Was this famous Tarot reader right or wrong?

I'm surprised by some of the defenses of this reading. We haven't heard anything at all about the cards. To me, it sounds like classic BS fortune telling.

This famous reader who is known as sensitive and compassionate has told you that love is coming into your life, and you should follow your impulse to change career paths. In both readings, she told you what you wanted to hear, although you said the second reading didn't really resonate.

Neither reading was accurate. So far, no love. You do almost certainly have it in your future, because almost everyone does. So that's a safe prediction. Her career advice was what you wanted to hear but a real waste of effort, completely wrong.

Sounds like you paid for a couple of pleasant but otherwise worthless experiences. Would you pay again for her advice? You could use the money to do something nice for yourself or for your true friends.

PS--congratulations on earning your Ph.D.! That's a great accomplishment!

tarot_quest said:

I went back to the original reading (I received her response via email)

After describing my background bla bla, I asked ''Am I on the right path by leaving my previous background behind me to look for jobs in this new field? (In other words, do I have a chance to get a job in the field of X and feel quite happy with this new choice?)

Her reply was yes. That I should keep applying and that something would come soon. I did applied a lot and still today, no answers. She KNEW that I did not have the required background for this new field.

Again, I would not have been happy with this new field.

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From what you're writing here, I think it could have been miscommunication from both of you.

"Am I on the right path by leaving my previous background behind me to look for jobs in this new field?" is not asking "can I get a job in this field without being qualified?" or "what are my job prospects in this new field with my current background?".

I think the reader should have consulted with you to clarify your question. Like you said, you KNEW you did not have the background, but did she? Was this information you gave her so that it could be factored in? I'm asking from the point of view that there are a lot of skills that can be transferred across domains. It's not up to the reader to figure out this wasn't applicable in this case without you informing her if it was possible or not. That you were asking already implies that you could.

Myself, I'm wondering why you were asking if you already knew your background, or lack of, would be a major factor. For example, a career counsellor gave me a test that said I have the aptitude to be an engineer or a computer programmer, both of which I know nothing about, and received no training. I don't think it would be fair to ask a reading about quitting my current work and getting a job in engineering or programming, when I already know I'm not qualified. Asking if I would be happy working as an engineer or computer programmer is an altogether different question. Let's use common sense first.

I think that's the danger with readings in writing. If you would have been face to face, it's likely more information would have been exchanged for her to be able to ask a better question, or figure out what you were asking. Another thing is that face to face, the reader can verify the spread directly with you, which is not possible by email. Most spreads have past and present card positions built in. Cards falling here should match what the querent already knows. It's the reader's job to ensure this is the case, because if she says something that doesn't match the querent's experience up to that point, then the spread is no good and should be cast again with a different question that is closer to what the querent wants to know.

tarot_quest said:

I thought that asking a famous reader would maximize my chance of getting an accurate answer. Honestly, her reading style (writing) is so fluid and compassionate, I enjoyed this aspect very much. But the advice was not on target!

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That's a fair assessment, but knowing what I know now with tarot I find a lot of them talk a good game, but we have no indication if they know what they are talking about. We never see a sample reading everyone can look at. Or when they do, it's new age psycho-babble that doesn't mean anything concrete. The only way to find out for sure is by paying for a reading or buying their online tarot course.

If you ever happen to practice with other readers, even though different people will have different takes on a card in one reading, everyone understands how a reader came up with a card interpretation. It might be worth getting word of mouth recommendations for readers in your area.

This whole discussion, from beginning to end, is really fascinating. I've never had a paid reading from a 'famous' name in the tarot world, but it does make me curious as to how you chose your reader. In the smaller-level professional tarot world, I've noticed that people tend to find a niche - they have a flavor of reading that's their main focus. Some people focus on relationship readings, others on careers, etc. There seems to be a growing trend of readers who focus on something akin to life-coaching - helping their readers explore their talents and focus their energies. That seems to be a 'newer school' thing, in that I see it in younger people. You said her reading delivery style appealed, and that and her popularity made you choose her. But there's such a variety of practices out there that I wonder if she was the right reader for you.

There's another active thread on the boards right now about personal biases influencing readings, and I don't wonder if your story led her to bend the reading to tell you what she thought you wanted to hear. Biases aside, that is one way to keep clients coming back. You never did mention what cards she pulled that led her to that conclusion, so we can't really debate the merits of her interpretation.

I think it's been pretty well determined that her reading for you didn't resonate at the time, and ended up not panning out. Readers are fallible, a little time spent around here is enough to reinforce that. Did you ask anyone else to read for you? Have you since? Famous or not, maybe she really just wasn't the right person to answer your question.

At this point I'm sort of rambling here, but it's an interesting question.

Sometimes we do get it wrong and that absolutely can shake our foundations of belief. I have had a few moments after getting a reading majorly wrong where I worried "Is this just cardboard and pop psychology?"

The place I have arrived at for myself is that sometimes we get it wrong. Even good lawyers and stockbrokers make the wrong call sometimes - not just hacks.

I think we get it wrong most often when we rely too heavily on what we think of as intuition (others have expressed this better than I can but at the moment "intuition" seems to mean whatever the speaker wants it to mean).

I have also found that when I examine an incorrect reading someone else gave I often would have given the same interpretation - there was a famous election reading circulating in the Lenormand community last autumn that most of us who looked at it got wrong. It was a very valuable lesson for anyone willing to say "Yep, botched that, let's look at where I went wrong."

Sorry for the late reply! I moved this week AND started a new job (not in this new field ).

csmith0406 said:

So maybe she saw you were on the best path you could be at the time, that would lead to work just not what you expected, and that was the answer you needed at the time.

Of course that might be complete BS and we are trying to rationalize it after the fact, that is up to you to decide.

Thanks for posting a thought provoking subject!

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I am trying to be very open minded with the whole situation. Yes, it could be that she saw that I was in the best path that I could possibly be at that time. As you said, I probably needed a break from my PhD before starting something. I also think that nothing is black and white and that yes, we might also try to rationalize what she said after the events unfolded.

Thanks for your ideas!

Debra said:

I'm surprised by some of the defenses of this reading. We haven't heard anything at all about the cards. To me, it sounds like classic BS fortune telling.

This famous reader who is known as sensitive and compassionate has told you that love is coming into your life, and you should follow your impulse to change career paths. In both readings, she told you what you wanted to hear, although you said the second reading didn't really resonate.

Neither reading was accurate. So far, no love. You do almost certainly have it in your future, because almost everyone does. So that's a safe prediction. Her career advice was what you wanted to hear but a real waste of effort, completely wrong.

Sounds like you paid for a couple of pleasant but otherwise worthless experiences. Would you pay again for her advice? You could use the money to do something nice for yourself or for your true friends.

PS--congratulations on earning your Ph.D.! That's a great accomplishment!

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Thank you for the congratulations!

I don't think that she is a BS, but I do really agree that she was a bit off here. She pulled 3 cards and the card for the future position was the 4 of wands. So she probably thought that I could build a solid foundation career-wise in this new field.

Interesting point about love here. I saw some online video (interviews) plus some blog from her and she said that sometimes she predicted love to very stubborn individuals and nothing happened for them. She meant that they did nothing or did not put any effort into dating - which is not my case here-. Hopefully she was right regarding love (the Lovers came up) and it will manifest soon in my life! She made that prediction exactly a year ago and she said that it will surely unfold within the year or a bit over a year, but in ''not too long'', as she precised.

blueeyetea said:

"Am I on the right path by leaving my previous background behind me to look for jobs in this new field?" is not asking "can I get a job in this field without being qualified?" or "what are my job prospects in this new field with my current background?".

I think the reader should have consulted with you to clarify your question. Like you said, you KNEW you did not have the background, but did she? Was this information you gave her so that it could be factored in? I'm asking from the point of view that there are a lot of skills that can be transferred across domains. It's not up to the reader to figure out this wasn't applicable in this case without you informing her if it was possible or not. That you were asking already implies that you could.

Myself, I'm wondering why you were asking if you already knew your background, or lack of, would be a major factor. For example, a career counsellor gave me a test that said I have the aptitude to be an engineer or a computer programmer, both of which I know nothing about, and received no training. I don't think it would be fair to ask a reading about quitting my current work and getting a job in engineering or programming, when I already know I'm not qualified. Asking if I would be happy working as an engineer or computer programmer is an altogether different question. Let's use common sense first.
.

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Yes she knew I did not have the qualification for this new field. I wrote a short background to her before asking the question I posted here. I am guilty for being naive lol! I honestly thought that I could use my transferable skills to switch for this new field some months ago. So neither me or the reader knew that it was not going to work out, hence the question.

barefootlife said:

This whole discussion, from beginning to end, is really fascinating. I've never had a paid reading from a 'famous' name in the tarot world, but it does make me curious as to how you chose your reader. In the smaller-level professional tarot world, I've noticed that people tend to find a niche - they have a flavor of reading that's their main focus. Some people focus on relationship readings, others on careers, etc. There seems to be a growing trend of readers who focus on something akin to life-coaching - helping their readers explore their talents and focus their energies. That seems to be a 'newer school' thing, in that I see it in younger people. You said her reading delivery style appealed, and that and her popularity made you choose her. But there's such a variety of practices out there that I wonder if she was the right reader for you.

There's another active thread on the boards right now about personal biases influencing readings, and I don't wonder if your story led her to bend the reading to tell you what she thought you wanted to hear. Biases aside, that is one way to keep clients coming back. You never did mention what cards she pulled that led her to that conclusion, so we can't really debate the merits of her interpretation.

I think it's been pretty well determined that her reading for you didn't resonate at the time, and ended up not panning out. Readers are fallible, a little time spent around here is enough to reinforce that. Did you ask anyone else to read for you? Have you since? Famous or not, maybe she really just wasn't the right person to answer your question.

At this point I'm sort of rambling here, but it's an interesting question.

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It's interesting to mention that she was maybe not the right reader to read for such question . I am starting to think that it was maybe better for me to do not know the answer at that time, to explore different field and possibilities by myself, and come to my own conclusions.

I totally agree that readers are fallible. I think if I remember correctly that I asked different career questions to reader on AT. One reader pointed out to me that I was contemplating two different paths, which was true! But no one told me that this new field was not my place (Mmmmm.... But I don't remember if I asked questions about this precise topic or not...).

Shade said:

Sometimes we do get it wrong and that absolutely can shake our foundations of belief. I have had a few moments after getting a reading majorly wrong where I worried "Is this just cardboard and pop psychology?"

The place I have arrived at for myself is that sometimes we get it wrong. Even good lawyers and stockbrokers make the wrong call sometimes - not just hacks.

I think we get it wrong most often when we rely too heavily on what we think of as intuition (others have expressed this better than I can but at the moment "intuition" seems to mean whatever the speaker wants it to mean).

I have also found that when I examine an incorrect reading someone else gave I often would have given the same interpretation - there was a famous election reading circulating in the Lenormand community last autumn that most of us who looked at it got wrong. It was a very valuable lesson for anyone willing to say "Yep, botched that, let's look at where I went wrong."

Click to expand...

Yes, I do get what you mean. As I said to Debra, she got the 4 of wands in the future position regarding this question, so I myself probably would have come to a similar conclusion! I mean, every deck and personal interpretation can color a reading, but 4 of wands often sounds like a promising outcome card in a career reading.