Self reading in public

Do you take your cards to a coffee shop, to the office, or some other public area, and study them or read for yourself? As people might check their phones or read books or write in a coffee shop, or during lunch break at work, you use Tarot. Nobody asks you to read for them, but you're perfectly comfortable using them while people can see.

Yes, for studying the cards or trying to interpret a reading already drawn. I do it by choice, as I am uncomfortable with being uncomfortable about learning tarot, and it is an easy way for me to be start being open about it. I would not do a reading, as I do like for it to be quiet and not distracted.

I wouldn't do a reading in public (I'm self-conscious and need privacy and no distractions to do a reading), and I probably wouldn't bring or pull out my cards in a place where they might get dirty. I also don't like to draw attention to myself. However, I'd be okay with reading a Tarot-related book in public, and if someone asked questions about the Tarot in general, I'd be fine with talking about it.

I think, you show a very personal side of you to the other people, if you "play" with tarot cards in the public. Almost every person believes in something - very much wouldn't speak about very deep things they believe in. Mostly they don't want to make themselves vulnerable or don't want to trigger that others think how crazy they are.
Unfortunately I know only very few people who have a positive relationship with tarot. So I don't think that I would go into a coffee shop and study my tarot cards there.

Otherwise recently I told someone anything about tarot cards and could see her opinion in her face but it didn't bother me. Not at all. Rather I've been a little bit proud. So, maybe, some months/years later I would be able to do that?

A lot of times I will met friends at a coffee shop or a pub and they ask me to pull out my cards and I do so. I do not go to these places alone. I have my tablet with me, I do have apps that I can study from, or books to read when not at home. I would not have a problem pulling my actual cards out if I so desired, but with the internet, with sites like this one there is always an outlet to learn.

I sometimes take them outdoors to the park (on a non-windy day!) and meditate with them, or just flip through looking at the cards, but I'm not sure how "public" that counts as since it's not an indoor enclosed space. No one's ever said anything to me about it. I don't think I'd do a full reading for myself in public, I need uninterrupted quiet time to focus. (Even parks aren't very quiet here in the city!)

Living where I do, if I took tarot cards to a coffee shop I would probably have people wind up talking to me. Friendly and curiously, of course. I don't like drawing attention, though. Terrible social anxiety. Heh.

If I could build up the courage, I'd probably end up with new friends! Someday I might just do it!

Aeric said:

Do you take your cards to a coffee shop, to the office, or some other public area, and study them or read for yourself? As people might check their phones or read books or write in a coffee shop, or during lunch break at work, you use Tarot. Nobody asks you to read for them, but you're perfectly comfortable using them while people can see.

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I used to bring them to work when I was new to Tarot, I bought a second copy of my original deck to keep in my purse. I never had the nerve to read in a restaurant or anywhere else public, as I know people can have strange ideas about Tarot and it bothers some people.,

I stopped carrying a deck with me years ago, But I do have a few Tarot apps always on my cell phone. And if I find I feel like a quickie reading while out, I can use those.

Babs

I like my personal space for tarot use so I know my cards won't get lost or dirty as strangers shuffle about. I'm also not prone to doing activities like that in coffee shops and cafes since I'm busy eating and drinking and when I'm done my eating and drinking I tend to want to leave the establishment. In another public space where somehow I felt my cards were safe I probably wouldn't let fear of being seen stop me. I'd still be discreet to discourage strangers from noticing and possibly interrupting.

I suffer from social anxiety as well and so just being in public is stressful and then adding the reading!

I would love to do it to be honest but too shy

I know some people on here have decks always on them and often are using them in social places or on the plane or trains travelling! sometimes people come up and ask about it. There was an old thread where someone gave everyone simple quick readings with a mini deck in a cafe! I think they ended up doing every table in the end