I don’t know about you, but I’ve had some pretty bad tarot readings in the past.
One of the worst readings I ever had was the catalyst in helping me decide to offer readings myself! It was so bad I thought - I can do better than that! And here I am. So, in a way, that reading was exactly what I needed.
That reading took me on my own journey to become a professional tarot reader myself!
Some readers out there are really wonderful. They make you feel really held and safe and pass on empowering inspiring and helpful messages that help you to move forward.
Other readers can leave you feeling a little bit like “what the heck just happened?”
We often get people coming into the Spiritual Journey Pitstop group on Facebook to chat about a difficult or confusing tarot reading experience.
And I get DMs all the time from people telling me something negative or even scary a reader said to me and asking me what I think.
I see so many people giving their power away to readers and even worse, I see so many readers taking away their client’s power too! Ew!
Times have changed. We are no longer going to readers to tell us what is going to happen and then send us on our way.
We want sacred space held for us. We want our readers to be empowering, inspiring and we want to come out of our readings feeling like we know our next steps and are ready to take them.
And if that is the kind of reading you want, here are some tips on how to get the best tarot reading you possibly can!
1. Do your research before booking a reading
There are no degrees or diplomas for us tarot readers and anybody with a deck can make a website, join social media and start selling readings these days.
Not all tarot readers have your best interests at heart. That sucks to hear, but it’s true.
This ranges from readers who talk to their clients like they’re stupid, talk smack about their clients after the session or even convince their clients that they have a curse and need to pay X amount of money to have it removed. ICK.
The best way to choose a reader is to do your research.
Look at their website. Read their blogs. Look at their social media and especially watch their videos. Use your intuition to decide if that person is a good fit for you.
Is this someone you would trust with your deepest secrets and your dreams? Would you feel safe sharing the hard parts of your life with them?
Look at their reviews. On my website I have a page of Praise where I even link to the websites of people who have offered up their kind words. Before you work with me you’re always welcome to send those people a message and ask what working with me is like!
If you find a reader with no reviews, no videos and not much info about them, I’d keep scrolling.
Unless of course you have an intuitive hit and you just *know* this is the person you need to see! Always trust your gut!
But do be aware that if there are no reviews or if this person doesn’t show their face online, there may be a reason for that!
2. Ask questions!
Your reader should be available for questions, or maybe they will even have an FAQ page! If you have questions about your reading, ask them!
You may like to ask about the format of the reading, if there’s anything you need to do to prepare. Maybe you want to know if they work with spirit guides and angels or mediumship.
You might like to know if the reading will be a conversation where you get to talk about what’s going on for you, or if it’s more about them just passing on messages.
Some readers will just sit and talk at you for an hour, others will work with you more like a coach and invite you to speak about what’s coming up for you. Some will be a bit of both.
It’s so much better to ask and feel prepared than to bring any anxiety, confusion or unanswered questions into the space.
3. Think about your questions
It’s really helpful for readers if you know what your questions are beforehand.
You can even write them down if you think you’ll forget, or email them ahead of time if your reader is open to that.
I can’t tell you how many readings I’ve done where the client has said they don’t really have a question and then ten minutes before the end they say – oh, but what I really wanted to know…
We may be “psychic” but that doesn’t mean we are mind readers.
Sure, some readers will know your question, but for me, and plenty of other readers I know, we work a little differently.
A really specific question helps me tune into your energy and the messages start to come through so much more clearly from that anchor point.
For many readers, a specific question will get you a specific answer, and general readings usually get general answers.
So please, ask your questions and make sure you get the answers you want, and then if there is time, let your reader tune into whatever else is going on.
Ethereal Visions Illuminated Tarot
4. Prepare yourself ahead of time
Make sure that you give yourself a bit of time to just chill out and prepare before the reading.
If you are meeting a reader online, take some time to organise yourself. Have a notebook, pen and glass of water ready and go to the toilet!
If you are meeting a reader in person, try to make sure you get there a bit early so you can relax a bit before you go in.
There is nothing worse for a reader than opening up the door, or the Zoom room and your client is out of breath and frazzled!
Take some time to call in your own guides, angels and higher self and tell them what you want out of the session.
Ask that you will be protected in the space, that your reader will have access to what they need and that everything that comes through in the session is in alignment with your best and highest good.
5. Communicate with your reader
When you sit down with your reader, tell them exactly what your questions are and what you want from the session.
Some readers will just start pulling cards, which is totally fine if you want a general reading, but if they aren’t getting to your question and time is ticking, make sure to stop and ask them for what you need.
Your reader is there for you. They should listen to you and work the reading around your needs.
6. Listen with an open heart but use discernment
Many people go to see a reader thinking that this person is going to have all the answers.
Well, hopefully they have some answers for you! But this person is not your saviour and they can’t fix your life for you.
They may not even get it all right.
Readers are human, and even though they are channelling and passing on messages from spirit or wherever your reader brings them in from, they are still translating through their own lens, their own life experience.
It can be difficult to know when you are just hearing what you don’t want to hear, and when the reading is “off”.
The best thing you can do when you’re not sure about the messages you are given is to stay curious about them, use your own intuition, pull your own cards for confirmation or speak to a friend or even another reader.
7. Take what resonates and leave the rest
There may be one or two things that you take from a reading that were really helpful and powerful, take those on board.
If there are things that were said which didn’t really feel true in your heart, let them go.
Modern Witch Tarot featuring my books Witch, Please + The Santolsa Saga in the background!
8. Reflect on your experience
Reflecting on a reading is such a big part of the experience. I like to go to a friend and share my experience, or sometimes I just like to sit with it for a few days.
I think about how the reader made me feel.
I think about what they said and what felt true to my heart and what didn’t.
And I also think about what it was that my guides and angels really wanted to communicate to me through that reading.
Sometimes it’s a message straight from the reader’s mouth! Sometimes it’s the cards that were pulled. Sometimes it’s something else entirely, like when I had that bad reading that made me become a reader!
9. Remember that the only person who can create your fate is YOU
Too many people go to readers and believe 100% of everything they say. They will change their whole lives based on something a reader has told them.
I have actually done this myself in the past too! And let me tell you, it did not work out for my best and highest good! Although, it is a cool story to tell when I’m teaching tarot and discussing my thoughts on predictive readings!
If your reader works with predictions, they are usually just telling you what they see in that moment.
But our timelines are changing constantly, and you can change your whole life in one small decision!
I believe there are some things in life that are set in stone – people you are destined to meet, places you are meant to go, experiences your soul needs to have, but there is a lot of wiggle room, and we have the power to change so much!
Think about what your reader has told you may happen, or any other advice they gave you, but stand in your power and remember you create your fate babe.
No reader can create your magical future for you, you get to decide what you do next and how your story plays out!
Vix at work!
May you always find the reader you seek and may all your readings be empowering, inspiring and supportive and guide you on your best and highest path!
With love and light,
Vix
x
PS – If you’d like to get a reading with me, keep your eyes out for when I do my pop up email readings, join us in The Sanctuary for short and sweet stories readings and there is also a secret way to get a reading with me which your intuition may lead you to! :P x