Our class related to tarot questions was great! You guys brought such amazing insight and energy to the conversation. Thank you for participating. We covered so much I wanted to highlight a few things to keep them top of mind:
- Why do you read tarot? Even without a question from yourself or your sitter, your approach to tarot and your style will inform the reading. Can you answer the question: Why do you read tarot for yourself or for other people? When you can answer this question you’ve created a foundation for general readings or those sitters without a question.
- Questions help you tell the story. I get asked a lot about how to tell the story the cards are representing. Having a strong and clear question supports telling the story.
- When the cards answer a different question. This is a standing argument in the tarot community. Some people believe the cards drawn answer the question. Without forcing them to do so. Others believe that the cards tell you what you need to know regardless of the question. The latter is associated most often with the initiate rather than the adept. Both are a style choice. How you read is entirely up to you.
- The long story without a question. When someone shares their story with you and looks at you expectantly to solve all their problems without asking a question, what do you do? Jonathan made a great point in class. Sometimes your sitter just wants or needs to be heard. The answer to any question is irrelevant to them. I prefer to tease the question out of what they’ve said. This takes an emotional IQ – which everyone has to varying degrees. You may even work from a general reading, with your reason for reading behind you, the reading will explore their experience. You can also plainly ask the sitter, “So, what question do you have for me?”
- When someone asks more than one question at a time. The consensus of the class was to take one question at a time. I recommend to also share your approach with your sitter. Let them know that you’ll work one question at a time or explore all of their questions in one spread.
- When the question is too narrow or too broad. Working with the sitter to develop the question to best fit your style is always an option. You may also consider a spread that gets you the information you might need to answer the question on the table.
- Rephrasing. Rephrasing a question with a client to best serve them is an invaluable tool. I recommend telling the sitter what you’ve heard them ask, put it in your words, and ask them if that is what they’re looking for. For example, let’s say someone asks you if they’re going to get pregnant. After sharing with them that you’re (presumably) not a doctor and they should work through all the prescribed routes that do not employ a tarot reader, you might ask them if their question is of a deeper nature. Are they curious about how a pregnancy might impact them professionally? Or possibly how it might impact their relationship with their partner, family, or other entity? A rephrase is about teasing out the real issue rather than addressing the symptom.
- Great Questions. You all had great questions. Similar to goals, they were Specific, Measurable, Active, Reasonable, and Time bound. You’re pros! This is why a rephrase is helpful. You can get the question in the best framework to support your sitter. Not everyone is adept at asking a strong question or how to ask the best question for a tarot reading. Especially a question that is phrased in a way that will allow your style to come shining through. In the grand scheme of questions, here’s the hierarchy of ease from easiest to hardest: What, How, Who, Where, When, Will. An example: “Is my life going to get better?” This is a yes/no question. Without a yes/no technique it’s impossible to answer. And for argument, this is impossible to answer anyway. What does “better” mean? It’s relative to the sitter. This is a great moment for a quick clarifying spread about the circumstances or to ask directly what part of their life they’re talking about (or they’d like to start with). Then you might rephrase into something like, “What’s the outcome if I XXX?” Or “What are the conditions surrounding XXX?”
Examples of your great questions:
What’s the less one for me in the last 24 hours?
What’s the most potent attitude or mindset for my career at the moment?
What should I be aware of to get the best outcome for next week?