Consider going deeper than simply looking for a direct answer to the question that is foremost in your ego, but looking for real guidance from spirit.
These tips will be helpful both for reading for yourself, as well as helping your clients phrase their questions to get the most out of their reading with you.
ASKING GOOD QUESTIONS
Consider these two scenarios:
Scenario #1: You ask the Tarot, “Will I ever find love?” and you draw the Hermit. Uh, no, you won’t find love and you’ll live a life of solitude. You end the reading feeling completely bummed because you really wanted to find ‘the one’ in the 12 months and now it’s not going to happen.
Scenario #2: You ask the Tarot, “What can I do to create the love life I truly desire?” Again, you draw the Hermit. Well, now. If you want to find ‘the one’ in the next 12 months, first spend some time on your own, reflecting on the type of relationship you really want. By being on your own, you will come to a deep realisation about your inner resources that will support you in finding true and authentic love.
This time, you end the reading feeling empowered and optimistic, knowing exactly what it is you need to do to find the kind of love you’ve been dreaming of. Of those two Tarot readings, which would you prefer? I know which one I would choose. You see, asking the right questions in your Tarot readings is absolutely critical to getting the right answers – the answers that help you to shape a path forward and manifest your goals and dreams. When we ask good questions, we get good answers. And similarly, when we ask crappy questions, we get crappy answers. So how do we ask good questions?
Ask Open-Ended Questions Questions that can be answered “yes” or “no” are closed-ended questions. They’re fine if you want a fast answer, but the trouble is that they don’t allow for any deep reflection or exploration of a situation – they simply state what is or isn’t going to happen. By asking the Tarot open-ended questions, on the other hand, you get far more interesting insights.
For example, instead of asking, “Will I find a new job?” you might ask, “What has been blocking me in finding a new job, and how can I release these blockages?” The first question can only be answered “yes” or “no”. The second question invites deeper reflection and opens the space for understanding how you can manifest your goal of finding a new job.
To ask open-ended questions, avoid starting the question with Will…, When… and Should…, and instead ask What…, How… and Why. Get to the Heart of the Question A client starts the session with the question, “What’s my soul mate like?” Now, sure, you could launch right into that reading by drawing a few cards and seeing what comes up. You might end up with an idea of a potential soul mate, but will it really be insightful and helpful for the client? Or, you could ask a few questions to understand what’s really on your client’s mind and how you can help. Perhaps you find out that your client is single right now and has been having trouble finding the right partner for her so she wants to know what her soul mate is like so she can recognise him when he appears.
Well now you have more information to work with and now you can start to create a reading that will be much more helpful. Instead of asking the Tarot, “What’s my soul make like?” you now ask, “What signs might I see when I have met the right partner for me?” or “What can I do to attract the right partner for me?” Instead of taking a question on face value, explore it, unpack it and get to the heart of what’s really being asked. You’ll find that you can then address the deeper questions that exist and deliver more meaningful insight. Effective Questions Effective questions should be of a positive nature in order to attract constructive insight. Ask how to create something in your life rather than focusing on any negatives. They may begin something like this… What is the energy surrounding … What is the meaning / lesson of … What is going on when … What are the circumstances underlying … What do I need to know about … What do I need to know to decide on … What do I need to understand / know about … What do I need to know to get along better with … What can I do to reconnect with … How might I … How can I resolve … How can I advance … How can I improve … How can I improve my chances of … How can I improve my relationship with … How can I improve my ability to … How can I make the transition from … to … Can you help me find a way to … Can you help me understand why … Can you give me insight into …
Getting the Answers
Let the reading come card by card and be open to information as it unfolds. Some information may be quite subtle so let the symbolism settle into your unconscious. How does the information being revealed relate to your question? Recognise any shifts in meaning as connections are made between cards. You need to be open to what is revealed.
Sometimes a Tarot reading may reveal something that we do not want to hear. The truth can sometimes be quite harsh. If you are reading for yourself and have an awareness of this fact then you would know there’s a chance you may need to deal with an indication of an undesirable outcome. However, if you are doing the reading for someone else the querent may find it rather alarming if they do not get the answer they had hoped to hear. In this instance it is important for you as the reader to help the querent understand why this is so.
It is wise to explain that while the answer may not be the one they sought, the reading brings truth from their own inner voice and illuminates their soul’s purpose. That the Tarot is a mirror that reflects their own consciousness back to them. They now know what their situation is all about. The information that came up in their reading can be used to make conscious choices and to act accordingly. This is very empowering.
