Tarot readings in public

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 08 Apr 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Kaylee Marie	08 Apr 2005
The "Tarot readings at parties" thread got me thinking. I've never read for the public, but am thinking about getting into the field within the next couple of years. (I've read for a while, for friends and friends' parties.) I've read other threads that talked about working in a coffee shop or bookstore, and I'm wondering about the logistics of these arrangements? Most advice in the tarot at parties thread stressed getting a separate area or room. But if you're reading in a public space, how do you get this much-needed privacy factor? I have connections at several area coffee shops, so could probably read in there but the shops are TINY. Only a few tables, and even in the corner, there is no sense of privacy. People on the other side of the shop can still hear you talking. Does anyone have advice on how to conduct a private reading in a public space? Many thanks, Kaylee

Gwynne	08 Apr 2005
Excellent question! I'm encountering this now in the shop I've started working in. Before I always read in my home, clients home or at parties.... It really depends on the size of the shop. With a small shop, cafe or whatever you're inevitably going to have eavesdroppers. Then again, you'll get that in a large shop as well! I once met with a client at Borders, we sat in two chairs with a table between them at the very back corner of the store, a place where we thought we'd have reasonable privacy. But somehow the Tarot just draws people... and we ended up having a line of people wanting readings.... I'm friends with the manager, so he ok'd it, provided I shared my revenue :lol: The way I handled that was by taking out a notepad, putting times on each line (every 15 minutes... i.e. 1:15, 1:30, 1:45, etc...) and having people sign up. Then they didn't have to wait in line right there, they could go elsewhere and browse and then come back for their reading. That's how I'm doing it in the shop I'm in now. It's a bit larger of a store, but it's in the mall, so some nights are just CRAZY with people. There is a sign up sheet at the front counter, and I read in the back. I have a screen available that I can put up, but it's a catch-22. If I put it up, people might not necessarily notice that I'm back there reading, so they'd leave the store without realizing I they could get a reading... I generally don't put it up and if I find too many people are eavesdropping I'll politely mention the info and sign up sheet at the counter. Usually they are very polite. It's more curiosity that draws them back there, and if they know they can reserve a spot they are more than happy to come back. I'm sure the same would work for a small cafe, though the doing the readings without the world hearing would be a bit tricky. Use as soft a voice as possible, just loud enough for you and the client to hear what you're saying (that's a hard one in bars.... I've read in a bar once... never, ever again...)

The Tarot readings in public thread was originally posted on 08 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.