Greetings, Gifted Reader!
As my friend George Patton likes to say, we’re living in a time of turmoil propelled by tumultuous events. However, you don’t have to feel overwhelmed by surrounding circumstances. Even if the world around you seems to be spinning out of control, you can still get a handle on your own life through a Tarot card reading. If you have the money and time, I suggest Astrology for a more in-depth analysis. But, that method takes much longer to get down to the nitty-gritty while Tarot can hone in on one specific area quickly.
What’s the best way to get the best Tarot card reading? Well, for one, try not to read the cards while the reader is doing it. So many times in the past, I’ve noticed people trying to read the cards as I lay them out in a spread on the table.
“What does that one mean, ‘Confusion’?” they’ll ask pointing to the card that reads ‘Confusion’.
Without considering the context of the entire spread, they will indicate first one card and then another asking me all the while, “What does that one mean? ‘The Chariot’? Am I’m going to travel? ‘Love and Desire’? Does that mean I’m in love?”
I then ask if they want a reading or if they want to learn to read Tarot cards. Because if they want to learn to read for themselves, it’s going to take more than the 10 or 20 minutes we’ve set aside for the reading. Just explaining what a few cards mean can take awhile. After all, there are 78 of them in most Tarot decks. Further, learning about only one or two cards can be pretty meaningless because the spread works as a unit.
As for the style of Tarot cards to use, there are so many these days and I own a dozen different decks. Personally, I prefer the Egipcios Kier deck (see below) although I wished the artist had made the Egyptians look a little more, well, Egyptian. Still, these cards speak to me on an intuitive level and after nearly 20 years of using them, I can glance at a spread and quickly assess what is going on with the person I’m reading.
When you get a Tarot card reading, you should go with an open mind. Please do not be afraid. No professional reader should ever be the bearer of really bad news. Even if I see something horrific in your reading, I will try to deliver the information in a caring and concerned way.
You should also have some idea of what you’d like to focus on. Think of meeting with a reader as being similar to going to a doctor or therapist. Would you say to your physician, “Hey doc, guess what’s wrong with me?” Or, do you think it’s more effective to say: “Doctor, I’ve been having a lot of stomach pain, but the rest of me is just fine.” Now, your doctor can focus on the part of you that needs healing the most.
Of course, every reader is going to be different, but I like to move things to the forefront by asking outright if the person has any particular questions. That way, the spread will come alive immediately for me. Sometimes, that magic moment happens regardless of the person’s question, but it’s still good to have a focal point.
I’ve actually had people ask me, “Should I tell you who the evil woman is that you’re seeing holding me back on my job?” Of course you should. This is not a guessing game or about hiding information between the cards and the reader. The sooner we can pinpoint your problem, the sooner we can come up with a resolution.
My favorite spread is called the Ten Card Spread. The first card I lay down represents the Questioner and the second card crosses them. The next one goes behind the Questioner card; the next one, below it; the next one, in front of it; and then, above it. To the right of the Questioner, I lay out four cards representing the future and spelling out the answer to the question. The first one, once again, represents the Questioner, then, environmental factors; emotional state; and, final outcome.
I also suggest an interactive approach for best results. With me, you don’t just have to sit quietly and listen. You can interject information like, “Are you sure that’s my husband you’re seeing and not my young lover?” Sometimes, a card like the Fool represents someone youthful like your young lover, and sometimes it represents someone naïve like your gullible husband that you think you’re fooling with your affair.
So, there you have some suggestions about the best way to get a Tarot card reading. Stay tuned as we bring you more metaphysical moments every other Saturday.
At the top, is a snapshot of me holding Papa Legba who sits at my door. Yes, I use a coconut to represent the Trickster who decides who I will and will not communicate with--among other things. Legba or Ellegua has 21 paths and enjoys rum, cigars, candy and chewing gum. The naughty boy will not allow you to communicate with the other loas or orishas if you don’t go through him first.
Speaking of communications, dreams are a wonderful way to be in touch with your higher consciousness. That’s me, above, daydreaming about my mother’s dog dreaming.
Gypsy Stars
