How to Prepare for a Tarot Reading: 5 tips to make the most of your next reading
Tarot readings can be healing, inspiring, and life-changing experiences, or they can be daunting and confusing. If you’re equipped with the knowledge of how to make the most of your reading, you’re much more likely to have a powerful and transformative session. As a professional reader, I recommend the following to optimize your tarot reading experience.
Know your reader
The best way to start your reading off right is by choosing the right reader for you. There are as many different types of tarot readers as there are types of people: some readers are more gentle, some are more straightforward. Some readers have areas of specialization, like love, career, life purpose, money, etc, some will NOT read for certain topics, and some will read for any topic or question. When choosing a reader, consider their personality, their style of reading, and their area of speciality in conjunction with your personality, your learning style, and the area of your life that you want guidance on.
I would recommend seeing which reader(s) you are naturally drawn to, and then learning more about them to make sure they’re a good fit for you. For example, you might be drawn to a career tarot reader for their candor and stoicism, but if you’re looking for a love reading, they might not be the best fit. Likewise, if you’re seeking career advice and want the brutally honest truth, you might not want to go to a sugary-sweet love reader. Every reader has their own unique value and style, so you will never have an objectively “bad reading” from anyone. The key is to seek the right reader for the right purpose.
Some questions to ask yourself when choosing a reader:
Do they have an area of strength or speciality? If so, does it match with the type of reading I’m looking for?
What is their personality and reading style? Does it match with what I’m looking for?
Let your reader know if you have any concerns, requests, or content warnings
Most professional readers will have an intake form as part of their booking process. In the intake form, make sure you include any concerns, needs, accommodations, or notes that you want to include for the reading. If there are certain topics that you don’t want to discuss or that you need a content warning for, include that in the intake form. It is important that you are as comfortable and calm as possible for your reading, so make sure you advocate for yourself if you have requests or accommodations. This will help put your mind at ease, so you can focus on enjoying your reading.
Remember that your reader is here to help you; not to shame you, judge you, or tell you what you “have to” do (there’s no such thing). If for any reason you aren’t feeling good about the direction of your reading, feel free to ask your reader to change course. Some ways of communicating this include:
“Could I hear more about what options I have if I want to achieve (insert goal)?”
“I’m feeling (emotion) about how things are looking so far. Could we explore how I could make this situation better?”
“I’d actually prefer to focus on (other topic), if that’s okay.”
Remember that a tarot reading’s purpose is to give you choices, control, and empowerment; not to make you feel trapped or scared.
Come prepared with questions
It’s perfectly fine to come into a reading without a question, but you will receive more specific answers when you have more specific questions. A professional reader will be fine if you don’t know where you want to begin, but it’s best to have a general idea of the topics or questions you’d like to cover. If you’re not sure, here are some sample questions to get you started:
What are my most powerful and special qualities?
What should I focus on in my life right now (in work, love, or in general)?
What should I let go of (in work, love, or in general)?
What is the key to my success (in work, love, or in general)?
How can I heal (whatever you’re struggling with)?
How can I make the most of (upcoming event or life change)?
You can also ask your reader how to best formulate a question. If you are asking about a love interest, for example, your reader can help you craft questions to find your desired guidance.
Know what you want out of the reading
In addition to your questions, think about your goals for the reading.
What do you want to gain: insight, guidance, confirmation, an overview of your options?
How do you want to feel: empowered, healed, validated, inspired, etc?
Take note of where you’re at currently: lost, stuck, frustrated, uninspired?
What kind of guidance do you want from the reading? Do you want emotional advice, action steps, to know all your options, to formulate a plan to achieve a specific goal?
Reflecting on where you’re at right now, and where you want to be after your reading, will help your reader understand how to give you the most helpful reading possible. If you know what kind of guidance you’re looking for, communicating that to your reader will help them to support you in the best way.
Be willing to talk with your reader
The best readings I’ve had are the ones in which my client engages with me, answers the follow-up questions I ask them, and isn’t afraid to let me know how they’re feeling. I don’t mind if someone doesn’t want to say anything during a reading, or if a client naturally isn’t very talkative, but it’s much more helpful to receive feedback from a client on how they’re feeling and what they’d like to focus on.
A tarot reading is a space for you to feel comfortable, honest, and open, and your reading will benefit from your emotional authenticity and openness. Don’t be afraid to share your hopes and your feelings. I am very used to clients crying in my readings, and that kind of emotional release is healthy and important for the emotional subject matter we cover in a reading.
A tarot reading is a co-created experience, so dialogue and openness are very much appreciated to make sure you’re getting the most out of our time together.
Do’s and don’ts of a great tarot reading
Ultimately, there are a few major things to keep in mind to make sure you get the most out of your reading: choose the right reader, calm your mind, and communicate during the reading. To summarize the rest of what we covered in this article:
Don’ts for your best tarot reading:
Don’t book a reader for the wrong questions/topics. If you’re unsure, look at the reader’s social media or website to determine if they read for all questions, if they specialize in a specific area, and if there are certain topics they do not read for. See what they talk most about in their social media or blog. If all else fails, email them and ask if they read for your specific topic.
Don’t try to “test” your tarot reader; you’ll just waste their time and your money.
Don’t do anything stressful or emotionally taxing before your reading.
Don’t be totally silent during your reading, unless your reader asks you to. Many readers find that the best readings involve dialogue between reader and client. Your reader may ask you how you’re feeling, what you think of a certain card, or where you’d like to take the reading next; engage!
Don’t hide your thoughts and emotions during a reading; your reading will benefit from your honesty and openness. This is part of why it’s important to book with a reader you trust.
Do’s for your best tarot reading:
Know your reader. Learn about their personality, their areas of speciality, and their reading style, as applicable, to make sure they’re the best reader for your personality and your questions.
Prepare your questions for the reading, and have them written out in front of you so you remember what you want to have answered during the reading.
Reflect on where you are prior to the reading (your emotions, your mentality, and your life situation), as well as where you’d like to be after your reading (the emotions, answers, and goals you want to achieve). You may not be able to accomplish everything in a single reading, but knowing where you’re at and where you want to go, and communicating that with your reader, will help.
Do something calming before the reading, so you enter the space with a calm and clear mind. Try meditating, reading a comforting book, going for a walk, or listening to music that soothes you.
Communicate with your reader. If something is confusing for you, or if you want more insight on a certain card or question, don’t be afraid to ask! Your reader is here to help you, and they want to make sure you get the most out of your time together.
Now that you’re prepared for your best tarot reading yet, you can relax and receive all the wisdom that the cards are ready to give you. To book a reading with me, click here to access my booking page 🖤
