If you were a professional reader and I asked you.......

Nevada

LabyrinthOfDreams said:
No worries about my taking offense to any of these answers, they really are much appericated. Good points have been made all around. Yes it's tough getting burned, even more so when you drop a hefty amount of money into the tricksters pocket. :(
But all of your answers are helping to reform my questions and shorten the list.
LabyrinthOfDreams, I would recommend checking out New Age bookstores and yoga type spas, or yoga teachers, in your area for some word of mouth recommends, or you might even find readers working in those same places. In my experience, at least around here, the fees are reasonable, and I know that when I spoke to a local New Age/Pagan bookstore owner who contracted with readers, she seemed pretty fussy about which readers she dealt with.

I hope you find a reader you can trust. I just didn't think your questions would help with that. If it were me, I'd go by word of mouth, if I could find someone to ask in my area. But even in this conservative Christian town, there are people who know tarot, so I don't think I'd have to look far if I started asking.

Be sure to tell whoever you talk to that you've had bad experiences and what you're trying to avoid.

Nevada
 

Grizabella

I agree with the word of mouth recommendation. If you talk to the reader themselves, you're running the risk of just getting the answers you want to hear and then still getting ripped off. Asking at the New Age stores is a good idea, too.
 

AJ

I'd smile and courteously ask you to step back out the door and take your baggage down the street to someone else.

On the other hand if you called for an appointment and said you would just like to talk tarot and asked all those questions I've welcome the conversation. On your dime of course.
 

Tarotphelia

AJ said:
I'd smile and courteously ask you to step back out the door and take your baggage down the street to someone else.

I'd wonder which side of the door the baggage was really on in that case ! I get the feeling from a lot of the replies that the reading is somehow more about the readers and less about the querent , for whatever reason .

Just something to think about . Which will no doubt add to my stunning popularity . <humor>
 

AJ

but the OP's question isn't about the reading, it is about her laundry list of questions that have little or nothing to do with getting a reading.
 

Logiatrix

Dark Inquisitor said:
I'd wonder which side of the door the baggage was really on in that case ! I get the feeling from a lot of the replies that the reading is somehow more about the readers and less about the querent , for whatever reason .

Just something to think about . Which will no doubt add to my stunning popularity . <humor>
Yes, in fact, every question in the very first post is about the reader. Refusing to accept a client like that does not make a reader wrong or one who has "baggage"; it is her (or his) prerogative, likely based on the confrontational tone from the onset of interaction.

To her credit, LoD did say she would be more conversational, and not as harsh as she first sounded.:love:
 

Nevada

Logiatrix said:
Yes, in fact, every question in the very first post is about the reader. Refusing to accept a client like that does not make a reader wrong or one who has "baggage"; it is her (or his) prerogative, likely based on the confrontational tone from the onset of interaction.

To her credit, LoD did say she would be more conversational, and not as harsh as she first sounded.:love:
And, DI, don't we all have baggage? That's sort of a given. It's how we inflict our baggage on others that reveals who we are. I don't see those who reacted negatively to the questions as doing that, since LoD requested feedback. I don't see her as doing that either, since she came here to request feedback on her questions before actually using them.

To me this thread demonstrates the true value of an honest discussion. :)

Nevada
 

Tarotphelia

Nevada said:
And, DI, don't we all have baggage? That's sort of a given.

Yes we do . And as readers we have to assume that's why some people are in need of readings .


Nevada said:
It's how we inflict our baggage on others that reveals who we are. I don't see those who reacted negatively to the questions as doing that, since LoD requested feedback.

My comment was about the general attitude reflected of some of the respondents towards readings , not towards the original poster of the question .
Nevada said:
To me this thread demonstrates the true value of an honest discussion. :)

Yes it does , because there is something to be learned .

Logiatrix said:
Yes, in fact, every question in the very first post is about the reader. Refusing to accept a client like that does not make a reader wrong or one who has "baggage"; it is her (or his) prerogative, likely based on the confrontational tone from the onset of interaction.

A reader does have the right to refuse a genuinely abusive client . I was just amazed that the original poster's questions would be perceived that way . I think it reflects something about the reader's attitude if something so benign as asking some valid questions before contracting for a reading is seen as confrontational , aggressive , abusive , threatening , or insulting in some way .

People who need readings are sometimes upset , confused , lost , or in some other way maybe not too knowledgeable about tarot and readings . We have to expect that some of them may be in a state of anxiety which it will be to our benefit to put at ease if possible . And if answering some simple questions that will probably take about 5 minutes will help , then I don't have a problem with it . It doesn't insult me and I don't perceive it as aggression or a threat.

What I think may be learned is something about "customer service " . Imagine if you were going to spend your money for a product or service (and a very intensely personal one at that ) and the person on the other end of the transaction refused to answer your questions or treated you like you had a lot of nerve to question them in the first place . You might think there was something very wrong and drop the whole idea of having anything to do with them .

What I am trying to say in blunt and short is -, turn your egos down a few notches and get over yourselves . You're not too high holy to answer a few questions .And if you think you might be ,then maybe you should reconsider your suitability as a reader and think about it some more . Who are you reading tarot for ? Yourself or the querent who comes in need of help ? If the answer is Yourself , then by all means carry on as before and ignore whatever I've said .
 

Hooked on TdM

Dark Inquisitor said:
What I am trying to say in blunt and short is -, turn your egos down a few notches and get over yourselves . You're not too high holy to answer a few questions .And if you think you might be ,then maybe you should reconsider your suitability as a reader and think about it some more . Who are you reading tarot for ? Yourself or the querent who comes in need of help ? If the answer is Yourself , then by all means carry on as before and ignore whatever I've said .

And who exactly is the you's in this? I know I gave feedback on what I think needed to be reworded or might end up being a lengthy discussion. I know I certainly didn't remotely imply that asking questions is stomping on my ego or even that asking questions would be regarded as bad, wrong or I would toss someone out. The OP wanted feedback on different takes on the questions and that is what was given.. Wow.

Hooked
 

Tarotphelia

Hooked on TdM said:
And who exactly is the you's in this? I know I gave feedback on what I think needed to be reworded or might end up being a lengthy discussion. I know I certainly didn't remotely imply that asking questions is stomping on my ego or even that asking questions would be regarded as bad, wrong or I would toss someone out. The OP wanted feedback on different takes on the questions and that is what was given.. Wow.

Hooked

Who exactly is the "you" is up to each person to consider and decide if it applies .I didn't say every single response fit the description and I am not singling any one person out . But it's something as readers we all need to pause and think about from time to time to make sure we have our heads on straight . The dangers of ego getting out of control in spiritual work are well known , and it's manifestations can be subtle at first .