Would you ever work as a professional reader?

I've been reading for about 20 years, on and off. To me a "professional" is a reader who reads for money. For the most part I enjoy reading and sharing Tarot with others. I'm lucky that I've had very few negative experiences. Right now I'm sort of on hold because the store I was reading at closed a couple of years ago and I won't read from my home. I am hoping to set up an on line reading site sometime this year.

Not me. There's too many things I won't read on. I'd be like this reader in Seven Stars' comic: http://www.tarotforum.net/showpost.php?p=4177126&postcount=67. LOL!

Part of me wishes I could. But most of me is too Queen of Swords honest with myself to not realize I'd be wretched at it, and miserably unhappy doing it. Many people want answers to highly charged emotional questions, and I just do not read well for those.

I never say never but I'm not comfortable with the idea. Once money is exchanged, it's a whole new ballgame.

Plus there are other things I can do in life that earn me more money.

I do not criticise the charging of money for reading tarot but I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it. Not because I don't think I can, but it's a huge repsonsibility - money is handed over and something is expected and it's not always what the querent gets. And things don't come true and readings miss the mark and there are all kinds of things to deal with at the other end. If I have a pain in my leg and I pay a professional to alleviate the pain and the pain isn't alleviated, do I have the right to feel short-changed?

I prefer to do readings free for people I know or friends of friends (no strings) and earn money from something else. I get requests for readings with offers of payments because of my blog but I always say no.

Would I ever work as a professional reader? Would I ever!

wolfheart said:

Have you? If so, what are your experiences?

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I have been reading since the 1980s. Lots of venues, many, many clients. Can you narrow down what kinds of experiences you are interested in?

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

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Well, properly, the professions are Law, the Christian priesthood and Medicine. Each profession has a standard code of ethics, which if broken disqualifies you from being considered a member of the profession. Everything else is really a trade, not a profession.

But if you are a professional plumber, a professional horse-racer, or a professional Tarot-reader, you do it as a major part of your income.

You can be completely unpaid and have professional standards: operate strictly by a rigid code of ethics. I do that and I get paid, so even though I'm not a member of any of any of the professions I suppose I can be considered a professional Tarot reader.

Gaining income from Tarot is labelled, perhaps, a part time profession...

So as a part timer with an income stream... I was a part time professional... self employed...



Don't let the labels rip you apart... They are not answering your questions...


In my opinion ,readers tend to attract the clients that will serve as an exchange .

I was given information by a person who was a full time reader as a profession...His advice to me was to charge something for a reading...An exchange of something of value for something of value... Otherwise your self value of your talents is questionable...and self deflating...both in public or in private.

How that fee is set is up to the individual...Some venues I have allowed the sitter to give what they feel is a fair thing... Some have given me everything that they had, sometimes 5 cents...our lowest coin value...sometimes food ...but it was everything they had of value... Some plenty, and sometimes after the readings emptying their wallets or purses... or on return trips at a later date...

Here on this site it's free and sometimes gets into long winded remarks and out of joint noses... SO, perhaps my friend was right.... I think so ,personally.

Garage Attendant: You fellas have nothing to worry about. I'm a professional.
Cameron: A professional what?
--Ferris Bueller's Day Off


I'd say anyone who takes pay for Tarot reading is a professional. Whether that's their main source of income or not doesn't really matter in my book.


I used to do the psychic fair thing before a lot of cities started cracking down on business licenses. I should probably get one, though I'm not sure if I need it for my city of residence or one for each city I want to read in, etc. That's the problem of living in a major metro area with a bunch of satellite cities. They all have different laws covering the same things and it can get confusing.



So instead, I read for friends. Sometimes they give me cash, but more often they'll buy me dinner, drinks, etc. It's an excuse to see them, really, and everyone goes home happy.



If you do want to read for John Q. Public, be warned--most of your clients will be good ones. However, you'll get Crazy, Stupid, Arrogant, and everything in between, too. And some days you'll swear that the Universe cannot possibly make enough alcohol so that you can deal with some of these clients. Seriously. :/



Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

By definition - 'If you get paid - you are a professional' What actually makes you a professional is another subject entirely!

By definition, then - if you did it once and were paid for that instance - you are still a professional.

Have I been paid to read Tarot cards? Yes, I have. Would I like to be paid to read Tarot? Yes, I would. Would I like to read Tarot cards to be paid? Not so much.

I don't currently. It has occurred to me. My partner encourages me to. I'm just not that comfortable with the idea because I think that, for the average person, the tarot is a fortune-telling tool and it's much more to me. I'm afraid I would not fulfil the client's expectations. On the other hand, occasionally I get a reading from a professional and I scoff and think, "I could do so much better." Some are so superficial (and expensive).

I do read for money or gifts every now and then, I don't think that makes me a "professional" though? As someone else said, to me a professional reader is someone doing it basically full time living off that income.

I would probably never want to work full time as a tarot reader. I worked as a social worker for two years and it made a mess of me! People out there have problems. If you don't know how to help them, without taking their problems, sadness and anger with you after the meeting, you won't be able to save yourself and end up burnt out. I might be a good listener, I might give good advice every now and then, I might be a good reader even. But I must also take care of myself and not just everyone else, and I have trouble staying on that path so I choose to work with something that doesn't involve meeting people and then as a hobby I do tarot readings when I feel like it and depending on how my energy levels are at the moment.

I have read for money but didn't enjoy the experience. Most of my comments have already been posted, but I'll also add that some days I would find it very hard to read, but if you have clients you would have to anyway. Reading tarot has internal demands that most jobs do not, even complex ones.