Readings in person vs. internet

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 26 Sep 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Mystica	26 Sep 2002
I'd like to hear some opinions on readings done over the internet. I have had a couple readings done, and they were both really good. But I'm not real confident that I could do a good reading for someone over the internet. Several people that I read for in person have asked me what I think of internet readings. What do you day to these people? I do believe that distance readings can be really powerful and insightful, but I don't know how to explain this to others that I have just read for in person... Vianne

Laurel	26 Sep 2002
Nothing beats the intimacy of personal contact. 'Net life is groovy, and I'm personally guilty of using it as the core of most of my interpersonal relationships since '97 onwards. But contact through the "filter" of the Internet losing a little of its vivaciousness, its impact, its depth. Face-to-face encounters have a lot of nuances (good and bad) that the Internet just can't compensate for. All of this is true in both love affairs and tarot readings :) Some people probably find it easier to read via the Internet; others prefer direct contact. Laurel

Alissa	26 Sep 2002
I'm right now trying to figure out my own version of this question, whether I can read for someone who isn't present, and whom I know only through the net. I've always read for someone sitting with me in the past, but recently I'm trying to see if the connection can be made, even when the redee isn't present. (My thanks to my recent readees who took me up on the challenge at the Reading Exchange!) True, you gain more in person. You can feel their energy better I think, it's more immediate. But so far I'm about 5 outta 6 on good remote readings. For me, it feels like the connection to the issue and the Cards remains the same. I believe I'm still tuning in interiorly the same to the querent and question. But it does feel a lot more like working in a vacuum. Perhaps that's a good thing, since I'm empathic and usually "color" my responses to what I'm sensing as well. I guess there are pros and cons to *not* being face to face. I look forward to reading more responses on this issue.

WhiteDrag0n	26 Sep 2002
Like Laruel said. Nothing is better than a face to face, imo I dont see anything wrong with doin them online. Infact I do them online a lot (I live in the boonies so its hard to see friends). Anothering I dont have to have t readiee there to do a reading for them. Its the intent behind the reading for the connection to happen.

Major Tom	26 Sep 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Laurel Nothing beats the intimacy of personal contact. Some people probably find it easier to read via the Internet; others prefer direct contact. Laurel Thank God for personal contact! I love my girlfriend and miss her when she's away... I find it's more difficult on the internet - you have to concentrate harded - I think establishing a ritual helps me focus... As Laurel says - Whatever works for you really...

MeeWah	26 Sep 2002
I do readings in person, at a distance & via the internet. Of those, I find it to be easier to do readings without the physical presence of the client. Less distracting. Some clients have had readings in-person & at a distance & found the results to be about the same.

catlin	27 Sep 2002
I don't use the internet for readings as I have no computer at home but I do face-to-face readings and sometimes long distance readings by phone but I prefer face-to-face readings.

Umbrae	27 Sep 2002
It makes no difference on the quality of the reading, to be near or far. However, the reading itself will be influenced by body language, physical queues, and styles (I may read the person, into the reading) when reading close. I detest reading for friends and family, because I tend to edit – I know them too well, and listen to the left-brain during the reading. I prefer readings for folks who I do not know, or who are far away. There is less psychological editing during the reading. The result is far more pure.

VmprGokuboi69	02 Oct 2002
I very rarely do readings for other people.. and I haven't done any online yet... I just have this fear I might be wrong... even though when I read in person... im usually dead on with most of the cards.... but I still have the fear of being wrong...

Alex	02 Oct 2002
we can tell from little personal contact. When I read for people, I have the impression I'm just reading *them*. But that might be because I don't have much experience reading cards: my primary source of information is whatever I can gather from the individual and the situation being described to me. Even over the Internet, we can tell things about people by the way they word their questions etc. I'm not even sure that being in person is more informative in all occasions. Some people's presences disturb me to a point I cannot come up with a meaningful thing to say. People tire me out as a rule. If I had to make a living out of reading, having people coming in for consultation I would not make it the first month. What is important informationwise is not to have lots of information. It is important to have the *necessary* information to deal with an issue/problem and that is sometimes very little. Something you can get through the net or phone. Sometimes

Trogon	04 Oct 2002
Hi Vianne... I have been doing both in-person readings and readings over the internet. I have not tried a reading over the phone yet, but would imagine it would work just as well. I have not noticed much difference in my "accuracy" with in-person vs. internet readings. One thing I've noticed is that I actually feel a little more comfortable with the internet reading as I still occasionally need to refer to a book or cheat-sheet. Over the 'net you have the choice to let them know or not that you're referring to a book. My internet readings have been for people that I have known for at least a little while. These are people who I have met in game "rooms" on a particular game web site. Usually, when one of them wants a reading (one has become a rather steady customer) we go to a chess table which I can set up as private so that no one else can listen in on the reading unless the querrent wants them too (no strangers popping in and eavesdropping). I have also used Yahoo messenger a couple of times. During these readings I usually get just as much verbal feedback as I would in a face-to-face reading. The only drawback is that it can take a bit longer as you're typing and that is slower than speaking. You also have to be more careful in how you say things when you're typing, you don't have the body language and other non-verbal clues for the querrent to pick up on. Still, if you always keep their feelings in mind and pick your words carefully, you should do just fine.

DeLani	07 Oct 2002
I've only done one long-distance reading, and it was for my old teacher who lives very far away. I only felt I could try that because I knew her so well, and I used a deck (Thoth) that we were both very familiar with. I did the reading, then mailed it to her in a letter. I don't think I could do readings over the phone or net, because I do put a lot of the querent into the reading. Sensing their aura, seeing their body language, is all a part of intuition and making the reading accurate. Besides, when I do readings, I don't let the querent tell me *anything* before the spread. Not the question, nothing. After *they* shuffle the cards, I lay them out and just go to it. Everyone always says I'm accurate, even though I had no idea what the question was. This also helps to keep my own biases out of the reading. Now, I don't have anything against on-line or phone readings, but I've never had one so I don't know how accurate they are.

Mystica	08 Oct 2002
Thanks everyone, for all of your responses so far, it's great hearing all your opinions! As I mentioned, my experience has been reading for friends and family in person. I'm not a real outgoing person, so I think the face to face presence of a querant that I'm not aquainted with could cause nervousness to effect the reading. I'm looking forward to trying out the reading exchange when I have enough posts to participate. Light, Love, & Laughter, Vianne

The Readings in person vs. internet thread was originally posted on 26 Sep 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.