Ethics on Where to Read Cards

Personally, I prefer to read in private rather than in public spaces, mainly because I like peace and quiet when I read and the noise and distractions in a public space would mean that I couldn't give the cards and the person I was reading for my full attention.

So no public spaces for me (but then I'm very sensitive to background noise and to the energies of other people around me).

I think I am also very prone to background noise and how it bothers my concentration and focus.

direwolf336 said:

I think I am also very prone to background noise and how it bothers my concentration and focus.

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Yes, I like to get 'in the zone' when I'm reading .

214red said:

what if you dont shuffle , i dont always because i have had the mortification of my cards flipping from my hands and forming an arrow at a guys feet in a coffee shop.
i don't usually point to the cards because the cards are for me to read, they dont need to know why i think what i do.
so if its a non-shuffling, non-card pointing reading....really it looks like a normal girlie gossip....would you still say its more intrusive?

am simply curious

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Well if it's that non-intrusive, no one will even notice. Right? I guess my point is, what's going to infringe on others' awareness and therefore whatever prejudices or emotional reactions they have toward Tarot. And of course, right or wrong, the property owner's rules. But I have to wonder why any one guest's emotional reactions are so much more important than any others. You clearly have strong emotions regarding your right to read Tarot where you want. Those are valid feelings too. It's not really up to me to say whether you should try to get away with it even where you know there are rules against it. That's up to you. In my opinion, reading Tarot harms no one. It's only others' reactions to it that seem to cause trouble.

I try to consider how my actions will affect others. Though I'm not a Buddhist, I believe strongly in the idea of right actions, and in considering others in my actions.

But I think that has also in some cases been carried so far that it infringes deeply into the right of those doing the acting -- such as gay rights to marry, etc. People get upset over the strangest things -- things that are none of their business. While I can see a hotel owner trying to keep guests happy, I wonder if it's so important when those guests are wrong, getting upset over things that are none of their business.

I think people as individuals have to ultimately decide these kinds of things for themselves.

And who am I to judge? I know that some of my past actions have hurt or upset others. I don't think any of us is saintly enough to have escaped that. It's just something I try to avoid, within reason.

Something that occurred to me yesterday when I posted was that property rights were violated during the Civil Rights Movement, when black students decided to sit themselves down at all-white lunch counters, and so forth. We applaud that now. But I'm not sure I'd even begin to compare the right to read Tarot with what they were demonstrating for. Still, the thought occurred to me.

direwolf336I think I am also very prone to background noise and how it bothers my concentration and focus.

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Same here... Personally, though I would look at the Cards for myself and read a Tarot Book, I wouldn't read the cards for myself or for someone else in a place full of people closeby. Especially a coffee shop, because as already mentioned, the distraction of background noise and people nearby within earshot. It would balk me and make me lose concentation and I doubt very much the person you are reading for would be wanting that either.

Not only that, you also need to take into consideration that a coffee shop makes it's living by selling food and drinks, and if you were to hog a table for ages and not eat and drink, just read cards, they would be within their right to ask you to leave regardless if they didn't mind you reading the cards or not...

Therefore, you could be putting the person you are reading for in a position where they could be forced to buy a drink or maybe something to eat just so they can get their cards read. That may be something that other person isn't wanting to do, but may do so just to be polite for that occassion. One possible way to lose people to read for...

I consider a reading for someone else to be a private confidential matter... a matter I would not discuss with anyone else other than the person I read for, so why would I then be wanting to read for them in a place which has a potential audience?

Welf

Welf, I agree with everything you've said. I also like complete privacy for readings.

I have to wonder, too, now that we've discussed how intrusive and in-your-face a Tarot reading can be, how much that reading in a crowded place really is ignored and left alone. Might there not be curious, prying eyes and ears among that noisy crowd?

gregory said:

If someone had upset YOU and the management had asked them to stop, would you not go back on that account too ? It may be your issue rather than theirs - but also there may be nowhere else for you to go (as Seafra says - lobbies get smaller every day...!)

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Obviously I'm thinking a little differently about this today than yesterday -- blame it on my Libra Sun.

I have to wonder where we draw the line when it comes to what's good for business. Money is certainly important in our world, and getting return business is important to a hotel. Seafra has a job to do and is following orders.

But come on, if the Tarot reader is also a paying customer, and perhaps likes the hotel so much that they were thinking of recommending it to all their friends, isn't the hotel perhaps mistaken in their judgment about what would bring in business? And tromping on the Tarot reader's rights while they're at it?

This thread has certainly gotten me to do some thinking about when rules should be followed and when they're just plain wrong. Still haven't made up my mind on that one. I think it comes down to situational ethics. And I think each person can be within their ethics -- and be right -- and they can still disagree with each other on this issue.

NevadaI have to wonder, too, now that we've discussed how intrusive and in-your-face a Tarot reading can be, how much that reading in a crowded place really is ignored and left alone. Might there not be curious, prying eyes and ears among that noisy crowd?

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I've been wondering about that too... Some people have excellent hearing, beyond the normal range. I know some sit in coffee shops and listen to conversations around them as idle entertainment. Something to do while having a coffee alone and contemplating life, or simply out of boredom.

I know for myself, if anyone came close to the table if I was reading for someone, I would feel uneasy and clam up, mostly to protect privacy. So if I was in the middle of explaining something, no matter how carried away I was, I would put the brakes on and once the person finished walking past, that's it... the main focus is gone and down the gurgler...

Then I thought up of another senario... Where I live our local coffee shop has a few tables and chairs outside for those who want the outside feel or to smoke... Okay, during the slow time of day virtually noone is there... But what if someone was to turn up and sit at the table right next to us.. Then what?

I'm half way through a reading, regardless if that person at the next table was a stranger to me, I still wouldn't be able to focus anymore thinking they could be listening... In addition, I would have no clue really, if that person may be known in some way to the person I'm reading for (could be their doctor for all I knew). So what do we do? Pack the cards up and move to another table out of earshot only to have the same thing happen again?

Welf

Welf said:

Fair enough.. and to be honest, if I were to stay at your hotel, even though I may personally not believe it was right, and I was asked to not read my Tarot cards, I would gracefully pack them away without feelings of malice. Mainly because, I see no point in getting my knickers in a twist and upsetting myself and everyone else by choking up and making a fuss about it...

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Exactly. And back to suggestions - I am sticking with my tent.

Well if your friend felt it was too personal to do in a restaurant...you have to respect that. But it's not that big a deal to me.

I once met up with another AT member who as visiting my city. We went out to restaurants a few times and each brought with us decks that we each had the the other was interested in but did not have yet.

After we ate, each time we put all our decks down on the table on a scarf, and we started pulling them all out and looking them over. We ended up doing each other readings, that went quite well I remember and even trading a few decks.

It was a lot of fun, but not a big deal otherwise. It did not feel too personal to me. A few people looked, as can be expected as you don't see that kind fo thing going on near you in a restaurant every day. The waitress came over afterwards to tell us she was fascinated by what we were doing, and to ask some questions. I even gave her my business card after.

Mostly it was just a lot of fun, there were certainly nothing negative in it in my experience of it.

Babs

gregory said:

Exactly. And back to suggestions - I am sticking with my tent.

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Just remember gregory, don't set your tent up too close to the other tents because tents, like humans, also have ears so I'm told... : )

Welf