When you read for others, your decks are bound to become worn and beat – especially if you are a high volume reader like myself.  Although some may feel that a well used deck has more power, I find that eventually, like any tool, the readings can become somewhat dull.  (This is just the way I feel, by the way, and no means the final word on whether or not a deck is used up!)

Of course, any deck over a long period will acquire nicks and bends but here’s a few tips to preserve your decks:

1.  You may want to consider not allowing the questioner to shuffle the deck.  Personally, I prefer that they DO – but if you decide to allow someone else to shuffle your deck, you have no control over how rough they will be.  Recently, I acquired a beautiful deck that was made on rather thin card stock.  An aggressive client shuffled those cards with such fury that she ended up destroying the deck.  All it took was that one reading – and poof! They were no longer useful.  Think carefully about this.  If you are paranoid about a deck being trashed, then don’t allow anyone to touch it. Or get decks made on sturdy card stock!

2.  Have a variety of decks handy so that you can switch off as often as you’d like. Think of this as rotating the tires on your car – it will give your decks a longer shelf life.

3.  When not in use, keep the deck in a silk scarf or in a wooden box. 

4. If you travel with your deck, I advise you to keep it in a nice silk bag.  I have a lovely one that a dear client made for me years ago.  It keeps my deck safe but also reminds me of her whenever I look at it!

What about a deck that has been completely ruined?  You can either “retire it” – put it away in your collection or choose to give the deck to a person who may want it.  The other option that I like is to put it in a paper bag with an orange cut in half and throw it away, far from your home.  I learned this technique from an old magician who disposed of all of his magickal tools this way. 

Always remember – your deck is the “window to your soul”.  Treat it with respect! With a little care, they can last a long time and serve you well.

Blessings!
Theresa
www.thetarotlady.com

©The Tarot Lady | Theresa Reed

For many new clients, they may not really know what to expect when they come for a tarot reading.  In fact, I find that most people come in with a pretty open mind.  But there are always the few that seem to have some unrealistic expectations about what tarot readers can or cannot do. 

Here’s a list of a few that come into my office on occasion:

1. The Gambler: No, I don’t know when to fold them or know when to hold them but apparently some people expect that I can help them win at games of chance.  I get the request for “lottery numbers” more than I care to mention.  Don’t you think if I knew how to win the lottery I’d be driving a Mercedes or retired by now?  Once I had a client who asked about his “luck”.  The cards indicated hard work, not luck.  He blamed me for his losing streak after then.

2.  The Time Burglar:This is the person who assumes I have nothing to do all day but sit around and wait for them to show up. They are chronically late and don’t seem to understand that there are others waiting. I’ve gotten  much better at handling these narcissists but they never fail to annoy me. Yes people, I do have OTHER things to do!

3.  The Hex Mistress: Perpetually “unlucky”, this sad sack wants me to tell her that she has a curse on her and that her life issues have nothing to do with her poor choices.  She doesn’t want to take responsibility for her issues and make the changes.  She just wants me to “get rid of her bad luck”.  Sorry, I’m not a miracle worker nor am I going to let you off the hook.

4.  The Patient: I’m better than a counselor or so I have been told. Problem is, I am NOT a licensed therapist. This client wants to dump on me and expects me to be able to diagnose their issues.  No tarot reader should ever take the place of a professional.I feel that is unethical and does not serve the client.  I always refer troubled clients to a good therapist as I won’t take that responsibility on.  Years ago, I had a woman who came to me and remarked that she got rid of all of her meds after her reading because she felt so good.  I politely told her to go back to her psychiatrist and refused to see her as a client ever again.

5.  The Critic:This is the client who loves to come in and say “you were right about everything except this one thing..”.  They want to hammer that point home, so they’ll bring it up again and again.  In fact, every time they see you, they only want to talk about “that one thing that didn’t workout”.  They always have a bizarre indignant tone. I never understand what their point is.  Do they want to show me that I’m fallible? I don’t claim to be God.  My theory is that these people are very unhappy and want to make sure someone else feels just as crappy as they do.  I can only imagine how they treat their coworkers or loved ones.  After awhile, I get sick of their passive aggressive nature and just get rid of these clients.  (On a side note, I am thrilled if my batting average is only one thing wrong! Woot!)

As a reader, I am quite aware of my own shortcomings. I can’t work with every client. I cannot fix every issue.  I am humble enough to admit that. 

I am also wise enough to know that most of my clients are real, wonderful and open people.  Therefore, I don’t let a few bummers create an atmosphere where I have a cynical attitude or unrealistic expectations of my clients.  If you are a reader, it is important for you to keep an open mind about your clients – even if they don’t have the same attitude about you.

Blessings!
Theresa
www.thetarotlady.com

©The Tarot Lady | Theresa Reed

I’m the first to admit that I despise the sound of my voice on tape. I even cringe when I listen to my answering service (I am not kidding here!) ! No one else seems to mind though.  In fact, some of my yoga students have even remarked that my voice is soothing! Go figure….

Although this is something I struggle with personally, I find that making an audio recording of your readings to be valuable for the client. In fact, I even insist some spacey types bring in a recorder and make it a habit to do so every time.  This serves a few purposes:

1.  The querent will pay more attention to the reading if they are not scrambling to take notes.  (I talk VERY fast so this is important!)
2.  A forgetful person will appreciate being able to listen to the recording later and it serves to remind them of what you’ve said.
3.  It is easier for the questioner to hear what you REALLY said, not what they THOUGHT you said.

Years ago, I had a particularly cynical woman come in for a reading. She taped it, which I encouraged her to do.  Later she called me to say that she had listened to it on the way home and was glad she did.  In her mind, the reading was not positive at all – but after listening to the tape, she realized that it was HER interpretation that was negative, not what I said.  This is a great example of why taping a reading can be valuable.

So even if you are not a fan of your own voice, be open to providing this service as many clients will appreciate you for it!

Blessings!
Theresa
www.thetarotlady.com

(I don’t provide a recording device or tapes in my office as I prefer the client to take that responsibility on for themselves.)

©The Tarot Lady | Theresa Reed

Years ago, I had the best reading in my life from a man who was not a professional reader. Although I initially doubted him (never underestimate a triple Scorpio!), it turned out he had amazing abilities that blew me away. But he never directed his talent into a career as he had other aspirations. I have since lost touch with him but always wonder what “might have been” if he continued on this path.

I am sometimes surprised by the people who should be doing tarot but aren’t – but more shocked by the ones who do this as a living and probably shouldn’t. Who am I to judge you may ask? (I even ask myself that!) Well, sometimes I am here, undoing the damage that some of these readers do to people. And I have been witness to many readers who seem to do worse damage to themselves.

Here are some of the pitfalls that many readers need to watch out for:

  1. Ego. As the old saying goes, “pride goeth before a fall”. It is
     easy to fall into the trap of thinking you are “powerful” when you
     get some accurate results from your readings. It is even easier to
     begin to think you “know it all”. This is NOT a good place to be
     in because this type of thinking blinds you. I have seen some well
     intentioned readers become so enamored of their own abilities that
     they begin losing sight of the real purpose of a reading – it is
     to EMPOWER the client, never about your authority. If you find
     yourself feeling smug, it is time for an attitude check. Readers
     who become egomaniacs often lose their abilities.

  2. Burnout. Doing reading after reading, working all hours of the
     day, 7 days a week, available to everyone’s beck and call won’t
     make you a popular reader. It will make you sick and tired.
     Working in this manner does not serve your clients – it makes you
     a slave to them. Eventually, resentment sets in and then you are
     no good for anyone. Set boundaries. Do other things in addition to
     tarot. Most importantly, make time for YOU. When you take care of
     yourself first, you are always a more grounded conduit.

  3. Stereotyping. Some readers really get into the whole “show” aspect
     – which is similar to ego. However, this takes it a step further
     as the reader will go with every awful stereotype – crazy “witchy”
     costumes, turbans and affectations ala Gloria Swanson in “Sunset
     Boulevard”. Although this is harmless, no one will take you
     seriously and this runs the risk of making tarot a joke. If you
     are doing a Ren-fair, go for it – but if you want to be seen as a
     professional, drop the act. (If you are a full on goth though and
     love the fashion aspect, then rock on!)

  4. Negative Nancys. There are some readers who thrive on telling
     people bad stuff. In fact, they seem to only focus on negative.
     Why? It can feel powerful to make someone frightened is my only
     guess. This does not help a client. I have found that these types
     of readers tend to live negative lives themselves and have a
     crummy attitude. Which leads to the next and most important issue:

  5. Projecting. If your life is not in order, it is easy to put your
     own crappy spin on other people’s readings. The first thing every
     reader should do is fix their OWN lives. If you are not living a
     life that is healthy, positive and balanced, you have no business
     doing this work. You are a living example and should be a beacon
     of integrity, love and divine spirit! Manifest the best for you
     and you will be in a position to help your clients to create lives
     that are full of abundance and joy!

Blessings!
Theresa
www.thetarotlady.com

©The Tarot Lady | Theresa Reed

Cards getting stale? Are your readings lacking “oomph”? Do you feel as if you are giving the same old readings, day after day?  You may be in a “tarot rut”!

It happens from time to time, especially for long time readers.  So how does one transform this stagnant energy and put life back into their readings?  Here’s a few tips sure to help you get your groove back:

1.  CHANGE DECKS – someone once said to me that “familiarity breeds contempt” and I couldn’t agree more. Get yourself a brand new deck.  Perhaps one that you have never worked with.  See if that doesn’t inspire your dormant intuitive powers!

2.  READ A NEW TAROT BOOK – believe it or not, there are GREAT ones coming out on the market all the time.  For example, check out the new one by Rachel Pollack, “Tarot Wisdom” or Mary Greer’s “21 Ways To Read A Tarot Card”.  This is a fantastic way to glean new insights.

3. LISTEN TO A TAROT PODCAST – there are some mighty good ones out there.  Listen in to Tarot Talk, Thelemic Waves or the Tarot Connection for some great chats with tarot experts!  If you search around on the web, there are many others as well!

4.  GET A READING – sometimes just getting a reading from another reader can help you to get clear.  And you can always learn from others – even if you don’t like the reading!

5. JOIN TWITTER – and connect with other tarot readers and astrologers!  I have found this community to be really helpful and supportive.  While you’re there, participate in the #amtarot and #pmtarot with me.  It’s a fun way to hone your skills!  (Don’t forget to follow me while you’re at it!)

6. READ TAROT BLOGS -I have been enjoying tuning into other blogs.  Once again, too many to name but a few of my faves are: Mary Greer’s Tarot Blog, Tarot By Arwen, MaTarotWellness, and Rose of Avalon.

7. PUT IT AWAY – And if all else fails, take a break for a while.  Go on a ‘tarot vacation’.  Come back to it in a few days and you may have the fresh attitude you need to see clearly!

Blessings!
Theresa
www.thetarotlady.com

©The Tarot Lady | Theresa Reed

Picking a deck is really matter of personal choice and for newbie readers, it can be overwhelming to look through the massive selection available.  Where to start?  The list below is comprised of a few decks I feel are great for beginner (or any for that matter) readers. (You can view images of any of these decks at: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/)

1. Rider Waite – This is THE standard deck.  Many other decks, including the ones listed below, base their images on the artwork of the RW deck.I usually recommend that all my students start out with this one. The pictures clearly illustrate the meanings.  Many tarot books feature the Rider Waite deck, so it is usually easy to find a good companion book.

2. Morgan Greer – Stunning and vivid visuals with stark colors.  Images are based on the Rider Waite deck so it is a good deck to start with or to move on to.

3. Robin Wood - Beautiful artwork with a Pagan feel. 

4. Connolly Deck – I find this deck gorgeous, easy to read and very user friendly. Note that the Death card is renamed “Transition” and the Devil is renamed as “Materialism”.  I find that this is beneficial when reading for people who are fearful of tarot decks.

5. Hanson Roberts – A smaller deck that fits nicely in the palm of your hand. Standard RW images but very whimsical.

Any of these decks will work well for a beginner or make a nice addition to any tarot afficiando’s collection!

Blessings!
Theresa
www.thetarotlady.com

©The Tarot Lady | Theresa Reed

I’ll admit it willingly.  I am an absolute commitment-phobe.  In my mind, I don’t make a very good wife (although my husband would beg to differ) and I can’t stand the feeling of  “obligation”.  The very word sends shudders down my spine!  I like to keep one foot out the door and I prefer to feel as if I always have an option (an option to what I don’t know).

I am even like this with my tarot cards.  For different reasons. I’ll use a deck for a long period only to put it in a dark corner if I get sick of it. I may pull it out again, but usually once I am done, I am really done.  Rarely do I like looking at the same thing for years and years. I’ll even give the deck away if I feel it is low energy (people are anxious to get a well used deck for some reason – but for me, once it has lost it’s juice it never works the same).  I’ve even been known to flippantly toss a deck if I perceive someone else is using the same deck to copy me in some fashion (imitation is never flattering to me).

But some times there is a very good reason to switch decks up.  Here’s why: often times we get so familiar with our decks that the images become stale. We become complacent in our readings and start to use rote meanings rather than inspired intuitive insights. 

Years ago, when I used to teach tarot reading, we would start out with the Rider Waite deck (I always recommend it for beginners).  After the students developed confidence in reading with this deck, I would pull out another deck without warning.  Often, this left the students stuttering and scared.  But then, when they relaxed, something wonderful happened: new meanings would emerge and their readings would get new life!

So if you are rather fond of your deck, I encourage you to shake things up a bit. Try a deck that is completely unfamiliar to you. Maybe even one that is not appealing to your senses.  Pull out a deck that you haven’t worked with in years. Use someone else’s cards. See what you can do to nudge yourself in a new direction.  Freshen up your readings in this manner from time to time and you may just stay commited to learning tarot thoroughly!

Blessings!
Theresa
www.thetarotlady.com

©The Tarot Lady | Theresa Reed