Question regarding card readers

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 04 Apr 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

danieru_X	04 Apr 2005
Hello all, im a fellow card reader and i just wanted to ask if its unusual for a male to do card readings. As i dont know of any and i dont know if people see it as weird, although it may be a good change who knows, whats your opinon. Thx Daniel

similia	04 Apr 2005
We blokes are in the minority Daniel, but I think we are acceptable :D I read tarot cards, and do it in a suit :eek: (usually). I see your in QLD. If your in Brisbane you should come to the tarot cafe. http://members.ozemail.com.au/%7Eenjoys/timeout4tarot/ Its a bunch of fun/learning and sometime there are as many as 4 men there at one time :eek: LOL (of course usually also 20 women...) Welcome to AT :)

danieru_X	04 Apr 2005
thx mate, yeh ive seen that site in my research. Thx but its a little outta the way lol, i mite pop in one day tho. im glad im not the only one lol!

similia	04 Apr 2005
Yeah, its a bit out of my way too actually. But worth the trip. (Of course I live on the other side of the city, not the other side of the state) It would be a lot closer if I wasn't directionally challenged. LOL

Elven	04 Apr 2005
If I want a reading done I travel to a guy in Bondi in Sydney who is great. He's a very gifted reader. He has been reading for me for over 10 years. I havent thought much about gender and readings. I have also done quite a few psychic fairs and although outnumbered 10 to 1, yes there are males reading - personally, I like the mix - wish there was more of it. Elven x

psychic sue	04 Apr 2005
Ha ha ha ha I am laughing at my own ignorance and stupidity. Similia, I thought you were a lady. I'm so sorry ! I wish more men would take it up. My son has shown a little interest and done a couple of readings. Sue :)

similia	04 Apr 2005
Not to worry Psychic Sue. Your not the first here, and you won't be the last. (notice my new tag line ;) ) danieru_X has a very valid point on the dominance of ladies in modern tarot. The law of averages was on your side :) There are some amusing threads on my gender around the place actually... I hestitate to write the search words that will take you straight to them })

Fudugazi	04 Apr 2005
I was introduced to Tarot by my then boyfriend - who was most definitely male })! He was a good reader. Similia - I made the same mistake :)

lunascorpio	04 Apr 2005
I'd never think it's weird. After all, sensitivity, or should I say, intuition isn't a only-girls gift. Is it? Hugs, Luna.

Flavio	04 Apr 2005
lunascorpio wrote: I'd never think it's weird. After all, sensitivity, or should I say, intuition isn't a only-girls gift. Isn't it? I hope so :) I think the female gender is more intuitive by nature so it give us guys a little bit of extra job to give good readings... I have previously addressed the forum about how men can develop intuition [thread=33505]here[/thread] I hope everyone finds it useful.

Reed	04 Apr 2005
Hello all, im a fellow card reader and i just wanted to ask if its unusual for a male to do card readings. As i dont know of any and i dont know if people see it as weird, although it may be a good change who knows, whats your opinon. Thx Daniel Hi Daniel I prefer male card readers (I'm female). It's something about the male energy-- Reed

tarotbear	04 Apr 2005
Not only do we men read cards - some of us even write books about it! LOL!!!!!

Thirteen	04 Apr 2005
danieru_X wrote: i just wanted to ask if its unusual for a male to do card readings. Not unusual at all--considering that two of the three major decks were created by Men (with female artists): Rider-Waite and Thoth. I actually think the smaller ratio of male to female readers is more due to the fact that it's harder for a guy to say to guy friends, "I read tarot cards," then it is for a girl to say to girl friends, "I read tarot." The girl says it and her female friends all want readings. The guy says it and his friends look at him funny and shift the conversation to sports. Of course, later, they'll come up to him one by one and murmur under their breath, "Dude, could you do a reading for me? Don't tell the other guys I asked!" :D There's far more pressure on guys to be "guy-like," to be part of the pragmatic, rational world and not do "silly" stuff like card reading or crystal gazing...that's "girly" foolishness, right? I mean, how many of us have had that experience of the girl dragging her skeptical boyfriend in for a reading? Guys feel they have to poo-poo this stuff, or their friends will mock them. And tv/movies play this up. The card readers are almost always female on television or in movies. I think the X-Files was popular because it turned the sterotypes upside-down by having a skeptical female and a "believing" male. So no surprise that the male-to-female ratio is lopsided. Poor guys have few role models and very little support.

shadowdancer	04 Apr 2005
I have to say that out of the 5 readers I have had readings with, (before I learned to read myself I hasten to add) 4 were guys! And I have to say that they were all better than the woman who read the cards for me. I was taught by a guy also. This has been discussed elsewhere today, but he was an absolute star. In that respect I have no real bias or thoughts as to who would have better intuition etc. Now it is mentioned though, I guess guys are in the minority in this are, but it is the same for crystal healing and such like. I am a practitioner in that form of therapy and only had one guy on my course. Of the courses I have taught since, I have only had one male student. Suffice to say he was the best student I have ever had. I am sure this is something that could be discussed until the cows come home, with many views and theories. As for my views, I think it is a shame that there are not more men involved in this way of life or being. My experiences have shown they offer so much. Shame really. Davina

HudsonGray	04 Apr 2005
The last psychic fair I went to had 3 men and 5 women doing card readings. My significant other reads, so does one of the men in the tarot meet-up group, and at Bastille Days celebration in the tarot tent they had 2 boys, two adult men and 3 women reading. I don't think it's unusual at all!

danieru_X	10 Apr 2005
thanks for the support fellow readers! Ill be sure to keep practicing so dont worry, btw im only 18 so i have alot to learn, but ive been interested in this kidna stuff for a very long time. As a young kid i had weird psychic "abilities" and i just want to fine tune them! thanks again! Dani

crazelion	11 Apr 2005
I have seen some men reading tarot cards at psychic fairs and they is very good. The New Earth Festival that I go to has male reader that is excellent. I think it's great that you is male reader.

Dark Inquisitor	12 Apr 2005
danieru_X wrote: i dont know if people see it as weird, I think it's only as weird as you choose to make it. But, you are swimming in the waters of the weird now , and will have to get used to it . No matter what others might think.

stars	13 Apr 2005
Hi Daniel, I really don't see the difference. Here in France is doesn't really matter whether you are a man or a woman reading the cards. I don't think people really choose to see a women, it's just that there are more of us!!!! Good on you, sign up your mates! Stars

Wisp Wings	14 Apr 2005
I truly wish more men would stand up and take interest in tarot. I have been forunate in my selection of readers for being extremely accurate, (talking of face to face readings). For me, my first experience was with a dear, little old, old great-granny that worked tarot two days a week and was packed. People hundred plus miles away knew of her and she certainly had a following. While I lived in that state I went to her. Years later and living in a different state I learnt of a lady that had read for years and was quite good. She actually didn't read tarot, just regular playing cards. She had quite the repuation and cliential as well, and had a long history of helping the police solve crimes. Her office was upscaled and on the walls were many newspaper articles framed of various crimes she helped the police with solving. Between the time of this previous reader and the last live face to face readings I've had done, I did try some of the phone readers. I only did a few, due to the quality and the cost. Of these only one I had was good and he was Great!!! He also was a medium and I had four people on the other side as guides at that time. A few of my relative came through to him too. I acutally had one of those "don't know this person" situations, only to later talk to a family member whose face fell and knew immediately who this was. I did too once I was told. The last face to face readings I had was with a male and he too was great, well beyond great to me. He was extremely accurate! Even accurate in the long term probably around 80%. My life at the time of our first meeting was turbulent at best. Definitely if having to pick a single reading that has had the most impact on my life, it would be that first one with him. Throughout the various spreads he did, I was having a majority of major arcana cards in the spreads. So much of what he said was so unseen to my eyes at the time, that it was hard to believe any of it! I really thought this guy was off his rocker and was just saying anything and everything, as it all seemed so far-fetched. There were a few things that hit right to me at the time and whether guides/Higher Self/whatever...he once used an exact quote that I had made myself previously. That was surprising! That reading was five years ago and it and the events in play at that time changed my life forever. Sorry for the rambling... but I see no difference at all in the ability or lack of ability in either sex to read. I agree too with an earlier comment, I am female and like the male energy brought at a reading. GO GUYS!

DarkElectric	14 Apr 2005
I really like meeting male tarot readers. I wish more guys would take it up. From what I see, men have a different perspective on things many times than women do. And, it's a way for guys to explore their own inner landscape, something which is culturally discouraged, at least in "Macho" America (much to the disadvantage of men). I've seen more male clients, than readers, actually. I see few men out there reading. There's this one guy who is usually the other reader( besides myself) at this little twice yearly fair I read at. We've been meaning to trade readings, but every time we try, it gets busy, so we never end up doing it! Something I notice, though, about that specific fair. The clients have a choice between the guy, and me, and for some reason they always seem to come to my table first, even though he's open and I have someone either involved in a reading at the time, or a backlog. The poor bloke would be sitting there twiddling his thumbs, and I'd be swamped. When I saw this, I sent people right over to him, and recommended him because he's very good. Even though he's never done a reading for me personally, the feedback from clients about him is excellent. So I shooed people over to him. They got great readings, he made some money too, and everything was good. He came over at the end of the fair and thanked me. I think the reason that the people may have come to me first was that I am female, and maybe they thought I'd give them a better reading because of that, but they were definitely proven wrong when he read for them. I think card reading is like everything else- some folks are good at it, other's aren't, but it sure isn't based on gender, it's about interest, focus, and maybe some natural talent.

The Question regarding card readers thread was originally posted on 04 Apr 2005 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.