using a book during "professional" reading
Alice19
It always helps me a lot to write down the meanings. It really reinforces it in your mind.
It also helped me a lot to learn the basic numerology of the cards and keywords associated with the suits. That way, I could deduce the meaning of the card using those two pieces of information (For example, if I drew Ace of Cups I could think - 'One' is associated with new beginnings and Cups are associated with relationships and emotions, so Ace of Cups probably means the beginning of a new relationship or feeling.)
It also helped me a lot to learn the basic numerology of the cards and keywords associated with the suits. That way, I could deduce the meaning of the card using those two pieces of information (For example, if I drew Ace of Cups I could think - 'One' is associated with new beginnings and Cups are associated with relationships and emotions, so Ace of Cups probably means the beginning of a new relationship or feeling.)
LeFou
I can imagine an old wizard rummaging about in a dark room full of dusty books, looking for just the right volume. And once found, it would open to reveal some ancient unknown script, and so the mystery would remain intact.
So if you want to create such a book, which only you can read, it might be a useful prompt for your imagination, which helps set whatever mood you like to set.
So if you want to create such a book, which only you can read, it might be a useful prompt for your imagination, which helps set whatever mood you like to set.
CrystalSun
After two years of doing tarot I can say I don't need the book anymore. I have one but if I use it I do it only if the querent wants a specific spread. Not for the meanings.
Guess I was lucky that in one week I learned the cards and the meanings in just one week. After that it was a piece of cake.
Guess I was lucky that in one week I learned the cards and the meanings in just one week. After that it was a piece of cake.
HOLMES
ok here we go
what I would suggest is get the requirements for offering readings in the reading exchange , 25 posts with one weeks membership, which you are on your of getting to.
that is what it is for there,, to offer readings, practice and get better and most importantly for me is get feedback to know if we are good or not,, as sometimes when I was learning I thought I was off,, but I was on,, and vice versa.. and also the feedback of the person helps clarifies what is confusing to them so you can expand it more in feedback to the feedback.
so when you do this,, force to go without the book, and if you have trouble remembering let the images of the cards guide you (if you use a illustrated tarot ) have to get the foot wet sometimes..
and if you want I will be your first customer aka pm when you are ready to offer,, and I will try to get it in there before someone else. and give you honest critique.
but for me I read for 2 and half hours with book before my family and friends told me to put down the book and it was scary as I worried about being wrong but now I am so much better then then.
what I would suggest is get the requirements for offering readings in the reading exchange , 25 posts with one weeks membership, which you are on your of getting to.
that is what it is for there,, to offer readings, practice and get better and most importantly for me is get feedback to know if we are good or not,, as sometimes when I was learning I thought I was off,, but I was on,, and vice versa.. and also the feedback of the person helps clarifies what is confusing to them so you can expand it more in feedback to the feedback.
so when you do this,, force to go without the book, and if you have trouble remembering let the images of the cards guide you (if you use a illustrated tarot ) have to get the foot wet sometimes..
and if you want I will be your first customer aka pm when you are ready to offer,, and I will try to get it in there before someone else. and give you honest critique.
but for me I read for 2 and half hours with book before my family and friends told me to put down the book and it was scary as I worried about being wrong but now I am so much better then then.
Disa
When I first started reading cards I went to a psychic fair to see how real readers read. I had spent some time studying the cards and it occurred to me I needed to see how they really do it face to face because I had never had a Tarot reading before.
The first card reading I ever had, the reader spent more time complimenting this and that about my personal appearance and how grounded I am for a Pisces than I felt was necessary, and then she says... I have this new deck, pull a card...it was a crystal deck but I don't even know if it was Tarot or an Oracle... so I picked the Fluorite card.I didn't know anything about Fluorite, so she says- here, here's the book read these two pages and I'll be right back. HA! I almost died. I don't think that's very professional AT ALL. Who knows whether or not she could read other cards, I certainly don't. She didn't read the one with the Fluorite on it, I read it for myself!
Her display sign said Tarot, we discussed that I wanted a Tarot reading, what she gave was a small reading based on my birthday with the basic things I already knew and I hadn't even studied any numerology at that point, but I knew what she was doing and it wasn't reading cards. She also gave me some message from an angel card...not Tarot.
My feeling on it is, if you need a book to read a certain deck, don't use that deck for paid readings.
The first card reading I ever had, the reader spent more time complimenting this and that about my personal appearance and how grounded I am for a Pisces than I felt was necessary, and then she says... I have this new deck, pull a card...it was a crystal deck but I don't even know if it was Tarot or an Oracle... so I picked the Fluorite card.I didn't know anything about Fluorite, so she says- here, here's the book read these two pages and I'll be right back. HA! I almost died. I don't think that's very professional AT ALL. Who knows whether or not she could read other cards, I certainly don't. She didn't read the one with the Fluorite on it, I read it for myself!
Her display sign said Tarot, we discussed that I wanted a Tarot reading, what she gave was a small reading based on my birthday with the basic things I already knew and I hadn't even studied any numerology at that point, but I knew what she was doing and it wasn't reading cards. She also gave me some message from an angel card...not Tarot.
My feeling on it is, if you need a book to read a certain deck, don't use that deck for paid readings.
SunChariot
I wouldn't, at least not when the querent knows you're doing it. To me, it just doesn't "look" professional. If someone is going to pay you they want to feel that you have mastered the art of what they are paying you for. Looking things up makes you look unsure of yourself. Imagine you hired a doctor or a lawyer and they had to pull out a book in front of you before they could answer you.
In e-mail readings, which is actually the only kind I do, it's easier not to get caught in the act. No one knows then if you used a book or not. You don't have to read in person to be a professional reader.
It isn't necessary for you to memorize 78 meanings. All you need to do is a find a way to read that is you, that works well for you, and that you know you can do well. Find it or invent it or develop it.
But what I am hearing you saying is that you are finding it too hard to commit 78 meanings to memory. So it that is not your cup of tea, find another way to read that works better for you.
I also hated memorising things. I was not willing to try to memorize those 78 meanings. And I do read professionally. The thing is you don't have to, there are other ways. There is no set way you have to do things.
What worked for me is that I memorized ONLY the basic meanings of the Majors, the suits. I decided how I wanted to use the Courts. And that is literally all I ever had to memorize. 22 card meanings, not 78.
When I get to the Minors, I refer the card back to the Major of the same number and add the suit to that. Eg 3 of Wands = Creating something caring (Wands=creating and 3=Empress=caring, nurturing...). Or 3 of Swords could mean thinking about what it means to be kind and caring. Or 3 of Cups = feeling/having caring feelings for someone....
I have a whole system that I invented, but the point is that you don't HAVE to memorize 78 meanings if that's not your thing, you can find a way that appeals to you more that will work for you. And I also learnt how to read intuitively in the way that works best for me. I don't make much use of book meanings now anyway, I get most of my answers from the card images.
And no, I would not pull out a book if I were reading professionally in person. I do believe that in the end you do have to develop your own personal readings. Just spouting book meanings will not give good readings, as they are just ideas, that will not fit every situation. Meanings are too complex and unlimited to fit into any book. Any card can, in theory, have almost an infinite number of meanings, more than could begin to fit in any book.
I would also say that trusting yourself and your skills is a prerequisite to reading professionally. That was the part of the post that concerned me a bit, not to be mean here, but just honest and hopefully helpful in some way. I think you have to be sure of yourself and your abilities before you charge, imo, and of how much money your readings are worth to the client.
Babs
SunChariot
Me too.
