Tarot – Why Get a Reading and How to Make the Most of It.
By Kim Anderberg
The system of the Tarot has long fascinated and fomented great debate over the last five or so centuries, with its origins still widely argued. Readers and seekers alike find an ally in this system of divination, while others oppose and fear it. Certainly, something as controversial as the Tarot must have some credence. Having read for the general public for over three decades, I’ve had plenty of time to philosophize on the hows and whys of the system. The numinous epiphanies and validations from the many strangers I have engaged have landed me a true believer of
the value and positive impact the tarot can have. It is not an easy path for us readers. Yet, we see its ability to touch the soul of the querent and assist them in whatever life deals.
Why get a tarot reading?
Getting a reading is a personal experience and can be described as looking at a mirror – into the soul. Tarot is not about fortune telling or seeing the future. This concept is one of the reasons many turn away. I have heard all kinds of statements around ‘not wanting to know the future’ or ‘not wanting to get the death card’. These misconceptions are stigmatizations that have fueled the ongoing debate. Although predictions can be organically gleaned in a reading, and should be based upon cause and possible effect already in motion, they are only possibilities based on the current pathway. Every choice we make can change this outcome and so predictions are as mutable as water and often unreliable. Instead, the tarot reflects back what is most important in your life right now. It offers guidance in these moments, highlighting your personal strengths and adversities. These insights are your allies, there to assist and support you. Getting a reading can offer profound insights not already considered. For some it is light hearted curiosity and for others it is spiritual guidance, but whatever the reason, the tarot can be an extremely helpful tool. The tarot can not only inform and support but also positively change the lives of those who have allowed themselves to be open to it.
When getting a reading, there are a few things that you as a querent (the person to inquiry) can do to get the most out of your reading.
A Clear Question
It is best to come to the table with a clear question or thoughts for which you would like to receive guidance. Instead of being “open” to receive “whatever,” having a clear need causes the reading to focus on the specifics rather than generalizations. If you come to it saying, “I just want to know whatever the universe has to tell me,” your reading may be very accurate while being scattered. It may, if you are new to it, impress you with its accuracy, demonstrating the tarot’s potency. However, this type of open reading can be all over the map and even confuse the tarot reader. It is good to acknowledge that your life is complex with many different things playing out simultaneously, and the tarot will pick up on these things in an overlighting format. Asking a specific question or thinking of the most important issues affecting you now will give more specific detail and guidance to your reading.
The Present Is A Gift
The tarot is a mirror, meant to reflect information needed in the current moment. Its best use is not for prediction, although predictions can happen in conjunction with the here and now. It is important to keep your questions present tense. Certainly it can foretell solid future events, such as “You will get married” or “You will get the job you
applied for.” These statements are an effect of a current decision making process. However, if you come to it specifically looking for answers about your future, the reader and you may get a bit off base. Asking about the future can be insanely confusing and unreliable. Think of your query in the present, and if a prediction is hidden in the cards, you might just get enough of a dose to satiate your curiosity. After all, if readers were all psychics, we all would have won the lottery.
Are they the ONE?
Relationship readings are hands down some of the most difficult readings to do. You ask about a relationship and maybe you are told something you don’t want to hear. It happens again and again that the Querent will reject this reading. You may be vested in an outcome – being told this is a soul mate or that this person is the love of your life or
(enter preconceived ideas here). It is a very complicated subject matter and often there is no clear yes or no when it comes to matters of the heart (cups). And if the reading does say no, you might not listen anyway. Truth is, you might need to have this relationship even if it will end in tears, so who’s to say you should or shouldn’t? For a healthy point of view, have an open mind and accept that you might or might not like the answer, and maybe that answer will not stop you anyway.
Mind Reading
A bit of caution if you’re wanting to know what someone else is doing, thinking, or saying about you. Your reading can result in some hard knocks. This type of question is intrusive on other’s privacy and can result in you being scolded by the cards. That’s right! The cards can call you out for spying. Your reading is meant for you, not for you to look inside someone else or have the reader read someone else. The important others will appear in your reading and can shed light on what kind of energy they bring. Framing your question around, for example, “Is this person healthy for me?” or “What can help me with this situation/person?” is going to give more digestible results.
Hidden Beneath the Surface
It can happen that something suppressed or something you were not thinking about at all comes up in your reading. The reason can be that this thing is directly impacting your current affairs, even if unacknowledged. This is your mirror, and it is wise beyond your years. It is possible that in retrospect, you will find this to be exceptionally helpful
information even if it makes you a bit uncomfortable. But What About Those Scary Cards?
The philosophy of the tarot is about light and shadow, strength and adversity and the trials and tribulations, joys and sorrows that we all go through in our human experience. In this way there are no “bad” cards. We can certainly see when there is a struggle or a difficulty in a current pathway but if we perceive these things as scary or bad news, it
actually can make it harder to move through these events and processes. When we look at them as teachers and allies we realize that there are no bad cards – just poor reactions to life’s curveballs. In retrospect we see the strength in them and how much they empower us to help us get through the current difficulties and get on the other side of it.
Giving The Reader A Clue
Some people come to readings not wanting to give any information to the reader at all and even shutting themselves down energetically. There are a lot of complex things happening in your life all at the same time and a reading can cover many of these things. If you tell the reader a simple amount of information such as what your question is or
what the issue is that you would like to receive some insights about, it can definitely help make the reading more concise and guide the reading towards exactly what is needed in the moment. When the Querent shuts themselves down and tries to see how “psychic” the reader is, the only person that they are hindering is themselves. Often
readers not only use the cards to read but are using their intuitions around what they’re feeling from the Querent. Allowing yourself to be received supports a more accurate reading.
The Perfect Fit
There are many types of readers out there. Some may be more spiritual, others more pragmatic, but no matter their style, they all have a job to do – deliver a message specific to you. If you disagree with a reading or don’t like the message, you might consider that this is exactly what you needed in the moment, even if it doesn’t make sense right now. Retrospect often yields understanding. There are many messages that can be seen in a reading and the job is not an easy one. We readers don’t know everything, contrary to popular belief. And sometimes, we might miss the target. We are human after all. I encourage the seeker to keep an open mind (good for neuroplasticity), take things with a grain of salt, and above all else, have fun! The cards are beautiful and astounding and can move us deeply. Keep searching, keep yearning, and try out readers like you might try out shoes. Some will be the perfect fit.
A Compelling Story
Maybe you have wondered why you have the notion to get a reading at all. If you listen to this inner voice, it may be that one day you find yourself in front of a stranger who deals out some foreign yet strangely familiar images and then begins to unpack things about you that mystifies and stirs the spirit. It can be exciting to see this unfold. A reading can invigorate you, strengthen you and channel you. It should uplift your soul while also shedding light on what needs attention. This is your journey of illumination that can lead to connected dots, synchronicities, and epiphanies galore. This is your soul compelling you and it is a beautiful story of you.
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Kim Anderberg is an intuitive tarot and runes reader with 33 years experience. She also practices magical and medicinal herbalism and aromatherapy. You can find her on the Crystal Visions monthly calendar. If you are interested in a reading or learning how to read cards or runes, you may call the store for more information.
Link to previous Blog Post: Food Cravings and the Emotional Body by Dianne Carol