So as someone who frequents Tarot forums and gives readings, I’ve seen a lot of interesting takes and mistakes. My aim for this article is to give you suggestions on how to become a better reader and improve your accuracy. There is no gatekeeping, just nudges from a good friend.
Accuracy Counts But Isn’t Everything
People pay readers for various reasons, but the main reason is that there is a connection and they feel you care about them. While being right matters, it won’t matter if they don’t feel heard. Make sure you listen, acknowledge how they feel, and avoid personal biases and beliefs about how the world should be.
The Future Has Not Happened
Because the future has not happened, everything spoken is meant to paint a vision in the client’s mind so they can manifest it. Oftentimes, for the sake of making a client happy, some readers jump too far into unbelievable territory. Making the client doubt it can happen. Alternatively, they might believe it will just happen, and become complacent. Tarot is just a short-term view based on the current motion of your emotions. It can alter its course if you alter yours for any reason.
What happens when the client chooses to do nothing, is the universe pranks them with an alternate version of the thing they really want. Ever break up with a guy and hope he calls but it turns out to be some other guy with the same name that calls? It’s probably because you both are too stubborn to show each other love. so the universe sends a more willing participant.
The Right Attitude
Before you even think about asking for gratitude or payment, you need to be “good” at your craft. Passive-aggressive snide demands are low vibrational energy. Sage that attitude right out the door. If you don’t want to be taken advantage of don’t give free readings. In a little bit, I’ll tell you why it’s ok to occasionally give out free readings.
Here’s the cold hard truth. People often don’t thank you because they forget or it was so far left field that they don’t know if they should be blunt with you. Readers can get super defensive, bringing out all their years of experience and qualifications, but are unwilling to listen to what is going on. Or they try to convince you, that they know you better than you know yourself. That alone turns potential clients off. Knock it off. You are whole and knowledgeable and forgive yourself for not seeing all there is to see in this multidimensional world.
Social Media as a Gauge
When you are in an online forum, a like can mean this resonates, a heart means this is totally true. No response means…not really…or I’ll get back to you. Don’t make it uncomfortable by making people feel they are lacking in virtues, because you didn’t get praise. If you are on an online forum, use free readings as an opportunity to improve, or drum up business by offering value and accuracy, and maybe make a few friends. Show people you genuinely want to help with no motives. You can then pick and choose who you want to work with by how they treat you and your readings.
Clear Your Space and Chakras
Dedicate a certain space of psychic work. Clear your space with fire by burning sage, Palo Santos, or whatever your tradition has taught you. Crystals help but aren’t mandatory, but they do act as amplifications. Occasionally they will need to be cleared in salt. Clear your chakras by running the crystal or smudge around you. Maybe it seems silly, but it actually might help you relax.
Telepathy happens when your heart chakra is open, while psychic vision and manifestation occur when the third eye is open. Whereas wisdom, that is not necessarily your own (aka channeled) occurs when the crown chakra is opened. The other chakras help too but for psychic work, those three matter the most. When you are not sensing with your entire body, you are only reading from a small portion of your logical mind.
Desire to Improve
Tarot reading is a skill anyone can pick up, but not everyone can be good at it, simply because many people are not humble enough to improve. Good is subjective. Some people want absolute specifics, down to the color of someone’s shirt. While other people just want you to be in the ballpark. Pick people who are reasonable. There is not a single talented individual in the world that is loved by EVERYONE. So there is that.
The key to becoming better at anything is to keep track of your successes. You can do so by keeping a journal. Sometimes at a later date, you can see how your initial interpretation of the cards made sense but you didn’t think to look at all the possibilities at the time. Other times you’ll recall the question wasn’t specific enough or it changed midway because someone didn’t like the outcome.
Practice
I recommend you do at least 100 readings before you go pro. Read for yourself. When you shuffle did you close your eyes? What did you see? How did you pick your cards? What did you feel when you were compelled to stop? Or did the card pick you by popping out? Notice the colors, symbolism, and imagery on the card. Was there any gut reaction? Notice your own biases and push them aside.
Treat yourself like you were a client. Be kind and motivating. Give yourself a prediction. Because this is for your eyes only don’t be afraid to take risks. Look really deeply into the card. Sometimes the answer is in the literal detail. Did it come true? Why or why not? Write it down. Then adjust for the next reading. Over time you’ll get to know the symbols better. It will be more clear what certain cards mean every time it shows up for a person.
Journal Types
No single tarot journal can capture everyone’s needs. That’s why I’ve created several. We have the classic blank pages with dots so you can draw the lines, and images and write as much as you want. We have the 1 card tarot spread so you can get to know every card in your deck, great if you are learning a new deck. Then we have the quick record 3 card tarot spread and the up to 12 card tarot spread. These are for people who just like to write in shorthand. Makes it easy to skim in the future and reflect.