Card Talk
CARD TALK is a mini podcast featuring tarot basics and evergreen insights, supporting you from your very first reading to card-slinging with confidence. Whether you're a curious beginner or an experienced practitioner, CARD TALK is your new go-to tarot podcast for quick tips and practical tricks.
Hosted by 3am.tarot creator and Finding the Fool author Meg Jones Wall, a queer and non-binary tarot reader dedicated to creating accessible, inclusive tarot resources.
Card Talk
so someone else pulled cards for you
Today on CARD TALK, I’ll cover:
-what it means to have someone else do a tarot reading for you
-benefits to different reading formats
-tips for receiving a live reading
-tips for receiving a recorded reading
-reminders for processing your reading after it's over
Check out my "your first tarot reading" CARD TALK episode for more on finding a tarot reader that aligns with your values.
For more on Meg, check out 3amtarot.com, and order your copy of Finding the Fool through Bookshop.org or your favorite local bookstore.
Find episode transcripts and more over on the CARD TALK website. And as a special thank you for CARD TALK listeners, click here to download a completely free, exclusive workbook for building your best personal tarot practice.
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CARD TALK is written, edited, and produced by Meg Jones Wall of 3am.tarot. Theme music created by PaulYudin.
I'm Meg Jones-Wall and this is Card Talk, a mini podcast for tarot basics and evergreen insights. I'm here to help you build a tarot practice that works for you. Glad you're here. In today's episode we're going to be talking about how to navigate a tarot reading that you have received from someone else. Getting a tarot reading from a professional is awesome. It's a really fantastic way to get support from the tarot in a way that can be more objective than reading for yourself. It's also a great way to lift up and invest other professional readers and to learn to see the cards from another perspective.
Speaker 1:I love having other people pull cards for me, but if you've never had this experience before, or if you were sitting with a reading that you got from someone else and maybe are struggling with it or trying to figure out where to start, this episode is for you Now, before we get into it. If you are looking for help in trying to find someone to pull cards for you, trying to assess a tarot reader or trying to figure out how to find somebody, that might be a good fit for you, my episode your First Tarot Reading includes some really practical tips for finding a great tarot reader and booking your first tarot reading, so highly recommend checking that out and giving it a listen, especially if you haven't heard it before. The great thing about working with other readers is that every single tarot reader is unique and is going to read in their own style and their own way, bring their own interpretations and ideas and experience with the cards to the table, which means that, no matter how experienced you are as a tarot reader, having someone else read for you is still likely to teach you something new. Pretty much every time I get a reading from another professional, I learn something different or I hear an interpretation of a card that I've never thought about before. It can be really inspiring and invigorating and exciting to hear the way someone else talks about the tarot.
Speaker 1:Now, the flip side of this is that the reader that you're working with, even if it's someone whose work you follow or who you really love and appreciate, still might not necessarily read every single card or every single card combination in exactly the way that you do. Now, personally, I think this is part of what makes tarot so wonderful is that we're all bringing our own magic to the cards and we're all going to read in our own way, but sometimes our differences in perspective, the differences in the ways that we might understand or interpret a card, the differences in our relationship to a card, can end up becoming kind of distracting or confusing, especially again if we know enough about the tarot to be dangerous and our own interpretation of a card is really different than what the reader presented in the reading. However, overall, I think any potential snags or confusion are wildly overridden by the many benefits that you can get from having a professional or a friend but I'm going to generally be talking about professionals here pull cards for you in a reading and becoming a client of someone, and so the tips that I'm going to give you here are going to assume that the tarot reader who is doing the reading for you, the reader in question here is someone that you trust and respect, someone whose tarot beliefs align enough with your own that the reading isn't going to be irrelevant or go in a direction that doesn't make sense for you, and I'm also assuming that this reader is someone with integrity and professionalism and experience. I say this because there are absolutely shitty tarot readers out there. There just are. There are people who don't have great ethics. There are people who don't treat their clients with respect. There are people who literally just plug cards into chat GPT and pretend that that's an interpretation. On and on and on. So please be discerning when you're booking with a professional or if you decide to ask a friend to pull cards for you. Tarot really is for everyone, but that doesn't mean that every single person who's selling a reading is worth booking with.
Speaker 1:I also want to say that just because someone is just getting started with selling their readings professionally doesn't mean they can't give you an incredible reading. Generally, I think most people are going to have been reading for at least a fucking minute before they start booking professionally. But in this current time of economic crisis and fascism and all the bad things that we were experiencing, we're probably going to see an uptick in more people trying to use tarot as a side hustle to bring in some extra cash because they really need it Now. Again, that doesn't mean that these people are not great people, great readers, people with plenty of experience and people who might have the capacity to give you a really great reading. But it's still important to do your homework. Trust your gut. Book with people you align with. Spend time on their websites and on their social media. See if their values align with your own, both around tarot and just in general. And yeah, do your homework and be careful and thoughtful before you hand over your money to someone, especially if you have not worked with them before. There are plenty of people who put testimonials on their websites and if you have friends who get tarot readings or have readers that they really love working with, those can be a great place to start.
Speaker 1:In general, some of my best advice, and also some of the hardest advice to follow if you're someone who's pretty fluent in the tarot, when you are getting a tarot reading from someone else from a professional or a friend, remember that your role in this reading is going to be as the client or as the querent, and they are the primary reader in the situation. Now, what this means is that, while you personally might interpret cards differently, when you're reading for yourself or when you're looking at a card on its own, in this particular situation, you are consenting to trust the reader to serve as the interpreter of the cards meanings. You are sitting down and asking this person to translate the reading for you in their own language and in their own experience and with their own wisdom. Now, don't misunderstand me here. That does not mean your own reading of or understanding of those cards is completely irrelevant and can't enter the conversation, but it does mean that in the moment of the reading, you are looking to this other person to share their own insights and observations and guidance and wisdom and truth filtered through the lens of their own experience. Now that might sound really obvious. You might be like, yeah, I want to pay someone to read the cards for me. But if you're someone that reads the cards a lot on your own and maybe hasn't gotten a lot of tarot readings, or if you're asking for a reading about a really tender topic, sometimes it can be really tempting to listen to the pro talk but internally be like I don't agree with that. I think I would have read it this way. This is the answer I want to hear, and I think those cards are telling me what I want to hear, and this reader is not reading it that way. So this can be a thing that is important to remember when you are going to a reading with someone else.
Speaker 1:Now, tarot readings can be delivered in a few different kinds of formats. Tarot readings can happen live and in person. They can happen live via video call or a phone call, or through tarot app like Moonlight, or they can be given to you as something that was created when you weren't sitting in front of them right With, either as a written reading through email or as a PDF, through a video recording that the reader makes on their own, or through an audio recording that the reader makes on their own. Now, each of these formats, each of these reading styles, has great benefits and, depending on who you are and how you best process and understand information, you might find that you end up having a really strong preference for one format over another. Now, no matter what format you like, I promise that there are talented, ethical tarot readers who work and deliver readings in that format, no matter what it is. You are not weird for having a preference. You just know your brain, and that is a good thing. Now, sometimes readings can be delivered in multiple formats, which, for my money, is the best option.
Speaker 1:A live reading that's given via video or audio can probably be recorded, and different readers are going to have different lines around that, different ways of supporting that or giving it to you. Some of them might ask that they be the ones who record it. Some of them might allow you permission to record it and some of them might not want their work recorded, so if having a recording is important to you, that's something to check out before you book with someone. Similarly, a recorded video or audio reading might include a transcript or images to help give you additional ways to process the information that's in your reading and, again, do your homework here. Does the reader that you're working with offer that, if that's something that's important to you, or could you pay them a little bit extra to have that included, even if that's something they don't typically do? If you're going to make that request, be extremely respectful, and if they say no respect, they're no. A live in-person reading might give you a deeper sense of connection or intimacy with the reader, which sometimes is a complaint from folks who get their readings, you know, in a recorded way or via video or whatever. The benefit of a live reading is that sometimes it can generate some new questions and if the reader is open to it and available and willing to do it, that could turn into an additional reading or opportunities to ask some additional questions and kind of flex and discover things as you go, and the tips that I'm sharing here are mostly going to apply to all of these delivery formats, whether it's live or recorded, whether it's written or video or audio, but some are going to be a little bit more specific. So I'll try to be clear when I'm talking about a tip that really is only relevant to one or more kind of formats.
Speaker 1:During a live reading, don't interrupt the reader to tell them how you would read a card. Again, this might sound really basic, just like basic respect, but you would be surprised at how many people feel the need to share their own interpretation of a card while the reader is still halfway through giving the reading. Let them do their job and share what they see, what they hear, what they feel and what they understand. This is a really important aspect of both respecting the gifts of the reader and also allowing them to listen to their own intuition and honor what is bubbling forward in real time. As it's happening Now, some readers utilize other gifts as part of their card services.
Speaker 1:So, especially if the person is a really talented psychic or medium or is utilizing another modality in tandem with tarot, that's probably going to color the way that they interpret the cards and impact the messages that are ultimately delivered to you. Now it's really important to honor and respect those gifts, especially if they're ones that you don't possess or might not completely understand. And sometimes readers have gifts that they're relying on that they might not necessarily fully articulate or that they might not even be completely aware of. Okay, some of these gifts are really subtle or really quiet, and it takes a lot of energy for readers sometimes to be able to hear those messages and filter them into language and deliver them to the person that's receiving the message. So, as much as you can give the reader space in a live format to share what they're hearing and feeling and understanding with you in their own unfiltered way, give them time.
Speaker 1:Interrupting them to tell what you think the card should mean or how you think they might be wrong or what you think they might be missing might mess up their flow and cause them to lose track of a piece of wisdom that they really wanted to share with you. Just because a reader tells you something that doesn't quite exactly align with how you would interpret the card doesn't make their interpretation wrong. But again, it really might mean that they are also finding some extra information through other gifts or through other modalities and that is all going to be combined in various ways to provide you with a specific message and interpretation as part of your reading. Now, I say this because most experienced readers are going to build in chances for you to share what's coming up for you or how you might see a card or your relationship with a card, chances to ask questions or clarify things as needed. So, truly, you're not missing out on the conversational benefits of a live reading by not interrupting them, but trust them to do their thing and speak or share once you're invited to do so.
Speaker 1:I can't remember the last time I had a reading with a reader who didn't go out of their way to take multiple breaks and make sure to check in with me, see how I was doing, ask how this was landing with me, ask if I needed some water or a break. Like most experienced readers are going to be really great about doing this on a regular basis, and the other side of this coin is don't be shy about literally actually asking questions or getting clarification. If you don't have a question, it's fine, you don't have to force it. But I can be guilty of this myself, as I often am booking with people I really respect or have wanted to work with for a long time, people whose work I'm familiar with, people who I have dear friends, who have really trusted and get readings with, and so I often then, in those situations, like to let the reader kind of run the show. I often will tell them to let the reading take them where they want to go to share with me things that feel most interesting to them. You know, that kind of thing, for me that's a really fun way to get a reading. So this isn't necessarily a bad thing. I do it myself.
Speaker 1:But sometimes that can mean that if you're not checking in with yourself in those moments when the reader invites you to do so, you might end up walking away from the reading wishing you'd asked another question or wishing you'd actually checked in with yourself to see if there was something that needed clarification. Now again, most experienced readers are also going to tell you how you can get in touch with them later If you have follow-up questions, if something comes up, if, on re-listening to a recording or revisiting the reading in your notes, you realize something doesn't make sense or you want some additional help with it. Now, this is a very kind thing that most readers don't get paid for, although may have built into the cost of their reading, and so it can be really useful to have that access point, especially if you do some reflection and realize that you aren't certain about something or want to make sure that you understand it, I will say please be respectful with the reader's time and energy in doing so. I'm not telling you not to do it. It's a really great thing to do and it's a really kind thing to do for yourself. But if you realize that you actually have a lot of questions that aren't directly related to the original reading, other things that come up that you want to explore, other questions that you wish you'd touched on in the reading, just book a second reading. Please don't just indefinitely depend on the free labor and generosity and kindness of the reader because you did pay for one reading.
Speaker 1:Live readings can be really fantastic for a feeling of flow, for that kind of back and forth connection and for readers that are really great at speaking things out loud and sharing things as they come to mind. So if that's something that you really like from your readers, if you like having the option to immediately ask things as you go, if you like the option to pivot or shift halfway through the reading. A live reading might be a really great place for you to start and a really great thing for you to try out, but there's also a lot of benefits to recorded or written formats, formats where the reader is going to ask you a bunch of questions ahead of time, kind of do a consultation in advance and then create and prepare and send you a reading that they have done, like in the privacy of their own home, basically, and a lot of the same principles that we would use for live readings like respecting the reader and, you know, asking questions as needed and not fighting with them about their interpretations or doubting their gifts also apply to these recorded or written formats. You're just going to end up having a slightly different kind of interaction with the reader because it's not going to be live. But I do have a couple little things that I want to say, for if you're receiving a card reading in this kind of pre-created format, now in a recorded or written reading, I highly recommend taking in the entire reading before you start reaching out directly to the reader for clarification or questions. Now, I say this because generally the readings that I do are in this format. I mainly do recorded audio readings or written readings that I then send via email, and I always encourage my clients to listen to or read through the reading a few times, because it's intense to receive so much information at once and we're not usually building in breaks the same way that we might with a live reading, which means you kind of have to be responsible for your own breaks.
Speaker 1:But that's also a really great benefit is that you can pause as much as you need to. You can revisit the reading anytime you want. You can take notes as you as you need to. You can revisit the reading anytime you want. You can take notes as you go. You can write down questions as they pop up. There's so many different ways to engage with that information. The benefit of the non-live reading is that you can really take your time processing what is being shared with you. You can pause and go for a literal walk if you want to, and you can also replay sections as often as you need to. You really can engage with the material in a way that's going to work best for you. But, just like with a live reading, you will probably have the option to reach out to the reader after the reading has been delivered and ask any additional follow-up questions, clarification questions, et cetera.
Speaker 1:Don't be shy about doing this. I know as a reader, I love to hear back from my clients about what worked for them and what didn't, what was helpful and what maybe was confusing, and have an opportunity to provide additional support as it's needed, so that my clients feel like they've really been heard and they've really had their questions and their queries addressed in a clear way. I know I mentioned recordings before, but I also just want to say that if you are doing a live reading via video chat or phone call, even if the reader doesn't offer, you can still ask if you can record it. They might say no and they're allowed to, but they might be fine with it, and I find that can be really helpful with live readings, because then you don't have to scramble to try to take notes and you instead can just be really present for the reading. If you love live readings but struggle to remember all of the wisdom shared, first of all, hi, you can come sit with me. I never remember things in my brain from a live reading. I need to have a record, and so this can be a great way to get the benefits of the live interactive piece but also still have a record that you can revisit and take notes with on the other end At the end of the day.
Speaker 1:Remember during the reading that tarot is very open to interpretation, but that still doesn't take away your agency. Regardless of what a reader may see in your cards, what they might say to you during the reading, or what they might recommend or offer at the end of a reading, you still get to decide what you want to do with the information that's offered to you. If a reader is telling you that you absolutely must do something, honestly, personally I would consider that kind of a red flag, but you do your, babe. The last piece of this is, of course, actually listening to and processing the information that is being shared with you, and personally I think it can be really helpful, after you've finished listening to a reading or after your live reading has ended, to make an immediate record of your impressions, whether you're writing it down or just making a quick little audio note or whatever. Make a record of some kind for yourself about how you felt when the reading was over, what immediately stood out to you and what things you want to remember, no matter the format. Remember that this is a reading for you and about you, that you were part of the magic that made that reading possible. And so give yourself an opportunity to reflect, to pay attention to how your body feels, to what might be kind of buzzing in your mind or what might feel the most important or relevant, and make a record for yourself so that you don't forget and so that you can revisit it later along with the reading.
Speaker 1:If you have a format that allows you to revisit it really easily, I think it's perfectly fine to look at the reading and consider how you might interpret it. I don't think that that's a bad habit to do. But I will say that if you went out of your way to find a reader, purchase a reading from them and do the whole thing of actually getting the reading, it's worth respecting the reader and really allowing some of the messages and ideas and insights and truths that they share with you to actually resonate. I know that there are times when people get readings from readers and basically kind of say I don't agree with anything you said, I don't believe anything you said and I wish I hadn't done this, but there's only so much that a reader can do for the querent. All we can really do is try to answer the questions that are posited using the tools that are at our disposal, interpret the cards in the clearest way possible and pass that information on. But at the end of the day, remember that readers are human beings, tarot readers are human beings, everybody makes mistakes and every professional has off days. If you genuinely leave a reading feeling like a reader didn't address your concerns, didn't respect what you wanted out of the reading, or like they literally made a mistake that impacted the quality of your reading, reach out to them. Just be kind about it. Chances are that it was an honest mistake or that the reader knows that something was off and is wondering if you felt it too Okay, legitimately.
Speaker 1:I once had a reading from a very talented astrologer who accidentally plugged in a slightly off birth date when she did my chart and my reading, and I didn't even realize it until months later, when I was revisiting the recording, because it was such a good reading, I realized that the date was wrong. I sent her an email and she was immediately. She got back to me so fast and she was so apologetic and immediately offered to redo the reading using my correct birth date and time, at no charge to me. It was a great experience. It worked out for everybody and it was. It was literally fine, and now I have a reading that's more accurate and more correct and reflects what I needed.
Speaker 1:Don't assume the worst and please just be kind, be respectful. I promise you. Every single professional reader has a horror story or 10 about clients who were cruel, who were abusive, who were obsessively emailing them or who just otherwise awful and disrespectful. Don't become one of those stories. Now, this whole episode was tips and tricks, but I want to offer one final one here at the end and just remind you that people who read tarot for clients professionally and all of this really applies to people who read professionally in any modality, in the sacred arts, from astrology, numerology, akashic records, fixed stars, whatever but people who read tarot for clients work really, really hard and they juggle a lot of different things in order to make that business happen.
Speaker 1:So if you do get a reading from a professional trust that your feedback, your testimonials, even your posts on social media make a huge difference for that person and can have such a positive impact on your reader. If you have a great reading, tell your reader that you loved it and tell your friends that you loved it. Testimonials don't have to be like multiple paragraphs, they don't have to be super long to still be super valuable. Even one sentence makes all the difference and it's going to make the reader's day. Plus, letting your reader know what worked for you and, if they request full feedback, not just testimonials, what didn't work helps them improve.
Speaker 1:As a practitioner and as a small business owner, it might only take a few minutes out of your day, but I promise it will have a massive and lasting impact on readers. We all want to improve, we all want to get better and we also all want to know what works best for our clients, so giving that feedback really can make a huge difference. That is all I have for you today, but, as always, thank you so much for sitting with me, for listening to this episode, and I will be back again soon with more Card Talk. Card Talk episodes are always free for everyone to enjoy, so if you love what you hear, please consider supporting the podcast by subscribing, recommending Card Talk to a friend or two or donating to help with production costs. You can find episode transcripts. Learn more about me and join my signature Tarot Conservatory membership program through my website, 3amtarotcom. Thanks for listening and see you next time.
