My Journey to Pro

[Umbrae]

In the original thesis post of this thread, critical information was withheld, and not revealed until after the thread unfolded.

Once this information was disclosed, certain posts and responses become moot.

No implication of malicious intent is implied or is to be construed.

 

[Marcia959]

Thanks, Um, I guess I have a different approach. Many years ago, I went back to college to get a degree in computer science after my first degree in a liberal arts major. Lots of people questioned it: "Why are you getting a DEGREE?? You could get a great job with just 4 courses." I thought it over and said to myself, since it is really me I have to answer to ultimately, "I'm doing this because I want a career, not a really good job." I have that now and that degree has been on occasion the difference between my getting or keeping a job and having an continuous career.

In the same way, I don't want some law enforcement official to stop me while I'm in a coffee shop innocently getting my reading time in and give me a ticket for tarot-ing without a license, even for free. I really don't. It would cost me as much or more money and time, much worse, it would cost me emotional energy I'd rather put into positive steps.

I like your idea about the coffee shops and have a couple in mind. So what if I have a business license and a background check? I didn't say advertise, set up shop, put up the read-for-fee website or hang up my shingle. (Now I AM thinking that I should put the sign on my card that warns everyone, Professional Tarot Reader in Training, 20 years experience split over 40 years, adjust your expectations!!) Maybe I'm reading too much into your post, but you sound upset that I'm doing this and I can't for the life of me see why. What part of the word "journey" makes you think I think I've arrived? =) I know you're trying to tell me something and if it's something more than put in your time, which I hear loud and clear, tell me more?

 

[Umbrae]

In the original thesis post of this thread, critical information was withheld, and not revealed until after the thread unfolded.

Once this information was disclosed, certain posts and responses become moot..

No implication of malicious intent is implied or is to be construed.

 

[nisaba]

I was in a bar in Concord California fooling with the my cards. A woman slams a drink down in front of me and sits opposite. She was partially drunk and very ‘assertive’.

“Read my cards.”

“Okay.”

I did a brief 5-card card spread, nothing great. I talked about meanings and symbols blah blah blah.

“My husband. Tell me about his affair.”

“I don’t see anything here about…”

“The last reader told me about his affair.”

I pull more cards, I don’t see any affair. I see work issues, but no affair.

“So why’d I buy this gun?”

“’Scuze me?”

“Why’d I buy this gun if he’s not having an affair?”

“Uh – I dunno…”

“Was she wrong or lying?”

“I dunno.”

“I don’t think you know what you’re talking about.”

She went home and killed herself.

This is a very salutary story. And one of the people who should have heard it from you, was the former reader.

Yes, we DO have the power to influence - or end - lives, whetehr we're aware of it or not.

I try to bullet-proof myself from doing anything too dramatic. There are two things I always say during a reading. One is, that I always stress the power of the querent's ability to think for themselves as it is really their life and not mine, and htey can choose any course of action they want - what I say is only a general line of advice, not inescapable. The other thing I always say, and I think I've mentioned it somewhere in Aeclectic, is that a Tarot reading isn't set in stone. It is like a fast-running river. If you jump into a river, it is really easy to float downstream with the flow, but if you don't like what lies downstream you can make more effort, and swim upstream instead. In the same way, a reading will only show you likelihoods and probabilities - if you don't like it, make the hard decisions, do the hard work, swim against the tide and gain for yourself a different outcome.

In a reading of *any* length, you will always find a moment when you can say that.

 

[Marcia959]

What an awful experience for you and yet it can't be unique. My heart goes out to you. You didn't make her kill herself. I can see how you think the previous reader irresponsibly may have, but in fact they didn't make her kill herself either. Not that I think the first reading helped, for goodness sake.

I think you've confused my sunny personality for flippancy and my excitement over taking positive steps towards something I've wanted for years for a lack of depth and understanding of the gravity and responsibility that goes with the territory. Sweetie, no matter how you've read my posts, I'm not a poodle (my profound apologies to the poodle lovers) and I'm not a kid. I've been making statements that changed people's lives perhaps all my life. And I have my own awful story.

The guy didn't die, he just suffered such horrendous brain damage that he's not the same person. I knew the accident was going to happen. I knew he could help somehow. I just had NO CLUE that he was the accident victim. I had to watch him triumphantly lurch down the aisle at our high school graduation, knowing I could have ALMOST prevented the rest of his and his family's pain. There's a burden in NOT affecting people's lives just as much as affecting them.

I wasn't flippant then either and I was a child. It did give me that long dark night of the soul and I put my cards away for a long time. But I got them out again. And I don't think you get that I have read for strangers.

So I want to ask you: When that dreadful thing happened to you, why didn't you stop reading? You obviously don't like being the person they talked to last. So much so that you're trying to warn me against it. So, why didn't you?

 

[Umbrae]

In the original thesis post of this thread, critical information was withheld, and not revealed until after the thread unfolded.

Once this information was disclosed, certain posts and responses become moot.

No implication of malicious intent is implied or is to be construed.

 

[Baroli]

Good deal for wanting to go Pro, but,.....are ya ready?? Have you gotten

any reading time in? Sort of like flying. Before you solo, you have to have

so many hours flying time. I started reading in my college student union, just

one card readings and after awhile, people started to give me tips. Pretty

cool. I see you are from California. I am pretty sure you can read for free

anywhere, as long as you don't advertise. Same thing with NJ. The board-

walk, where I live is a prime place in the summer to just lay your cards out

and read and people come.

Just my opinion, but read awhile for free, make sure you can talk to people

(lol), sometimes you can get a dry mouth (or a dry mind, it happens trust me,

been reading for 30+ years), go slow til you feel confident.

I'm working towards becoming a professional reader and thought I would post my experiences getting there here. Getting feedback from the seasoned pros out there is really important to me (don't want to be Miss 10 of Wands!!).

You asked for our feedback, so we are giving it too you. Oh that's another

thing,........you gotta be willing to sit there and listen to someone tell you

to blow it out your ass because you don't know what the hell you're talking

about,.......... And it's not about the money, the prestige , it's

about the sitter.

 

[Marcia959]

Please know, Umbrae and Baroli, that I am listening to you and still value your input as well as that from others. Seriously, I'm not going as fast as it must sound to you. It is kind of you to worry and to share your reading, advice and experiences with me. This is passion for me too, maybe something deeper than that.

I hope you won't mind if I keep noting my progress (or lack of it), even if I decide ultimately that it's not for me. Maybe that will help someone else with their own decision.

And if it wasn't clear before, THANK YOU.

 

[Logiatrix]

I don't think you were very fair. You say you are inexperienced and want advice from professionals, then you say you do indeed have experience and reject Umbrae's professional advice.

It's not just because I happen to agree with him, but I also think you are sending a mixed message here.

Additionally, are you wanting to take tips or donations or perhaps put up signage? Because, unless you actually exchange money (even by donation) or advertise what you are offering, neither a business license nor background check is necessary to read tarot for free in California. It just isn't.

EDITED TO ADD: I don't want to offend, either. It's just that what you purport to seek is confusing.

 

[Marcia959]

Thanks for your post. I guess I expected something more constructive right off the bat than "WTF" when I gave my experiences about approaching getting a business license. I do have some experience, just not professional experience. I know I need more experience. Why else would I post this? Why else would I say, I am still learning. I am. I always will be.

If every apprentice were met with a punch in the snoot when they tried to take their first steps, think you'd ever have done this? Or is it a good thing that I'm pushing back, saying that I really do want this? And that I really want input? I do want it. I honestly didn't expect to outrage the professional community or at least a few. In fact, I'm really kind of amazed, especially since I think of myself as a well-meaning reasonable human being.

What do you think other newbies (to PROFESSIONAL reading) would think after reading this? Hey, don't say anything because they will tell you you're an idiot? They'll make fun of you in front of the rest of the professional community? You guys treat your clients this way? Or do you, as Nisaba noted, think of a way to communicate it so that the message is heard and understood with choice still at the center?

What was it like starting out? What did you wish you'd known then that you know now? Do you think there's just one path to getting there or do you think each person has to take their own path? Do you have friends in the professional community?

With just the barest of review of the cards Umbrae gave me, I see why he's worried that faced with death and sorrow, my studious but apparently frivolous nature, even after enlightenment, will be to switch to something easier...but doesn't that 8 of Cups say something about not actually taking the easy road? I don't have Crowley Thoth for my own reasons, but when I look at the 2 of Wands RWS, the subject has not let go of what he finds but seeks to use it for the new project.

Tell me more. Thanks again, sincerely.