How to Get the Most Out of Your Reading, Part One

 

 

There are a lot of books, websites and other information available today about how to perform divination, especially with tarot and runes. Of course, there are other methods such as geomancy, astrology, I-Ching and many, many more. But while there is much about how to do the readings, there is little that is said about how to get the most out of the reading. There are many things that you, the person receiving the reading, can do in order to maximize the result of the reading you receive, both before and after the reading. Today we shall look at a number of them and point out how you can get the most out of your reading.

Step 1: Get to know your reader

This may sound obvious, but I assure you that it is not. Getting to know your reader is very important and often neglected when faced with available readers and the cost thereof. If you are in an area that only has one reader, this may be a moot point. However, with the internet today and the availability of many talented readers online there is no reason to neglect this. When I say get to know them, I mean know them beyond “Do you do readings?” and “How much do you charge?” Learn about them. Do they have their life in order, as much as possible, or is it chaotic? What is their philosophy on reading? Do they read for themselves and, if not, why? What are their priorities in doing readings? What deck do they use? Most importantly, how do you feel about them?

Now, you may be thinking that some of these things are pointless. After all, you are just going to a person to let the cards tell you your future, right? Well, no. Why the cards may be what provides the information, that information is translated from the cards to your ear by the reader… And readers are not created equally. You see, when a person’s life is chaotic or in disorder that affects their mental and energetic state. The cards provide insight and messages to the reader’s subconscious mind, which is then relayed to the conscious and then to your ear. So, a reader’s energetic state and state of mind can influence how they interpret the reading. Now, good readers are aware of this and have no problem letting you know that right now is not a good time for a reading. After all, we readers are human too. Knowing that they are working on their own issues, and not trying to hide their issues in order to make money off of you, is a really good sign. Don’t expect your reader to be the perfect person. Just to be human.

Finding out their philosophy on readings is very important. I generally lump readers into three categories. The first is what I call the “Good Witch of the North”. This is the reader that is always positive, turns every reading into something good and tries to put a positive spin on their readings. They don’t want to be the ones that foretell bad things happening. They want you to be happy when you leave. The danger of this type of reader is that they are not helping you prepare of avert any negative obstacles in your way. The second kind of reader is the “Wicked Witch of the West”. This person is basically the opposite of the first. They are all doom and gloom. I have often seen this type of reader follow their reading with a sales pitch for their services to help you deal with or avoid whatever negativity is coming your way. The problem is that they focus solely on the negative and pointing it out to you. Personally, I like to think that I fall into the third category of reader. I call it the “Straight from the hip” reader. This is the person who will tell you what they see in the cards, good or bad. They will help you to identify trouble spots and dangers so that you can prepare for them. They will also help steer you towards positive and beneficial outcomes. Good and bad are two sides of the same coin. They work in conjunction to provide you all the information and resources that you need in order to best navigate the energies and influences coming your way.

Another thing that I look for in a reader is how interactive they are. I see divinations, especially tarot and geomancy (which are my main systems of divination) as interactive. Some readers will simply lay out the cards and tell you what they see. Now, granted this is what happens sometimes during a reading over the internet just because there is no direct interaction between the reader and the person asking the question. But, whenever possible, I like for divinations to be interactive. There are a number of reasons for this. First, while the cards may be giving me a message, that same message may mean something entirely different for you. And, after all, the reason you got the reading is to help yourself. Right? If the reader is just speaking at you, while the information can still be useful, it will not have the same effect as someone working with you. I like to say that divination is a spectator sport. I want you involved!

Asking a person if they read for themselves is one of my big questions when looking for a reader. Now, there are a lot of people who will say that reading for yourself is difficult and you shouldn’t do it. In some circumstances they are correct. It is difficult to be objective when you have a stake in the outcome. But, we are talking about professional readers. These are supposed to be people who have trained and practiced to do readings. They should be able to step back, detach themselves, provide the information objectively. Now, some people may choose not to do readings for themselves because it is difficult. But, there is a difference between choosing not to and not being able to do it. If they don’t have confidence to remain objective, why should you have confidence in them?

Knowing why someone does readings is very important. Is it just a business to them? If so, you may be looking at either a “Good Witch of the North” in hopes that you will keep coming back, or a “Wicked Witch of the West” in hopes that she can sell you something. Now, I am not saying that professional readies, and even non-professional ones, should not charge for their time and work. They have bills to pay, mouths to feed (even if it is just theirs), and the like. They are providing a service and should be paid for it. However, if someone’s rates are extremely high, or they will absolutely not talk to you if you can not afford it, then that speaks to their motivations and ethics. I have, and continue to whenever possible, work on the barter system for people that can not afford my readings. I will use a sliding scale when necessary. And, while I do operate as a business, the most important thing is helping others. If I am not doing that what good is the business? I would recommend staying away from people that are “all about the money.”

Another question that may seem superficial, but it is not, is the deck they use. Of course this will mainly apply to tarot and oracle decks, as things like runes, geomancy and other mediums should not present a problem. That being said, there are countless different tarot and oracle decks out there. There are ones based off of traditional symbolism. There are ones that are completely made up. There are those that have happy, cartoon themes. There are those that have dark and foreboding themes. The deck that a person uses says a lot about them. As you are supposed to be receiving guidance and insight from the deck as well you should be comfortable with it. Someone that uses a silly deck may have a silly, lazy attitude towards readings. Someone who uses a dark and sinister deck may have the same attitude towards their readings. When you bond with a deck you form an energetic connection with it. Does the medium the reader is using look like something you would want to let into your life? Well, why would you let him or her read for you with it? Now, I do have to say that this is not always true, and that is why it is important to get to know your reader. I have had some good, positive readings with darker decks. And, I have given serious readings with a deck that was based off the Rider-Waite deck, but all the characters were gummy bears! A good reader can make any deck work. But, how the deck makes you feel is important. And this brings me to the last point of this step…

How do you feel about the reader? Beyond the deck and all the questions and information you should be asking about the person you are going to trust to give you advice, how do they make you feel? Don’t discount your gut! If you are not comfortable with a person, don’t get a reading from them. Reading for people is a matter of trust, and a good reader will take that trust seriously. Plus, if you are not comfortable with the reader, are you going to take their advice? If there is anything that sets you off talk to the reader about it. If they do not help to ease your concerns you have your answer. Seek out another reader.

Having gone through all of this, I am assuming that you have found a reader that you are comfortable with, who uses a divination method and tool(s) that you are comfortable with. In the next post, we will look at step 2, having a good question.