Do You Read for Other Readers?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 28 Aug 2001, and now archived in the Forum Library.

WaterQueene	28 Aug 2001
Good morning all: I have a question. Are you willing to do readings for other readers? I spend all day Saturday reading at a New Age store and if we are not busy, we sometimes exchange readings. However, I have stopped allowing anyone to read me because, quite frankly, I think I am more accurate when I read for myself. I am willing to read for others. But recently I have noted that some of my colleagues will get readings from EVERYONE. Doesn't that seem like overkill and, um, a little dysfunctional? I am about to cut one other reader in particular off; I feel that she is far too dependent on what other readers tell her. It just seems strange to me because in my experience, the Tarot makes you wiser, more freethinking, better equipped to make informed decisions ... not dependent or helpless. What are your thoughts? Have a great day- K in Boston, MA

StarShine	28 Aug 2001
For the most part, I am pretty accurate when I read for myself. I have noticed that while I can read for myself for daily readings or to find out how to deal with a situation/person, I tend to fall short when there is something that I need to own up to in my own life or when the question concerns only me. I guess if I am too close to the situation I miss major points. I find that it helps to have another reader read for me. A person who is removed can offer a different perspective and pick up on things that I miss or don't want to see. There are also times when we sit and read for each other just to practice and learn from each other. A lot of my friends who are readers are affluent in areas other than Tarot. It is cool actually. We each have a different primary divination method. One does pendulum, another does candle readings and another does color readings (These are WAY COOL). We often pool our knowledge to come up with a viable solution. You say that there is one reader who relies too heavily on what the cards or what other readers say. I agree that perhaps you should cut her off. Seems to me that there is a problem waiting to happen. If she is making decisions based on what others tell her and not on her own, to me that is just lazy. I view the Cards as guidance not the final word. I just have this feeling that a person like this would do what the reader tells her, and then get angry or start slandering the reader when things do not go her way. I don't know how close you are to this person. Have you thought about talking to her about your concerns?

Rhiannon	28 Aug 2001
The only experience I have with reading for other readers is on this forum. I don't know any personally. And I have loved all of my experiences here. :) As far as reading for myself I do fine as long as I don't ask a specific question. If it's soul searching stuff I get the message... if it's "how will such-and-such turn out" I get all confused with the cards sometimes. Garbled. I do have one woman I was reading for who would sort of take advantage of it. She was always asking for a reading but then not taking the advice seriously at all. I'm not saying she should take it as absolute concrete fact... but at least don't treat it like a game, you know? I won't read for her anymore. Rhiannon :)

MeeWah	28 Aug 2001
I've read for other readers where occasionally we exchange readings; however, I do not always want a reading in return besides the occasional reading done by myself as I use daily card(s). I've come across readers & non-readers alike who seem to want readings from every source possible. That strikes me as "overkill" & "dysfunctional" as well as obssessive. The purpose of a reading is to gain understanding, insight &/or guidance. I can see getting a second opinion; but getting a multiple readings seems excessive. If one spends so much time getting readings, one is not working with any material obtained. & there is little or no time left to permit a reading to work itself out!! At a local psychic faire, I was asked to swap readings by a few of the participants. I accepted from one participant. While willing to read for others I declined the offers as I didn't feel the need & wanted to retain a focus on reading for others.

faunabay	29 Aug 2001
I have a friend who also uses tarot and other types of divination tools. She likes to have me do readings for her, but she always seems to get more out of the cards than I do. I haven't asked yet but wonder why she wants me to read for her when she seems to do better reading for herself. Sometimes it seems like she's testing me, but I never get that feeling in any other setting. And she does quite often ask my opinion on things. Probably is my own insecurities coming through.

tarotbear	02 Sep 2001
To tell the truth, I no longer do readings for myself except in extreme emergencies .{Room falls back on their butts in total disbelief}. ??? ??? Yes, we all probably learned to read cards by reading and experimenting on ourselves, but I felt as I progressed that I cannot stay objective about myself. It's like I said in the post about pendulums -- I can make the damn thing move at will -- I also feel that I can influenece the cards to give me an answer, whether it's the right one or not. So, to protect myself and my sanity... I don't do readings for myself. ( the card a day does not count).

Demon Goddess	02 Sep 2001
This is my very first post to this board... So, hello to everyone. I just finished a reading for a friend who is also a reader, a very powerful reading I might add. We like to discuss the imagery that we get in the cards. It seems to me that sometimes, she'll see things I missed and/or I'll see things she's missed. I think that's what's useful in having another reader look for you. Someone asked about having a more experienced reader than herself ask her to read. I got this feeling when I read that post that the poster has a powerful feeling about her... I think perhaps the more experienced reader feels that too? Sorry, Someone said they "hear" the cards, I feel them...

jade	03 Sep 2001
personally i feel that if you use any tool too much, whether it's the tarot, pendulums etc. then you begin to get inaccurate information. it's (IMO) your guides way of saying "think for yourself god damn it!!!" i read for many people but i never read for them until whatever i said would happen in the first reading is finished. that's what i tell them when they come the first time and that's how many of the 'know' that it's time for another reading. my readings really talk about whatever is most important to their souls, so sometimes they feel that their job needs to be discussed but the cards want to talk about that last boyfriend and how it ended and what they need to resolve. once they finish dealing with it, or living it, then i'll read for them again. :-) some people can really get addicted to this stuff though, it's important for us, as readers to remind them that life is for living! (kinda like responsible bartenders!) in light, love, and happyhappyjoyjoy jade

Kimon	03 Sep 2001
Hello, many of the people I do readings for deal with tarot themselves. They or want to have confirmed what they saw, or are not sure about whether it was right what they saw. As to myself, I looked a lot in the cards when I started doing tarot, but today I dont look anything up for myself. This because I got much more confident in life and my ability to deal with it, so I dont like to ask the little questions; and for the big questions I dont trust myself because of the lack of distance from myself to myself. Greetings, Kimon PS: Jade, loved the responsible bartenders! Demon Goddess, I also feel and never hear the cards.

Maur	05 Sep 2001
Hi! Been a while since I posted. I do readings for other readers on the net. I belong to a tarot trade group. I enjoy getting a reading from another reader, because a lot of times, I'm too close to the situation, and alot of times I get a big a-ha! They are right! That is a problem spot. Thanks.

Suriel	22 Apr 2004
i do read for other readers sometimes.... but maybe because i'm still a beginner(or my energy is not enough?!)... i'll get really sleepy after reading for others... in the worst situation, i'll get dizzy after only one reading for others... but now i'm getting better....so now i can at least do four of five readings for others without getting sleepy... P/S: i still can't really understand....why am i getting sleepy after doing a reading?

closrapexa	22 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Lswern i do read for other readers P/S: i still can't really understand....why am i getting sleepy after doing a reading? Reading is tiring in many cases. If you look at it from a "mystic" point of view, it is an exchange of energy, the querent is giving you him/herself and you are giving them yourself. Such an exchange is often draining, but in a good way. If look at it from a physical point, you are in essence working. Reading is not a normal conversation between friends; you are using you intuition, your voice and your concentration level is at its highest. In time you'll get used to it, and learn ways to make the readings less draining. As for reading for other reades or myself, I rarely read for myself, because I find that then I don't verbalise my findings, I just look at the cards and "get" what they are telling me in a much more superficial way, because i don't really organise my thoughts in the same way I would when reading for other. Hence, I prefer to have people read for me. However, I've picked up the habit of seeing the cards myself, and in addition to what the reader tells me, I pick up on additional things that he/she can't see because they are not me. There is a certain advantage to being a Tarot reader and have somebody read for you. In one reading, the person tells you your blindspots that you wouldn't see yourself and see things that the reader doesn't see or can't. That way the reading is twice as accurate!!

WalesWoman	27 Apr 2004
The truth is I have never done a reading for anyone who wasn't already a reader! It's been great, I love it and one of these days I may actually read for someone but I haven't exactly made if known I read at all. I'm thinking I may just try to do a booth this summer, combo art and Tarot, maybe next to the lady with all the cool tie dyes and the other one with neat jewelery at the Prince of Wales Island Logging Show and Fair. By the end of July, it will have been over a year since I started this and if I don't get burnt at the stake by all the religious types, it ought to be a lot of fun.

September Pixie	27 Apr 2004
It's a good idea to do some sort of physical activity after a tarot reading.. Do you psychically ground/shield yourself before a reading? You might look into that and see if it helps.. any kind of energy exchange can leave you exhausted and drained if you don't care for yourself properly.. not that there is an improper way.. just if being tired isn't the desired outcome.. ground yourself and then when your finished, do something active after a reading and then see if you feel any different. I read for just about any one who asks.. I give to the best of my ability and when I feel I am finished, they can either add to it or take what I said and apply it where it fits and hopefully I have given them something they were seeking.. :) I would cut off anyone who seemed too 'dependant' on my readings.. or who was emotionally unstable. Just listen to your intuition and you won't go wrong.

DesertHowler	28 Apr 2004
I found, when I read for other readers, they sometimes want to do the reading themselves. Some can get downright argumentative about what I see in the cards. One solution I use is being very selective about who I read for. The other is using the Osho Zen deck which most readers aren't familiar with. There are very few readers I'm comfortable with exchanging readings but this is my personal experience. DesertHowler

Simone	29 Apr 2004
I have had a bad experience reading for a person, using the same cards as I do, two days ago. She called me, obviously in a cranky (very cranky) mood and wanted me to pull a card for her. I pulled the Magician and started to tell her of my thoughts, but she interrupted me saying, yes, I know all this, pull another one! I said no, unless you listen to me... she promised, I pulled another one, and as soon as she heard which one it was, she again interrupted me, same story. I got a bit angry, and this kind of stories make that I do not like very much reading for other readers, except whan I use cards they don't. She obviously didn't want to hear what I had to say, she only wanted to interpret them herself. But, on the other hand, in the reading exchanges I have made very nice experiences, I liked them all! Love Simone

The Do You Read for Other Readers? thread was originally posted on 28 Aug 2001 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.