Professional/public readings: do you use your personal decks?

I'm doing my first professional readings in a public setting next month (yes, I'm terrified), and I can't decide what decks to use.

When you're reading for the general public, people you don't have a connection to, do you use the same decks you use for yourself? - your personal favorites, the ones that speak to you, the ones you always go to.

I feel on the one hand like those are the ones I'm most comfortable reading with, but on the other, my own associations with them might override my ability to read their message to another person.

Then there are decks that I use rarely but a lot of other people like, which might be better for use with the general public than my sometimes eclectic favorites. But in that case, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to read with them as well because they don't speak to me as personally.

I'm not looking for advice so much as a range of opinions and practices based on other people's experiences. I'm not asking what should I do, I'm just curious what you do!

It depends on the deck. I have some that I use just for myself. I also have others that never leave the house because they're OOP and/or rare.

My go to deck, even after all these years, is the regulation RWS. I use it for public readings, too, as that deck is what people associate with tarot above all others. I'll use other mass-market decks like the Aquarian, Morgan-Greer, Hanson-Roberts, etc. for public as well as private readings too. If someone spills a drink on them, they're easy to replace and I just tack the cost onto their fee. No biggie.

If you've only got one deck, then you'll be using it for both public and private readings by default. If you have multiple decks, do what you feel is best! There are no right or wrong answers here.

You did not mention if you were going to allow them to shuffle your cards. That might be a factor because some people shuffle roughly. In that case certainly to not bring a prized or loved deck.

I would recommend a deck that you have a great familiarity with and trust in. Your personal comfort level will go a long way in making this a positive experience.

Good point on the shuffling.

I actually *prefer* clients to riffle shuffle. I know that's a cardinal sin around here, but I've had too many people side shuffle or do hand over hand and split the cards. That does far more damage than riffling.

It's another reason my rare and OOP decks stay at home.

Personally l use tarot cards that l feel comfortable with and that read well for me regardless of whether its a personal deck or not. l like to give the clients a choice of several decks and l do not mind if it is my personal deck as l do the shuffle myself.
If you have decks that read well for you, and you are comfortable with them, that would be a good start for you. Familiarity with a personal deck makes no difference in your reading for someone else. l have not found that it overrides a reading for someone else. After all you are connecting with the clients energy in the reading and you will be concentrating on their reading not your own.
Good luck hope all goes well

I have many personal decks but the Fairy Lights stands out for me because I find it far easier to read for myself and for others. However, I'm not too comfortable with taking home a deck my clients have used so I actually have two of the same decks - one for public reading and one for my personal use. It's a bit odd, I know.

Perhaps choosing a deck that you feel comfortable with, where you find that you can interpret the imageries easily would be good for a first public reading. Once it gets less scary, it'll be fun to explore with using other decks and such.

Good luck for your readings. Hope you have fun too!

Alta said:

You did not mention if you were going to allow them to shuffle your cards. That might be a factor because some people shuffle roughly. In that case certainly to not bring a prized or loved deck.

I would recommend a deck that you have a great familiarity with and trust in. Your personal comfort level will go a long way in making this a positive experience.

Click to expand...

Basically this. Some balance between the easiest deck to use, and one that you could replace easily if damaged.

I always use my own decks--and did so too when I read in a store. I also allowed my clients to shuffle the deck in anyway that they were comfortable doing so. Keep in mind, most people aren't very accustomed to shuffling 78 cards all at the same time and so it may or may not cause issues. As much as I love my tarot cards, they are tools for me and my reading. So, I do not allow it to upset me if a card is bent slightly by a customer. For this reason, I wouldn't use decks that are currently OOP, but I don't think I have any in that category anyway.

I go to a cartomancer for personal readings and she does ask her customers to not only bring their own deck of playing cards along with them for the reading, BUT she also asks you to carry said deck on you for awhile (the longer the better) to pick up your energies. She also warns you against allowing others to handle said deck as she picks up on the energy from the cards when she reads. So, its a combination of a card reading, psychic and medium and an empathic reading in one. However, if you do not have a deck of a cards, she has a few in her reading room to lend out to you--and she will also do a phone reading using her own cards while you participate on the other end using your own cards.

So, all this to just point out, its all up to the reader, and how they feel. I can't imagine however, NOT using my own deck to read people in any setting and not allowing them to touch the deck. While the store I read in had many decks on hand that were open to look through and use--I don't believe I ever used any of them in my professional reading for a customer.

Apart from those decks that would make the average sitter cringe, squirm or gape (and some of them would), and those I want to keep pristine, all of my decks are available for public use. I consider tarot reading to be an interactive art (preferring to have the querent handle the cards), and seldom read just for myself these days. The decks I have for study fall outside the group, but those typically aren't "reading" decks anyway.

I come first. If I'm not comfortable - I'm not likely to serve well.
So on my debut - I'd use deck/s that are my absolute favourites.
Though definitely avoiding ones that "would make the average sitter cringe, squirm or gape" - as Barleywine says.

In the case of having a deck that I work so closely with that I wonder whether my personal "stuff" might spill over into another's reading - I'd have a duplicate and keep 'my deck' and 'their deck' in separate places and in different 'bag and silk' combos.
In the case of cards being handled/mishandled by querents and me being less than inamoured of the handling for whatever reason - I'll have a duplicate - or be ready to get a duplicate.

I do have selections of decks that I use myself - but don't use for readings.
Therefore, I have:
1) A "personal decks" section on my back shelf. Here are the decks that I meditate with, just like to look at but don't really read with, keep specifically to do ritual magick with (Or in other words "say my prayers with" - I'm Wiccan), and use for self-teaching.
2) An "Altar decks" section on my bedside table shelf - I don't read with these. I use them to decorate my Tarot Altar and contemplate specific cards.
3) Presently, a bag on the floor with all my "reading decks" and other reading paraphernalia lumped together.
Under the bed are the storage boxes where everything not-in-use goes - or where 'everything' could be stored, all-at-once.

Whether I present the client with a selection of decks to choose from or not, depends on my mood on the day, and whether it would be practical in the circumstances for them/me
to be spending more time choosing.

Shuffling: I'll shuffle whist talking - and then let the client shuffle some and cut the deck.
I prefer clients not to riffle shuffle. However, If they grab the cards and begin to automatically riffle shuffle like a casino pro - I'll let them get on with it (don't often get this - plus I don't do tonnes of readings, so maybe this is why.).
If they awkwardly begin to handle the cards and struggle (mostly what I see) - I immediately demonstrate a quick hand-over-hand and cut, or get them to "smoosh" (spread and swish them around) the cards on the table instead.

Happy reading to you Tarot Orat