What To Expect From a Tarot Reading
There are a wide range of tarot readers out there and, therefore, a wide range of experiences you may have if you get a reading. Though I can’t speak to every experience, I have had my fair share of readings (and certainly performed enough in my day) to give you a sense of what to expect.
If you are considering getting your first reading, congratulations! I can’t recommend it highly enough. Tarot is such a great way to work through thoughts and feelings, to feel seen and understood, to examine possibilities and help make decisions for your future. But before all that good stuff comes a little bit of bureaucracy.
THE BORING PART
Most professional readers have a website or some way to book their services. Look out for a code of ethics or terms and conditions before booking so you know what to expect and what a reader will and will not read about. The majority of professional readers I know require payment up front and many have a cancellation fee within a certain period before the scheduled reading.
THE FUN PART
Now for the fun part. Every reader conducts their readings slightly differently. Some start with a meditation or some deep breathing or an invocation. Some jump right in pulling cards with nary more than a word from their client. Others like to have a long chat about what is going on in the client’s life so that they can craft the perfect question to yield the most fruitful reading. Ideally, the reader will tell you how they plan to proceed but, if they don’t, feel free to ask! It is your reading after all.
Some readers spend the entire session talking, others will mostly use the cards as a springboard for asking the client questions, guiding them toward their own discoveries. Many readers do some combination of the two. Some readers will go card-by-card, explaining the meaning and how it relates to the question. Other readers simply answer the question and provide details but rarely, if ever, refer to specific cards. Again, many readers use some combination of these two approaches. If you have a strong preference as to what kind of reading you would like, it might be helpful to read testimonials or see what the reader has to say about their reading style on their site. Again, don’t be afraid to ask a reader about their style: if you don’t want to talk or share much during your reading and the reader’s style is almost entirely question-based, they may not be the right reader for you. Much like with any professional you work with, it’s important to find the right fit.
MY PROCESS
Here is a bit about my process and reading style. Before I read for a client, I do a little “energetic setup;” a short grounding and centering meditation and a silent invocation. I like to light a candle and use certain sprays and oils I reserve only for readings. When working with a client, I like to get some background information at the start of the reading before I pull cards. This helps me understand what we’re asking the cards and yield helpful and specific answers. Once I have the question or topic clear in my mind, I shuffle the cards and silently repeat the question to myself. When I feel like the cards are well-shuffled, I draw and place the cards and look them over for a minute or two so that I can fully understand the story I’m seeing before I start relaying it to the client. From there, I say what I see, often asking the client follow-up questions along the way as we delve into the messages of the cards. At the end of the reading, I generally summarize the main points and open the floor for any additional questions about that particular reading. If this sounds like your kind of reading, awesome! If not, take heart: the right reader is out there for you. I promise.