How do you deliver bad news in a tarot reading?

Worried about what to do if you see bad news in a tarot reading? Here's some advice.

I’ve been thinking a lot about challenging tarot readings lately. Especially at this time of year, when tarot readers are often tasked with looking ahead at what’s to come.

Querents want to know how the New Year will shape up: Will their resolutions stick? Will a great opportunity come along? Will there be any clouds on the horizon?

Of course, everyone wants to hear good news. To feel that your plans and goals are supported is ideal.

But it doesn’t always go that way. Tarot readings can indicate challenges and roadblocks: Not all doors will open easily, and not all plans will run smoothly.

How do you deliver the news when it looks like things won’t go according to plan?

This is a common concern for tarot readers. You want to be sensitive to a querent’s feelings, but you also want to be honest.
It doesn’t serve your work if you’re not willing to be truthful about what you’re seeing.

At the same time, “telling it like it is” might not always be the best tact for every querent. People’s feelings matter, and so do their dreams.

How can you strike a balance between being truthful and empowering?

First, I remind clients that tarot is only one perspective to consider. There can be many sides to a situation, and many choices that a querent can make between now and then that will influence the potential outcome of something. The future is malleable, and tarot is not prophecy, it’s guidance.

Another thing I keep in mind is that anything worthwhile pursuing is often challenging. Making a big change in your life will feel hard. I’ve never met anyone who said that building a business, writing a book, going back to school, or moving to a new city was easy.

The things people tend to want the most – a happy relationship, children, a home of their own – all take work, sacrifice, and commitment. While we all want to hear that we’re going to sail off into success, the reality is that most things require effort and patience. A challenging tarot reading might show where the work is – but it doesn’t mean there isn’t payoff further down the way.

I’m also mindful of the way querents word their questions. Rather than ask, “Will I ever be successful?” Or, “Will I ever be happy?” I encourage them to reframe things by being more specific, thinking in shorter-term goals, and avoiding absolutes: “How can I be more successful this year?” Or, “How can I prioritize happiness this year?”

Finally, I also consider that growth sometimes comes from doing hard things. You never know what someone’s path might require of them. Taking the easy way might be the antithesis of what their soul yearns for: Maybe pushing toward a big challenge is what’s going to help them breakthrough with a goal.

Just because a reading shows roadblocks ahead doesn’t mean it’s a wash. But I do look for practical angles that can help soften this: Is there another question we could explore that will strengthen a querent’s ability to move forward? Is there more we can ask to better inform the querent?

Hope this helps!

If you'd like to deepen your tarot skills and give expert-level readings, check out my classes here.

Until next time,

Liz

Categories: : tarot readings