What Is My Reading Process?

I am a typically quiet person who likes to sit off to the side and watch things happen around me.  This does not mean I am anti-social. I do speak up when I have something to say, or when I am asked a question.

The purpose of tarot is asking a question for some insight, a different perspective that may give some guidance and motivation.

So what do those two things have to do with each other, other than there is a question involved. Well, it has to do with my nature and how I read tarot cards.

I prefer to not do my readings for people in the traditional way, meaning face to face. I am more of a behind the scenes sort of person. I have done face to face readings and over the phone readings and I have found those to be a bit distracting. I get a storm of information in my head when I lay the cards out and it takes concentration to keep those thoughts in order when they come at me so fast. Then someone will interrupt with a question and then it takes me a moment to get it back. 

And sometimes bits will be lost forever.

What else is distracting is too much information. When someone wants a reading from me, all I need is a question, or even just a point of departure like; work, relationship, family, moving…etc.

The less I know the better it is for both of us. It is better for me because I will not be influenced by additional information that the monkey mind wants to piece together.
And the biggest point: It is good for you so that you can get true validation for the information presented in the reading.

When I do a reading, I like to put on my headphones and listen to a playlist that I made just for when I read cards. The play list has mostly bluegrass, world beat, and reggae, but some other stuff too. The first thing I do after I get settled in is choose a deck. I bring out my box, which is an old wooden fruit flat. I look at my decks and one of them will call to me, that is the deck I pick to read with. Then I shuffle the cards as I focus on the person and their question. I shuffle until I feel that the shuffling is done, the cards start to feel 'resistant' to shuffling. I know that it is time to pull some cards.

I usually pull all the cards for the spread at once and look at them all collectively but there are times when I pull the first card and start writing. Once there is no more 'chatter', I pull the next card.
Which manner I pull the cards is all about intuition. Allowing the information to be presented in the manner that the divine chooses.
I do my readings by hand. Yes, I actually write them out before I type them up. I am a firm believer that the action of using the hand and writing has an energy and a power to it. And there is also that aspect of automatic and channeled writing. I have done a few readings that felt like my hand was the one in control and doing the work while I just sat back and read what was being written.
Writing for me also sparks visions and I am sure to express the things that I see, no matter how silly or off topic they may seem as they have always ended up being relevant and on target.

Spirit of Flowers Tarot - Lo Scarabeo 

 

My readings are not quick little blurbs for each card. I do not have a string of keywords, or a bunch of situational sentences. I have a whole story to tell. The majority of my readings are 200+ words per card. Ok, so maybe not each card, but over all. If I have a 5 card reading there will be over 1,000 words for the reading even if one card is only 160 words.

Published Speaking of story, some of my readings do come out very story like, a metaphorical adventure that mirrors the situation the questioner is going through. Sometimes the character in the card has something specific to say after I have given my take on the card and it's position, so I quote them. These unique type of readings are no common. I actually do quote cards somewhat often, but not every time. These fun readings are so different, I really enjoy doing them. Would like to have more like them now and then.

My readings can be reviewed here on my blog. Just look to the right for the list and pick a spread on the the spreads and read an actual reading down using that spread.