A henna and a reading, please...

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 06 Aug 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Alissa	06 Aug 2004
Last night, I had a private home appointment for my henna work in town for a local judge - the first time I would be visiting my new hostess in her home, although I worked an event for her last week (where they had a *tarot reader* but I never got a chance to even talk to him, or even see what deck he used... I was so slammin busy that night). She and a friend wanted henna (temporary body art) done, as they were leaving for Vegas today for the weekend. The women were lovely company, and my hostess is a traffic court judge, I came to find out, and her friend was another who worked in the court house. My hostess' SO, who arrived after I had begun painting and sat down to visit for the rest of the evening (but declined getting a henna when the girls pressured him), well, he was a felony court judge! WHOA! The stories they began to tell. Sometimes it's nice to work and be able to converse with the people you're painting, and generally gossip with nice strangers. Let's you slip in their life, kinda, while they talk about their day. They gave me a glass of wine and began to loosen up and enjoy themselves, which starts a nice energy in the room. They talked about how the felony court judge had two guys he sent to jail for 9 years each that day - one was a child molestation charge. (Can you imagine what it does to your world view to see nothing but the *worst* examples of humanity all day, every day???) In the course of the henna, the judge's friend joked to me, before I began her dragonfly design on the top of her hand, that she had "man hands." "Those aren't man hands! Those are fire hands," I said, and quickly told her what that meant and that I read palms. "Ohhh! You should learn Tarot! Have you ever done that?" Alissa smiles and looks into her eyes. "I've done Tarot too." "Do you have any cards with you?" she asks, hopefully. "Always," Alissa replies demurely. "Would you read for me? Oh, get a reading too," she tells her friend, the judge. "I'll pay!" So, after 2 hours of painting, I break out my travel deck, mini Hanson Roberts. I shuffle shuffle shuffle. They remark at one point how well I shuffle, which of course makes me nervous inside in a way I wasn't until they said it. But I didn't dump my deck in their laps, so all was cool. They ask me questions about reading, and ask if some readers only use body clues, and fish for information to try and give a good and/or accurate reading. "Absolutely, some do. You bet. It's not my style, but yes... some do." When I read, I keep my eyes on the cards, and although I don't avoid eye contact, I rarely look up, and often point to the cards as I talk to illustrate what I'm saying or Seeing. I begin to lay out a reading on the subject of love for the judge's friend, using Talisman's Tempest in a Teacup spread. I get to the end, and have no idea how it was, but it felt ok. And I looked up and the judge's friend had that little smile you sometimes see on people at the end of a reading. It's a smile that's more for themselves than it is for you... a satisfied, little smirk smile. :) That was good to see. I knew she got something outta the reading, even if I didn't know exactly what. For the judge, she asked for a relationship reading, with her SO still sitting there with us of course. To say that the SO was a skeptic was an understatement. He kept his arms crossed over his chest and his legs crossed the entire time, while fixing me with this Poker Face from Hell. Must be his "bench face." I laid out another big reading, combining two spreads into one at the spur of the moment. I had to start saying things I didn't want to tell strangers, but Tarot did. That there were some deeply unhappy issues for her (9 swords, rev.). That he would be happy to have a wife who stayed at home, took care of the kids, and was devoted to him (8 swords) - not what I wanted to tell 2 obviously career minded people in a couple. There were more private, personal type issues that came up... but you get the idea. At the end of that reading, again, I had no idea how I did. The judge murmurred, "That was a very good reading," and when I looked up at her, she had turned to look at her SO... and she had this lovely look all over her face.... Her face was soft, and her eyes were filled with love and longing as she reached to hold his hand, still crossed on his chest, as if to say, "See? This is what I'm trying to tell you...." I felt something that needed to get expressed between them had been. And that felt great. To me, as my reader's "paycheck." So I left at the end of the night after making a bit more small talk, packing up and such. I was so *UP* I couldn't sleep last night, and consequently got 4 hours sleep. I feel exhausted, but I just had such a great night, I wanted to come tell my friends here at AT. :D Hope everyone has a great weekend, all over the world....

Pook	06 Aug 2004
That is such a great story!! It is always nice to get that satisfaction od knowing that in some way your reading hit home. And escpecially if the SO was skeptical at first and then realized that some of thier key issues were right there in fromt of you. How exciting for you!! One other thing....is it hard to learn henna tattooing? I had a passing interest a while back, but didn't really have anyting come of it. Then last year, I got into a discussion with a henna artist at a local music festival and she encouraged me to look into it again. I'd love to learn when I have more time, but I dont know if I have a lot of time to devote to it right now.

Alissa	06 Aug 2004
Thanks for your segue, MoonDreameR! ;) For anyone wishing to learn more about the art of henna, I recommend checking out www.hennapage.com for all kinds of information on the art itself, and how to get started, suppliers to buy from, as well as henna books (including one by yours truly). They have a great henna forum at the site as well, and a lot of friendly folks to help answer henna questions along the way. As for "should I try it...?" my answer is YES~! :D Henna is a great way to pick up a form of painting that is user friendly to each artist. You can start with doodles, and work your way up to more sophisticated designs from there, as you begin to train your hand.

Logiatrix	06 Aug 2004
Awesome story, Alissa, thank you for sharing it with us! :D

laura_borealis	06 Aug 2004
Beautiful henna design! I enjoyed your story very much. :)

mercenary30	06 Aug 2004
And yet again Alissa brings the house down!!! Endless talent and wisdom she is........

Sulis	06 Aug 2004
Beautiful design, you are so talented :) Thankyou for sharing that story with us Alissa. Love Sulis xx

lark	06 Aug 2004
Yah! Go Alissa! That story made me feel warm and fuzzy all over. Good for you!

lunakasha	06 Aug 2004
That was a great story, Alissa..... I was paying particularly close attention to the way you interacted with the querents, because I am trying to get mentally prepared for my first real, face-to-face, multiple reading session!!! These are some friends of mine, that I meet with every week.... so it is not as scary as reading for strangers, but I am a bit nervous, hoping I don't freeze up or pull any "scary" cards!!! :eek: One of them is quite "religious" so I am going to try not to freak her out, if you know what I mean, LOL!!! Thanks for sharing this experience....it was very interesting!!! :) Luna

sagitarian	06 Aug 2004
I'm so glad you had such a great experience Alissa! You've inspired me to do henna art. (For those that don't know, Alissa is my r/l flesh and blood big sister)! :D! I love working with it so far, I just wish I had more time on my hands to do it. That's awesome too about the reading! It sounds like a great reading, but a lot of people don't "open up" when their SO is right there in front of it all. I know that smile that you're talking about, I've seen it on hundreds of my own clients in the past. Many more blissful evenings of hennaing and reading to you my sweet sister, Lakshmi has blessed you dearly! I think of you often as you've been more then just a big sister, you've been a human guide for me in my life, a person to really look up to, and I am so happy that we decided to live this life together as sisters! You really do represent the love and calmness inside your heart that I strive to be, as you've softly guided me (in your own ways) into hindu, henna, and brought a better gentler, loving understanding to the cards as well! Such a treasure you are, and I'm so glad I can call you my sister! I love you so much! Love, Your lil sister Sagitarian

jlbvt	06 Aug 2004
Wow, Alissa! What a rush! I had a fun time at my last Garden Club meeting (a local group in a nearby town.) I found out through them that there is a metaphysical-type shop that just opened, and this weekend they will be doing Tarot readings AND henna tatoos there! I want to make it there this weekend, but my schedule may prevent it. If I get around to it, I will post the juicy details. Your story has inspired me. ;) Joan

SongDeva	07 Aug 2004
Loved this, Alissa, thanks for sharing!

Jewel-ry	07 Aug 2004
Alissa, That is such a great story. It obviously gave you a real buzz. Thanks for sharing. :)

Osher	08 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Alissa Hope everyone has a great weekend, all over the world.... Thanks Alissa, and you too. Moreover, thanks for sharing the story, it was lovely.

Alissa	08 Aug 2004
Thank you so much to those who posted your kind words... sometimes I feel all excited and want to share something here, and then when no one responds I end up feeling rather silly.... :| So Thank You~! :D jlbvt, this isn't the first time I've mixed my henna and my readings together either, so I'm not surprised people think of them going together. I don't know why, something about the "Gypsy" mystique I guess... paints people, reads palms, reads cards.... I've often worked my henna booth at public events and, if the event is right, I offer palm readings as well. I've found that in the years since I began offering palm readings *and* henna at my booth, I can just about double my profits for a day. I've only brought my Tarot to a henna event once, and that was when I was expressly asked to by the event organizer. Two years ago (I think it was two years ago, maybe three) I was working a 2-day belly dancing event, where no one wanted henna. But EVERYONE wanted palm readings. And when the palm readings went whacky-busy the first day, several satisfied customers came back and asked if I "did anything else." "I read Tarot," I tentatively offered. At this point, I was *not* reading Tarot for the public at large, only for myself and close friends and/or family. "Bring THEM!" the organizer insisted! So I did, and made good money in what would have been a financial bust (if I had only offered henna, I would have lost money on the event, due to the vending fees). Come to think of it, I brought my henna and Tarot together for the SACT project (Ace and 10 of Pentacles) too. I learned a lesson from my henna practice that I apply to Tarot though... after the readings, my judge and friend were telling me, "You should really call Borders or one of those places, get a job reading." "Oh no, I'm not interested in that," I reply immediately. When I began henna, I was passionate about it. So passionate, I marketed myself like freakin MAD and then booked myself to the MAX... and consequently got completely burnt out in less than a year's time. What I used to do for joy and happiness became.. just a job. What you once loved to do becomes what you *have* to do. I painted people because I *had*to, and lost the joy. I won't do that to Tarot. I refuse to. It's too special to me.

The A henna and a reading, please... thread was originally posted on 06 Aug 2004 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.