It's been a while.....

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 14 Apr 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

elysgrl	14 Apr 2005
Hi everybody-- Just wanted to re-introduce myself, since it's been a while since I was here. I fell in love with the tarot back in October of last year, and I've never looked back. I now have 7 decks: Robin Wood (my favorite for reading for myself), Gilded (my favorite for reading for others), Hanson-Roberts, Castelli Art Nouveau (not crazy about that one), Gendron, Housewives, and my newest one, the non-traditional Dreaming in Color. I seem to be in a kind of a snowballing flurry of reading for others. I work as a waitress/bartender and one day several months ago, one of my customers saw me playing with my deck and asked for a reading. I warned him that I was a rank amateur, but he volunteered to be a guinea pig anyway. Well, his reading was right on the nose, so of course his friend wanted one, and so on and so forth..... Last night, I read for a customer and four co-workers (always with the caveat that I'm learning) but people are always impressed, even when I'm not so impressed with myself. I still get stuck at times and kind of speculate out loud with my querent about the possible meaning of a certain card. Now the customer I read for last night wants to bring in friends and have me read for them. He says I should start charging, but I am IN NO WAY ready for that. It's my goal for someday, when I'm more confident and conversant with the subtleties of the cards, but I have quite a ways to go yet. The thing is, I'm starting to get known as "the tarot reader" and more and more people are asking me. People know I always have a deck with me. I realize that this is the best practice I could possibly get but I wonder if this could backfire on me. Last night two of the readings were negative and I could tell my querents were disappointed. I'm still developing a reading style, and I'm sure I could be smoother and have a better way of relating what I see. Plus I'm usually waiting on customers at the same time, which doesn't make for the best level of concentration! Has this ever happened to anyone? Kind of being thrust into the public eye without quite being ready for it? Should I keep this up and see where it leads, or should I start "forgetting" my cards, or what? (Hmmmm, maybe I should ask the cards about this........) Thanks in advance for any and all advice! Blessings, Denise

satinangel	14 Apr 2005
Hello and welcome back! We seem to have a couple of things in common! Favorite (well, my only) decks and when we started with our study! Sounds like you are having fun with your readings...I started a thread last week and found some EXCELLENT advice... http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=40122 Hope you find this helpful!

Fairawen	16 Apr 2005
Hey elys! Welcome back! I haven't been here long myself, but am trying to be active in this wondeful community! The only way I can tell that I'm active is because people are already starting to get sick of me... :P Seriously though, welcome back, and I hope you have as much dang fun as I have here at AT! ~Fairawen~

gollog	16 Apr 2005
Hi Elys, I'd say, if you enjoy doing these readings and people are interested then just go for it! You could also consider asking people to donate an amount they find appropriate after the reading, whatever it was worth to them. I think that way you would be able to earn a little extra income, but you don't have to feel bad for taking money of people doing something you feel you are not enough skilled in yet. all the best!

The It's been a while..... thread was originally posted on 14 Apr 2005 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.