Now, this brings us to the preconceived notions.  Sometimes a seeker will “test” the reader by refusing to ask a question.  While it’s understandable to want to assure yourself that you get a good reader, testing the reader is a total waste of money and time, for both of you.  Here’s why.  Divination works best when the energy is focused down.  This is why a proper question is so critical to a reading. 

People assume that asking a defined question gives too much information to the reader.  The preconceived notion is that to ask a question will result in a magician’s reading rather than a true psychic reading.  It’s not about giving too much or too little information to the reader.  It’s all about the energy.  Way back in the dark ages when the computer industry was in its fledgling stage, one of the first things taught to computer language students was the old “Garbage In Garbage Out” scenario.  If you put garbage into computer language, you get garbage out.  A divinatory tool is exactly the same.  If you put muddy energy in, you will get muddy energy out.  So asking a defined question sharpens the energy and draws out a better response.  Ideally, a clear, defined answer is what you want, right?

Imagine energy in its natural state.  It’s everywhere, spread throughout the universe in all directions.  Now imagine that your body is a part of that energy, but the energy of your soul is focused down into a human form.  This focused energy animates your body and keeps it alive.  Now imagine part of that scattered energy in the universe being manipulated into a glowing ball above your head.  Imagine that this glowing ball is the dilemma you face.  Now as you pose a defined question, imagine that this glowing ball forms a funnel that directs the energy downward into a pinpoint in space-time. 

To further illustrate this point, let’s describe the difference between a lousy question to ask the tarot and a defined question.

A man seeks out a tarot reader.  The man has a question in mind, but he doesn’t want to “inadvertently” give the tarot reader too much information, because in order for this man to believe in psychic experience, someone has to prove it to him by telling him things that a stranger could never possibly know.  So, this man finds a tarot reader, sits down at the little table before him, and asks for a tarot reading.  The tarot reader asks if he has a particular question, to which the man replies no.  At this point, the tarot reader might suggest that a question is in order, that she does not do an open reading. The man fumbles, falters, stammers, stutters and finally says that he can’t think of a single question.  So, the tarot reader performs an open reading.  Some things are revealed in the reading, and this intrigues the man, so he decides to go ahead and pose a question.

“What about my relationship with my wife’s kids?”  This is an example of an unfocused question.  This is a muddy energy put in and it’s about to give muddy energy back.

The cards pulled are the Ace of Cups, Judgment, and the Six of Swords.  WOW!  If the reader only pulled the Ace of Cups, the reader would be inclined to say that the man has a wonderful relationship with his wife’s kids. Hmmm.  But add Judgment and the Six of Swords to that mix, and the meaning becomes unclear.  After all, the reader has no idea just how many kids are involved, what age they are, and why the man asked.  Since each card modifies the other, there are many ways to read this three-card spread.  A beginner might look at the cards and see that the man has a great relationship with his wife’s kids, that a new situation is emerging, and the family might move into a new house.  Even a professional reader might have trouble focusing in on the real, underlying issue that caused the man to pose the question in the first place.  Why go through the hassle of by-guess and by-gosh?  Asking a better question saves a whole lot of time.

Now let’s look at this a different way.  A focused question would be: “I’ve been concerned about my relationship with my stepson.  Is there any way I can improve that situation?”

Now you’ve focused the energy, and you can expect a clear answer.

Using the same cards, we can see that there are possibilities for the relationship to improve.  The man might be a tad too hard on the stepson, and may actually be a little judgmental of the stepson.  The cards drawn suggest that the man should move away from a position of judgment, to let go of his intellectualized evaluation of the son, and work toward having the family working in unison and improving communication.  To do so could resurrect a floundering situation and give it new life.

You can clearly see the difference that a focused question makes.  The focused question did not “give” the reader too much information about the man and his family.  Rather the focused question helped direct the reader to the best possible answer.

This is what tarot reading is all about: focusing energy into a clear result.

This explanation can be beneficial for both the beginning tarot reader seeking answers for themselves or an individual seeking a consultation with a professional tarot reader.

If you have no particular question in mind, an open reading can be useful.  In such cases, a spread that highlights the surrounding energy can certainly give the seeker some different perspectives and perhaps even some direction in life in general.  But when it comes to a dilemma, the focused question is the key to a resolution.  If a seeker is concerned about revealing too much, then simply confirm or deny with phrases like, “Yes, that makes sense to me” or “No, I can’t confirm that” or “Can you be a little more clear?”

So, let’s look again at the “should” and “should nots.”

Shoulds:

• 1) Relax
• 2) Ask a focused question

Should Nots:

• 1) Don’t test the reader. Psychic energy doesn’t work the way the mainstream population believes it does. Perceptions are subtle and very rarely detailed enough to start whipping out names, dates, and color of clothing worn on the tenth wedding anniversary.
• 2) Don’t ask a muddy, unfocused question and expect a clear answer.

When going into a professional tarot reading, remember that you paid for this service, and the energy that you carry into that room with you can also affect the outcome of the reading.  Your energy can affect the cards.  So, make sure that you are relaxed, open to connecting with your Higher Self, and open-minded about the reader.  Also, leave any preconceived notions at the door.  A tarot reader who is also intuitive will pick up on that energy, and this will make the tarot reader uncomfortable and can actually deplete the reader’s energy so that the reader has difficulty accessing Higher Knowledge.

If you’ve never had a tarot reading before, tell the tarot reader that you haven’t.  Also, if you are nervous about the reading, tell the reader.  Legitimate, responsible readers will make sure that you are comfortable before they begin the reading, and will oftentimes explain how tarot works so that you can understand and just relax and enjoy the process.

Also, make sure that you have a good rapport with the tarot reader, and check your own energy, or feelings about that person.  It’s important that you feel comfortable and confident. 

I keep a code of ethics posted in my reading room so that my clients know and understand that I have their best interests at heart and that I have a firm foundation of honest practice. 

Don’t be afraid to ask the reader questions, like: “How long have you been reading tarot?” and “Do you have a posted code of ethics?”  or “Do you belong to any tarot organizations?”

Tarot certification is no real indicator of how good someone is, so I don’t consider this to be a true measurement for the seeker.  However, I do highly recommend that you ask some questions so that you feel confident with your reader.  Also, it is wise to ask around and find out what other people have experienced with the same reader.  For the most part, the community will know which readers are legitimate, and asking around can help you avoid the pitfalls of a scam artist.  But be sure you ask someone who has had real experience with the reader in question and that the person is open to psychic experience. You don’t want a non-believer to cause you to miss out on an enlightening experience.

Sometimes a seeker will find that if they go into a reading with a combative, challenging, or disbelieving attitude, the legitimate, intuitive tarot reader may choose not to read for that person.  An intuitive will not want to muddy their energy by reading for someone who doesn’t believe or waste their time with someone who is only out to challenge them.  True psychics learn to protect their energy and their vibration.  So, keep this in mind as well.  Remember, garbage in garbage out.

Hopefully, this article has offered you some more useful tools and suggestions to help you understand the nature of energy, the Higher Self, and psychic experience.

Good luck in your endeavors, and, as always, enjoy the path.

Copyright 2009 Cassy’s Tarot

Another inappropriate question would be, “Who will I marry and when?” Presumably, if the seeker is female, any person on the street could answer, “You will marry a man, and you will get married when you are ready to do so..”A deck of cards is not going to pop a name out of the ether, nor will it offer you a concrete date. This is a question of the mundane, and in my years of experience, Spirit ignores questions of the mundane. Spirit might even go so far as to point out your worst faults. Who you are going to marry does not advance you spiritually. In fact, posing such a question shows that the seeker is yet a babe-in-the-woods spiritually. So, the tarot might give you the energy surrounding your question, which may be that you need to spend some time advancing yourself spiritually, rather than telling you who you will marry and when. Think it doesn’t happen? Oh, but it does. Often.

The seeker must understand that the seeker’s own soul, as well as the seeker’s Spirit Guides, are always on point to encourage the seeker in their spiritual development. The truth can be harsh. Sometimes a tarot reading offers the seeker some aspect of themselves that they do not want to hear. A tarot reading can turn to disappointment very quickly if the reader does not explain the truth of the spiritual path, the soul’s journey, and what the oracular experience is really all about.

One of the most common challenges that tarot readers and psychics face is the seeker who wants the “hoped for answer.” This means that a seeker may go to several different readers trying to get the outcome they desire, rather than accepting the truth. Seekers can even get quite angry at tarot readers and psychics who will not give them the answer they want to hear. They may call the psychic a fraud or say that the psychic is no good. An authentic psychic or tarot reader will only give the seeker what they truly see. Only scam artists will tell the Seeker what they want to hear, rather than the true answer. Scam artists are very good at telling people what they want to hear. This is a career for them. A psychic is going to tell you what they see in the spiritual, because a psychic wants to help. In my opinion, it is a waste of time for any seeker to consult a psychic or tarot reader trying to get only what they want to hear.

To further clarify this scenario, here is an example of what I mean. Jerry is in love with his girlfriend, but he doesn’t feel like she reciprocates these emotions. He may go to a tarot reader, hoping the tarot reader will tell him that his girlfriend does love him. If the tarot reader tells him that his girlfriend is not fully committed to him, he may get angry. He may then go to another tarot reader, and another, until he finds one that tells him what he wants to hear. This is not constructive for Jerry, and this practice does not help him at all. In fact, it harms him. When his girlfriend dumps him for another man, Jerry may determine that the last tarot reader lied to him, therefore all tarot readers are frauds. He will forget that three psychics prior tried to warn him of this event, but he didn’t listen.

To conclude this article, I will offer some examples of better ways to pose questions that will give the seeker more insight and help them make better choices in their life.

Kathy is having trouble at her workplace. She feels that she is always being passed over for advancements, but she doesn’t know why. She decides to seek the tarot for help.

Some examples of excellent questions are:

“What do I need to know about this situation at this time?”

“Show me the energy surrounding this situation?”

Or, “Show me the energy blockages surrounding this situation?”

With such an excellent question posed, the tarot spread may actually show Kathy that she is blocking herself, or it may show her that she has tough competition, and that she needs to present her ideas with much more confidence than she has in the past.

Another example. Sandra is afraid that she and her husband are drifting apart. They’ve been fighting a lot lately, and they just don’t feel as close to one another as they once were. She might approach the tarot with one of the following questions.

“Show me the energy surrounding this situation?”

“What can I do to reconnect with my husband?”

“What is the emotional state of my husband at this time?”

In the latter question, the 10 of Wands may appear followed by the Six of Swords. This could indicate that Sandra’s husband feels overworked and that he is carrying too many burdens. Perhaps it is time for Sandra to plan a vacation for the two of them, so her husband can relax for awhile and they can reconnect in a less stressful environment.

I hope these examples have been helpful. Remember, the Seeker is never passive in the reading. The Seeker is a participant. Go in with good energy and ask a good question. Good luck and enjoy the path.

Copyright 2009 Cassy’s Tarot

Cassy LeBedz teaches spiritual pathways, tarot, and dream interpretation.  She is the author of Tarot Cassy’s Way, the creator of Cassy’s Oracle Coins. Cassy offers tarot readings from her website at Cassy’s Tarot, and she can oftentimes be found offering sound tips on How To Read Tarot

Here are some things to look for in a deck.  Do the tarot cards comfortably fit your hand?   Do the colors on the tarot cards make you feel good?  (If you don’t like the deck, you won’t want to handle it as often as you need to.)  Do you like the artwork on the cards?  Look at each tarot card individually and try to determine if the symbols speak to your intuition.  Do the symbols have meaning for you?  Are the symbols easy for you to understand and divine?  And don’t forget the most obvious: can you comfortably shuffle the deck?  In any case, choose a deck that speaks to you, a deck that you love to hold in your hands and look at, but do take the time to learn the symbolism on the Rider-Waite tarot deck.  And check out Lo Scarabeo’s new deck, The Pictorial Key To The Tarot.  They did a fantastic job.  Ultimately, you want a tarot card deck that speaks to you well enough that you do not need to rely on a book.

Enjoy The Path.

For a professional tarot reading by Cassy, visit www.cassystarot.com

Copyright 2008  Cassy’s Tarot   Visit: www.cassystarot.com