The Monday Rant

Dwaas said:

And what if the sitter is blind like my neighbour? Then the reading is of less quality?

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Just because she's blind, does not mean she cannot see. And yes - even with a blind person, real eye contact occurs...

These companies know exactly what they're doing and as long as it's working and they're making money they don't care, it's a business. We've all gone through our deck buying phases then it kinda peters out after we realize buying a new deck isn't going to make us a better reader.
I've had to go through several decks to find the ones I really click with, without a doubt I've wasted a lot of money on useless decks and books.
I don't think anyone has the right to tell someone "how to read", or what's right and wrong and what you should own or shouldn't, it's all part of the life long learning process
For me reading cards is a hobbie, I love to help people, I'm not a professional, I'd never ask to be paid and I don't seek people out for readings I'm always being asked so and so wants you to bring your cards, or bring your cards. I just enjoy doing it. I don't need eye contact to have a good reading, just good eye contact with my cards In my opinion wisdom comes through experience, not how many readings for strangers you have under your belt

Sulis said:

Folks come to these forums for advice and folks give their advice, whether they've read for strangers or not...
It's up to you which advice you choose to take and from whom..

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yes, and here at A.T. we are all here to learn from one another, so if anyone here does offer you a different interpretation to the cards, it's not meant to taken as an offense, but as another way to interpret the cards meanings. we are all here to learn from each other. even a novice may have something worthwhile to teach.

Baroli said:

So, lemme ask you this? If you are not looking at or into the eyes of your sitter, what are you doing? Are you perhaps reading body language and tells in order to make the reading flow better? I am curious on this point.

I find that the eyes are indeed the "windows of the soul". It's necessary for eye contact when you are reading. Granted you are also looking at the card, and if you are like me, getting flashes of all sorts of things, but to not give eye contact to me, does not make the reading personal for the sitter.

When a person comes to you for a reading, IMO it is because they sometimes can't see the forest for the trees and it is up to the reader to be the "eyes" if you will and see the options that perhaps they can't. By giving the person eye contact you are making a statement that "yes, I care about you and your question, and here are some possibilities you might want to consider." When the postman delivers a special delivery letter, he looks straight on at you and says, I have a message for you. We are in essence the postman.

Baroli

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I answer that in the next paragraph, as far as my opinion is worth to others, but I think the original writer was making a blanket statement. Yes body language and of course eyes. I read for a friend recently and it was in my kitchen, he started the reading form across the room. I drew some cards, said "this looks interesting" or something mundane like that...he crossed the room, as the reading continued he bent over to see the cards better, then sat, finally was leaning in, making full eye contact and was obviously enthusiastic about the reading now. He was interacting with me completely and sharing his "personal space" at this point.

Umbrae said:

And I do own my statements. Even the spaces between the words...

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I meant in a literary sense it allows for other opinions that way. A friendly exchange and open communication.

A simple example : "You are wrong." or "I feel you are wrong." the second statement is open for discussion the first just for argument. But I digress.

If you don't mind me asking, Umbrae, why *do* you say eye contact and/or reading for strangers is so much more important than, say, reading for oneself or reading on a forum such as this?

Thanks, rufusj

I think what I gained when I started reading face to face was a maturity level...for lack of knowing what else to call it.

It's like having a baby...you fuss and fluff and buy tons of stuff...compare and sort and collect....decorate the nursery, buy a top of the line stroller, swings, walkers, diaper pails ect.
And then the baby comes and you step into the daily reality of what a baby really is...what a baby really needs....all the other stuff ends up being fluff because they just want you, and need you...your contact, your attention.
And you end up laughing at all the stuff you spent money on that end up in the garage sale.
That baby could care less if it sleeps in a designer crib or a dresser drawer as long as mom's boob is full and there are some loving arms to lol around in.
You matured... you sorted out what's important from the fluff.

Reading face to face is like that...you mature.... it can spoil collecting for you because you can do 8 readings in 4 hours and someone will ask you what deck you used and you go huh??...because frankly you can't remember...because that was not important, it faded into the back ground...what was important was the lady who booked a 40 minute reading and cryed for 39 minites of it...she was what was important ...
You mature...into the meaning of your cards...they because personal just for you...through the back and forth question and answer of sharing that goes on in a face to face reading...this can not be dulpicated in a typed up reading...
And so then tarot book reading isn't as attractive anymore either...what you learn about your card meanings from your face to face readings is so deep books pale in comparison.
You mature...into wanting the material side of it on the outside to become simpler and simpler because at it's heart reading for people face to face is an awesome responsibility that is anything but simple.

Umbrae said:

Just because she's blind, does not mean she cannot see. And yes - even with a blind person, real eye contact occurs...

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I'll just told her. She was be amazed.
To be honest I think the quote above is a hasty justification that of course blind people can be read for perfectly because looking in eyes can be, and is only just a way of making contact during a reading. But as I have been told she has no idea what seeing is, of course she senses and this may even be more developed than with seeing people. But please spare me the mysterious ways of "seeing" being the same as real eye contact, as I think it is babble. So does my friend, as I asked her a minute ago. Now she may not be representing all blind people and I may be tired so I back off from this thread. And still agree on the many decks looking the same. And sincere reading has many appearances. Perhaps that works like seeing, being blind or not... ah well, whatever...

I feel a person can gain just as much experience if not more without doing face to face readings. Once we have personal experiences on various angles and faces of each card we know exactly how it felt, what we were doing, the taste of the food, the smell of the air, the envioinment etc.
We all are different, what's good for the goose isn't always good for the gander we all grow in our own different ways what works for one person might not work for another.
I do wish I did more face to face readings though, some of my best readings have been on complete strangers, I read much better going in blind

Oh my. Many good statements here. For, against, to, fro, up, down .... sideways ....

I do not see (!) why eye contact is so important to you. By eye contact, do you mean being on the spot in 'real time?' Being - there, right then. Feeling, intuitively, getting it, seeing it, seeing the story in the cards or elsewhere? If you mean that then yes, I can see your point. THAT is important. It's the only thing that is, probably. Being real. Interacting. Being in touch. Being ... real. That's what I think is missing in our on-line circles here - not enough back-and-forth after the reading is posted. I would like to see that more. In fact, I'd like to see it at all.

Food for thought, here, as always.

But "eye contact" for the sake of looking into someone's eyes, no. I think you must mean the other - being 'there' in the present moment, on the spot.

Yes? No?

*S*