Hosting an oracle/tarot group at home

[exotik1]

Hi Everyone,
Now and then friends and coworkers drop by and spend a few hours trying out my decks and we read for each other.I have about 13 oracle/tarot decks and 41 crystals so far, and love sharing them with others. I was thinking I might like to host small, informal meetups at my home, nothing fancy, just tea, banana bread and chat about cards,runes etc with people who are likeminded. Its always fun to test out new decks before buying and i like encouraging people to learn what feels right for them. I have no qualms about people touching my cards and stuff, I dont feel like it affects the quality of my readings at all, and i smudge with sage now and then anyway. I was thinking of charging maybe $20 for people to come by for a few hours.I'm wondering what you all think of the idea of a small group like this, what else do i need to consider to make the idea work? I've had loved ones chat for 5+ hours at a time, so I really have no idea what to charge. And im not in it for the money, just mostly to ensure that only serious people come over who are respectful of my home and time. Its fun learning from each other so I want to explore where I can go with this idea. I also enjoy chatting about witchy stuff too but dont currently have any friends who want to discuss magick and herbs, Im not sure how to incorperate that into a meetup.

Thank you any and all input,
exotik1

 

[Manda]

While the idea is fun, I think $20 is probably excessive and you are not likely to get much attendance. The museum, zoo, a movie does not cost that much. I can get Rockies tickets for less, too.

I am the assistant organizer for the local Tarot Meetup, and we ask for a $5 donation to help cover the cost of the venue, which is not a private home, and materials, like handouts. I have a fairly large collection and usually bring 15-20 decks with me to share with others. The organizer also runs a tarot group that more closely resembles a class and her suggested donation for this is $10 and she sometimes has a hard time getting people to be able to pay that.

I have had great experiences both with my own group and finding others on Meetup.com so maybe that is a resource you could explore, both for finding like minded tarot people and people who also like witchy things?

Good luck with your group and have fun!

 

[Grizabella]

I guess I'm really naive. I'm surprised at someone charging at all for a meeting in your own home.

Maybe make it a kind of a round robin style meetup where its a regular, weekly or semi-weekly group that meets at a different member's home every time without charge?

 

[Manda]

Oh, and like any gathering you should have pretty firm start and end times. That should help. We do two structured meetings a month, usually with a speaker or presentation, and one social one. Our structured meeting takes place at a local business that is kind enough to rent out their space to reiki practitioners and tarot readers, massage therapists and the like. The social meeting we do at a coffee house, and we do not charge for attendance to that, but we do ask everyone orders something off the menu as thanks for the hospitality we receive.

I have been happy to host at my home, but with the clear understanding what time we start and what time we finish. When I have hosted, I do not ask for donations unless I have a speaker with travel costs and materials cost, then the $5, which is strictly optional. I would never ask someone to pay if they didn't just toss it in the jar on their own.

 

[Sulis]

I know I'd be very loathe to pay for a meet-up in someone's house. I wouldn't mind chucking in a bit of cash to cover the cost of refreshments or even bringing some refreshments but $20 is steep... What are you offering for that?
I think it will put people off since a lot of people just can't afford that much to sit around talking about tarot and I think people will also see this as a money making thing too.
If you're using a room in a pub or community centre then charging to cover the cost of the venue is fine but it just seems a bit off to ask for money to sit in your front room.

 

[Alta]

I do not disagree with the theory of your idea, but I think you might have to offer a talk or to lead a specific discussion once money is involved. Also, I suspect that $20 is a bit steep, maybe half that at most. I am guessing that even friends would like to feel that they at least had some instruction if they have to pay. And that could be a talk on a certain style of deck, not just reading techniques.

 

[nicky]

I have been running a meetup group for the last 4 years (!) and ask for a $2. donation since the cost of meetup is $15. a month - that way we are all pitching in and there is no profit made or worried about. You may consider holding the meetings at a local cafe or bookstore as there may be a time you want to expand and not feel comfy having people who you don't know in your home.

 

[DaughterOfDanu]

I also think 20$ is a bit much to charge. Someone suggested the idea of asking people to bring in things like refreshments which I think is a great idea. You could have a small potluck instead.

 

[Kosjitov]

20$ is a bit steep. I would say 5$, unless you are providing something further. Asking the participants to bring refreshments and other assorted bits to help would be reasonable as well. Good luck!

 

[SloughSister]

I have been quite fortunate to get together with a few other AT'ers in this area. If anyone's home had been available, I would gladly have thrown 4-5-6-7 dollars in for any drinks, treats, munchies they decided to buy. I, myself, don't see the need for or point of paying to visit someone's home or paying to see someone's decks - but YMMV and perhaps that's because other eager folks like me were so happy and willing to share.

If I had the type of home that easily accommodated others, I would like hosting a get-together of any non-axe-murderer AT'ers or other tarotistas in the area, but I felt it was much safer for me and my psyche to meet in public. And all three of the times we met were fun! I will say that public did not allow for exchanging reading or trying reading with others' decks. A home would be much better for those activities.