What I mean when I say take risks with your tarot readings
Liz Worth 
One of the things my tarot students hear me talk about a lot is the importance of taking risks in your tarot readings.
One of the things my tarot students hear me talk about a lot is the importance of taking risks in your tarot readings.
Sometimes when I say it this way, people get nervous: Am I encouraged them to do something unethical, or irresponsible?
Definitely not. Taking risks in your readings doesn’t mean being reckless.
What it means is pushing beyond what you’ve been told you’re “allowed” to do with your tarot cards.
It also means straying from the traditional card meanings when it’s warranted.
When people come for a tarot reading, they’re expecting to hear information that is specific to them. But a common issue for both readers and querents is that readings can end up feeling fluffy and vague: There can too much esoteric jargon that doesn’t feel personal or resonant with the querent.
And that can feel disappointing for both parties.
Plus, as a reader, you probably don’t want to feel like you’re just repeating the same language over and over again.
The only way to break out of the same-old-same-old is to try something new.
Several years ago, I had a client ask for advice about a planning a date. He was seeing someone new, and he really wanted to impress her. I shuffled my cards, and out came the Tower.
It would be tempting to read a card like the Tower as ill-fated. Some people might look at it and assume it’s a warning that the date won’t even happen – or that this relationship isn’t work pursuing.
But my client wasn’t asking if he should go on the date, or how things would go: He wanted advice on what to do with the girl of his dreams.
I looked at the two people in the Tower who are plummeting toward the earth. It gave me an idea: “Go skydiving,” I said.
His eyes lit up: “We were actually talking about doing that.”
It was great validation for him.
Sure, you could look at the Tower and fall back on its default meanings by saying, “Do something radical, transformative or unpredictable,” as the Tower can often be read this way. But that leave it up to the querent to figure out what that meant - it's not very specific.
By pushing the interpretation toward more specificity, we hit on something that felt exactly right for this client.
That’s the kind of thing that turns a first-time client into a repeat client: When someone feels that you are speaking their language, and answering their questions with clear, specific insights, they will remember you next time they need a tarot reading.
If you’re ready to take more risks in your tarot readings, and you want to push yourself to look at your cards in new ways, head over to my courses page and see if something calls to you.
Until next time,
Liz
Categories: : learn tarot