How to Prepare for a Tarot Reading
If you’d prefer to listen along or instead of reading, here’s an audio recording for you!
Step 0 in preparing for a tarot reading is getting clear on what the practice offers: each of the 78 cards of the tarot represents its own little slice of the human experience. Some are practical and situational, others represent profound foundational shifts.
Each of these archetypes exists in each of us, often in conflicting ways at the same time. It’s a lot to hold onto, so our minds help us focus on what seems most important and push away what just feels like noise. Tarot readings surface specific archetypes and invite us to consider the medicine and wisdom of that arises. Often, the messages in a tarot reading feel like thoughts and ideas that have been scratching at the backs of our minds but not quite emerging in full focus and clarity. In any case, readings are a tool for reconnecting with intuition an
An important caveat about preparing for a tarot reading
You can come to tarot centered and hyper-prepared to explore a specific facet of your experience. Or, you might be feeling incredibly flustered and overwhelmed by what’s been alive in you lately. Both are great times to lean on this supportive practice! So, specific preparation for your upcoming reading is ultimately optional, but if an informed path feels comfiest for you, here are four ideas worth considering:
1. Understand your agency as a querent
While I acknowledge the power dynamic often at play between a reader and a querent (the person receiving the tarot reading), the wise querent does not give their agency over to the reader by placing them up on a pedestal. Drawing from the Existential ideology in Psychotherapy, you and your reader are fellow travelers on the path of being human.
They will offer their interpretations of the cards that come forward, and your invitation is to tune in with your own wisdom about what resonates. Ask clarifying questions and be open about how the interpretation is landing for you as well as what in your life it’s reminding you of. All of these layers can bring more nuance and depth to your reading.
If the reading and the reader feel truly out of alignment for you, speak up about it. You can ask for an alternative approach that better suits your needs as they are in the moment, or even respectfully ask to end the session early if you are wholly and truly not feeling it.
2. Consider what topic you wish to explore
In my practice, I work with open-ended and internally focused questions or topics. These absolutely can be about how we relate to external situations or people in our lives, but centering the focus on the perspectives that are available to us as we navigate these waters is key.
I’ll break this down a little further. Open-ended questions are preferred over yes or no questions because:
they leave space for the kinds of nuance and detail that love to emerge in a tarot reading
yes or no questions reduce your agency: giving over big decisions to your reader or even to Spirit itself is disempowering in ways that I believe Spirit is looking out for you too lovingly to allow
Spirit often has more to say, and will say it either way!
Internally focused questions are preferred over externally focused ones because:
Consent matters. Spirit behaves ethically and will not air out another person’s business to us without their consent. I personally am not available for this either.
What is available to you during your reading is anything and everything that concerns you personally. Thankfully, this is incredibly rich territory for supportive clarity to come forward!
3. Open up to working with the message
Folks on the receiving end of a reading might feel a myriad of ways about sitting in that role—skeptical and wishing to test the cards to see if they truly have power, independent and ready to demonstrate how much they already know, or humble and curious about what emerges, just to consider a few possibilities. All of these are okay! We have space for more than one way of relating to our spiritual practice at the same time, so there’s no need to try to banish skepticism or perfectionism or people pleasing in order to receive your reading.
That said, nurturing at least a little bit of openness, gentleness, and curiosity to share the space with whatever else you may be feeling can really help you get the most out of your reading. This trio is a combination taught by Buddhist nun and teacher Pema Chödrön as helpful companions to the practice of befriending yourself as you already are.
Another way to work with the message is through integration after the reading is complete.
Before the reading, create some space in your schedule for processing the reading both right after it’s over and after you’ve had a chance to sleep on it, if you’re able. Directly after the reading is over, jot down what stands out the most to you. Don’t neglect to journal about any emotions or feelings that came up for you in addition to the content of the reading. What might be trying to be communicated by those feelings? What inner parts of you might be trying to communicate those messages?
If you’re getting your reading from me, you can expect a follow-up email with one or more reflection questions from me, too. Remember—your own intuition is what matters most here, so let that be your primary guide as you process what came up for you. I’ll be there as much or as little as you wish to lean on me or be witnessed in your integration process.
4. Find out what to expect from your reader
Tarot is a subjective practice with many right answers and many right methodologies. Checking in with your reader ahead of time about their unique practice is a great idea in case anything in this post doesn’t apply to their process. If I personally have the honor of reading for you soon, here’s some of what you can expect from me:
My approach to tarot is to facilitate your process
A harsh bit of truth: neither I not the cards can live your life or making your decisions for you
Instead, we support you in tuning into your intuition, your desires, and your agency to act
My role is not only to understand the cards and how they might be showing up for you, but also to hold space for you as you explore what emerges
I collaborate with Spirit—my support team and yours—who offer the message through a co-interpretation between you and me
You are in charge! I am a flexible reader and will meet you where you are. I love making accommodating adjustments, so please speak up as you develop a sense of preference
The flow of my readings
Typically, when I read for clients the process goes something like this:
Check in about your experience with tarot so far and any expectations or concerns you may have
Brainstorming about the question or topic you’d like to explore
Confirm feeling ready—is your phone around for photos of the spread if it’s a virtual reading? Feeling comfy?
Tuning in together
Shuffling and selecting cards with the confirmed question or topic in mind
Co-interpretation of cards—I’ll explain meanings, you’ll share reflections on what comes up for you
Completion and closing
Integration—start on your own, then I’ll send you one or more reflection questions and potentially some key notes
On a less practical note, don’t forget to feel into the gratitude you might have towards yourself for committing to understanding yourself better! Notice what’s coming up for you emotionally around your upcoming reading and share it with your reader as you settle into your reading.
If you don’t have a reading booked but would like to, I’d be honored by your trust in this practice. You can book a session directly online or look through my offerings for some more context before you choose.
