How often to get your cards read?

Lucy commented on my previous post that the visitors to her site seem to want to know how often they should have their cards read. This is a great question and one I have addressed to my clients from time to time myself.

I rarely throw cards for myself. Honestly. And if I do, it’s one to three cards at most. I know that sounds pretty weird considering I’m a card reader. I like to look through my cards and let my thoughts wander though. For myself, tarot is largely meditative and I use it to focus my energy where I want it to go. Divination is usually only helpful if I’m really stuck on something. Sometimes I will throw a spread for myself, sometimes I go to another professional.

For my clients, I don’t like to see them more than once a month. Again, I know that sounds kooky considering this is how I make my money. I don’t like the idea that the people I read for are becoming dependent on my services. It’s probably just a personal comfort issue with me — but I’d prefer to know that my clients are actively taking control of their lives and actively focusing their energy where they want it to go — rather than spending all their time (and money) on readers.

That said, I have had clients in the past who I have worked with intensely and frequently to help them navigate particularly complex situations. And in those special circumstances, each reading has been empowering and necessary for the client.

I think that where I draw the line is when it becomes clear to me that a client is desperate for me to give him or her the answer they most want to hear — and keep coming back hoping that enough has changed that I can do that. Let me make this very clear: neither the tarot nor myself will tell you what you want to hear. I will only tell you — and I believe that the cards will only tell you — what you need to hear.

So how do you know whether your situation is complex enough or whether your being blinded by your most passionate desires? How do you — as one of my potential clients, for example — really know how often to get your cards read?

Having readings done over and over on the same situation can be draining and frustrating for both the client and the reader. I usually recommend one reading per “situation” unless your circumstances have dramatically changed.

If you find tarot readings empowering (and you should! If you ever find them disempowering, you’re talking to the wrong reader) — consider discussing smaller spreads with your reader. Lots of cards offer lots of information, but in my experience, a Celtic Cross (15 card spread in my book) once a week or even once a month is just too much to digest in time for it to have any quality impact on your life. I honestly would have no problem with a client who wanted me to do a one-card reading for them once a week!

Finally, I think it’s important to say that I won’t take advantage of my clients suffering by advising additional readings or even allowing a client to become dependent on my advice. I will — and I have — refused to reading for clients who were walking that fine line. I think that sometimes the most compassionate advice I can give someone is to just breathe deeply and allow the universe some time to work itself out for once.

After all, both the universe and I need to take a vacation from time to time.