How often is it OK to have your cards read?

claira justine

Just a quick question. If you were to go to a tarot reader, how often is ok? Can you go to a different tarot reader and ask the same question? Will you get a valid answer that way? Or can you go to one tarot reader, let say, every other week just to see how the general areas of your life is going according to the cards that comes up?

I'm not sure if this is the valid forum for this question. Just wondering because right now I'm getting the habit of taking my cards out and asking it every question that pops into my head. Just wondering how it goes for people who actually pays for someone to read tarot for them.
Thanks :)
 

Thirteen

claira justine said:
Just a quick question. If you were to go to a tarot reader, how often is ok? Can you go to a different tarot reader and ask the same question? Will you get a valid answer that way? Or can you go to one tarot reader, let say, every other week just to see how the general areas of your life is going according to the cards that comes up?
Click to expand...
The one thing you do not want to do is become obsessed with getting tarot readings. Going to a reader on a daily or even weekly basis is a waste of your life, and an undermining of your ability to judge that life and live that life. You can't be so afraid of life, so afraid of what will be, that you can't sometimes trust yourself and make decisions.

Go to a tarot reader as you would go to a doctor. Once a year for a check up, and when very big, important stuff is happening and you really need someone's help in understanding the situation so that you can decide. Keep in mind that a good tarot reader will not tell you what to do, or promise you a happy future, or scare you with a dire one. They'll say, "This is the situation, and here is what you can do about it, and if you do this, then it's very likely this will happen." Their job is to help you understand the situation and give you the best advice for the best, possible outcome. But the decision is always yours in the end.

So, in answer to your question. Yes, you can go to more than one reader with a question at first and only at first. As you would in looking for a good doctor. But as with a doctor, don't go to several looking for the opinion you want (that is, the answer you want from the cards). If the news is bad, it's bad, and you need to accept that. What you're looking for is the best doctor to help you find the best way to deal with the bad news.

Next, once you find a reader who feels accurate, doesn't charge an arm-and-a-leg, who you like and trust, do not visit them more than once a month. However worried, scared, bothered, in need of a sympathetic ear you are, no more than once a month. They are not a stand-in for a friend. You need a friend, find a place where you can make friends. This person is charging you and is a professional. View them as such. And try to ask a different question each time you come, rather than asking, once a month, "How's my love life?"

This isn't just to make sure you are living your life rather than obsessing over it. It's to allow for time for change. It's not likely that a situation on Monday is going to change that much over the week. It's far more likely that the situation will have changed from November to December. And in asking different questions you may find new insights. The same question, over and over again, is like an astronomer only looking at one part of the sky. What if the comet you want to see is in another part?

A Tarot reader advisor can be great for helping you to get insight into your life, your situation, your problems and yourself and knowing what might be best to do to improve your life or deal with problems. But they must be used wisely and with restraint. If they become a crutch, then they don't do you any good at all.
 

choirqueer

I've found that the best way for ME to get insight from the Tarot is not to "go to a reader", but instead to be actively involved in the Aeclectic community, exchanging readings with other readers regularly, offering readings to others, and reading for myself. If I do these things, I stay tuned into the Tarot myself, and then the insight I need comes to me. That's not to say that a session with a professional Tarot reader is not valuable -- I myself read professionally, and it's definitely valuable to receive a professional reading, especially for someone who does not read or who isn't as drawn to reading as those of us who really devote the time and energy to it.

But it sounds to me like you've found yourself drawn to the Tarot in a way different from someone who just wants to get some questions answered. So I wonder if what you need from the Tarot is not answers to your questions. Maybe you would find it valuable to engage with your cards in a different way -- study them, meditate with them, focus on reading for others for a while instead of trying to make the cards answer YOUR questions. Check out the Fun & Games area for some creative and silly ways to spend time with your cards, or try one of the Reading Exchanges or Circles. Eventually, as you get more attuned to your cards, perhaps you'll find the answers you're looking for were there all along.
 

Fostha

Thirteen said:
The one thing you do not want to do is become obsessed with getting tarot readings. Going to a reader on a daily or even weekly basis is a waste of your life, and an undermining of your ability to judge that life and live that life. You can't be so afraid of life, so afraid of what will be, that you can't sometimes trust yourself and make decisions.

Go to a tarot reader as you would go to a doctor. Once a year for a check up, and when very big, important stuff is happening and you really need someone's help in understanding the situation so that you can decide. Keep in mind that a good tarot reader will not tell you what to do, or promise you a happy future, or scare you with a dire one. They'll say, "This is the situation, and here is what you can do about it, and if you do this, then it's very likely this will happen." Their job is to help you understand the situation and give you the best advice for the best, possible outcome. But the decision is always yours in the end.

So, in answer to your question. Yes, you can go to more than one reader with a question at first and only at first. As you would in looking for a good doctor. But as with a doctor, don't go to several looking for the opinion you want (that is, the answer you want from the cards). If the news is bad, it's bad, and you need to accept that. What you're looking for is the best doctor to help you find the best way to deal with the bad news.

Next, once you find a reader who feels accurate, doesn't charge an arm-and-a-leg, who you like and trust, do not visit them more than once a month. However worried, scared, bothered, in need of a sympathetic ear you are, no more than once a month. They are not a stand-in for a friend. You need a friend, find a place where you can make friends. This person is charging you and is a professional. View them as such. And try to ask a different question each time you come, rather than asking, once a month, "How's my love life?"

This isn't just to make sure you are living your life rather than obsessing over it. It's to allow for time for change. It's not likely that a situation on Monday is going to change that much over the week. It's far more likely that the situation will have changed from November to December. And in asking different questions you may find new insights. The same question, over and over again, is like an astronomer only looking at one part of the sky. What if the comet you want to see is in another part?

A Tarot reader advisor can be great for helping you to get insight into your life, your situation, your problems and yourself and knowing what might be best to do to improve your life or deal with problems. But they must be used wisely and with restraint. If they become a crutch, then they don't do you any good at all.
Click to expand...
Excellent point Thirteen,it is good to share your uncertainties and concerns with friends.It's good to share certain concerns and ask advice from a Dr though too when,as you say,you got 'big stuff' going on,and the real beneficial factor of doing this (well where i come from anyway)is that theres strict laws on 'patient confidentiality'. If you don't trust one doctor with your notes.....THATS when you go get a second opinion,but as you say,its important you should know just what it is you really want,otherwise i believe thats when the cards clearly start saying...'ENOUGH now,im real bored with all this...im sensing your desperation for answers... i don't wanna be anyones crutch!'
 

claira justine

:)

thanks for the response
 

gregory

Whatever else - don't keep asking the same question. If one reading REALLY fails to resonate, sure try someone else - there can be readers who just don't "work" for particular people. If it still doesn't - it is probably something in you that is causing this, not the readings; try a new question.....
 

Starshower

Why do you say that, gregory? Why should we assume that readings are never ( or even rarely?) wrong, & that any misfit must be attributed to the querent or their question?
Couldn't it be possible that there is a perfectly valid question, which several (self-styled) 'readers' are simply not 'getting' - or doing valid / good readings about? And so the querent is looking around for readings that do seem to resonate?
As we would with a weird, hasty or ill-informed doctor's diagnosis?

I've often wondered about this myself, though my own friends & I have so far (though I'm a relative newbie) always found depth, insight & positive, helpful food for thought in our exchanged readings.
But surely that doesn't mean that anyone who calls themselves a 'Tarot Reader' is inerrant - or even most???
 

214red

before i started studying tarot seriously i went to readers once a year as a check up, always a different reader though as i think too much familiarity doesnt help.

i started learning tarot and exchanging readings etc, practicing on myself etc and to be honest it got a bit much, and i think most tarot students go through a period of obsession as its something brand spanking new! after a bit it settles down for most people and becomes more settled.

a few years on and i have paid for only 1 full length tarot reading, and 1 mini one for research purposes. i found myself disappointed with both because i didnt pick the readers well.

now i dont pay for readings, mainly because i either swap occasionally with a friend, or i get the answers without cards.

i think you can waste money going to readers too often, or asking the same questions too often, i dont think it helps you. often we get readings because we dont like the answer the cards gave us, so we want a different answer so we ask others.
 

pasara

gregory said:
Whatever else - don't keep asking the same question. If one reading REALLY fails to resonate, sure try someone else - there can be readers who just don't "work" for particular people. If it still doesn't - it is probably something in you that is causing this, not the readings; try a new question.....
Click to expand...

I agree. Sometimes it's not the question either though. If you have gone to multiple readers and still nothing "resonates", it is very possible that you have become too closed minded about the issue and are just not getting the answer you want or expect, or in the form that you want or expect.

Starshower said:
Why do you say that, gregory? Why should we assume that readings are never ( or even rarely?) wrong, & that any misfit must be attributed to the querent or their question?
Couldn't it be possible that there is a perfectly valid question, which several (self-styled) 'readers' are simply not 'getting' - or doing valid / good readings about? And so the querent is looking around for readings that do seem to resonate?
As we would with a weird, hasty or ill-informed doctor's diagnosis?
Click to expand...

I think if you have gone to more than one reader on the same question and still aren't satisfied, it is likely not the readers' faults. One bad reading yes, but multiple? I'd think twice. Gregory's idea of looking at the question differently might be a good solution.
 

Starshower

The question is a good one.

Hmm ... thanks for your response to mine, pasara. This type of question interests me greatly. People can tend to get so superstitious about things - (all ways around too!) - from: 'all tarot reading & divination is from the devil & dangerous' -type knee-jerk reactions on the one hand, to: ' these magic cards and their users always have the key to all knowledge & never lie or get things wrong' on the other.
Like the original poster, I too wonder how much trust we should place in a set of images on card, designed by a normal, fallible person, and anyone who calls themselves a 'reader' - regardless of how deeply or insightfully they are able to 'read' .... after all, there is no way of checking or assessing this by any set criteria.
I see no reason to assume that any misfit is 'always', 'usually' or even 'likely' to be the querent's 'fault'. Why should it be - unless we have some sort of irrational blind faith in 'the power of the cards' - or worse, the 'powers' of self-styled readers, who may, in fact, have v little knowledge, understanding or experience themselves, for all we know? Wouldn't this be a rather superstitious suspension of disbelief, based on nothing?

For example: at my Tarot Circle, I have often come across 'readers' who have barely picked up a deck, who constantly check the Little White Book for 'meanings', or who claim to be 'intuitive' merely to disguise their laziness & ignorance.
Whereas lack of knowledge about esoteric history & set meanings certainly needn't be a disadvantage to those with genuine skill or insight, it equally cannot be taken as proof of any!

Whilst learning tarot reading, I've met many so-called 'readers' who offer nothing except bogus, self-aggrandising, melodramatic (& even, once or twice, money-grabbing) personal agendas.
This is a tricky one, in my view.
How often is too often to seek answers / help / directions in one's personal life? Don't we do it all the time, if we are sincerely looking for ways forward? Don't we spend hours talking things over with friends, researching, reading self-help books & articles, listening to radio & TV discussions on our issues, meditating /thinking about things? ... searching, searching, searching?
So why not via tarot too - until something 'clicks' & actually helps us move forward?
 
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