Would you ever work as a professional reader?

wolfheart

Have you? If so, what are your experiences?

Edit: And what would make one be considered a "professional" anyway?
 

RunningWild

I would say that accepting money for your readings catapults you into the professional realm of things.

Yep, I have. It has its moments but mostly it's been ok. Right now I don't get excited to read for anyone, not even myself, but that's because there are other things going on and tarot and readings have to take a back seat to the crisis-of-the-moment.
 

wolfheart

I would say that accepting money for your readings catapults you into the professional realm of things.

Yep, I have. It has its moments but mostly it's been ok. Right now I don't get excited to read for anyone, not even myself, but that's because there are other things going on and tarot and readings have to take a back seat to the crisis-of-the-moment.

I do paid readings, have done so for a year, but for some reason I feel guilty. I feel like there's people way more experienced than I am that deserve the money. In the beginning, I was excited to do readings for others, but sometimes it can be a little overbearing when people treat you as a therapist.
 

Reverie

I have been providing paid online readings for a little over a month, and I feel very good about it. I feel that I am providing a quality service and I am getting something in return. It's a fair exchange. I only do it because I love it and it's something I am good at. I also love helping people.
 

Grizabella

Yes, I read for money or barter. I think it's very advisable to get a lot of practice in, especially face-to-face readings, before a person starts to read for money. There's a lot to learn before you read for money because reading isn't just giving your own opinions to people about what they should do or what you think of the circumstances of their life. The cards really do carry definite messages and it takes time to learn everything you need to know to be able to read well for sitters.
 

Shade

I read professionally at events - not my main income stream, just extra on the side. Don't worry about other readers not getting the dollars that are going to you; it's their job to attract their clients.

Just focus on giving quality readings to your paying customers. I highly recommend Valentina Burton's The Fortune Teller's Guide to Success.

You mentioned "but sometimes it can be a little overbearing when people treat you as a therapist." Boundaries are important; establish them and they will help keep you comfortable. That said, a lot of people want someone to talk to about their problems that will have to listen to them. It's a service in and of itself.
 

ravenest

For me a professional reader is one who lives off the earnings of doing tarot as one's main occupation . Not just getting paid for readings occasionally as a supplement. I have been paid more and more constantly for doing other things and I dont consider I am a professional in them.

For a while I made Tofu on one day of the week, but I was a professional Tofu maker as I lived off that and it was my only income and occupation.

I would never consider trying to live off tarot reading, nor have it as my main occupation. No way in the world !
 

wolfheart

Ravenest, what makes you say you never want to live off being a tarot reader? :laugh: Haha I work at a bookstore cafe and do tarot readings. They're both my main source of income. I do hope to be a life coach one day and incorporate tarot into the mix :)

I've never had tofu by the way. How was that for ya? lol.

Edit: Just noticed you're from Australia. Jealous.
 

wolfheart

I read professionally at events - not my main income stream, just extra on the side. Don't worry about other readers not getting the dollars that are going to you; it's their job to attract their clients.

Just focus on giving quality readings to your paying customers. I highly recommend Valentina Burton's The Fortune Teller's Guide to Success.

You mentioned "but sometimes it can be a little overbearing when people treat you as a therapist." Boundaries are important; establish them and they will help keep you comfortable. That said, a lot of people want someone to talk to about their problems that will have to listen to them. It's a service in and of itself.

Thank you!!! I will definitely check that out :D And I know that people come to tarot readings to get clarity on their problems but I am trying not to let it overwhelm me. I've only been doing it for a year but sometimes I still get a little nervous. I can tune into other people's emotions so I'm trying hard to keep a balance. I am still learning though :)
 

ravenest

Ravenest, what makes you say you never want to live off being a tarot reader? :laugh: Haha I work at a bookstore cafe and do tarot readings. They're both my main source of income. I do hope to be a life coach one day and incorporate tarot into the mix :)

I've never had tofu by the way. How was that for ya? lol.

Edit: Just noticed you're from Australia. Jealous.

1. I have never wanted to do one thing only for an income or to take up most of my time with one main thing.

2. Most people seem to want predictions (which I dont do ).

3. The majority of the public that would want a reading (and that I would have to make enough money of to live off and hence see HEAPS OF ) .... arent really my type of person .

4. To make enough money I would have enter the 'alternative market ' , promotion, etc , not my thing at all.

5. If one needs the money to live off, then one starts 'marketing' and compromising oneself to get that money (I believe it is the same in ANY job - it happens). If no money, income, credit, self-esteem, public-opinion, book sales, fees and dues are involved there is nothing to persuade me to bend towards market popularity and modify my own 'truth'.

6. I would never 'properly' work for myself, I hate admin, bureaucracy, paperwork, taxes, etc ... I am more the type to trade all that for a weeks work ... and regardless what happened to get the guaranteed amount at the end of the week (I have see SO many people go broke here and get in trouble and debt from bad and even silly business ideas. They would be far ahead if they had not wasted that money in the first place.)

7. There just isnt a market for that around here, as a profession. I would probably have to move to a more populated area (and I have moved into a state of hermitage that I very much like).

8. My approach is that tarot is full of Hermetic Spiritual knowledge ... most people are not into that stuff and want to know if they guy at work likes them (instead of just asking them if they want to go out or have a coffee together or ... ) - I wont go there.

Tofu was great! I had a reverse Christian work ethic going- work on Sunday and have the other 6 off :) . I had a motorcycle, lived in a caravan, had acres of fields, forest, orchids, veggie gardens, river and beach to play in, was younger and had 3 girlfriends, always had enough food, a smoke and 6 pack in the fridge ... what more could a young lad want :)

But still, I relied on it as income, and the product was compromised. Hand making large batches of Tofu with near traditional equipment is more of an intuitional art (to get it near perfect - forget the mass factory machine reproduced and vacuum sealed, long-life rubbish on the market today). One time I muffed it badly and really I should have fed it to the cows. But as well as loosing the income, I had the costs of making it as well.

So I just put it on the market and hoped for the best. I compromised myself for the money. (Then I was at a friends place and he is making breakfast and he pulls out of the fridge .... some of my dodgy tofu ! ... how embarrassing. He fries onions and tomatoes in a frypan and dumps the horrible tofu in and mashes it all up together and has it on toast :bugeyed: I asked how it was and he goes " Huh? ... wha ? ... the tofu ? Oh ... ummm yeah it was good. "

He couldnt even tell ! - once, as a caterer I spent 6 hours making beautiful Sashimi and Sushi platters ... this guy takes a serve on a plate, goes to the roast table and puts mashed potato and gravy on top of it ... arrrgh!

No .... I cant see that happen to the spiritual hermetic gem in Tarot ....

Do not put gravy on my tarot readings ! :)