Some Suggestions To Help You Get The Most Out Of Any Intuitive Reading.
I hope this page will be helpful for anyone and everyone, whether you are only just now contemplating receiving a tarot reading, or a psychic reading of any kind, or if you are an old hand at receiving readings. There are many terms that can be applied to anyone acting as an oracle, such as Psychic, Sensitive, Intuitive, Diviner, or simply Reader. All of these terms are fairly interchangeable. Let’s first look at what divination means. The word comes from the Latin term divinare, which literally means to be inspired by a god. That is not to say that Intuitives consider themselves to be gods or have direct access to gods. It is simply that Intuitives are more sensitive to the spiritual realms and can pick up messages more readily than a more physically bound personality. Psychics see, sense, and sometimes hear the spiritual world. This is not so difficult to believe if one believes in the Bible, or in Jesus the Messiah, who himself told his apostles that they would do many great things. In those days, those same apostles would be considered oracles, diviners, healers, and spiritual teachers. So, the gifts of healing and knowing the unknowable mysteries did not end with Jesus the Messiah. No matter what religion or background, oracles and healers have been a part of every culture all across the world for millennia. Some cultures embrace their oracle speakers and interpreters, rather than shunning them. In fact, in many cultures, the oracle tradition is alive and well, and very highly sought after. But let’s look at today, modern times, and discuss what you should expect from a personal reading from a modern day oracle.
What makes so many of us want to go to a psychic in the first place? Most people seek a reading because they want to have a spiritual experience. They want to touch the Divine, and remember their own soul. They want to have hope and to believe in something wonderful, joyous, and…well…divine. A charlatan, or fake, can muddy this experience and actually cause the Seeker to have such a bad experience that they stop believing in divinity altogether. The following will help you on your journey and offer some sound advice.
First, check your own psychic expectations. Too often, people place too much value on what an Intuitive says. In some cases, Oracles only deliver the words, symbols, and ideas to the Seeker. Then it is up to the Seeker to determine what it all means. This is not always the case, but I caution you: do not expect your Reader to have all the answers to your questions. As I’ve said in numerous articles before, oftentimes divine messages come through in symbolic patterns of one sort or another. Let us suppose that you believe in a higher power, God, or a Divine Source of All, and all the guardian angels and spirit guides that go hand in hand with that belief. You have a problem that is unresolved. You decide that you want to seek an oracle for guidance. Whether this oracle is a tarot reader, or someone who uses another form of divination, it doesn’t matter. There are times when the Reader cannot fully understand the symbols and images, thoughts, words, and ideas that are coming in. A good Reader will tell you, the client, what they are seeing and ask if these symbols or images have any significance to you. Just because the Reader has a moment where they cannot interpret the signposts does not make them illegitimate. Spirit guides don’t always communicate personal concepts directly to the Diviner, rather they offer up images and symbols and leave you, the seeker, to figure them out, simply because these images are personal to you and not to the Diviner. As I’ve said many times over, symbols mean different things to different people. If the Reader is too egotistical, or too afraid to roll with the punches and admit that they cannot interpret these symbols, that Reader may decide to ignore the signposts and move on, or get creative and offer up their interpretation of what those symbols mean to them personally. This means that you, the Seeker, may miss out on something vitally important. It is very important that you are comfortable with your Reader. Get accustomed to sensing how you resonate to people and things around you. If you are meeting a Reader for the first time and you get an unexplained bad vibe, leave before the reading begins.
Unfortunately, there are charlatans practicing all over the world. This gives legitimate psychics and tarot readers a bad name. This is a real shame. Oracles have been sought in every culture all over the world since the dawn of the age of mankind. Seeking divine wisdom and guidance is an important part of who we are. We all want to feel that connection to the divine, that spark within all of us. We all want to have moments in our lives that take us out of the mundane rat-race of the world and transport us into the peace of knowing our spirit can help guide and lead us through anything. We all want to feel that we are surrounded by the love, comfort, and protection of something greater than ourselves. My biggest goal is to help my clients see the divinity within themselves and to learn to feel, sense, and know their own soul. Legitimate psychics, oracles, and spiritual teachers feel that this is a spiritual path. More than something they just decided to do for a living, their gift is a way of life. This is the type of Reader you want to encounter.
Although I do not agree with overcharging, I also believe that you should never let money be the object that stands between you and a good oracle experience. Connecting with the spiritual side takes focus, purity of intent, devotion, and lots and lots of energy. If all spiritually inclined tarot readers were independently wealthy, I’m sure they would all offer free services. However, this is usually not the case, and some readings can be very taxing and draining. We are in the physical form; to connect with the spiritual can take loads of energy as we raise our frequencies to meet the Divine aspect. It is part of the spiritual exchange to show appreciation for the efforts of the Intuitive. Showing such appreciation helps the Intuitive along their own spiritual path. Simply put, all thought-form, all action, all words are energy. Appreciation is a form of good energy. To show appreciation and compensate the Intuitive for his or her efforts keeps energy in a good state of balance. Most psychics are highly sensitive to all forms of energy. Some Sensitives spend a lot of time going through devotional or meditation rituals to keep themselves recharged, to protect their own energy, and to stay connected to the Divine. It is difficult to stay in this state if one has to worry about jobs and other stressors. This is why many cultures protect their oracles and take care of them. So, don’t be hasty to shortchange your favorite Reader. His or her efforts take time, and costs in huge amounts of energy.
Consider this: you just met with a very spiritual woman who has a wonderful reputation for interpreting tarot. Most likely this woman has devoted her life to helping other people. But she carries a burden of bills, the same ones we all have. If she is not compensated for her gift, then hanging over the reading is an energy of frustration, stress, anxiety, and feelings of resentment. In the back of her mind, she is worried about paying the phone bill, and concerned that her fulltime job is taking her away from the spiritual path she longs to follow. She may truly be gifted, but…she may also feel used by the people who come to her for her gift of interpretation and don’t bother to compensate her for her time. Imagine that someone asks you to work eight hours a day without pay. Over time, you will begin to resent this. No oracle should be placed in such a position, because then the intuitive gift fades away as the mundane aspects of earthly life take over. On the other hand, a great reader who is compensated for her time has less earthly concerns, so she will be entirely focused on your reading, your needs, and your guidance. Ancient people took care of their oracles, seers, and crones. And there is nothing wrong with that. It frees the Intuitive to follow their spiritual path without constraint.
Having said that, there are some definite things to watch out for. For example, I don’t care how famous the psychic is, eight hundred dollars for a thirty minute session is a hard pill to swallow. I absolutely advocate compensating your Intuitive, but some prices are simply too high.
The following are some ideas to carry with you on your journey.
My biggest pet peeve of all time: The Curse. If you go to a tarot reader, and they claim that a curse has been placed on you and that for xxx amount of dollars they will remove the curse, leave immediately. The Curse is the typical tool of the charlatan. What this does is immediately place the seeker in a state of fear and anxiety. Fear is the greatest motivator ever generated. It works, and that’s why charlatans use it. Rest assured, there is no curse. When you leave this person, perform a little ritual, simply brush your hands down each arm, from the shoulder to the wrist, shake your hands, give your feet a little light stomp and say to yourself, “I don’t accept that negative energy.” Then go about your business and praise yourself for avoiding this trap. If you start to feel any doubts, remind yourself that you are surrounded by God’s protection and guardian angels watch over you. Best of all, these guardian angels protect you free of charge.
Some Curse claimers will weave elaborate rituals around their gimmick. Some ask you to bring them something special and they will perform rituals for you. Some tell you to pin a specific amount of money to the inside of your shirt and wear it for a month, then return to them, pay them a large amount of money, and they will remove the curse for you. This is all frippery and nonsense. Do not fall for this. I’ve even heard of tarot readers who warn their clients that if the client tells anyone about this, the tarot reader will curse them as well. Again, this is simply a fear tactic. Avoid this pitfall.
Make sure the Intuitive you seek has a good reputation. Ask around and try to find out if anyone else has had a good experience with the tarot reader. I don’t really advise that you ask the tarot reader for recommendations from their clients simply because the relationship between the oracle and the client is strictly confidential, and it puts the other client on the spot and might make the other client feel that their questions are not being kept confidential.
Ask the psychic if they follow any particular code of ethics. This is a big one. I follow my own personal code of ethics. One, I have a doctorate degree in natural health, I am also a reiki master teacher, and I have a doctorate of divinity. From my doctorate degree in natural health, comes the idea ‘do no harm.’ I interpret tarot out of service to other people, and it is never my intent to harm or swindle. Also, if I feel it is necessary, I will suggest seeing a medical doctor, or a counselor if something is beyond my scope. Although I have been trained in natural medicine and I took immunology, biology, and anatomy in order to receive my diploma, I do not practice medicine. Therefore, I do not answer health questions. If a client has a complaint about their health, I refer them to the appropriate doctor. I also keep my client’s readings in the strictest of confidentiality. I never discuss my clients with other clients, or my friends, or even my husband.
Also, it is my strong belief that you are the best interpreter of the symbols and signposts shown to you by your spirit, and/or your spirit guides and guardian angels. In a reading, it is important to take copious notes, and to read those notes later, because more and more concepts will appear to you long after you have left the tarot reader. So, when you visit a tarot reader, listen intently, pay attention to your feelings during the session, and jot down any thoughts that are coming to you during the reading. If your tarot reader allows you to participate in your own reading, you are in the right place. By participating, I don’t mean ‘giving’ the reader too much information. By participating, I mean that the tarot reader should ask if certain symbols mean something specific to you. They should also allow you to vocalize any insights that you feel led to talk about, since speaking and writing your thoughts anchors them and helps them to swell and grow into their fullest potential.
Ego. If you meet a tarot reader and they introduce themselves with a sparkle in their eyes, a kind smile, and a warm handshake, you are most likely in the right place. If, however, your tarot reader seems brash, egotistical, and overbearing, you are most likely in the presence of someone who is not really an Intuitive. I’ve said it before, and I will continue to say it, there is no room for ego in the spiritual realms. Ego is a purely physical manifestation, usually a clear manifestation of insecurity. Use ego as part of your checklist for reviewing Psychics, Intuitives, and Tarot Readers.
Part of communication is listening. This is basic psychology 101. If your tarot reader interrupts you often, insists that their way is the right way, or gets angry if you make comments that suggest they are on the wrong track, you can be assured that ego is rearing its ugly head and you should probably move on to another reader. Having said that, many times when oracular visits are in process, it is not a good idea for you, the seeker, to interrupt. Too many interruptions will break the fragile bond between the material world and the spiritual world. Sometimes, it is difficult enough to maintain this bond, so always be respectful and mindful of this. If you yourself are fairly sensitive, you will know when you are with an Intuitive reader. Intuitive readers will sometimes stop in the middle of a sentence and sit quietly for a time, sometimes seeming to stare into space rather intently. This may be an indication that they are paying attention to thoughts, ideas, and symbols that are flitting through their mind. These are intuitive nudges that we all have.
Your tarot reader should show you a mutual regard. There is no real, ‘one way’ to intuitive readings. Everything exists in a state of energy. Matter and energy are interchangeable, and this is a constant ebb and flow of changing states of being. All is change. Allow your own ideas to expand concerning your own reading, and blend with what the Reader has offered you. Just make sure you are not allowing rational, ego-thought to do the expanding. How do you know the difference? Well, it can take some practice, but once you’ve identified the patterns, it becomes fairly easy to differentiate between intuition and rational thought. Your soul speaks in a still, small voice. Nearly imperceptible. Mostly, that voice is just a simple knowing, or a sudden theme that pops into your head without invitation. Rational thought always spins around a topic and carries with it a more frenetic sort of energy. Whereas, the spirit-led thought carries with it a sense of deep peacefulness.
You should come away from your reading feeling energized, perhaps even joyous. You may also even feel a more expanded awareness of all living things. This is a good sign that you have actually gotten in touch with your soul and you feel the joy that brings. This feeling may be fleeting, but you can bring it back with simple rituals of your own, just to show appreciation for the Source of All, and the other side of life that remains mostly unseen to our physical eyes.
As Always, Enjoy the Path.
Cassy
Copyright 2008 Cassy’s Tarot