What To Include In a One-Card Reading

There is no need to draw multiple cards to get valuable insights from a reading, which is good news for beginners. One-card readings can be very effective.

There is much you can see in just one card, and here I would like to demonstrate what you can cover in a one-card reading:

1. First impressions: 

Keywords and phrases that come into your mind when you see the image. Also any feelings the image evokes.

2. What to do / action to take: 

This should cover something practical and doable, active steps that can help influence a situation to achieve a positive outcome.

3. What to avoid: 

Personal traits / habits / beliefs that could hinder a desired development or outcome.

4. What to look out for:

Something that is hidden; opportunities, obstacles, internal blocks…

5. What needs attention:

This could relate to a skill you need to develop, people around you, work, relationships, life style… a certain area of your life.

6. Power Word / Phrase:

A catch phrase, mantra or just one single word that will guide you onto the right track and towards achieving your desired outcome.

7.  Affirmation:

Same as 6, a positive statement to help you shift your mindset in a positive way.

You don’t have to cover all these points, especially when you’re just starting out learning the Tarot, but once you get stuck in, you will find it’s much easier than you first think.

Here’s an example with the Two of Wands, a reading I did for myself the other day, so the answers are specific and personal (your answers may differ):

First impressions: Planning ahead! The only way is forward. Follow my passion. Embrace the unknown. Excitement. Opportunities. Vision. Travel and journeys.

What to do / action to take: Make a to-do list!

What to avoid: Procrastination, fear of the unknown

What to look out for: Turning new creative ideas into reality more quickly, becoming more efficient; planning and implementing with others. Diversifying…

What needs attention: Firing up and nurturing my ambition; be more driven. The changes I want to create in my work and personal life.

Power word / phrase: Get organised!

Affirmation: I can do this!

As you can see, there is no need to write a long essay. Keep it short and sweet😃

Warmest wishes,

Christiane 🦄

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The Magical Ingredients of a Tarot Email Reading

As a professional tarot reader I have written nearly a thousand email readings, and as a Mentor for TABI have worked with many readers to help them hone their email reading skills.

I think I've seen it all: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Writing a quality tarot email reading sounds easy, but it does require some special ingredients to make it worth the money you wish to charge.

If you are an aspiring tarot professional, here are some tips on which magical ingredients you need to add to make your readings stand out from the amateurs:

1. The Essence of a Reading

The three essential components of an email reading are encouragement, reassurance and inspiration.

When you write up your reading, ask yourself the following questions:

• Have I encouraged the client to think for themselves, face and overcome their fears or take action?
• Have I reassured the client without giving false hope? Have I aimed to boost their confidence?
• Have I inspired the client to embrace change, to move forward and to take responsibility for their lives?

2. Positivity

Being positive doesn't mean avoiding reality or the truth. If a relationship is over, it's over.

But even bad news can be conveyed with a sense of hope and optimism. Talk about the new beginnings and opportunities ahead. 

Offer ideas on how the client can regain some control and navigate uncertain times.

Always end a reading about a painful issue on an upbeat note.

3. Keep it simple

How often have I seen über-long, confusing sentences, irrelevant card descriptions and repeating messages?

Yes, we're talking sentence structure and occasionally losing the plot. Nobody wants to read Ulysses-style sentences, but when you are in the flow of writing the reading, it can easily happen.

For clarity's sake, less is often more. Avoid duplications and unnecessary waffle.

Ask yourself:

• Have I made my point clearly and succinctly?
• Have I answered the querent's question or been too vague?
• Is the information easy to understand?

4. Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation

For some tarot readers spelling has proven to be a major hurdle in delivering professional email readings. This also applies to grammar and punctuation.

If you have issues with this, you will need to brush up your writing skills seriously. Nothing is worse than charging for a reading riddled with typos, over-usage of apostrophes and grammatical errors.

5. Compassion, Empathy and Objectivity

Tarot readers are by nature sensitive souls. When a client contacts me for a reading, I can often sense the turmoil going on when reading their question, and I wish I could give them a proper big hug.

But it is important for a professional reader to combine compassion and empathy with objectivity and a certain level of detachment.

On behalf of the client, you are looking at the bigger picture and connecting the dots without judgement and without dragging your own personal issues into the reading.

Make sure the reading is about the client and not about you.

Many years ago, a well-meaning tarot reader wrote in a reading "My mother always used to say to me..." 

Trust me, this is inappropriate, and your querent doesn't want to know what your mother said.

Don't include your personal experience in a professional reading, even when you sympathize or even identify with the querent.

To sum it all up, writing a professional tarot email reading with a magical touch isn't as easy as it first seems. It's a skill that needs to be developed.

That doesn't mean I'm infallible. Far from it. Over the years, my readings have evolved, and yes, the odd typos and grammar howlers sneaked in on some occasions.

And with hindsight I felt some readings weren't good enough in some way. That's because I'm human and not a Tarot app 😉

What's important though is to put the effort in to add all those magical ingredients to your readings to make them the best they can be for your clients. 

This way you build your reputation as a truly professional reader.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

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Using the Tarot to Communicate with the Dead

Samhain / Halloween is fast approaching, a time when the veil between the world of the living and the dead is at its thinnest.

So it comes to no surprise that if you wish to make contact with dearly departed, this is the perfect night to do so.

I am no spiritual medium and therefore no expert in making contact with dead people, but I do feel it is possible to have a conversation with them through the Tarot.

Many years ago I tried to make contact with my mum, who had died the year before, and even though nothing spooky happened during the reading, I did have some interesting dreams on several occasions afterwards, some of which where astounding to say the least.

This year I intend to make contact with my Dad, who passed over in July this year, so while I’m still going through the process of coming to terms with it, I have the need to reconcile with him in some way.

I do believe that making contact with a departed loved one can help bring some closure and therefore contribute to the healing process.

So, my advice is only to communicate with the dead, if your intention is reconciliation, closure and healing.

The Ritual

1. Questions

Before you begin, think about the questions you would like to ask your loved one. Write them all down, so you won’t forget during the reading.

Although it’s always worthwhile wording your questions wisely, you can ask anything you like, because you are trying to talk to someone you once loved (and still do), and they loved you too, so they won’t mind!

Questions like “How are you?”, “Are you at peace now?”, “What’s it like?” are perfectly okay. You don’t need to censor yourself. In addition you can also ask your loved one for advice just like you used to when they were still with you.

2. Timing

Do your spirit reading later in the evening on the 31st October. The best time would be around the witching hour. Make sure you won’t get disturbed by anybody, like those pesky trick-or-treaters or whoever lives with you.

3. Sacred Space

Set the scene with seasonal decorations, candles and crystals. For this kind of work I love using my Black Obsidian Skull. 

The energetic vibrations of carved crystal skulls are said to make a mental connection with your brain, thus helping you to be more receptive to messages from the spirit world.

4. Grounding

Start with your usual grounding ritual and include a request to the spirit world, such as “Spirit world, please open up to me, so (insert the person’s name you wish to talk to) can talk to me.”

It also helps, if you have a personal item from your loved one you can hold whilst asking him/her to come forward.

5. Reading

Once you feel you are ready, or you may even feel the presence of your loved one, you can begin the reading.

Shuffle your deck while thinking of your loved one. For each question you have, pull a card. The messages you receive from the cards may be from your loved one.

I say “may”, because they may also be from your own subconscious, which knows the answers all along and has the desire to reveal them to you, so you can heal.

Graveyard Tarot Spread

Either way, this reading can contribute to your healing process by helping you feel connected to your loved one and getting some answers you need.

If you are planning to do a reading that is focused on self-exploration, then you can try out the Graveyard Spread above.

And last but not least, check out my Manifest Change printable healing cards.

Samhain Blessings,

Christiane

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Dame Darcy's Mermaid Tarot Review

I was bombarded with images of this deck on my Tumblr and Instagram feeds for quite a while, until I finally succumbed and bought it from Dame Darcy's Etsy shop.

What attracted me to this deck? It wasn't the idea of the mermaids theme, but I loved the hint of burlesque, naughtiness and a bygone world of sailors, pirates and far away tropical islands.

There is nothing twee about the mermaids and 18th century ladies appearing in this deck, quite the opposite: feisty and sexy, and those sailors are quite dashing, too...

Yes, welcome to the delightfully seedy world of Dame Darcy's Mermaid Tarot!

Think Pirates of the Caribbean joyfully mixed with Cabaret.

Some of the men / boys / merblokes / ladyboys (?) look like they've escaped from a 1930s Berlin nightclub to chase freedom, faraway lands, love and luck across the seven seas:

And here are some of the ladies:

The illustrations remind me of vintage comic strips, and the watery colouring and tea-stain coloured background give the cards a distressed antique look.

This is a standard 78-card deck, although two cards - the Ace of Cups and Wheel of Fortune - are duplicated.

The cards shuffle extremely well, and their 70 x 120 mm size is perfect for me.

The deck comes shrink-wrapped in a white organza bag, which is just a wee bit small but perfectly adequate. However, I bought a little box for this deck, as I feel it deserves special treatment:

The Mermaid Tarot is based on the Rider Waite tradition, but has been successfully adapted to the nautical theme without deviating too much from the RWS imagery.

I have been using this deck extensively over the last couple of months for client readings and must say it's a joy to work with.

Is there anything I don't like? Well, perhaps some of the images look as if they've been rushed, but that doesn't lessen the overall appeal for me.

So, if you would like to get your hands on it, you can buy it from Dame Darcy's Etsy shop.

And if you own this deck, I'd love to hear how it works for you. Just leave a comment below, and I'd be thrilled.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

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When Tarot Cards Don’t Make Sense In A Reading

I have recently started pulling a card for the week ahead again, which is a great way to practice mindfulness and focus on any issues that I may encounter.

Last Sunday I drew The Star, a positive card, and yet I had some very upsetting news this week.

When cards don’t make sense in a reading, it’s easy to wonder why they pop up when reality turns out to be the opposite.

If this has happened to you and left you feeling confused and thinking that the Tarot doesn’t work after all, don’t be disheartened but bear in mind the following

1. Cards may not exactly tell you what is going to happen, but they may advise you how to deal with the situation.

In this case, after hearing about my friend’s daughter being diagnosed with late stage cancer, The Star is a gentle reminder to have hope and stay optimistic despite the odds.

I am hoping for a miracle, and perhaps The Star is an early indication that this will happen.

(Update 2018: after a year of torturous medical treatment she has miraculously recovered and is doing very well today).

Sometimes cards make sense much later.

2. A card that doesn’t seem to make sense can also ask you to look at a situation from a different perspective.

For example, you draw The Sun for the week ahead, but during that week you lose your job.

Surely you should have drawn The Tower or any such negative card to prepare you for what’s coming, but no.

Instead, The Sun may want to tell you that what’s happened was perhaps a blessing in disguise.

It may also suggest that you should take time out and enjoy life despite what’s happened, and now isn’t a good time to feel sorry for yourself.

3. The Tarot (or any oracle deck) wants to make you think and go deeper.

Forget about drawing the obvious cards and getting clear answers. If it was that easy, there wouldn’t be any personal development and growth.

The Tarot often reveals what is hidden rather than what you already know.

On reflection during and after the week has passed, you can reassess how to apply the positive aspects of the card to what has happened. You can also explore, what the card is asking you to avoid or improve.

Draw a card for the next week and see how your story continues. After a while, you may notice a pattern, repeating messages or even things falling into place.

And to do this effectively it’s so important to record your readings in a journal, so you can look back and learn to read the hidden messages of the cards.

Enjoy your weekly draws!

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

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Third Party Readings - Asking The Tarot About Someone Else

One of those ethical dilemmas tarot readers have to grapple with are third party readings.

There are different kinds of third party readings; some are subtle mainly found in relationship readings, others are more blatant, where the question doesn't relate to the person requesting the reading at all.

One of those blatant third party questions I once got was How is my sister, and is her husband treating her well?

The lady, who asked was from the Asian community, and although I can only guess why she asked about her sister, it may have related to an arranged marriage.

I can completely sympathise with the client. Of course she wants to know how her sister is and if she's okay, but it's difficult to connect with third parties in a reading. 

Any attempt often results in confusing, unclear or even wrong messages from the Tarot.

Still, who wouldn't want to put the client's mind at rest, reassuring her that all is well and her sister is happy.

But then I'd be guessing, at worst lying (what should I say, if I drew the Tower, Death or any other such card?).

Whatever I'd say about her sister couldn't be validated, whereas a reading for the querent directly can be. 

That's another reason why third party readings such as this example are risky and should be avoided.

Most questions tarot readers get asked are about love and relationships.

Will he come back to me?

How does he feel about me?

What are his long-term intentions?

Is he cheating on me? 

are all questions focusing on someone other than the client, yet when it comes to a relationship it takes two to make it work (or not).

How many relationship spreads include positions such as What person A brings to the relationship / what person B brings to the relationship (and person B not being present during the reading).

Person B's strengths, weaknesses and whatnot are analysed and dissected in a reading, while that person is absent. 

It's very much talking behind someone's back, judging them and making choices about the relationship without them, all based on a reading.

In my time as a professional tarot reader I have noticed that questions about other people, especially in relationship readings, are deep down about the client.

When we examine in a reading what the other person is bringing to the relationship, I always point out that the answer is likely to be the perception of the querent.

For example, the Hanged Man is drawn in that position. 

Rather than saying it seems like your boyfriend doesn't want to commit or wants to take your relationship further, I'd ask do you feel your relationship isn't going anywhere?, Are there circumstances that prevent you from moving forward together?

Here you can see the difference between a third party (first answer) and a client-focused (second answer) reading. 

The latter can be validated by client and offers more scope to explore the bigger picture.

And yet, we still take the other person into account by looking at the relationship as a whole but from the client's perspective.

Whereas blatant third party readings should be avoided, relationship readings that take into account both parties (where one of them is absent) can be explored by focusing on the feelings and perceptions of the client in relation to their partner.

This way we don't guess the other person's intentions, and perhaps we can also help the client figure out for themselves how the other person is feeling.

How do you feel about third party readings? How do you answer them? Have you been using relationship spreads that include questions about the other - absent - person? 

I'd love to hear from you💚

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

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Simple But Powerful Ways To Connect With The Tarot

Nothing is as difficult and frustrating as trying to memorise Tarot card meanings from a book.

Since 2006, Tarot students from all over the world have worked with me to discover a better - easier - method to connect with the cards.

If you are just starting to learn the Tarot or find it hard to remember card meanings, here are my tried and tested powerful ways to connect with the Tarot without ever having to look at a book again:

1. Choose a Tarot deck that speaks to you

The best beginner's Tarot deck is one, where all cards are fully illustrated, each image tells you a story and you find the artwork appealing.

The most famous and popular Tarot deck of all, the Rider Waite Smith (RWS), is one I do recommend, but you may prefer the Sharman-Caselli deck, which has been specifically designed with the Tarot novice in mind.

Left column: Universal Waite Tarot (RWS), middle: Sharman Caselli Tarot, right: Crystal Tarot. Top row: Nine of Cups, middle: Seven of Pentacles, bottom: Eight of Wands

On the image above you can see both decks together with the Crystal Tarot, on which the Minor Arcana cards are illustrated with just the symbol of the suits.

Which images do you find easier to connect with? And what different stories do they tell?

2. Describe the images

Yes, this requires you to actually LOOK at the image carefully and explore the scene. Give me your first impression: is it positive, neutral or negative?

Then tell me why. What do you see? What is happening?

Go into more detail. Are there any people in the card? What are they doing? How do they look?

Notice their body language. What is the landscape like? Can you see buildings, plants, animals?

Some cards are easier to read than others. Don't be disheartened, if you draw a blank with some of them. 

You will learn to read them in time. Build your confidence by focusing on the easy cards first.

3. Be the person in the card

This is a fun yet insightful way to connect with the cards. Imitate the posture of the person in a card.

Stand with open arms just like the Fool, sit like the High Priestess, kneel like the woman in the Star image - will you take it as far as being naked? 😉

You can personify the Hanged Man by doing a headstand, perhaps against a tree, or if that is too strenuous for you, lie down and lean your legs upright against a wall or a tree.

Replicate as much of the image as you can.

For example, stand by a field and look at the crops just like in the Seven of Pentacles. What goes through your mind? Harvest? Hard work? Reaping rewards? Sowing new seeds and a new cycle?

How do these postures make you feel?

Close your eyes and imagine the landscape of the card surrounding you. How does it affect your mood, dreams, ideas or imagination?

4. Connect each card with your own life experiences

The archetypal images of the Tarot live in all of us. For example, we have all been a Fool more than once in our lives, but that doesn't necessarily mean in a bad way 😄

The Fool suggests amongst other things new beginnings. This is how some of my students associate the Fool with events in their lives:

"My first day at school. I can remember being so excited."

"When I went backpacking to South America. I was naive when I started but so much wiser when I came back."

"My first marriage. We were too young."

"Starting my business. I didn't have a clue, just jumped in, and it was quite a learning curve. But I loved it."

All these statements are short, but they tell you so much more.

By linking the cards to your life, you will find it much easier to remember their meanings, because you connect them to feelings, lessons and advice you have experienced.

5. Start A Journal

When you start exploring your Tarot deck, make notes of your observations and new discoveries about the cards. Writing things down helps your memory, too.

You can add your own pages as you continue to work with the cards, and over time you will create a unique Tarot reference book full of your personal wisdom and inspiration.

Be a Fool today and start your Tarot Journal. Treat yourself to a pretty notebook or dive into creative tarot journaling.

6. Play with the cards every day

Even if it's only for five or ten minutes, spending time with your cards every day will help you learn the cards more quickly.

Pull a card on an evening and make a note of it. How does it reflect the events of the day you've had? Or what message does it offer you for the following day?

Even if you cannot think of anything, at least you are looking at the card, begin to memorise its image and associate it with its name. 

Soon you can picture the images in your head without having to look at them, e.g. you will know by heart what the Six of Wands looks like.

7. Card meanings can be found in the Name

The names of the Major Arcana images all trigger some associations you have stored in your head. Quite often, Tarot novices are not aware of them. They see the name written on the card but don't take it further.

One of my students couldn't make sense of the Hermit. So I asked: "What is a Hermit? What does a Hermit do?"

Her answer: "It's someone, who lives on his own. Far away from civilisation."

We have then talked about the archetypal Hermit personality, and how it fits into our modern lives and in readings.

So, what does an Emperor do? Well, I suppose he rules and makes decisions. And what does Justice mean? It makes me think about the law, and how we associate it with objectivity, truth and fairness.

As you can see, the names of the cards already tell you a lot about their meanings, so they are worthwhile exploring further.

8. Music and Quotes

Link individual cards with songs that relate to their meanings, e.g. Don't fear the Reaper goes well with Death, or I'm not in Love reminds me of the Five of Cups.

Find your own favourite inspirational quotes for each card and record them in your journal. I started doing that a few years ago, and in the process began creating my Tarot of Quotes.

Last but not least, if you are still feeling stuck connecting with the cards, hop over to my Ko-fi page, where you can find lots of printable tarot study inspiration.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

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