchange forums. There are lots of different reading circles, some geared specifically to those who are new to tarot and others geared to everyone. Since Aeclectic is a learning environment, all of the reading circles are wonderful places to gain confidence in one's reading ability. You can also take advantage of existing reading exchanges or start one of your own. Folks will provide you with feedback that will show you where your strengths are and point out where you may need some improvement (if any).

You're probably a better reader than you think you are....

Rodney

DevilshAngel said:

Every time I think about actually giving readings I get nervous and am afraid that I just won't be good at it. I guess I'm just not that confident in myself since I haven't mastered the meanings yet. Does everyone feel this way in the beginning?

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I've been reading for years now, and everytime I have to read face to face for a new client, i STILL get nervous! my stomach will be cramping up on me, and I swear I can feel myself sweating until it's over! the whole way through the reading, sometimes I am so nervous my voice will crack!!! so embarrassing! however, once in awhile the person i am reading for will be more nervous then I am, and for some reason, that helps me to calm down. then, I just sail right through the reading smooth as honey going downhill! I guess I figure one of us needs to stay calm. I'm okay after I've read for the client once or twice. but the first time is 99% of the time nerve wracking for me! LOL!

I still get nervous too. Just dive in - it gets easier the more you do it. I bet you are better than you think you are!

It's ok Devilshangel! It's natural to be nervous, we all get that way from time to time. Practice, practice, practice! You can do it!

Thank you all for your support. It does make me feel better I guess the only way to find out is to jump right in eh?

Abslutely. And what helps me, especially if you ever get one of those minority people who sit there with their arms crossed across their chests glaring at you expecting you to do a high-dive act with a red ball and a spoon like some kind of trained seal, what helps me in situations like that as well as in normal readings, is that *you're* the one in the position of power. You don't have to justify yourself to them, or apologise in your body-language to them. You are the source, the authority. They are looking to you for answers and you knew your deck, right? Dive in and go for it.

I was nervous about giving readings for a long time, but I did practice here on AT doing reading exchanges, plus I was lucky enough to find a class where I could go and exchange readings with other beginners with the help of a knowledgeable teacher when we got "stuck".

The main thing that helped me was that she taught us not to worry about the standard meanings but to focus on what story the pictures told. Even though now I've studied many versions of the classic meanings, I still try to go right to that "third-eye view" when I read. Then I started making sure I always had a deck with me and I practiced everywhere with anyone who would let me read them.

Just last Saturday I did my first "pro" reading at a psychic fair and it was fine! Yeah, I was a little nervous, but as soon as I started laying out the cards of my favorite all time deck (the Gilded) I was fine. And so you will be, too. Good luck!

I use to get very nervous before reading. I still get somewhat nervous but the great thing about trading on here is that everyone is pretty much also learning. And people are so grateful to get readings/ find someone to exchange with that no one really cares if you're off..we just do it for the joy of trading and reading with others. so no pressure.

Yes, start here and then go to your friends for face to face. It's totally ok to be nervous. When I first started out, I told everyone I was still learning and wasn't very good. This seemed to comfort me and let them go easy on me.

It really wasn't until I overheard my friends telling their friends that I was "amazing" that I started to believe I was any good.