Amateur or pro - do the rules change?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 13 Jul 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

divinerguy	13 Jul 2002
Are amateur Tarot readers obligated to tell a querent about undesirable aspects of a reading? What about people who get paid for their readings? Does it make a difference? Divinerguy

wavebreaker	13 Jul 2002
I don't see why not, what's the use of a reading if you would tell the querent only the good things or just the things s/he wants to hear? I don't do paid readings myself, but it wouldn't make a difference to me. Paid or not, I don't like doing a poor job: either I do a proper reading, or I don't do a reading.

MeeWah	13 Jul 2002
Divinerguy: A belated welcome back!! In response to your question--& these are my opinions-- Ethically speaking, I tend to think the same rules apply. Just because a reading is performed by an "amateur" reader rather than a "professional" does not necessarily make the reading less valid. A reading is a reading is a reading. An amateur may lack the experience & polish, but that does not mean he cannot produce competently. Judging from some of the takes I have seen of those who are "amateurs" or "beginners", some of them could give professionals competition! Let us not forget that one takes the chance that a reading can be poorly performed by a professional. The purpose of a reading is to know what one is looking at--the good & the profound, the bad & the ugly (am using these terms loosely). Otherwise, why bother? It would be a disservice to both the client & the reader to not offer honesty regarding what is seen. This does not mean a reader just blurts it all out without consideration of a client's feelings. Exercising care & diplomacy are always in order. A reader who charges for his services is even more honour-bound to adhere to some type of standard as an exchange may be regarded as akin to a contract. In charging, one is not only requiring compensation for the time & effort, but is ostensibly indicating a degree of competency. Not charging can avoid such associations. The individual reader would need to decide the approach as it may be a matter of how much interest there is in standing behind the reading skills.

HOLMES	13 Jul 2002
i am speaking mostly to the amateur or pro -do the rules change? to me professional means to know all aspects of your business, and to give all information, and to be able to perform competently, 1. to know the cards indepth, and what they mean to you. you should be able to know the various spread or how to adapt the spread for any sitiion. 2. to give all the information you recieve yet as a professional you should always leave your client as postive feeling as you can. it is not necessary to sugar coat , and some clients like bluntness and sometimes that bluntness can cut through many depths of deniel. 3. perform competetly, what is the basis of that well let examine that from a differnt point of view. when i was an "amteur" but i wouldn't use that word for professioanal what is the basis of that TO CHARGE ? in that case i am still an amteur. so let change that word to beginner. when i was a beginner i didn't know the tarot cards for nadda in fact i read the tarot by the book(it was besides me). and i don't remember muc of those readings per se but i do remember the general. i waved my hands around so much someone asked me if i was an italian. a reading took an hour for i had to read every card meaning and try to apply those meanings to the feeling i was gettin. i think the main part was overcoming my fear to the devil, death, and tower. and trying to make it clear to the client no your not going to die" most of the readings were for fun. and as i praticed the readings got deeper as i begun to understan the pictures more, and how they make a storyline. so an amteur person who dosn't charge but who is by no means an beginner can give a indepth, valid, comprhensive reading for by then will be able to do all three of my points above. what i did as i was studying was compare al the decks i could. their books. and one thing i forgot to mention. i went to as many as tarot readers as i cold find and compare ther styles. one person came fro the book , another who read the tarot since she was a teenager. lots of vagueness, but my mom found when the tarot reader did get specific she was accurate. not me the vagueness close down my mind to here at the time. yet by watching their styles, how they intrepated their cards, and how they composed themself. this helped me read compently.

the hermit	13 Jul 2002
Like holmes, I too would be more comfortable with beginner and experienced when it comes to hanging titles on Tarot readers. I also think that the 3 points put forward by holmes are an excellent set of responsibility guide lines that are fitting for any reader, beginner or experienced. I consider myself an experienced reader. Though I've never take money for a reading, I have exchanged them for services and/or items that I valued. But that fact has never been a prime consideration when I give a reading. As holmes said, I give as complete a reading as possible. I explain as much as necessary to make the querent understand what my interpretation means and how it might fit his question. I try to leave a positive feeling, but I also do my best to show the real message to the querent. It is sometimes a difficult balancing act, but the querent deserves a truthful reading. I, personally, could never 'fake' a reading.

The Amateur or pro - do the rules change? thread was originally posted on 13 Jul 2002 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.