More than one way..

So i was sitting here trying to figure out how to get more experience reading face to face for complete strangers. I have read for friends and family. And I have read for people I really don't know that well through our meetup group. But, I really, really want to have more experience reading for people I know nothing at all about.
So I was thinking that I might just wander sround offering free readings. My finals are over next week so I will have a little spare time. And there are lots of people out there doing their Christmas shopping. I was thinking that sitting in the malls with a little "free 3 card tarot readings" sign won't hurt anything. I am not asking for any money nor would I accept any at all. Just the experience. Seems a little insane, but, well, I do things a little on the nutty side. There is a bar here in town that may let me do free readings as well, once I have the time.
Opinions? At the moment, I am solely looking for the experience and a little feed back. I would like to eventually charge, but i really just want the face to face experience at the moment. Any thoughts?

Sounds like a good plan. You're not asking for money, only volunteers. I think you'd get a great experience out of this, and might do some good for others as well. I can't see anything wrong with it, just take a thermos of coffee or hot chocolate and a warm lap blanket. It's freezing here! How's the weather where you are?

Well, it does sound like a good idea except for one thing and that's that Christmas is a largely Christian holiday and sometimes Christians are anti-Tarot. As long as you're aware that it might bring you more flak than at another time of year, you'll probably do okay.

I think it's a great idea, good on you for the naus! You might want to clear it with the shopping centre security, though unless you don't mind the possibiliyt, however slim, that they might eject you

\m/ Kat

I agree with Thor. I know around here you would need permission to do this in the shopping centers; they'll ruthlessly kick you out. (Security guards love when they can exercise their power.) May not be that way in your community, but here it sadly is. The general idea is not bad though. You can try for permission, but it might be easier to work with a cafe or shop owner (especially one you already frequent.)

First: Check local laws. In St. Louis it is illegal to read tarot. For money or for free. KC MO? Dunno. But I know in Overland Park you'll get ushered outside so fast it'll make your head spin.

Second: Check with Mall Management before you offer any services in the mall, free or otherwise. Especially in Overland Park, and surrounding environs...

Third: Although KC MO (& KS) is a great huge untapped market, and it oozes with possiblitieis, care should be exercised that some church does not decide to make an example of you by forcing local officals to enforce the local laws (see point one). To read in St Louis, one should go the route of becoming an ordained minister (free via ULC), followed by getting a Spritual Counselor certificate to wave in the faces of the boys in blue.

Fourth: Spend the winter doing research - is Independence more open than OP? Is Indian Springs more accepting? chat with meta-store owners. Hunt down the local readers and chat with them. USe facebook - start a meetup group (or fiind the one that is already in existance).

Use your resources. But do not get tossed out of a mall (they could confiscate your cards. Although Illegal, they'd make your life hell getting them back...

If you don't mind doing readings via email, you could offer freebie readings via Craigslist, as well. It won't cost you anything to advertise there.

I have an etsy acct set up and a listing on there for readings, though I need to lower my prce, lol. But I am really looking for the face to face reading experience.
I have taken the whole church scene into consideration. I have done a few readings at work, and there are fundies there that also know I am pagan, so I am used to some flak. I would not do any readings in OP. Probably more like the open air malls like Zona Rosa or the Legends (they have a huge fire thing in the middle of the mall area calling my name!). And I would love the opportunity to challange any out of date, antiquated law banning Tarot readings because they are just ignorant. There are one or two coffee houses around here and a bar that look promising.
Becoming an ordained minister does sound sort of interesting. I may give that some consideration. Start my own church. The Church of the Fluffy Bunny!! Lol.
Thanks for the input! Really looking for a way to hone my skills. I used to read all the time, and now it has become sporatic and almost forced. I sort of see it like a muscle that needs to be flexed a little more, and I have the time until next semester starts back up in January to get some practice in. Random strangers seems like the most challenging way to get it going again.

Just a slight expansion on Umbrae's second point: Malls are private property, and the owners (sometimes companies whose sole business is owning malls) have a lot of control over what goes on there. There are limits to that control, they can't exclude people on the basis of race, say. But they can stop people doing business there when they aren't renting space. And they can stop people from offering free tarot readings, or free anything else. So the "check the laws" and "check the malls" really are two different projects.

If you want to read in the park in a place where reading Tarot is illegal, then you'd find yourself challenging an "out of date, antiquated law banning Tarot readings." But that would involve offering readings in the park in December, which is a losing proposition anyway. But if you go with the mall, you'd also be challenging the right of the property owner to decide how to use her property. Your lawyer will tell you that you won't get very far with that.

And challenging those laws is awfully expensive.