How long did it take you since you started learning Tarot to get professional?

sapienza said:

I've been working with tarot for over ten years now but as others have said, the more I learn the more I realise there is to learn. I'm a stay-at-home mum and really need some extra cash but for some reason I can't seem to take the first step towards reading 'professionally'. Maybe that word is the problem My husband said to my recently, "if you don't feel confident after ten years maybe you need to look at doing something else" He has a point. I've got a plan in place and am all ready to start 'working', I just need to actually do it now!

So I guess in answer to your original question.....I'm not sure if anyone ever feels quite ready, but I'm guessing that by actually taking the first step and starting to read for others your confidence will grow and you'll wonder why you doubted yourself......at least that's what I'm hoping will happen

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I think the hurdle that many face is reading face to face for another human While that can be daunting the more you do it the easier & better "flow" you have.

To help me when I was first "learning" I would read anywhere & everywhere: on campus, in the student union, various coffee houses [before Starbucks], park benches & bus benches, libraries, laundry mats etc. etc.

Mac22

I've been using Tarot for about 20 years, I started quite young, but I am still only now coming around to the idea of charging money for readings, it did take me a long time to finally buckle down and get some serious practice in, so to be fair it shouldn't have taken me that long if I had been focused the whole time!

I'm a musician, and in the music world you're condidered a professional musician only when you earn the vast majority of your money from it. In this respect I will probably never be a professional Tarot reader as there are other pursuits on the burner, but a small part time business just doing the odd paid reading would be cool.

Zoe xx

I can now say it took me exactly 28 years.

Demon Goddess said:

I can now say it took me exactly 28 years.

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Way to go

The first time I read face-to-face for a stranger was in 2003. I didn't charge for it so I wouldn't call it a "professional" reading. And as luck would have it, she was one of those stonewall types. Someone who didn't believe in it, didn't give any feedback but negative feedback. I was sweating bullets, of course.

But you know, she kept coming over to sit by me and ask more and more questions, anyway.

I think we hesitate to start coming out professionally for fear of failure. The most important ingredient to go professional isn't a lot of facts crammed into our heads, isn't a certificate , isn't clever business cards and an impressive selection of decks; isn't spiffy attire, isn't anything but just plain a whole lot of guts! If you haven't got that, then the rest of it won't make a bit of difference. Some people are gutsy from the get-go and it takes them less time to go professional. Others have to be dumped out into the professional arena kicking and screaming and insisting they're not ready yet after 20 years "studying".

The sooner the better???

I just bought my first deck on April 19th of THIS year...I did two readings for my mom and they were so accurate she is planning on having a summer reading party for a few of her girlfriends. Um---I hope she meant August! There's so much to learn and I have about 2-3 months to get my act together. Seriously, tho, I know hew friends wouldn't hold it against me if I refered to a book or notes I made to look up a meaning but I'm pretty sure my mom wants to "charge" them for readings (to boost my confidence) It's so funny I want to cry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am not a proffessional yet and I'm not even sure if it is my calling to be, but I know the only type of work I could do would be working for myself and I am currently sort of unemployed (I say sort of as i do have a business but only have one client a week at the moment so all is not good) so if i could make a few extra quid doing this then it would have to be a bonus, but I know that I don't know (or remember) enough after just three months to do face to face readings, although it is getting easier and each week i use the book less and less so I'm expecting to be able to do it professionally either later this year or early next. The only down side to all this is knowing that one business venture has all but failed, is there any point in trying something different when I'm half expecting it to do the same?

Paul

The journey!

Some might call it a journey, some might describe it as a process.
You will know when. The time span will be different for all and some despite their amazing ability and accuracy never go professional.
Its what feels right and so much about the path you should be on, your calling if you like.
You need to go with the flow.
I did my first pro reading last summer, a few months before I had a tarot party at my house, invited a few interested Friends and their friends and this was when I realized that this is what I need to be doing. These weren't pro readings as I never charged.
It felt so right to read this way, I was drawn to doing it more and more. It wasn't a question of charging but more about seeking the platform on which you can do this and being pro and therefore charging is just part and parcel of it.
I believe if you are nervous and feel unsure, then its probably not the right time. Confidence in what you are doing and saying to people is the key. After all you are dealing with peoples lives and more than likely will be having a profound effect on them. As A reader you need to be 2oo% sure of what you are doing and why.
Eddie

It depends

Everyone is different and so is your awareness, i started reading for friends and family at about 18 no charge but as they became more faithful in what i was doing and seen results they began to come to me more often and got many clients by word of mouth at that point they began to give me donations as i wasn't comfortable charging yet. Two years after that i hit a turning point when i had to make time and effort scheduling people into my time slot because i had a job, fiance and so on. At that point when i decided to make it a profession that's when i began putting a price to my work, effort and time. So ultimately i don't think time matters what matters is when the cards start to speak to you, when you are comfortable enough to charge without cringing at the idea as i did early on, many times i was told i should charge but the thing was i wasn't believing in myself enough or having faith in my gifts that i had at such an early age partially because as a child i was told that "wasn't normal" so ultimately it has to do with believing in yourself and the connection and bond you make with your cards. I am now 32 lol and still doing and practicing my calling! Blessings to you and good luck in your endeavours.

I don't have any interest in reading professionally. I've been reading for myself since age 12, and for others, for free, probably since about 15 or so. In the decade and a half since, I've never considered charging. Mostly I read for my friends. I read for strangers now and then, but rarely, and just if they happen upon me in public while i'm reading for myself and I'm in the right mood.

I think reading professionally is great, but I don't think it's indicative of confidence, or anything other than...the person wants to read professionally. I have friends that read professionally and some of them are very confident in their skills, and some are very much not, and it seems to have much more to do with personality that sheer hours of experience.