Damn, just touch the cards...

[ericadoe]

I did a reading for a friend of mine (posted the spread under "readings" if you want to help me interpret!), and he was very weirded out when I asked him to shuffle the cards. I wanted him to touch them, I believe that this helps get a more accurate vibe from the person. He really didn't want to even touch them. It was almost comical. So what do you do when you are doing a reading for someone face to face and they seem skeptical and reluctant to even touch the cards? (it is only a deck of cards - geesh!) BTW - he was raise Catholic...he told me this twice.....hmmmm

 

[tarotbear]

Evidently, a lot of people are surprised they have to touch the cards...didn't they ever see them used in a movie? It's like they expect you to do a magic show or something...or think you are Miss Cleo!

 

[Mojo]

I've never had that problem, but yesterday I had the opposite problem. I have the deck to a querent to shuffle and he got so involved in setting up his question and telling me background that he nearly shuffled the images right off the cards. I think he must have shuffled for almost 10 minutes... I eventually had to almost snatch the cards out of his hands while saying "let's see what the cards have to say about this"

 

[MeeWah]

Ericadoe: Most of the people I've read for in-person cannot wait to get their mitts on my cards! I prefer to do most if not all the shuffling myself, & have the querent merely cut the deck. This seems to work the best for me. For readings with an absent client or one at a distance, I do all the shuffling & some of the most productive readings have been without the physical presence of the person.
If your querent isn't comfortable with handling the cards, accept it. Shuffle, etc as usual. The querent's presence & the intent will still produce a reading.

 

[Kiama]

Usually, even though I'd be really annoyed at the person for wanting a reading and still being fearful, or supsicious of Tarot, I would just ask them to 'send' their energies (Sounds so new-agey and horrible, but you know what I mean) and their question into the deck and into me... I think (Hope!) it works in just the same way.

I thik with these people there is no way I would be able to convince them othewise. I prefer to respect their feelings about it and carry on, but telling them that it may cause glitches (Nothing works better than the guilt trip trick!)

Kiama

 

[EveAnna]

One of my male friends was very unsure about having his cards read but I put his mind at rest and he was looking forward to it. I was very new to reading and my cards were new also, I remember telling him that i was still learning. Anyway he shuffled my cards as though he was going to play a hand of poker, I managed to get them off him and started the reading. I don't actually remember the spread I was doing but the first card I pulled out was the Hanged man, then the Devil, then Death. I tried to tell him it wasn't as bad as it looked but by then he lost all interest and he never asked me to read for him again. oh well

 

[tarotbear]

There was a really, really, REALLY (can't emphysize enough) bad made-for-TV movie about 20 years ago called 'The Manitou' and Tony Curtis (of all people!) did a faux-reading for a client and told her to 'touch the cards and let them know your energies' or some such BS like that, and all she did was tap the deck once very lightly.......maybe this would work for those clients who don't want to touch the cards?

 

[misifu]

I personally have never had anyone not want to touch or handle the cards, however, there are times when the client has family member or friend out of town, and the family member or friend has a question they want me to answer. What I do is if they have a photo of the person, I ask that they place it in the middle of the deck, and let the cards "absorb" the energies of this individual, or if they don't have a photo, they can also write that person's name on a small piece of paper, and again, slip it between the deck. I find this works very well, maybe your skeptical friends or clients may consider doing this.
Lots of love,
Misifu

 

[Lunalicious]

I'm fairly new to tarot and I have a few friends who are also interested in tarot. I've let them skim thru the cards a few times and find no problem with it aslong as they have a positive attitude towards them. We had a conversation about religion once, and we were talking about how other opinions (whether or not we agree with them) help us with our ever changing opinions. I guess that's why I don't mind other people touching the cards, because it lets me see and realize new points of views. A lot of people say they want the cards to reflect their insights but it's always easier for me when I see the situation in more than 1 point of view. If the cards still work for you, than it's probably nothing to worry about!