telephone readings

[rebecca-smiles]

I just attempted, and failed spectacularly in an interview for telephone readings. HA!

I just went to pieces at the fact that the sitter wasn't there with me and couldn't see what i see. I hadn't realised just how dependant i was on visuals as a prop. I was not allowed to say what the cards where, what was on them or where they were in a spread. I know i don't need to mention these things anyway but i have always tried to include the person in *understanding* why i see what i see.

I also made the mistake of trying to read it all at once- she wanted general info on parents, house, travel and relationship, so because i didn't want to waste time putting the phone down and shuffling several times i laid three card readings out for each. Normally i have every faith that the cards that i draw are the right cards; the only thing that can go wrong is my interpretation. But this time as i laid the cards down, i was like "No. No. No."
I waffled through the first part of the reading, appologised and said i was not doing anything at all except struggling. Daghhhh!!

Anyhoo, i was wondering what other peoples expereince of phone readings were like; do you do them differently to other types of reading? do you have a preference/dislike of them?

 

[Alta]

I am guessing that a phone head-set would have raised your comfort level. The added physical inconvenience and sense of being off-balance is partly because of holding the phone.

You really don't need the querent to be there, but it sounds as if the restrictions are pretty severe and not at all like your normal style. I would suggest practicing reading using their guidelines on anyone willing to help. This will raise your comfort level, and then the cards might stop saying "no, no, no!!" in your head.

 

[Netzach]

I hadn't realised just how dependant i was on visuals as a prop. I was not allowed to say what the cards where, what was on them or where they were in a spread. I know i don't need to mention these things anyway but i have always tried to include the person in *understanding* why i see what i see.

I don't think it's a question of having visuals "as a prop". If one reads intuitively, one is always going to be dependent on what one sees. If, on the other hand, one just rattles off learned meanings for each card then the visuals aren't necessary. But, to my mind, that is not the basis of a good reading.

Unless you're desperate to do 'phone readings, I'd steer clear of trying to adapt your style to what they want. One reason why Mary K. Greer is such a brilliant reader is that she shares the cards (so to speak) with the querant - they can give their interpretations of what they see there, as well. By just giving a querant "meanings" without any understanding of how you arrived at them you are short-changing both the querant and yourself.

Read the way you do it best - and let others, who've just learned the meanings out of a book, work in this stilted way.

 

[Tara2007]

I just attempted, and failed spectacularly in an interview for telephone readings. HA!

I just went to pieces at the fact that the sitter wasn't there with me and couldn't see what i see. I hadn't realised just how dependant i was on visuals as a prop. I was not allowed to say what the cards where, what was on them or where they were in a spread. I know i don't need to mention these things anyway but i have always tried to include the person in *understanding* why i see what i see.

I also made the mistake of trying to read it all at once- she wanted general info on parents, house, travel and relationship, so because i didn't want to waste time putting the phone down and shuffling several times i laid three card readings out for each. Normally i have every faith that the cards that i draw are the right cards; the only thing that can go wrong is my interpretation. But this time as i laid the cards down, i was like "No. No. No."
I waffled through the first part of the reading, appologised and said i was not doing anything at all except struggling. Daghhhh!!

Anyhoo, i was wondering what other peoples expereince of phone readings were like; do you do them differently to other types of reading? do you have a preference/dislike of them?

Maybe I just picked the wrong readers, but for me paying for telephone readings has been a waste of time and money. I got no useable information, or even anything I could relate to the situation from them. They were that bad. I tried three times, with three different readers and they all ended up the same. One, I had a 30 minute session with. That was the worst of all. She crammed so many different readings in that time slot I lost track of what outcome was for what scenario. It was like trying to see how many people could fit into a volkswagon. Ugh!

I myself would never agree to do a telephone reading for a stranger - it would have to be someone I knew very well and already had a connection with. On the flip side I am very at home with email readings. Totally different to me. Both the ones I give and the ones I get. And I really love the fact that I have/give a copy of the reading itself. Over the phone you loose that. Even in person I write down the reading results and hand it to the person.

So for me phone readings are just not in the stars.

 

[Miren]

Well, you may have to learn a different reading style which works for phone. You could think of it as in a separate category, if that helps. I'd say practice, maybe ask if you can observe some phone readers working to see what the norms are. If this is something you want to do, then go for it. It'll probably just be different from your normal in-person readings, which will be higher quality.

 

[celticnoodle]

I've done telephone readings for folks, (not professionally), but I've always had them call and tell me they want the reading regarding such & such a topic & then we hang up. I concentrate on the issue at hand with a mini meditation and then spread the cards, & see what I interpret. Then I call them back and tell them what I see in the cards. I do prefer to do the email readings more then the telephone readings as shown above. I seem to also have a better success rate with the email readings---possibly because I don't feel rushed.

Personally, I've never had a tarot reading done for me via phone. The ones I have had in person and via email have been very good overall, with about the same success rate apiece. When giving readings, I do prefer doing them for my clients via email. I can control everything then. I prepare myself before doing the reading, and be sure I do the reading when I'm ready to. Since I read for nothing, my clients don't complain about that either. They may have to wait a few days, but it seems to work alright for everyone.

I would not worry about it Rebecca-smiles. it could be that you could not give a good reading because of many reasons---was it the first time you did a phone reading? Maybe you were just nervous because it was also an 'interview'. It could have been that you were not comfortable at the time of the reading, or that you were picking up on some of her frustrations or bad feelings she may have been feeling about anything, (not necessarily about you & your reading). It could have been any number of things that had an effect on you. If you want to pursue a career in reading via telephone, don't give up because of one bad experience---gosh, if we all were to do that, there would be no readers at all! Sometimes you get it right on and it's amazing, sometimes you only touch on something and it's okay, and sometimes you don't get anything at all-and that is okay too.

 

[ilweran]

Anyhoo, i was wondering what other peoples expereince of phone readings were like; do you do them differently to other types of reading? do you have a preference/dislike of them?

I think doing it as a job and having to follow someones elses rules would make it more difficult, but I have done readings over the phone-the most ridiculous was for my sisters boyfriend who I'd never met and who was too shy to talk to me himself so everything had to go through my sister!

Despite all the difficulties he was astonished at how accurate it was, so it can be done

 

[tarotreader2007]

I've never had a phone reading, however, I think I can sympathize with you.

I have people ask me for readings often when they see my decks out or about. I'm like, I can give you a reading if you seriously want or need one but I don't like abusing my tarot or intuitive ability. Of course they're like, "Oh no! I didn't mean that. I just need some 'help'."

I don't mind giving 'help' but sometimes these kinds of people work you up and make you feel rushed or even inexperienced even though you might have been reading forever! These people tend to give you the feeling of, "I want to hear this and this is what I better hear!". I tell these people that I'm sorry, but I can't read for you. They say I can't read the cards if I do that. In fact, the cards let me read the querent and they are just shutting themselves off to me.

Don't take it on yourself. I'm not saying these people are bad. They just aren't the type that are good for reading. I don't read for these people because they don't want honest answers or help so I don't help them. It's your choice in the matter obviously, but I thought you might like some empathy from one who knows all to well what it feels like reading for rush-rush people.

tarotreader2007

**PEACE**

 

[Umbrae]

If you’re doing telephone readings for a company that imposes what you can and cannot say over the phone – you’ll either have to get used to it or find a new venue.

It may be difficult to adapt your style to their requrements.

Phone readings are actually easier than internet readings, you get immediate feedback.

One of the best things you can do to ease into this type of reading, is to go slow. Only turn over one card at a time. Turning too many at once will quickly find you overwhelmed.

There was a post sometime ago, where the poster included a lovely mnemonic for readers.

One can incorporate this into a 7 card spread very easily, especially if you pull two cards for each position.

Don’t despair, one card at a time…with purpose…

 

[celticnoodle]

good advice umbrae!