The Book of THOTH - Reading for Friends

By L. Doherty

Article courtesy of Lotus Tarot library

Reading for Friends

One question that often arises when talking Tarot is whether or not you should have your cards read by a friend? The natural assumption seems to be that a stranger will give you a true-er reading than a friend could. I tend to disagree with this stance.

As a Tarot reader, I do acknowledge the fact that reading for a friend can be easier. As friends, we will understand each other's language so that more can often be said with less. I will also have a good idea of what cards to expect to pop up in association with the subject and of how to interpret them. I can also do away with a lot of the miscellany and formality I would use with a stranger.

The down side of course, is that I might not be relying on the cards for everything I say. Knowing the person, their situations and personalities, I might unknowingly rely on outside facts rather than insights from the cards.

Whenever I read for a friend and feel I might not be giving them a straight - no B.S. reading, I ask them to ask a question I can't know the answer to. Getting that right is a good indication I'm on track. I also ask the Tarot, "Am I doing this right?" or "Will you tell me what we want to know?" I've seen the cards suggest that another reader be consulted.

One way to keep track of yourself as a reader is to ask your friends to tell you honestly whether things turn out the way you've seen. I say something like, "Let me know if I come anywhere close...?" and fully expect my friends to tell me the truth. Sometimes this has meant I've gotten those calls like, "Jeeze! were you wrong!" but it's also helped me to see 'how' and avoid the same mistakes in the future. (Of course, hearing about successes is helpful too.)

As a subject who's had readings done for me, both by friends and strangers, I admit to having been most impressed by my friend's readings. Strangers who've read for me have seldom gotten anything 'right' by way of predictions.

One other point worth mentioning is that, especially when I read for friends, I use statements rather than questions. By stating something like "you will buy a house" rather than "are you thinking of buying a house?" I am taking a risk that I will be wrong. But this is a good thing. Better to be wrong and honest than right and lazy ; )

Published on: 2005-02-20 (480 reads)

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