reading at psyhic fairs

Give me a break!

I would be appalled by this. So what service did she provide that was worthy of a fee--a place to sit? Why didn't she just hand you the cards and the book and go on a break? There's a big difference between using friends and family as guinea pigs for free readings when one is just starting out, and charging people for a service. When you charge for a service, by definition you are a professional, and I feel one's behavior should reflect that professionalism.

Being a professional Tarotist involves more than reading canned text from a book, or even parroting memorized meanings; it involves relating cards to each other within the spread, and even back to a previous spread, having a feel for which meaning of a card is relevant in the situation, deciding whether a Court Card refers to an event, to the sitter, or to someone in the sitter's life, and, in my opinion, adding something extra that is unique to each reader, whether it be a knowledge of numerology, animal symbols, the Kabbala, or whatever else can add to the reading. Good grief, these people are paying the reader money they earned, and the reader should give something of value in return.

Who was asleep at the wheel?

As a reader who charges and does Psychic Fairs I have to say that I would be apalled if a reader broke out a book in a reading. I can understand "blanking" on a card; it happens to everyone. I tell the sitter that we will come back to that card later. And we do. If I need to lay another card on that card, I do it. I don't mean to be cruel, but I would be ashamed to break out a book and look it up. It is the job of the reader to interpret the cards in relation to each other and the spread (if used) and the situation the cards are talking about. I think the paying public quite reasonably expects eptitude--a degree of competence from people charging for a reading. If you blank on a card, at least know how to handle it.

That said, I'm all for Charity to the indivudual new reader with her leg in a trap. Someone should definatly have told her not to use the book. More than that, the organizer should have known enough to check out her reputation and skill level before booking her. The poor thing must have been mortified!

Even when you've been reading for the public for years, you can get stressed out by it. You can blank, you can freeze, you can look at the cards and see Tarot Soup....or you can hit the sitter's nerve, big time...all kinds of unpleasant things can happen. And you know it. And over time you build up ways to deal with these moments. You learn. I can't think of a worse place to try reading for the public the first time than a Psychic Fair. My heart goes out to her.

When I approach a new venue to read in, be it Bookstore, Psychic Fair, Coffee House or whatever, I expect to read for someone there as proof that I know what I'm doing, and have acheived a level of professionalism. My daughter, who is a Chef, does the same thing in the pre-employment dance, when she and a Restaurant are getting serious about each other.
In the end, it's kinder that way.

how much i paid

I only paid 10.00 and i know she gets only half, the other half is to the fair promoter. the entrance fee is free with a post card mailing or 2.00 admission. they make their money on the amount of readings they book for each reader. I know to go to a different readernect time around. she gave me an answer i needed to be verified and it was. but because of the book thing, i didn't get a in depth answer, like i normally get when i go to other readers. but i thank yo uall for al lthe imput, I didn't realise how much of a response, due to my work. i can't post as often as i like.
thank you all bright blessings, alrana eris.
p.s. I'll try the tarot fun topic....

consulting books while doing a reading

a friend of mine recently had her cards read by a reader who had a bunch of tarot books shelved by her desk. my friend said that the reader consulted the books about 2 or 3 of the cards when the two of them weren't completly certain of what these cards meant within the layout.
the reader said that most people would see this as unprofessional but that she always seemed to know which book to consult and that as soon as she read a bit about the card she then would understand what it was saying within the layout. she said, for her, it was the only way and she warned my friend before they started that this was how she worked.
my friend said it was one of the best and most accurate readings she had ever experienced and plans on going back. she said when she saw her lawyer he consulted his books so she saw no reason why the tarot reader shouldn't do the same thing.
i wondered what others might think of this so will you give me your opinions please?
thanks, cyan

appalled by the prejudice displayed on this thread

Wow! And I thought AT was pleasant and kind to ALL tarot readers - and that everyone had a right to read as they please as long as they are responsible. If I read "there is no wrong way to read the tarot" once, I read it a thousand times. And now all this barrage of criticism of someone who might actually be a good reader; an accurate reader; and a reader who knows her limits - which alone would make me respect her.

Dreamer - I know you and I don't read at all in the same way. I don't consult books when I read for others, though I do occasionally when I read for myself and need some objectivity. But I agree with what you wrote. This struck me:

The Dreamer said:

The proof of the reading is in the usefulness to the person being read for, and the truth of the reading to that person.
The proof of the reader? I don't think there is such a proof. It's not about the reader. It's about the message.

The activity of divination is fundamentally mysterious. Yes, I think anyone can shuffle the cards and get meaningful, true, useful answers from them.

I can see why those who invest a lot of time in their reading skills would feel threatened by or contemptuous of those who would have the gall or "foolishness" to charge to read without doing so. However, the bottom line is- is the reading correct, useful, meaningful for the one being read for.

Click to expand...

Except I don't necessarily agree that the person had not studied hard. Maybe she has an appalling memory; maybe she likes to work with books; maybe maybe...who are we to judge? Cyan in the post above compared this prctice to that of lawyers, who of course routinely consult books in the course of a meeting with clients. Lawyers are also supposed to be intuitive (if they are any good) but no-one goes "what a crap lawyer" if she consults a book!

To me, the only fair tests of a reader and reading are: Is the reading good? Is the reader honest?

That should be enough.

Cyan - I quite agree with your friend. Within the context described, and in the manner it was done, it seems a perfectly acceptable practice. I know it doesn't tally with a lot of people's view of fortune-tellers and intuitive readers - but if your friend liked the reading, I think that matters more than anything.

What book did she consult? I usually drag out my 78 degrees and also another one that go into some depth on each card. I wouldn't feel appalled at all if a reader consulted her books. Even the Eden Gray or some LWB. I'd be more annoyed if I thought a reader was pulling meanings out of her ass just to save face by not looking at the book. I've learned a lot about tarot from the written word and so has everyone who visits these boards by dint of visiting these boards which let's face it, consist of the written word.


I'm more appalled and taken aback by the un kind reactions towards the reader who used her books. Ten bucks ain't much to pay for anything and I've had readings where the reader knew plenty about her cards but nothing about me and so gave a crap reading.

Let up on the poor girl!

Okay, thanks, I think it is out there folks. Enough with the being "shocked and appalled" and let's move along with the discussion.

Reading through this thread, I went back and forth on opinions. But when I came to Helvetica's and Marion's post, I must admit, my mind opened up a bit.

OK, first of all, my big question is this - $10 for this reading? What where her competitor's getting (assuming they were "non-book" people).

Personally, I would never do a reading for someone while I am referring to a book. But my style is of a more intuitive nature and the first thing I tell a seeker is what my style is. Early on, I had some people who had tarot experience tell me that they knew tarot and that the meaning of this card, according to their book, is XYZ. So now I tell them that I don't necessarily subscribe to XYZ up front. Perhaps the person at the faire should have stated where they are coming from.

Again, my personal preference is this - if I am at a faire, I take it with a grain of salt and let the person do their thing. I don't necessarily have to agree with their method but unless I feel they are trying to dupe me, I let them do their thing. Most times I see it for what it is - a fun thing. After all, most of us here have a higher standard to what we expect for readings than do the average person. Case in point - Laura and I went to the local County Fair last September. We went by the Fortune Teller's booth and both of us saw her and laughed it up. But she had a line formed and she charged more than I did. An old friend of my family found out I read cards and she asked if I would read for her. Of course I did it for free, but she mentioned she goes every year to that Fair. I held back my opinion and when I read for her, I realized my style was different from what she expected so I decided, to each their own.

Dan

actually, Francesca, it was the 78 degrees of wisdom that the reader consulted for my friend's layout.
love your avatar contrascrape. my granny had a broach just like it covered with tiny diamonds. i was supposed to get it after my mom died but i left it at my father's house while i was in Florida and he (my brother told me) had it made into a ring for his next wife. such is life.
anyway, i think that what may make it acceptable for a reader to consult the books is if she warns the client that she will be doing that before she actually takes their money for the reading. and of course, as long as she is just checking, not actually doing the reading out of the book entirely.
very interesting thread. opens up new trains of thought.
cyan

What about a personal journal?

cyan said:

actually, Francesca, it was the 78 degrees of wisdom that the reader consulted for my friend's layout.

...........
anyway, i think that what may make it acceptable for a reader to consult the books is if she warns the client that she will be doing that before she actually takes their money for the reading. and of course, as long as she is just checking, not actually doing the reading out of the book entirely.
very interesting thread. opens up new trains of thought.
cyan

Click to expand...

I think 78 degrees is a good reliable book to reference, especially for the majors. It usually opens up some new vista or new way of looking at a card for me that I hadn't explored much before.

So, really, that seems all right to me, that she looked at that book.

A few people indicate that the right thing to do would be to tell the client that if the reader is going to consult a book. But that means that there is a 'correct' or a default way, which is to read intuitively. Well, the tarot is complex thing, and if the reader is experienced and knowledgeable, she will give an accurate reading w/o looking at books or notes and the client will be duly impressed.

But if the reader is less than experienced and knowledgable, or if a card comes up that she hasn't had much experience with (that always happens to me when I read for others) then she may just make something up without looking at any book or notes and the client will still be impressed but it will be nonsense.

So, let me put this out there-- What if a reader consulted her personal tarot journal? How would people feel about that?

Francesca