What should you do when you get a dissapointing reading?

[Silver Venus]

Last Saturday I went for my first profesional reading in ooo 7 years and came out of it very dissapointed and angry at myself because I didnt say anything..
I know I should of said I was unhappy but I just couldnt... you know how it is and all... but now I feel as though I really should of said somehting.
He didnt tell me anything! He didnt pick up on major (and I mean major!! and quite a few of them!!) things going on for me now even though there were loads of big clues in the cards, and he didnt tell me anything about the future. Infact I could read all the cards and identify with them but he just didnt seem to get them, I got that he was just reading the cards as there book meanings (not even that really!)and wasnt allowing any outward influence at all (guides and feelings)... anyway my rant over...

What should we do and say when this comes up?
& has this happened to you in the past?

[Dagda Moon~Lily]

Honey, I would either call him or write him with your feed back. It'll make you feel better, and maybe give him some insight. ;)

I would have said something after he finished his reading. ....and maybe even demanded my money back. ;)

[Silver Venus]

Your right on all points :) I should of told him what i thought and asked for at least of half of my money back but I just felt so dissapointed and just wanted to get out of there..
Writing to him is a really good idea! I thought id left it too late but it was only a few days ago so Im sure he would remember me if he got the letter by Friday and I do have the shops address.
I told him to leave the cards out as a spread while I told him what was going on, expecting more feedback.. but I got none! So he will recognise my points as I did bring them up, just didnt say that I was amazed he didnt pick up on any of them...

Thanks babes :sunny: I feel allot better about it, now Ive had a rant here ;)

Its just soo bad when you people get anyway with readings like that.. and we let them!
Gives us Tarot readers a bad name..

[tarotbear]

First of all...it sounds like you designated yourself to be some kind of 'Board of Examiners' ...or the 'Tarot Nazi' or something. Exactly WHAT were you expecting to receive as/for a reading? It sounds (being truthful, not sarcastic here) that you are MORE THAN CAPABLE of doing a reading for yourself.

I would contact the reader, and say quite truthfully that you feel as though the reading was 'incomplete', that there were cards there that you wanted more information about and that they didn't elaborate on. ( Again- why didn't you ask more questions?) But to have paid and walked away and now to want some of the fee back....unrealistic.

[Silver Venus]

Thanks for your reply Tarot bear, but I feel youve taken my posts a bit out of context, as I was not asking for my money back, maybe I should of then and there because I am pretty sure now that he knew it was a rubish reading... & I wasnt saying that I was the Tarot Nazi ~ where did you get from??????? :( Ive never said and never would say anything like that to anyone else and never expected to be called that here!!!! Sorry if ive touched a raw nerve but theres no need to take it out on me!!!

All i was saying is that I was disaapointed with the reading and I wanted to bring this matter up with everyone as its probally happened to others here...

I did actually follow Dagda's advice and write to the reader, stating all my points and explaining what I wanted from the reading ~ a more physic input for the future! Which I feel I can not give myself as I find it hard being unbias when reading for myself. He has since written back and kindly said that he felt the reading was very off too and he was actually thinking about it all that day and wished he had taken my number to call me and appologise, he has offered to try again with reading for me and would also like to talk to me for further feedback aswell as he has been unhappy with his readings of recent in general.

~ the point is he didnt really tell me anything that was personal to me.. or pick up on anything big in my life at the moment ~ that I run a very busy business, that Im pregnant and just found that out five days prior to seeing him, that I was moving down there top be with my love (which i am doing this weekend), that I was a bit worried about my future as all mothers to be are naturally, that I wanted to take my spiritual work further, that I was spiritual, that I read the tarot.. I felt there was no deep level of reading in his cards at all... this is why I started this thread! not to be insulted!!

[tarotbear]

O.K.-- NOW you've defined it-- You felt there was NO deep level of reading in the reading he conducted...This is what you are feeling - that the reading was superficial.

Don't over-read into what I said, but your first post is highly critical of him- There were major things that he passed over... there were big clues he missed...he didn't tell you anything about the future...etc.

In other words, you EXPECTED many and very specific things and didn't get them, but neither did you tell the reader you were expecting them, as though he was 'supposed' to read your mind and know exactly what he was expected to do. Don't you think that makes you sound like a 'tarot Nazi'? Like all readers have a certain script they have to follow or they are not 'true' readers?

I'm glad you did contact him and got the matter resolved. Don't be angry with me; I only have the printed text of your post: the printed word is much different from the spoken one.

[Myst]

That this man completely missed some big hints in the cards is surprising - that's why when I do a reading I ask the querent lots of questions about what the card may be presenting and if it makes sense. No, it isn't a matter of a "script reading", but that usually tarot cards reflect important events and influences in one's life, and that often an adept reader has learned to "tune in" to these messages and ideas that are projected in the artwork and symbolism. This itself is the foundation of tarot reading.

Evidently the gentleman doesn't think it's unrealistic for you to write back and ask him to elaborate or do another reading, nor does he seem to be surprised that your reading didn't go well (in fact admitting his readings haven't been lately). It is normal for someone to evaluate the work of others, especially when it's work they themselves do as well. Comparison and classification are very human. That you weren't sure about criticizing his reading indicates more likely that you did *not* want to judge him or give the impression that you thought he didn't do well, rather then the opposite idea of your being a "tarot nazi".

You seem to feel the reading itself, not the reader, was lacking. You, of all people, knows readers can have bad days, and obviously if you'd thought yourself a judge of how good or bad a reader he is you wouldn't speak to him about another one (if you were judging him by his one reading, presumably you'd feel him too incompetent to do another!)

Personally I don't do readings for myself *or* those who are very close to me as I know my own emotions and feelings get projected into the cards. I had thought this was common to most tarot readers.

I would've done the same thing with a "professional" reader, Silver Venus.

[Silver Venus]

O.K.-- NOW you've defined it-- You felt there was NO deep level of reading in the reading he conducted...This is what you are feeling - that the reading was superficial.

I thought I made this clear in my first post?
"He didnt pick up on major (and I mean major!! and quite a few of them!!) things going on for me now even though there were loads of big clues in the cards, and he didnt tell me anything about the future."
& I dont see why I have to define anything anyway, if I say Im unhappy with a reading, cant you just except that?



Don't over-read into what I said, but your first post is highly critical of him- There were major things that he passed over... there were big clues he missed...he didn't tell you anything about the future...etc.

Yes thats true, I did say those things but ~ I didnt say he was a rubish reader or anything just that the reading was not on a professional level I thought as he didnt tell me anything! Past, present or future...



In other words, you EXPECTED many and very specific things and didn't get them, but neither did you tell the reader you were expecting them, as though he was 'supposed' to read your mind and know exactly what he was expected to do. Don't you think that makes you sound like a 'tarot Nazi'? Like all readers have a certain script they have to follow or they are not 'true' readers?

Dont we all EXPECT at least a little something when we go for a reading? I didnt expect 'many and very specific things' at all just a little input into my future, isnt that why we go to Tarot readers?
I asked him to leave the cards out after he had finished so I could say what they meant to me, to maybe get some more input but again he couldnt pick up anything. Which I thought at least he could elaborate on a few of the more important cards in the spread.. but nothing... I didnt say he wasnt a true reader, or that he should of followed a parcific set way at all.. in fact he did alot of things differently to me and I was very interested and pleased that he did, I just said that it was a bad reading.
& Im sure you know that it is a very touchy subject calling someone a Nazi ~ and if you dont, you should maybe as its not a very nice thing to call anyone ~ so please can I ask you not to call me that, or anyone else here on this board that (thats not me as a moderator response, just my personal one) ~ Thats what I got angry about with your post.


I'm glad you did contact him and got the matter resolved. Don't be angry with me; I only have the printed text of your post: the printed word is much different from the spoken one.
Ok

[Silver Venus]

Originally posted by Myst
[B]No, it isn't a matter of a "script reading", but that usually tarot cards reflect important events and influences in one's life, and that often an adept reader has learned to "tune in" to these messages and ideas that are projected in the artwork and symbolism. This itself is the foundation of tarot reading.

Myst thanks so much for writting this response, you have said all the things that I wanted to say, but could not of put so eleqently :) Im glad you understand where Im coming from with my posts.



That you weren't sure about criticizing his reading indicates more likely that you did *not* want to judge him or give the impression that you thought he didn't do well, rather then the opposite idea of your being a "tarot nazi".

Thats one thing I didnt think about, thanks ((hugs)) I was afraid to say anything to appear to be judgemental and nasty and to upset him, but ended up upsetting myself in the process of keeping quite.. and then again upsetting myself here more when I felt it was a space that I could speak out and talk about my feelings.


You seem to feel the reading itself, not the reader, was lacking. You, of all people, knows readers can have bad days, and obviously if you'd thought yourself a judge of how good or bad a reader he is you wouldn't speak to him about another one (if you were judging him by his one reading, presumably you'd feel him too incompetent to do another!)
Again you are right on Myst! I am planning to visit his shop next week, and Im really looking forward to talking to him again and straightening this all out.


Personally I don't do readings for myself *or* those who are very close to me as I know my own emotions and feelings get projected into the cards. I had thought this was common to most tarot readers.

I would've done the same thing with a "professional" reader, Silver Venus.

Thanks again Myst you have cleared my head of a few things and helped me with a few other :D ((big hugs))