Do's:
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Create a relationship with the cards or runes and get to know their meanings on a personal level. Learning the meanings from each of the cards and recognizing what the symbols mean to you, or how the individual cards make you feel when you see them is how you create that relationship.
For simple questions or topics, use a simple spread or layout. Don't complicated your question (or your querent's/client's question) with a complicated spread. It's important to choose a spread that feels most appropriate to the atmosphere of each specific reading.
Choose a spread or layout to use first, even before shuffling the cards. Holding the spread in your mind along with the querent or subject of the reading allows the cards to fall into place in accordance to the spread used. If the cards are shuffled and then the spread layout to use is changed, the cards are then not in the correct order in accordance to the intended spread.
Focus on the use of the spread or layout chosen with the intention of the reading while shuffling the cards or holding/casting the runes. As mentioned above regarding choosing a spread, the same applies to the intention of the reading. While shuffling, the cards are being charged with the focus and energy of your intended spread, subject, querent, and intention.
Be objective through out the reading, and remain subjective. Don't allow your inner self to interfere with the messages from within any readings. This is why in my opinion Shadow work is so important whether giving self readings or readings to others.
Keep an open mind, and accept the messages received. Try to treat 'bad news' received as a warning if continue down the same path. Anything foreseen within readings are only possibilities based on current circumstances and can be changed with will power by decision making or actions (or non action) moving forward.
Hear what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. Don't have an agenda or expectation for the outcome of readings. Relating the messages to the details of your situation can create insight and new perspectives allowing a better understand of how we feel or to help make the right decisions. It's the decisions that predict the future, not the readings.
Expect the unexpected. Messages received are not always what we want to hear. However, may still be just as insightful when reflected on. In my experience the unexpected messages can be healing.
Don'ts:
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Readings for others while haven't taken the time to get to know the cards for one's self. If you are not familiar with how messages are received, then you may not interpret the messages in a way that you, your querent/client needs to hear.
Do readings when emotional. You won't be able to remain subjective is your own emotions are overwhelming you. Take time to process your feelings and create a calm relaxing atmosphere to do readings in.
Drawing "classifiers" or extra tarot cards beyond the chosen spread. If you feel the need to expand on readings, try using oracle cards or a another tarot deck instead of continuing to pull further calls from the same deck beyond the intended spread.
Multiple readings on the same question or topic without allowing time to pass in order to offer a new perspective. If the advice of tarot are not adhered to, the deck may not help further. As mentioned above, if there's a need to expand on a subject or question try using an Oracle deck or another tarot deck.
Readings in hopes for specific meanings. If you expect a specific answer from readings before it starts, you may miss important warnings or insightful messages to be conveyed. This is one example of how your innerself can hijack your reading.
Using complicated spreads or layouts for simple questions or topics. Not to seem redundant. But, this is important to highlight. Follow your intuition when choosing the right spread for each reading. Consider who you are doing the reading for? What is the subject or question? Or is it a general reading? For example, a yes - no question may be satisfied with a one card draw. Or for a simple question a 3 card draw of past, present, future may suffice.
Reader Etiquette was also the topic of a Tarot Talk live event at: https://www.staffordtarot.com/post/sept-27th-2022-live-event
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