Over the years I’ve had people ask me a lot of different questions abut what I do. Here are some of the one’s I’m asked the most!
How do readings work?
The tarot is comprised of 78 cards which are read right side up as well as reversed. They signify people, places, events & emotions. Through the cards you can tap into a persons energy to get a story or an impression of what is going on in their life. It is these impressions that can:
- Help confirm you are on the right track
- Assist you in selecting the best path when faced with several choices.
- Give you some insight into what is going on with and around others in your life
The best part about everything is that we as human beings have free will. So if you come across something in a reading that you don’t like, remember that you have the option to change it based on the decisions that you make. Sometimes it is difficult to alter your path, but not impossible. We are all responsible for the choices we make. And those can change a reading at any time.
(More about how readings work…)
What kinds of questions do people ask in a reading?
Most people ask about the following categories: love, health, money, business & relationships
If you want a reading, but don’t know where to start, I always suggest a basic energy check. This way the most pressing or important items come up for you to direct your attention to. And you can always ask additional questions from here if you like. It’s a great starting point. Alternatively, if you have too many questions, and a limited amount of time for the reading, I also suggest this spread. It usually tells you exactly what you need to know.
How did you get started/learn how to do all this?
Unfortunately, there are readers out there who are not that great. I went to see one and had a terribly upsetting reading. Afterwards I was standing outside the shop in tears when a man came over to ask if I was alright. I told him I had just gotten a reading and it didn’t go very well. After asking a few questions about my experience, he told me that he was a tarot reader as well. And that he would be happy to give me a reading just down the street at a local coffee shop. I agreed, and finally got the reading I needed that day.
We talked for a bit afterwards and I expressed an interest in the cards. I had a set I purchased in college but had not been able to work with them on my own. He agreed to take me on as a student, and we met every week at that coffee shop for hours. As we met, we got to know each other and became friends. Then we became best friends. And every year on November 6th we celebrate our friendship anniversary. I’m always thankful for that terrible reading. Not only did I get mentor, and a wonderful friend out of it, but I’m able to work with the cards on my own now. And it allows me to help others in a positive way, which is what a good reading should be like.
How do tarot cards work?
This is a question I’m asked a lot. Many people have heard of tarot cards or divination, but don’t know the actual details of how readers do what they do. I’m sure many people will explain this in a variety of ways, but here’s what I tell my clients or anyone else who is curious about what I do.
The tarot cards represent people, places, emotions and events. There are 78 cards in the deck, and each card has several meanings whether they are right side up, or upside down. When I lay them out they tell me a story of what is happening, and that is how I know what information to give people during a reading.
In addition to the set meanings of the cards, I have developed other skills that assist me in my sessions. I have spent a good deal of time developing my intuitive skills. So I can also get messages from my guides about a particular card (clairaudient) and other times I may simply get a strong sense of knowing from a card (clairsentient). These are two other abilities that I can offer to give my clients more information.
What if I hear something I don’t like?
Another important thing I always feel compelled to let people know is that if you hear something you don’t like in a reading, it’s totally ok! The best part about being human is that we have free will. That means you have the ability to change your course or destiny if you so choose. And getting a tarot card reading that shows you what’s coming down the line is an excellent chance to be aware of things that might derail your from where you want to go. The other perk here is that if you know what to expect, you can also ask the cards the best way to react to the situation in order to get the results that you want. How great is that?!
Can the cards give me a yes/no answer?
The tarot cards are not traditionally designed to give yes no answers. Mostly because of the energies they were created to represent. If this is the type of answer you require, a pendulum is designed for specifically this purpose.
A more experienced reader may be able to work his or her deck to elicit such a response. Some cards could clearly be seen as yes/no, while others may come across more difficult to interpret. Personally, if a client requests this information from me during a session, I’m up front about it. I will normally offer to check and see if the cards will give me an answer I feel is accurate. If I don’t get a strong feeling either way, I say so. If I do, I always double check it with my pendulum and make to be clear about the accuracy of the answers.
Why will the cards not answer my question?
Sometimes this happens. Someone has a burning question they just need an answer to. So you ask the cards but they refuse to talk. There is a good reason for this. And the answer is a quote a brilliant teacher of mine, once said. “Everything is given to be known. But not everything known is to be given.” Basically what he was trying to say is that Spirit has all the answers, but sometimes it’s important for us not to have them. Knowing too much in a particular situation can cause us to avoid necessary lessons we need for our own personal growth or development. Consequently it can also push us off course which means we may end up missing out on important events or people we are supposed to have in our lives. No one wants to knowingly go through difficult times. But through these situations is where we learn life lessons we will need for what is to come in the future.
For example: Lets say you have difficulty communicating in relationships. And in your current one the cards show a big blow up coming that you don’t want to face. However from this situation you learn a comfortable way to express yourself. This is supposed to happen to you so when you find the right guy, you are able to keep him because this lesson is pivotal to making the new relationship work. If you avoid the lesson, you end up losing the person you were meant to be with.
You’ve simply asked the same question too many times and you need to chill the heck out. If you’ve asked the cards the question once, you cannot keep asking. If you do, it has been my experience that the cards get confused and muddled in addition to no longer providing the correct information. Please listen to your reader when she is answering your question the first time you pose it. You can inquire about other details around the question to get more information about it, but putting it on repeat tends to run you in circles.
Do I have to give a tarot reader any information about myself?
Personally I do not need you to tell me anything in order for me to read your cards. In fact I have done readings where people sit in front of me with their arms crossed, staring at me and not saying a word. And while they aren’t particularly fun readings to do, I can still get the job done. If this is the situation I encounter I will relay the message from each card and I simply ask if what I said makes sense before moving to the next card.
Now if you do feel like sharing what’s going on with me, that’s fine too. And I’m not the type of reader who will sit there and pass judgment on anyone for what they reveal since we are all going through our own battles and lessons. But what I will say is that if I have a bit of background on the questions I’m asking the cards, I can often get you more details than if you remain silent. Having a background helps me make more sense of what I am looking at in the cards. When the images pop up I go by the general meaning of the card. But if I know the back-story it pulls the cards and their meanings closer together so I can provide more details.
Can you do a reading over the phone? How does that work if I’m not sitting there?
This one basically comes down to knowing how to work with my cards and setting the intention for you properly as I’m working. For my clients that I’ve had the pleasure of working with in person, you know that I always ask you to cut the deck for me before I lay out each spread. If you are doing a session over the phone, my job as a reader is to cut the deck in your absence. And it works just as well. I’m working with your energy for your highest good. With the tarot all that it takes is for me to hear your voice over the phone or connect with your energy via a text message and I’m in your wavelength and ready to go.