Novice needs advice

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 23 Oct 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

dangerdork	23 Oct 2002
I'm an artist who has been a student and fan of the tarot for many years. I'm most interested in the tarot for its artistic and symbolic traditions, and have studied many of its more esoteric traditions further my understanding. I have used the tarot as a meditative tool for 15 years, and began reading occasionally for friends perhaps 5 years ago. On a few occasions in the past couple of years I have read for strangers... all as background research. My primary relationship with the tarot is as an artist, and I have in fact finally started my own deck. I don't claim to have any psychic ability, but I do have good intuitions and I feel a firm grasp on the subtleties of interpretation of the cards. My question: I have volunteered to perform readings in a carnival setting at a fundraiser for a local theater company. Does anyone have any tips or advice for a "novice fortuneteller" ? (I know that "fortune telling" is NOT an appropriate description of serious use of the tarot, but that's how it's billed. This event is in the spirit of fun, but I still feel that a reader has a serious responsibility toward anyone who consults the tarot, even in this type of setting.)

fairyhedgehog	23 Oct 2002
Hi dangerdork, Pleased to meet you and welcome to aeclectic :) I'm interested in tarot art too, and you'll find like-minded people who make their own decks on one of the other sections of these forums. I can't answer your question from personal experience, but there have been threads on this before, and I'm sure others here will be able to add to this: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8111 http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7734 Btw, there are people here who see tarot from every point of view: divination, meditation, collection, etc. We don't all agree about how seriously to take tarot either, but we all agree to respect each other all the same :) Hope it goes well for you at the fundraiser and that you'll let us all know what happens.

dangerdork	23 Oct 2002
Thanks fairyhedgehog! The advice from MeeWah on one of those posts was just the type of thing I was looking for - how many decks to take, candles/incense, etc. Perfect! I won't exactly call myself a pro - my instincts tell me that accepting money for readings will somehow diminish my primary perspective as an artist... is that an unusual outlook? However, being comfortable reading for strangers, one after another, in this setting made me realize I have come far enough in my journey as a student of the cards to begin my lifelong goal of creating a deck. I'll definitely be spending time here discussing those types of things. I'm also a collector, I have about 40 decks. Oh yes! Could anyone offer comments on whether I should try to learn a few new spreads (this seems like a great opportunity to try some out), or just stick with the few I know?

faunabay	23 Oct 2002
dangerdork, First of all I have to say I LOVE your name! LOL Anyway :) it sounds like you easily know enough to try other spreads. There are always new spreads being posted here. check them out. But then sometimes I just make one up! :D I decide before hand which cards will mean what, then go for it. It's fun!! :D And if you are going to begin making your own deck, check out the deck creation section! There are quite a few people making decks and they help each other out - give support and advice! A word of warning though -- you said you're a collector of decks ?? You will buy MANY, MANY more after finding this site!! We egg each other on to buy more and more and more decks!!!! And just being on the forum you are exposed to quite a few decks you'd never even have heard of before! Soooooo just get your credit card ready!!!! ROFL

fairyhedgehog	23 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by dangerdork The advice from MeeWah on one of those posts was just the type of thing I was looking for - how many decks to take, candles/incense, etc. Perfect! Glad it was of help to you :)

meatbox666	23 Oct 2002
Agrees with Meewah. You have to convince people you know what you are talking about. Make sure you have incense, and candles. Try to get black and red candles, if not white will do. Have a lot of candles. Buy the ones enclosed in glass, especially the ones with Jesus picture and all the Marys you can find,lol and Saint Babera and Saint Christopher, anything with saint in it. Get Coconuts and fruit for your offering on your altar that youll have set up. LOL, convince these people you are whats happening!! You must become a very good actor and during some of your readings have an accent. LOL, tell the querents that you are channeling the spirit of a dead person who has come into the space to give instructions. Dont forget to fall out of your chair and breath heavily to convince them that the energy over took you and light a candle to convince them. (lol, you may end up doing so and will not be able to tell the difference of playing around or becomming serious). Do not forget your pentagram and if not pentagrams some Holy Seals. LOL, and make some for your querents to sleep under their pillow and to place under candles. Seals are easy to make. Examples are the Kameas like the seal of mars , mercury etc.............. Man, there is so much you can do. LOL, put some olive oil in a oil bottle and when the querent sits down ,lol, anoint her forhead using the solar cross and say in the name of the father the son and the Holy Ghost. Please do not forget to have your Bible ( wether you believe in the bible or not still have it there) LOL, keep it turned to Psalms 21 and read it aloud after annoiting their forheads. Read any Psalm to Them. LOL, tell them God is with them. LOL, Man, You must keep me updated to what happens. Boy oh boy , you can have a freaking T.V show with endless possibilities.

dangerdork	23 Oct 2002
Meatbox, you're going to LOVE my stage name: " The Inscrutable Charles LaTanne." I bought a turban and everything. And I already have a crystal ball... Now whats this about Seals? (Remember, I'm just a dumb artist play acting here)

meatbox666	23 Oct 2002
WHOA!! Well, If you don't know and there may not be time to do research...LOL. MAKE THEM UP!! Tell the people it is ancient Arabic or some language with planets on it. make up names for magicians and old psychic. Make it up.

dangerdork	23 Oct 2002
Well I guess we've just covered the entire spectrum of seriousness to skepticism. This is a "fun" event, there's definitely a sense of play happening, but i think that anybody who asks for a reading is going to take it at least 1% seriously. And any reader who has a long term relationship with the tarot has a responsibility to report accurately on what the cards actually say. Cuz I may not be a psychic, I may be a skeptic, I may even be a bit of a clown... but the cards DO work. Comments anyone? How do you mix a sense of play with a respect for the traditions of the tarot?

meatbox666	23 Oct 2002
I believe the cards work. I use them. I am dramatic also. So i use candles and incense also. The candles and incense have nothing to do with the way the cards work but this makes other people believe more strongly. Thats all. I am not taking credit away from the tarot.

dangerdork	23 Oct 2002
I'm with you on that. And the nature of the event is, it's a fundraiser for a theater company - a theater which specializes in comedy and rock music. So the more flamboyant and edgy, the better. But I also need to show people somehow that I'm NOT making it all up, this is REALLY what the cards DO say.

meatbox666	23 Oct 2002
Then you must have your Bible and figures of Jesus and St. Mary. And Rosary beads. If it is a pagan fundraiser then convince the pagans using goddess symbols and dream catchers. Have crystals and that meditation music playing.

fairyhedgehog	24 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by dangerdork But I also need to show people somehow that I'm NOT making it all up, this is REALLY what the cards DO say. Why? Surely people will take away from it whatever they want to take away from it. Some people may feel that the cards were uncannily accurate, others may dismiss them and see it all as just fun. But that is up to them: if you do your best reading you have to leave the rest to them. (I've never done a public reading, so feel free to take this with a pinch of salt :) )

Kiama	24 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by dangerdork Comments anyone? How do you mix a sense of play with a respect for the traditions of the tarot? For me, everything in life is open to a bit of fun and laughter. My motto is, You either Laugh, or you Cry. I know which I would prefer to do, and you'll often find me down the pub with some very drunk friends, not much more sober myself, giving people readings. I find that when people jokingly make comments about the pictures in the cards, they often hit upon a whole new meaning for that card, which actually helps the reading progress a bit more... Humour is a wonderufl tool, especially when you're doing a Tart reading and suddenly some deranged fundie starts ranting at you about how what you're doing is evil. It's much easier to get them to go away if you take it all with humour, instead of taking everything seriously. Kiama

dangerdork	24 Oct 2002
You two are both right of course. It should be about fun, especially for this occasion. I DO like teaching people about the tarot though, there are always those who are intrigued and want to know more about the history, about the symbolism, etc. Sometimes it's hard to guess (not being a psychic) how seriously the client TAKES having a reading. The first time I did a "public" reading was last Halloween in a situation much like Kiama described - I was doing a reading in a pub for a friend, then a stranger walked up and asked me to read for her, and the next thing I knew there was a line and I did readings for strangers all night. (The owner asked me to come back THIS Halloween too!) But I do think no matter how much fun it is, you always have a responsibility too. I will never forget the first reading I did for a stranger. She was a co-worker of a friend of mine, and we met at the mutual friend's house. We only chatted and socialized for a short time before getting down to the reading, and she wouldn't tell me what her question was. The cards were everything you DON'T want to see - the first card was the three of swords, the nine and ten of swords showed up later, the five of pentacles, the Devil... I don't remember the whole spread exactly, but it was a nightmare. About halfway through, I said, "You're going through a rough time right now, aren't you?" and the girl started sobbing. Her boyfriend (father of her child) had just left her after several years, moved out, stolen lots of money from her in the process, etc. Earlier that same week. She felt she was in jeopardy of losing her job and thus her apartment, custody of her child... it was a bad situation. And the cards reflected it. The point is, YOU NEVER KNOW when reading for a stranger when you'll hear a story like this, when the cards will say something like this. Happened to me the very first time. And you have a responsibility to those people to come up with a silver lining, to look for a word of encouragement, to help them see that they have the power to make their own lives better, whatever adversity they may face. So that's what I meant about balancing having fun with being serious. Reading tarot is lots of fun, but we all have our problems, every one of us. And sometimes, in fact more often than not, those strangers' problems are going to come out when they seek to have their cards read. Laughter IS the best medicine, and sometimes you are reminded that some people NEED medicine.

fairyhedgehog	24 Oct 2002
Good grief, dangerdork, what an introduction to public reading. It makes me realise I really need to know what I'm doing before I even begin to read for friends.

dangerdork	24 Oct 2002
fairyhedgehog - I had been reading for friends for a couple years or longer before I tried reading for a stranger. Friends are those who confide their hopes and dreams already, and friends are those who humor you if you consult the little white book. Friends are those whose lives you understand already - and sometimes you can see things in the cards that you already understand about their lives, that they wouldn't think to mention to you themselves. Friends are those with whom you can have fun, console during the hard times, encourage and celebrate their joys and accomplishments. BY ALL MEANS read for your friends. You need the practice before you ever read for strangers :) It's a great way to become even closer to your friends, and to better understnd their spirit and character.

DarkElectric	24 Oct 2002
Hi Dangerdork! My advice...the big straw hat with fake plastic fruit all over it! Dress goofy, have fun, but give good readings too. The readings will speak for themselves. People will come, see an outlandish looking person in outrageous attire, get a reading, and it will be a good one. So, they get the show, and the good reading, and they have fun, which is the most important thing. And remember, if you occaision to read in pubs, and end up with a queue, MAKE SURE YOU CHARGE! That's entertainment

fairyhedgehog	25 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by dangerdork BY ALL MEANS read for your friends Thank you for your encouragement, dangerdork, I think you're right. Now all I have to do is find friends who will let me read for them :)

dangerdork	25 Oct 2002
Quote: People will come, see an outlandish looking person in outrageous attire, get a reading, and it will be a good one. So, they get the show, and the good reading, and they have fun, which is the most important thing. Good advice, DarkElectric, sounds like how I will play it. The event is tonight, I'll let y'all know how it goes :) I HAVE to share this though, I just came up with an addition to my costume (all black suit and turtleneck with a black turban) which I thought was pretty funny. I'm going to wear sunglasses! What's so funny, you ask? Why would you wear sunglasses? Indoors, in October, at night? Well, because the future is so bright...

MeeWah	25 Oct 2002
Dangerdork: Ye might want to make sure that there is some element of privacy between ye & your querent. Your querent will appreciate it. I shall never forget the first reading party I did for the parents of a friend. I was 17, & up to then I had only read for friends or friends of friends. This was a large group of middle-aged strangers. One of the querents was a woman who had her young daughter with her. The cards told me her husband was cheating on her & planning to leave her. It was very difficult to express this tactfully with a group of onlookers, all avidly listening!

dangerdork	25 Oct 2002
Thank you for the input, MeeWah. I believe I will be in a curtained booth. I called this a "Public" reading in the sense that strangers will be queued up for readings and I will be performing "in character..." I'm leaving soon, the event is tonight! Wish me luck!

MeeWah	25 Oct 2002
Dangerdork: Break a leg :D I am sure ye will be a hit!

The Novice needs advice thread was originally posted on 23 Oct 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.