"I had quite the tarot reading." A woman of whom I was fond announced to a mutual friend. I couldn't tell if B. enjoyed the session or if she thought it was a bunch of cock a doodle do. Pride prevented me from asking if she thought the reading was malarkey -- similar to the pride I felt when I asked her not to "coach" me. I define coaching as providing hints to the reader, so that the reader determines whether she is on track or she is out of the ballpark -- based on the querent's body language. I've experienced my share of readings in which the querent began to reveal information that could easily influence the way the cards were interpreted -- and at that point, I re-directed the reading, so that the querent stopped providing me with any information and allowed me to carry on with the reading. As a matter of fact, I do think there are more charlatans waiting for marks than there are tarot readers who actually want to help seekers, thank you very much.
"I want my future read." S. said after hearing B's declaration.
"The tarot doesn't predict the future. The tarot says based on your current trajectory, this circumstance has the potential to happen." I corrected her. Too many people are under the impression the outcome is cemented in time when, in fact, external forces may lead to a twist in the storyline. I like the following analogy: If everything goes as you have planned, your plane will arrive at O' Hara airport around 10:36am. If, however, unforeseen traffic gums up the machinery, you will not make your plane. Oh Hell! The plane leaves without you. You can kiss that interview goodbye. Years later, you discover that company already had a candidate in mind; your interview served to make the company appear as if the interviewers had not chosen a candidate. Trying not to let that information influence your mood, you rejoice as your plane touches down in Heathrow, and you are on time for that interview which puts you in line for a job you truly want. Yes, I was impressed when a motivational speaker shared with the audience "When one door closes, a bigger door opens." I think that is an African-American proverb. In any case, I have written that affirmation in my journal.
Interpreting a tarot spread for a friend is a lovely way to spend an early morning or afternoon. In the old days, you pecked around for a tarot deck in an "occult" book store. Nowadays, buyers review tarot decks on Youtube, and you may spot a deck that catches your fancy. You can purchase a deck from an independent creator via etsy or Amazon. Any deck SHOULD come with a guidebook explaining the meanings behind the major and minor arcanas. While I feel comfortable with reading decks from the Rider-Waite tradition, I'm under the impression designers have unfurled their talents -- to the point where a consumer might say, "What in the devil are these cards supposed to mean?" Want a fancy tarot journal in which you record your readings? Some Japanese stationary shops carry beautiful washi tape, gorgeous stickers, and pens of every hue, so that you may assemble a one of a kind tarot journal from a simple, blank, and inexpensive notebook. For those who like to combine tarot and astrology, binders with dividers allow you to organize your tarot records by moon phases or moon phases in zodiac signs. Witchy, huh?
