I spent a lot of time today thinking about the many different Tarot readers that I know and how unique each one is in their reading style. This got me to thinking. What kind of Tarot reader am I? Am I a fortune teller? a problem solver? a healer? Am I an intuitive reader or a method reader? All of these styles can be impactfull, but what is very important is to define our style and makes sure we communicate it so our clients know what to expect.
I think the type of Reader we become has a lot to do with our initial encounters with Tarot and the impact it had on us.
So, I ask myself the following questions:
What drew me into Tarot? Why did I want it?
You maybe thinking “I’ve always been interested in Tarot” but there is more to it when you really think about it. I wanted answers. I wanted to know the future and I wanted to know what others were thinking. Why? It made me feel more secure and in control of my situations. That is what initially drew me to Tarot. The fear of not knowing what the future would bring. If this is what drew me than that is most likely what many others are looking for. To get there you must be willing to hear what the cards say. This is not always easy. I am very honest about my impressions when I read. Sometimes the message can sting but this is the only way to get to the heart of the matter.
Next question: What was my first reading like? What impact did it make on me? What was so profound that I wanted to learn to use them myself. Well I don’t remember my first reading exactly because I got so many from my Aunt during my life but I do remember some really profound ones. Often in a good way but I must confess that when I received readings often they were less meaningful. For this reason I recommend to my clients not to receive readings often. A reading should be a big deal and not be taken lightly. No matter what the message, it should make an impact to the client and give them lots to think about.
Often I tried to manipulate the reading I received in my mind to be the answers I wanted to hear, especially when I read for myself. Guess what. It never worked. The Tarot is usually right no matter how much I try to convince myself the cards could have meant something else. To avoid this with my client I ask them to decide what they want the outcome to be and we use the cards to find out how to make it happen. Seems to work better that way. Keep in mind that the outcome they think they want is not always the case. You really must dig deep here. Make sure you get to what it really is they want. A really obvious example is they want someone to love them. Well really what they want is to have a relationship with their soulmate. It may not be the person they think it is. It is important to dig these things out before the reading. Ask the question why a lot.
One last thing you should think about when deciding what kind of reader you will be is what was going on in your life when you started your journey with Tarot and how did Tarot affect your life situation. My life was in complete turmoil at the time. My relationship with Tarot at the beginning was to get rid of uncertainty. What it ended up being was a tool for healing and inspiration.
My advise to anyone reading this that wants to be a Tarot reader is to figure out what you want to give and stick to it. Be really up front about what you will deliver so there will be no questions in your clients mind about what they can expect from you. Go ahead and explore new methods and if your style changes that’s fine but make sure you are clear about it.
I think the most important advise I could give to anyone that wants to be a Tarot reader is be authentic to yourself and your natural gifts. Don’t try to force something that doesn’t come naturally and remember that we all have something to offer in our own unique way.