"sanitizing" decks for public readings

[theora]

this is freakin' awesome advice, thanks everyone. my local metaphysical bookstore has the Osho Zen deck, so maybe that's just the ticket.

AFAIK this is an "all ages" party so maybe that has something to do with it. I do not know if this is their policy for all events - if so, I'm not sure if I am really going to be a good fit for this company. will find out!

however, I have committed to do this particular gig (and had, before I knew I would be required to remove cards, d'oh). cancelling on them now would be incredibly unprofessional, and I ain't gonna do it. it is hardly the same thing as being a thief! sheesh.

the tarot said it was ok (and yes I used a full deck to ask, lol) and everyone seems to be saying that the readings will be fine anyway so I have officially decided not to worry about it for this one, and to make sure I know what I'm getting into in the future - which is a good lesson in itself. I already know I'm not going to do any baby showers - so it's not like I'm just desperately taking anything they throw me.

basically, I am *brand new* at this (es mi erste dia!) and I think if I can work with this company, I will learn a lot. I'm still learning to time myself as well, I've never timed a reading in all the years I've been giving them because they take as long as they take (and actually I am pretty fast) but when you are charging it comes into the picture.

as it was explained to me (and as franniee described) people sometimes freak out, and at a party where alcohol is likely involved, it could be ugly... and then, of course they would call my boss and complain to her. I do think that tv and movies overyhyping of the Death card has a lot to do with this. come ON, writers - what a tired old cliche!

oh and last night, I had a dream in which I was asking the tarot for the "best card" (I know, I know - it was a dream, ok) and of course it was DEATH! had to laugh once I woke up. %-)

 

[214red]

the osho has some very hard to digest cards too, love it, but they might want that santitized too

 

[Umbrae]

the osho has some very hard to digest cards too, love it, but they might want that santitized too

Some folks, in some parts of the world (especially on the West Coast of the US, and especially Oregan and Washington), may object strongly to the Osho Zen, reacalling his days as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, before he changed his name a third time to Osho.

ETA: the thread title "sanitizing' decks for public readings" is actually misleading. It should read "'sanitizing' decks for reading at Parties", which is a very different subject (and as I stated before - reading Tarot for entertainment carries different rule sets).

 

[nisaba]

Change of plan. I'll take the gig.

I've decided which decks I'll sanitise, removing *only* the cards that the employer mentioned earlier in the thread.

The Bosch, the Erotica, the Klimt, and the Manara. I might even borrow back my copy of the Deviant Moon, and sanitise that.

If my employer hadn't insisted on sanitisation, they would have gotten a *much* more cheery and inoffensive selection of decks than that, with maybe (maybe, I said) only one of those included, and that being probably not one of the rudie-nudie ones.

Me, a troublemaker?

Never.

How could you think such a thing.

 

[Nevada]

Interesting thread.

I would have to agree with Baroli and nisaba on whether I'd want to read under those conditions. I like to use my whole deck.

But Umbrae's also right (putting my overripe tomato in the compost ) that reading at a party is entertainment, and whatever is entertaining to that group of people is what you'd be aiming for. So the question is, do you want to entertain this group of people for the money they're offering?

I can see where, for a teenage Halloween party, you might be asked to remove the happy cards -- if that's the kind of reading you were paid for.

Whoever pays is the boss, and if that's what they want, and you want the money, then sanitize the deck. If you don't want to do it and can live without the money, then walk away.

Frankly I think that almost any method of making money is in essence a form of prostitution. Whether it is literally or figuratively is just a matter of what we're willing to do for the pay. Whoever pays has a choice of whether to pay for what you're willing to do. There are choices all around, and if both parties choose the same thing, then you have a deal and money exchanges hands.

There are times when, for the sake of paying bills and keeping a roof over our heads we choose to do something that isn't our first choice. I've never been anxious to become homeless, myself, and I've done some jobs that weren't my favorite things because they brought regular paychecks.

Nowadays I have more choice, so I'm a little more fussy. But that doesn't reduce my survival needs, and if I had to do something a bit unsavory again, I'd suck it up and do it.

To me, sanitizing a deck to make some needed money doesn't seem like that big a deal. I'd say no because I can (barely) afford to say no. You have to do what you have to do. I'm not sure that anyone else can tell you what that is.

 

[satinangel]

Moderator Note

Off-Topic Posts will be removed without notice.

 

[Sheri]

My readings and rules are the same regardless of the venue I am at. I am a reader "for real." I don't want to give anyone the impression that I am play acting. Anyone who gets a reading from me gets a real reading and the message is delivered whether it is good or not. It is up to me as a reader to make sure the message is delivered in a positive and constructive way. When I read at any venue, I am advertising myself as a reader and I think I can still be fun and be taken seriously.

At the first Ren Faire I did, a woman asked if I was "for real" or just there for "atmosphere." I told her I was for real and I gave her a reading. Afterwards, I thought about it... partly because at Ren Faires it is popular to create personas as part of immersion into the venue. I couldn't even bring myself to read as a "character" so I decided I would always be "myself" but might go as far as adopting a funny foreign accent, but that's as far as I'll go. I guess I am a one-dimensional reader

I just finished a 2 day Women's Only Expo where I was there as "venue entertainment"... readings were free...and they were real and the Golden Tarot that I read with was whole. Two of the 104 readings I did were more serious than the rest. One of the them touched on a nasty divorce of which the sitter was the cause...it was an uncomfortable moment (she was glaring at me, knowing that I knew that she knew...:eek), and I had instantly thought that I should have taken the 3 of Swords out of the deck, but then realized if this was what was going to come up, it would have come up in a different combination, so in the end, I didn't regret leaving it in.

If I were to read for kids, I would most likely choose a deck with different imagery or an oracle but I wouldn't take cards out...incidentally this comes up with oracles too. Consider the Coffin card in the Lenormand coming up for someone recently diagnosed with cancer...

I am not dissing anyone who does things differently, I'm just saying how I roll and wanted to share my experiences.

Sheri

 

[The crowned one]

I am not dissing anyone who does things differently, I'm just saying how I roll and wanted to share my experiences.

Sheri

I can respect that.

 

[Alissa]

Change of plan. I'll take the gig.

I've decided which decks I'll sanitise, removing *only* the cards that the employer mentioned earlier in the thread.

The Bosch, the Erotica, the Klimt, and the Manara. I might even borrow back my copy of the Deviant Moon, and sanitise that.

If my employer hadn't insisted on sanitisation, they would have gotten a *much* more cheery and inoffensive selection of decks than that, with maybe (maybe, I said) only one of those included, and that being probably not one of the rudie-nudie ones.

Me, a troublemaker?

Never.

How could you think such a thing.

Seriously? How can that be considered "professional" behavior for a truly serious Tarot reader? Someone who makes money with repeat business and business referrals? That kind of behavior would burn so many bridges in a professional community. That's about the worst advice I can imagine. It's truly inappropriate.

 

[214red]

Seriously? How can that be considered "professional" behavior for a truly serious Tarot reader? Someone who makes money with repeat business and business referrals? That kind of behavior would burn so many bridges in a professional community. That's about the worst advice I can imagine. It's truly inappropriate.

i am not sure asking someone to sanitize their decks is appropriate anyways, readings are readings, entertainment purpose or not. i agree with the fact it is a choice, and if you need the money i can understand doing the 'gig'. however i also think it is pimping yourself out a bit, now if you need the money thats unfortunately life.
a serious reader wouldnt sanitize their decks in the first place because its their tools, you cant ask a carpenter not to use a tool because you dont want them to.