Before your first tarot reading,
four things I’d like to tell you

Wanting to book and feeling a little afraid can happen at the same time. You don’t need to arrive fully prepared: ask what you want to ask, ask again if something’s unclear, disagree if you do, and you don’t have to decide anything on the spot.

For many people, the biggest fear about a first reading is drawing a bad result. Others carry something around but don’t know where to begin. I meet both often, so before we turn the cards, there are four things I’d like to say.

1. The cards show your current direction, and you can change it

Tarot reads where things are most likely to go if you carry on with your current thinking and actions. It describes a route; how you walk it is still up to you.

So when you hear a result you don’t like, ask: “Why does it read that way? Which part of my life does it relate to? What can I adjust?” Getting that clear is far more useful than remembering a single line like “it won’t work out.” The same goes for a card that makes you happy: you still need to go back to your life and see what needs doing and which conditions aren’t in place yet.

Sometimes there’s a lot you can do, sometimes very little. In a reading, we look at that range together.

2. If you want to ask “Do they love me?”, ask it

The clearer the question, the easier the cards are to read. If what’s on your mind is “Do they love me?”, say so directly; there’s no need to talk around it because it feels like a cliché.

I’ll ask you a few more things: what your relationship is right now, what has happened lately, and which part you most want to understand. Then, from what you’ve noticed between you and what you hope for, we’ll look at how you might talk to each other next.

You can also try turning a passive question into one you can act on. “What will my work be like in future?” is very broad; turn it into “I’d like to change jobs. What can I prepare in the next three months?” (an example question) and we have a clearer direction to talk about.

You don’t need to polish the question before booking. Bring the part you know, and we’ll sort out the rest together. More examples are in Not sure what to ask at your first reading?, or try writing it out first with the question formula.

3. I show the way; the decision is in your hands

A reading is my interpretation, with my understanding and judgement in it. Because it’s a person’s understanding, it can miss things or need correcting.

If what I say doesn’t match your life, tell me. You can also ask: “Is that a clue from the cards, or something you inferred from what I just said?” I’ll explain my thinking so you can see where the view comes from.

I’ll lay out the possibilities of different choices, and I won’t use fear to push you toward one of them. Whether to stay in a relationship or change jobs, you’re the one living with it, so the decision stays with you.

4. Open up a little, and give yourself time to take it in

Tarot is good for seeing yourself. Blind spots you normally skip over and contradictions you’re stuck in often surface in the cards. Seeing the problem is the first step; real change starts when you yourself want to move.

Some readings bring relief; some touch on things you’re not ready to face yet. If you don’t have an answer right away, or aren’t sure whether you agree, you can leave it for now.

Afterwards, you could note three things: what we actually talked about, which part struck a chord, and which point still needs checking. The action can be small: find out one condition of a job, work out one sentence you want to say to someone, or admit you’re not ready yet.

Why lay the question out on the table

When we’re worried, we often live only inside our own heads. Laying the cards out one by one puts those possibilities in front of you, gives you a little distance from yourself, and lets you look from another angle.

For your first visit, let’s start with the thing you haven’t been able to put down.

Common questions