interactive tarot reading

My Adventures in Interactive Tarot Reading

This is part 3 of my 3-part series about “Interactive” Tarot reading (aka “lazy Tarot reading”). Interactive Tarot reading is when you get the person you are reading for to interpret the Tarot card themselves. If you missed the previous two posts, here they are:

Part 1: Interactive Tarot Reading: An Ultra-juicy Reading Method!
Part 2: 5 Reasons to Try Interactive Tarot Reading TODAY!

Today I want to tell you all about my personal experiences with this reading method.

My Experience:

I first began dabbling with Interactive Tarot Reading about a year ago. I had read about this method of reading in various Tarot books over the years, but I had always dismissed it as being a bit of a cop-out.

Then one day I was doing a reading for a woman who was just exhausting the crap out of me. Nothing I said seemed to make sense to her and she kept asking questions that were very difficult to answer. I began to feel drowsy and had to force myself to stay awake and keep slogging through the reading.

Then, out of sheer exasperation, I asked her “well, what do you see in this card?”

To my surprise, she said something incredibly insightful. Unfortunately I have a mind like a net trap (as opposed to a steel trap) and I have no memory of what she actually said. Bad storytelling, I know! But her observation made a light switch on in my head and suddenly the reading began to make sense – for both me and her.

I kept at it for a bit and asked her stuff like “and what do you think that means? And how do you feel this relates to this”, etc, etc.

In the end she was delighted with her reading and I had my sanity back.

But for a while I only used this interactive technique when I was struggling through a reading. Then one evening several months ago, I decided to get brave while I was giving readings at a Tarot party.

Tarot parties can be exhausting because when you’re reading for several people in a row, back to back, it can feel like a marathon for your intuition and Tarot reading skills. Anyhow, I really wanted to test out this “interactive” method with a wide variety of people, since I was certain that not everyone was going to be impressed with it.

Deep down I had this fear that as soon as I asked for my client’s input, they would freak out and roar “but your the Tarot reader, you tell ME!” And what if they thought I was slacking off or cheating?

So I started off slowly….I would give my interpretation first, then I would ask “what stands out to you in this card?”

What happened was this:  people lit up when I asked for their input. They suddenly became like celebrities being interviewed about their next big film and I was like Barbara Walters or Larry King, except younger and hotter.

Their insights and observations led me to ask deeper questions and here’s a little secret I discovered….

Deep questions = exhilarating answers = crazy-hot readings!

superstar!The best part of all was that instead of feeling like a total slacker, I ended up feeling like a Tarot reading superstar! Why? Because my intuition was actually enhanced by reading in this way. Since Interactive Tarot Reading eliminates the usual performance anxiety, I could relax and let my intuition surface naturally.

Plus, people had more aha! moments than ever before.  In a Tarot, the aha! moment is like the orgasm of the reading – its the whole reason you consult the cards in the first place and a reading doesn’t really feel complete until an aha! or two has occurred.

So far, I have found that Interactive Tarot Reading is the best way to produce aha! moments.

 

My tips for getting started with Interactive Tarot Reading:

Tip #1: Don’t feel you have to go all out with this method – you can stick to your usual way of reading, and every now and then ask the client what they see in the card.

This is what I did at the Tarot Party. When I felt there was a lull in the reading and I wasn’t sure where to go next, I would ask “what stands out to you in this card?”

As you get more comfortable with this style of reading, you can incorporate it more and more.

 

Tip #2: Don’t deprive your client of your own insights – just because your client sees a card one way and you see it differently, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t share your insights.

Think of Interactive Tarot Reading as a collaboration of your intuition and your clients’ intuition.

 

Tip #3: Don’t forget the “traditional” card meaning! – while its best to put the traditional meaning aside at first, it can be helpful to come back to it near the end of the reading, after your client has fully engaged with the card on a deep level.

The traditional Tarot card meaning can often help make sense of the intuitive insights that were gained throughout the reading. Think of this part of the reading as tying up any loose ends.

 

My list of possible questions to ask when giving an Interactive Tarot Reading:

  • What color do you notice first?
  • What stands out to you in this card?
  • How do you feel when you look at this card?
  • What would that figure in the card say to you if it could speak?
  • What do you think the figures on this card are doing?
  • What does that symbol mean to you?
  • How does this card reflect your own situation?
  • Which figure on this card represents you? (this works best for cards with multiple figures)
  • What advice would you give to the figure in this card? (This works well when the card depicts some kind of misery like the 5 of Cups or The Tower)
  • Is there anything you find disturbing/fascinating/mysterious about this card?

Now that you have all the tools to go off and run with this technique, give it a try! Notice what works, what doesn’t and then feel free to mosey on back to this page and share your experiences.

In the comments below, tell me if you have ever tried reading interactively, or if you have ever had an interactive Tarot reading? What did you think? Can you see any pitfalls to this method of reading? Do think this could be the new frontier for Tarot reading?

My Adventures in Interactive Tarot Reading Read More »

5 Reasons to Try Interactive Tarot Reading TODAY!

Last week I told you all about Interactive Tarot Reading – what it is, how I love it and how I think its a total game changer. If you missed that post, click here to read it.

This week, I want to fess up and tell you exactly why I am into this style of reading so much…

5 Reasons to Start Doing Interactive Tarot Reading TODAY:

1. Its easy!

Reading in this style is actually much more relaxing than the more mainstream/traditional way of reading Tarot cards, where the reader is doing most of the talking and interpreting (like a performer) and the client sits back and observes (like an audience).

Stop thinking Performance and start thinking Collaboration. Performance style reading lets your client off the hook too easily, whereas collaborative reading rightly assumes your client has valuable insights into their own life.

If you have ever felt drained after giving a reading, try incorporating some interactive techniques into your reading. Reading in this style actually gives you energy!

 

2. You can shed the heavy cloak of “responsibility”

In a typical reading, the client asks questions and the reader answers them. If you are the reader, this puts a lot of pressure on you. What if you say the wrong thing and your client gets upset? What if your wrong? What if answering their question is actually unethical? Ugh! All this crappola can give you a headache!

When you read Tarot in an interactive style, you eliminate the burden of responsibility. Of course you are still responsible for asking the right questions, steering the reading in a positive direction and helping the client feel safe, understood, empowered, etc. But you no longer have that pressure of coming up with accurate predictions, impressing your client and all that 1990’s Miss Cleo infomercial claptrap.

 

3. It’s fun!

Interactive Tarot reading is 1000 times more fun than what I now call old-school Tarot reading.  Traditional Tarot reading can be hard, like working as a chambermaid in a Mexican resort with no air conditioning. Interactive Tarot reading is like being a guest at the hotel and playing tennis or ping pong while hot bartenders serve you drinks and pat your brow with ice cold towels.

Maybe that’s a weird analogy, but when there’s an equal sharing of effort as you interact with your client (like in tennis), things are kept fun and energizing.

 

4. Your client will love it!!!!

Interactive Tarot reading is empowering. It helps your client discover their own blocks and create their own solutions. Yes, there will be some people who say shit like “But your the Tarot reader, aren’t you supposed to tell me what to do?” This can be avoided by explaining how you do your readings before the reading starts.

Best of all, your client gets to talk about themselves waaaaay more than in an “old school Tarot reading”. And I find that most people love to talk about themselves!

 

5. Interactive Tarot readings are POWERFUL!

They get to the root of an issue and because the client is so involved in the process, the reading is that much more memorable and transformational.

While many people claim that they just want to be told what to do, most will not actually take your advice. Just look at how many people start diets and then fail. Being given a set of instructions hardly ever leads to transformation. As Tarot readers, we must go deeper.

 

But does Interactive Tarot Reading really fly with people?

Don’t they get pissed that you aren’t doing all the work and telling them their future? Next week, in part three of this series, I will share my personal experience with trying out this reading method….. juicy deets coming your way! Get ready.

Read Part 3: My Adventures in Interactive Tarot Reading

 

5 Reasons to Try Interactive Tarot Reading TODAY! Read More »

Interactive Tarot Reading: An Ultra-Juicy Reading Method!

I am so excited to tell you all about “Interactive Tarot Card Reading” and how its totally changing how I look at doing readings. In my humble opinion, this reading method is the Bees Knees. Not everyone will agree. Some will say “that sucks” or “that’s cheating.” You be the judge!

This is part one of what will be a three part series of blog posts all about this edgy, creative and daring way of reading the cards. So hold onto your hat!

 

What is Interactive Tarot Reading?

When you give an “Interactive” Tarot Reading, you will ask your client lots of open-ended questions and get them involved in the reading as much as possible. In a way, you are kind of coaching them on how to read for themselves.

Interactive Tarot reading works best when you are reading in-person, but it can also be done via Skype or telephone. It can be done when you are reading for yourself or another person.

Here’s an example of how an Interactive Tarot Reading might go down:

Let’s say you get The High Priestess. Before you rattle off the meaning, you may ask your client “what do you notice first when you look at this card?”

high priestess tarot card meaning
Universal Waite Tarot Deck

Client: the ocean in the background

Reader: and what does the ocean represent to you?

Client: fear! I am terrified of the ocean. I always worry about what might be lurking beneath and it always seems so deep and so vast and so dangerous. And I never learned to swim.

Reader: Is there any area of your life where you feel fearful and over your head?

Client: Yes! My relationship with my boyfriend. In fact, they way I feel about the ocean parallels how I feel about commitment. The deeper I get in my romantic relationship, the more panicky and unstable I feel. In the past I have ended relationships because of this.

Reader: Interesting! When you look at the woman on this card, what comes to mind?

Client: She seems really calm and powerful, like the fear that I just mentioned would never plague her. She seems above it all.

Reader: Have you ever risen above your fears?

Client: Lots of times! Just last Summer I conquered my fear of flying and got on a plane to Hawaii.

Reader: That’s amazing! How did you do it?

Client: I listened to a self-hypnosis meditation before boarding the plane and I used positive affirmations for weeks leading up to my vacation.

Reader: Have you tried using affirmations for your relationship fears?

Client: No, that has never occurred to me. What a fabulous idea! I am going to give that a try. Wow, your brilliant!

At this point in the reading, the you may opt to tell your client the meaning of The High Priestess and then interpret it in the light of the information she has just given you. For example:

Reader: The High Priestess often symbolizes an awakening of psychic energies and an initiation into working with the “mysteries” – including the subconscious mind, which is what you were doing with your affirmations and self-hypnosis! It feels like now is a great time to claim the role of High Priestess in your own life, particularly in relation to managing your fears. Whenever you feel afraid or out of your depths, it can be helpful to picture this image of the High Priestess sitting there all calm and powerful and ask “what would she do in this situation?”

So, as you can see, and interactive Tarot reading is all about bringing out the innate wisdom of your client and then adding your two cents as well.

As I mentioned earlier, you can also do an Interactive Tarot reading on yourself. Take your time pondering each card, ask yourself questions and go outside the box by letting go of the mainstream Tarot meanings. I teach you how to do this in my free audio tutorial, so if you haven’t listened to it yet, do it!

So why bother reading this way? What are the big benefits? I am going to give you 5 smokin’ hot reasons next week in part 2! So stay tuned!

Read Part 2: Five Reasons Why You Should Try Interactive Tarot Reading

 

In the meantime, I want to hear your thoughts on this – have you ever dabbled in Interactive Tarot Reading? Can you think of any pitfalls of this type of reading style? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Interactive Tarot Reading: An Ultra-Juicy Reading Method! Read More »

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