Many moons ago, I was reading tarot for a friend at a gathering when a young man came over and watched intently. When I was finished he said to me “I can read those cards too.”
“Really?” I snorted with a skeptical look on my face. When he confirmed again that he indeed could read them, I handed my deck to him and sat back with crossed arms and an arrogant attitude.
And then he proceeded to deliver the most accurate reading I have ever had in my life. I was blown away and more importantly, I was humbled. I apologized for my rudeness and silently swore to myself I’d never do that to another reader ever again.
I’ve also been on the other side of the tarot table on occasion. Yes, us tarot readers do sometimes seek readings from our peers. I certainly do because I am not always objective about my own life – sometimes I need some fresh eyes to look at my cards.
I am always amazed at those who come to me and then are not open to the experience. Sometimes they act like they are but then I see the look of disbelief in their face. An eyebrow may be raised – or sometimes an eye may be rolled. I’ve even had another reader start to “correct” me on my interpretations.
At times like this, I wonder why they even came for a reading. To test me? Or are they earnestly seeking guidance and maybe just don’t like what I have to say?
It’s hard to know what the agenda is but the one thing that I have learned is this: no matter how much tarot I may know, I cannot have all the answers nor can I judge another reader’s abilities as less than my own.
When I come to a reading and start to “read” the cards in front of me and scrutinize rather than simply listen with respect and let the reader do her job, I lose out and create an icky environment for the poor reader who must now feel stressed about reading for me rather than enjoying her work. This is not fair and is not cool to do with a colleague.
The best mindset is one of openness and respect. The next time you seek out a fellow reader for a tarot reading, sit back and be present without needing to be right. If you can leave your own tarot brain at the door, you may be surprised and enlightened at what you hear.
“The only things worth learning are the things you learn after you know it all.” ~ Harry S Truman
“The world is full of people who have never, since childhood, met an open doorway with an open mind.” ~ E.B. White
Blessings!
Theresa
© Theresa Reed | The Tarot Lady 2012
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Great perspective on a not often broached subject. I really enjoy getting a reading from someone else because I’m expecting that they will be able to discern things I can’t. And if they suck, I don’t go back.
Thanks for your comment Cassandra. I love getting readings from my peers too – especially when I am too invested in the outcome. There are some fabulous tarot readers out there – and they deserve to be treated with respect from their colleagues.
And if they don’t work for me, that’s fine. Everyone has to find a reader that resonates with them – no reader can read for everyone.
Blessings,
Theresa
I ALWAYS get my own readings from Beth Owl’s Daughter. By phone.It is a very spiritual and delightful experience, even though at first i was skeptical about a “phone” reading– My worries were TOTALLY unfounded.
GREAT reading by phone= way better than crummy reading in person! And Beth is on a whole ‘nother coast than I am!!
WE CANNOT READ OURSELVES! I am also an astrologer and though that I ,personally, would “breeze through” my 2nd Saturn return.LAUGH OUT LOUD!!!!!!
We MUST seek out objective, spiritual souls to do our readings FOR US.
I DO use the Gaian deck to journal and do mini readings during the year.But my yearly check up is with BETH.
There is no one in the Phoenix area where I live who is right for me. I followed Beth’s blog for a long time and could see we are kindred souls.i NEVER “test” other readers. I ONLY make a reading appt. if I am “serious”, really ready for a lot of good juicy info and direction, and only twice a year at most, and I only seek out kind, talented souls,such as Beth.
I am not so biased as to think I am the only good reader on the planet–there are a few great ones out there, and I am lucky to have found one!
When you do– treat your spiritual tarot reader with the same sort of respect and open mind that you would like from your own clients!!
Beth Owl’s Daughter is a fantastic reader and a great person! You have chosen well, Madeline.
I also have gotten readings from Beth Owl’s Daughter and have to agree that she truly is a wonderful reader and a sweet person to boot! I enjoy going to another reader to get another perspective as it’s not always easy to read for oneself.
I typically like to “check in” once or twice a year with another reader. Plus it’s a great way to experience a reading style that’s different from my own.
I’ve swapped readings with a friend and fellow reader. I value her interpretation, and it’s fun to discuss the different ways we each see a card — and more often how we agree. A tarot reader should never think she has the only answer.
Recently I did a reading for two out of three young women who were close friends. They all wanted to be involved in both readings, so although I read for two of them individually, the other two friends listened and even added comment. It was different, and I was interested by the different symbolism they saw in the cards. None of them knew anything about tarot, but they saw some things i didn’t see — like a lobster that almost exactly matched a tattoo the querant has on her back.
If we aren’t open to new ways of seeing, we won’t be open in our own readings either.
Thanks for a thought-provoking post.
You are welcome, Reticula. It’s always interesting to get another point of view. It prevents me from getting to caught up in my own style.
I think when we seek a reading from another reader, we ourselves have to put away our reading caps and become the seeker.
This sentence jelled with me “At times like this, I wonder why they even came for a reading. To test me?” I have at times wondered this myself and I hope that the readings I have given have never disappointed and even surprised a few at times. ^_^
I think the thing we as readers should always bear in mind is that tarot is diverse and so are readers, what one sees in a card another may not, but that doesn’t necessarily make anyone right or wrong – unless of course someone tells you utter rubbish an example I can give of this is when someone read for me once and got the 8 swords and said, oh I see you like bondage and was serious about it!! LOL
Helen, you’re right! When I go to Beth Owl’s Daughter, I am pretty much groveling; “help me figure this out Beth!!!!! ” ( And she does!!! ) Just like the people who come to you or me! I totally become just ME,WHO NEEDS A READING!!
Humility is truly a gift! We don’t have to “know it all” and it is ALWAYS ok to ask for help!
LOL about the bondage comment, Helen! OMG
I know hilarious ^__^
Exactly Helen! When I’m getting a reading from someone else, I sit back and simply allow the reader to do the reading. Like you said, often another reader will interpret the cards differently than I would as they are approaching it from an objective point of view and a different pool of life experience. Many of the readings I’ve received from others have not only been beneficial but have opened my eyes to new possibilities – possibilities I might have missed if I did not allow the reading to flow from the reader rather than my repertoire of tarot meanings.
I thought I’d better add, it’s not her interpretation of the card 8 Swords that I called rubbish it’s its relevance to me. ^_^
Bummer
)
Ha haaa!
I rarely get readings because I prefer to live my life as a great unknown.
But when I do, I always go to someone else and since I know the cards are simply a mechanism to the deeper self, akashik or whatever, I never hold it against someone who “mis-reads” a card. I figure their soul was telling them that even if it is against the definition.
Heck, I’ve done that before too. Pulled the 3 of swords but I just KNEW is was not pain and suffering but 3 ex lovers coming back into the picture.
Hi Tarot Lady,
There are few people that I would allow to read for me. Usually I get a psychic feel for them before I allow them to open the portals of the tarot. When I get professional tarot readings, there are a hand full of readers I like going to. I only really do it when I know that reading for myself won’t cut it. I think I rely on three readers; La Gitana Patricia, Marcella Kroll and a crystal ball psychic called ‘Las Nenas’. I have been curious about so many bloggers that I read about, though. Everyone has their own gifts they bring to the world of metaphysics.
However, if it is a voluntary reading, it’s tough to resist clarifying the reading from my own perspective as a reader if I find they stick to novice definitions. It’s the master in us wanting to override what they know with some more seasoned experience, but in the end, it’s a learning process for them. I can see also how our pride can swell when we do what we love.
It’s humbling to find experienced readers that share their gift so willingly with the world, but then again, so do you, Biddytarot and Donnaleigh every time you publish a new blog entry. A lot of people benefit from it. I guess it’s like giving back to the community that gives you so much.
I will have to pay more attention next time I go through this situation. I hadn’t really thought about it this way before.
Great article!
Love & Light
I recently read for another reader which was, unfortunately, not a great experience. After the reading, she told me that she doesn’t normally read with reversals and that she should have told me this before the reading. Then, she proceeded to tell me how negative reversed cards are and that I should be doing my readings with upright cards only. I gently suggested she find a reader who only uses upright cards if this is what she prefers.
I find it very challenging when a client tells you how you should be doing your readings, especially when Tarot is a lot about personal taste and style. I am, of course, very open to feedback and partnering with my clients for a two-way reading, but when I’m told what to do, it’s hard to remain engaged.
Thankfully this has only happened on the very, very rare occasion and 99.9% of my clients are just lovely to work with
Timely topic! I just posted a short account of my first Tarot reading…which didn’t go so well. Mainly because I threw up my walls and wouldn’t budge. It was not a great experience…however, some good came of it – I started learning the Tarot and reading the cards for myself.
Being relatively new to this, I think it’s imperative that readers sometimes seek readings from others. Not only do I love hearing a different interpretation of the cards…but I always worry that I am manipulating the reading to fit my desired outcome! It’s something I struggle with on a daily basis!
I used to completely avoid doing readings for other tarot readers, until I attended my first Readers Studio 2 years ago. Then there was no choice but to face my fears head on! Now I really enjoy reading for other readers, because two heads are better than one. As long as a person remains open to the experience, I can read for them, and vice-versa.
Thank you once again for bringing to light a topic that is rarely discussed!
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As always, your wisdom and down to earth outlook on things are beneficial to those of us that hear you.
Namaste
Great post! Yes, I agree that it can be challenging to do readings for other readers. And I do get readings from one or two other readers that I trust. (Trust is a big thing for me.) Here’s my take on both getting a reading and giving a reading.
When I get a reading from someone else, I do my best to avoid looking at the cards so that I don’t start trying to interpret them myself. If I’m going to do that, I can just do my own reading. I also pay very close attention to what the reader says. I’m there to get a “second opinion” on particular issues and I want to hear the reader’s take on them. He or she is either going to validate what I already know or provide a different perspective and insight on what I’ve seen in my own readings.
When I do readings for other readers, I first ask them not to interpret the cards themselves as I’m proceeding with the reading. (Especially readers that I don’t know.) I ask that they wait until I’m done *and then* they can provide their own interpretation if they wish. At that point they can then contrast what I saw versus what they see. Fortunately, the readers for whom I’ve read so far have been quite happy with my readings and didn’t feel compelled to do their own interpretation; they felt what I said was very much on target and the advice I gave them was definitely something they could take with them and put to good use.
Bottom line: When you go to another reader to get a reading, let her/him do her/his job. You’re the one that will benefit the most.
So I have a question for the discussion here. Does everyone tell the reader that you are indeed a reader, too? I grapple with this not because I want to test a reader; I just don’t want them knowing I professionally read to make them nervous or throw off their getting in the zone.
Recently I went to a reader who made his own deck of cards from comic books which was pretty awesome. However, he spent almost the better half of an hour outlining the ways my husband was currently being unfaithful to me and that I needed to leave him… So rather than critique his card interpretation since it was a totally different deck than I had ever seen I was mostly running in my mind how I would have broken news like that, should I have seen it and also noticing the emotional effect the reading was having on me as a client. (Not to mention inaccurate: Husband has been nearly bed ridden with sciatica over this past half year dude is not up for dalliance!) When time was up his wife kept walking through the room we were out while loudly clearing her throat. I kept thinking, invest in a timer!
Was I unfair not to mention I was a professional reader too? Do you think the outcome of the reading would have been different for him? Would I have been able to put aside my critique of delivery if I spoke up?
I think the most important thing is to choose a tarot reader who has been recommended to you, that you will trust.Beht Owl’s Daughter has no problem reading for me, another reader. I have no problem sharing that i,too, do readings. (on a limited basis,these days..)
Since Beth also provides you with pictures of your reading, I often go into the cards myself, later, as I am thinking about what she shared with me, and I see what i,too, get out of the particular cards.. I sort of “add to” the reading .. and Beth encourages this kind of thoughtfulness.
Chose a good reader. Then trust. That’s the best advice.
As a reader I don’t typically go to others and when I do I choose carefully. I’m open to experimentation and I’ve had readings I thought were fantastic and a few I knew I wouldn’t be returning to see the person after. My absolute favorite tarot reader also combines kinesiology and astrology in her readings. I’ve had several from her and they always suit what the question needs most. Sometimes there’s a little more focus on astrological happenings and other times it’s more heavily only the cards.
Thanks for very interesting conclusion. I use tarot reading from other tarologists and from my teachers when can find answers by myself. I think that there are many features in such readings. I can combine two points of views into complete picture. Here reading is joint creative work. It’s quite inspiring.
I want to ask your permission to translate this article for my Russian-speaking bloggers. Of cause I make a link to the source.
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