How Do You Read?

[Psychebleu]

I generally use the Celtic Cross spread - it is just good for pretty much anything - the only time I've used any other spread was as a clarification - or to go more into depth.

I prefer not to know anything except the issue that concerns them. Why? I feel the need to maintain a healthy level of skepticism, or objectivity and I worry that if there is too much verbal exchange going on - that I may not be getting information via tarot, intuition - whatever you want to call it - after all - but that a comforting answer is being 'fed' to me, and I 'feeding' it back. Actually I prefer not even to look at the querent - less I unwittingly pick up non-verbal clues. Yet, I have come to feel very comfortable completely trusting in the tarot; that the right cards will present themselves, and that important info will be revealed. I let the 'magic' happen. Sometimes I'm tempted to not bother with a question initially, as it's just my experience that whatever is most pressing, what you really need to know at that moment, will show in the cards- whether it had anything to do with your inquiry or not! A girl may want to know the future of her romance - meanwhile finances come up, debt, losing money, etc - because the love of her life is an unemployed drug-addict and she's the sole provider but obsessing over him so much that she's about to lose her job. Lol. Hello! You need to worry about how you're going to eat, keep the electricity on, pay rent, etc. Extreme example, but you get the point.

I like to turn over the entire spread. I take in the whole picture, and it is a focus point. (Don't like looking at the querent, remember?) Exchange often takes place when a particular card or card(s) jump outs or really effects the querent - and they want to know what it means. I go with the flow - I explain based on their concern, it doesn’t have to be read in order. I may only get to the 4th card when they want clarification - we stop and go into that.

I have taken to keeping notes - and sometimes it helps the querent to form their question and compose their thought by writing it down. I really should began recording - as I've had people come back and tell me, "OMG, remember you told me.....That happened!..." and I don't remember, at all. So tapes are good.

Wrapping it up. As of yet I have not charged (had someone insist they give me something - but I still had a hang up about accepting money for readings) so I don't feel a need to tightly structure the time. Basically a reading is done when all clarification on the initial inquiry has taken place - when I know that the querent has 'taken it in' and fully understands or when they have no further questions. Unless of course I'm strapped for time, but I really try to set aside time just for a reading so that I am (we are) never rushed. On this point, I look forward to reading other's responses - I still haven't figured out how to go about setting up fees, and structuring sessions.

 

[Little Baron]

Thanks Psychebleu ...

I think I may makes some simple stationery for the querant to take notes on, with my details at the top. I will also jot the cards down for my own personal record when I can, as long as it doesn't interfere with the reading. I looked back at a reading I did today and saw another perspective. I thought that maybe I should have seen and mentioned it before but then trusted that my intial thoughts were what was important.

Usually when I read face to face, I talk with the client, so I do always look at them quite a lot during a reading.

LB

 

[Phoenix Rising]

Hi Jack

I've only started to do face to face readings, I really prefer to do email ones you know, because it gives me time to think about what I'm looking at, and even refer to some notes if i have to

But lately not by choice friends have rang and said, hey can you do a reading for so and so.....anyway when they arrive

I always make them a cup of tea or coffee if they want one, so it sort of puts us both at a informal and neutral level, and it gives my nerves time to settle down. I don't have any specific ritual, I sit at my kitchen table, and tell the kids to stay in the lounge as not to bother me...lol

sometimes I've got no idea of what spread I'm going to do, something that I need to think about abit more. So I then just do a general reading using the magic square spread, of past present and future. Then I get them to ask whatever question they want, I don't usually ask what the question is, but the suits speak for themselves. And then they run out of questions and I rap it up, and probably have a chat about things another cup of coffee and then i've made a new friend.
I'd rather establish a personal relationship with a person, rather than a professional one. I then give them my email address and tell them if there's anything they'd like to know, then to just give me a email.
I accept donations of any kind, that is how i prefer to work, maybe until I'm more experienced and confident.

 

[Little Baron]

Thanks PR

I like the idea of making it so comfortable .. I think it probably helps settle people and will make them want to come again. I like the idea of seeing the same person for follow up readings as time goes on.

I think I am going to start with friends and 'friends of friends', just to get a little practice in - more to do with the preparing of and getting used to the situation.

Thanks
J

 

[Thirteen]

Readings and Spreads

PR: When you start, keep a few things in mind. Most importantly, I thinks is that you're passing on a message from cards to querent. Sometimes you may not be able to see the answer in the cards. If that happens, then it's usually one of three things:
1) You need to just re-shuffle/cleanse the deck and try again; something glitched.

2) The question the querent asked isn't the one the cards want to answer--in which case, you have to figure out just what they are going on about. For example, I had a querent ask about her relationship with her partner, problems she was sure she was having. The cards came up with a number of wands that kept saying to me "career move." It turned out she wasn't doing what she ought to be doing. Her worries about the partner were displacement--her problems really stemmed from not going after her dreams. There's a lot of denial in querents--they go after one aspect of their life in order to keep from seeing a more important problem in another aspect. Keep that in mind. Find the REAL answer to the REAL question--the tarot certainly will.

3) There's no answering this question right now--we readers have our off days and so do the cards--and/or sometimes, there's no real answer to give.

I make mention of these because when starting out with face-to-face, a reader can come across a spread and just go blank--and when this happens, new readers think: "This would never happen to a real reader!" Not true. It happens to all of us--even those of us who've been reading for decades. Don't be discouraged. If you can't read it--try a reshuffle, maybe a different spread. If you get a similar, confusing answer, try seeing if there's a different answer to a different question. Sometimes the cards will come together into a whole story, sometimes it'll take some work. Hang in there!

One last bit of advice: have at least three spreads--four or five if you're up to it, to tackle different types of questions. The three most essential are:
1) Relationship spread--you'll get a lot of questions on relationships. One of those spreads that say: "This is what your partner thinks...this is what you think...this is the real problem...."
2) A general, all purpose, life spread (Most folk use Celtic Cross. I like Zodiac--Horseshoe is also excellent for this--a spread that covers their job, their friends, etc. and runs 7-15 cards. This should be your "signature" spread, one that you find easy and natural to read).
3) A quickie spread (past-present-future will usually do) for when you or the querent haven't a lot of time and need a more direct answer to a simple question--when a spread like the CC would be overkill.

Enjoy!

 

[December Fairy]

Then I rap the table and pull up the cards. Done.

Do you do this with your hand like you're knocking on the table? I first thought you gathered the deck and then lightly knocked them on the table, and then I reread and saw rap, then pull up cards.

I've read several posts made by Thirteen, I think you're my new hero.

 

[Phoenix Rising]

Hi Thirteen

Good to see you on the boards again, I haven't seen you for a while. I'm doing cartomancy readings, not tarot anymore. So the suits are always one or another. If I get a spade as the issue, it's about Work or health, diamonds values and financial, hearts- relationships friends and family and clubs- ideas and communications. So it's easy to know what the issues are, then it's numerology with the numbers. Although I don't know the question, a dominating suit will tell me what the issue is about. And the cards sometimes have different outcomes to what the question is. But most times it does answer the question. I had a guy come over yesterday, wanting to know about relationship issues, or if there would be one in the near future. But unfortunately for him that is, nothing of the sort showed up. He's such a worry wart though, can make a mountain out of a mole hill.