When doing a tarot reading....

[Fairy Disturbed]

especially one that is a forecast for either coming months or the year, is the reading to be looked at as something that will actually happen, or is it to be used as a tool, to either prepare, or if there are areas that are not so good that it gives you the opportunity to improve in those areas?

[Meadhbh]

Thats the problem with tarot or any form of divantion really. Is theres no way of really knowing if thats how things are going to play out. The future isn't graven in stone. Something could happen five minutes after your reading that could change things so what you just saw never happens or comes about in some other way. What it does do is bring things to you attention that need to be taken care of so you are less likely to be caught off guard if they do indeed happen.

[Fairy Disturbed]

but how do you really help a person to interpret a reading... or are they left to interpret it themselves?

[LisaT4P]

I view a reading as being like a snap-shot. This is the possible future outcome as things stand right now. I think readings can stand for a while as long as no life-changing events occur.

For example, if the same client comes to you a week after their first reading with the same question and nothing has changed, then the outcome of the reading will probably be very similar to the first reading. However, if after a week things have changed dramatically (a marriage proposal, car accident, break-up, etc.) then the differences would be reflected in the reading, even though the same question may have been asked.
but how do you really help a person to interpret a reading... or are they left to interpret it themselves?You basically have to assume that they are going to continue on their present path. Then you can SUGGEST that they may want to make changes in accordance with the advice of the cards to avoid the outcome or help to make the outcome happen. Part of the "job" of being a tarot reader (and the part I find the most rewarding) is being a counselor.

Example: Love life question. Your client is seeing someone that the cards are saying will hurt them in the long run. You tell your client what you see and suggest that she take actions to avoid being hurt. What actions you suggest she takes can be suggested to you by the other cards in the spread.

Does that make any sense at all? Without a full reading to use as an example it's sort of hard to get the point across.

Now, sometimes the clients are very into the reading and are very vocal. I like those types of clients. They make my job easier. They participate and say things like, "Oh! That card must be referring to such-and-such" and then we (as readers) can take our cue from there. They will sometimes interpret entire readings for themselves with very little input from us. :) They're fun.

[Amber Wynd]

I like to do yes/if, no/if readings. In other words, if the client calls and asks me if such and such is going to happen, I ask the cards to tell them the best way to make that happen. And then I ask what might happen to prevent the outcome the client is asking about. That way I can tell them that yes, this event will most likely happen if they take the path recommended by the cards. And no, it probably won't happen if certain actions are or aren't taken.

This works well either way -whether they're trying to achieve certain goals, or trying to avoid something they perceive as negative. I also like this kind of reading because it makes it more clear to the client that their actions can have a direct impact on the future and it's often not enough just to ask what the outcome will be and then sit back and wait.

Today for instance, someone called wanting to know if she's going to get a job within the next month. The cards said yes, but only if she enthusiastically pursues every avenue open to her. She didn't like that answer because it meant more work and she was thinking she'd already done enough just by putting her resume online.