Ah, this can sometimes be a "grey area" for some of you that seek out readings ... particularly is you are hoping to find or hear a specifically worded "answer". You have to be reasonable in your quest for insight though ... if you are heading willy-nilly about seeing how many readings you can get about something, then stop for a moment and ask yourelf these two questions:

1. Am I really listening to the reader's words or am I only hearing what I think I want to hear?

2. If I put forth this much energy in gathering up readings, how would my situation change if I diverted this energy to it instead?

I relayed to him exactly what I saw happening, his thirst to provide for his wife had her feel back burnered instead. That if she wasn't work related or scheduled over-time that he wouldn't notice her. So ... she set out to get his attention after all her other attempts failed, she left him. In the cards I told him the "key" to use to get her back ... but it would mean work on his part on to do it. She was merely asking him to not say "I love you" but to prove to her that he did love her, to show it and demonstrate it and not back burner her and her needs or feelings.

I also told him that I saw him using work as an escape goat, throwing himself even more into it to cover up his feelings and to hope that the relationship would work itself out on it's own and only with her working on it and not the two of them.

Was he thrilled with this reading? Nope. Was he listening to me? Nope. He wanted the cards to tell him "on such&such date your wife will return to you with open arms and you won't have to lift a finger to have it happen ..."

Now surprisingly, an hour later he popped into the same channel I was in and - get this - right in front of me asked for a reading. I typed in "You just got a reading from me an hour ago ..." and man oh man, I was stunned as 5 others typed in "I gave him a reading (insert "yesterday", "this afternoon", "earlier in the evening", etc.)" ... two of the readers got riled a bit, as they openly asked us other readers if we saw him not working to save the marriage but hoping to get an inkling of when she would return on her own, and if work was going to be used as a diversion. We all saw the same thing in essence ...

Did this guy sit back and start to think about what we relayed to him? Nope. He went to UnderNet, DalNet, and other EfNet channels - messaging or openly asking several folks a day to please give him a reading. He had it set in his mind what he wanted to hear and it wasn't insight. He could've saved himself a passle of time and energy on the seeking out of readers if he had listened to the first one or two that matched in their insight relayed.

So here is a general guide of thought in consultation, and use the timing to help you judge a reader's skill and accuracy level versus if they said what you wanted to hear ....

Tarot: A good rule of thumb is to wait at least 8 weeks after the most recent reading to seek a new reading. If a reader specifies a time frame of let's say 6 months, and you were impressed with that reader then wait the 6 months to consult them again or you can go back maybe 5 months after the reading for a newer one to work off of. *grin* Use the time frame they give you on when to get a new reading ... this will help you in the long run to be able to see the "path" of thoughts between the 2 reading better than if you go back willy-nilly.

In some cases a reader uses the phrase "soon...", if this is the case - wait out the above recommended 6 to 8 week time period. Time has to be given a chance to works it's own brand of magic, you know, ... and sometimes it is hard to real specific but use the other information or hints the reader gives you as a gauge to when the peices start to fall into play as to what "soon" may be.

Astrological Charts: generally - once every 6 months or once a year. Most astrologers will plot a chart for these time frames anyway when consulted and the charts will be chockful of information that may take you that long to read it all and put it into perspective. *laughing*

I-Ching: you can do this daily on your own, in the comfort of your own home. Or if you want a nicely detailed one (and these readings can be very detailed) - you can consult a reader who specialises in this style of reading. Time frames will vary on when to re-consult for one (some are "good" for a few years in time), so ask the reader what time frame they recommend you wait before getting another one done. Also, I-Ching readings are more so "character" readings - they provide you with a great deal of insight of YOU as a person.

Runes: Runic Readers generally use the same time framing as Tarot Readers use ... so pay attentions to their way of phrasing the time frames as a clue to you when to re-consult the stones for information. Most Runic Readers I have met are the most adherent of the re-consultation rule - you have to let what they said may come into play to make full sense to you before they give in and do another. *shrug*

Clairvoyants or Mediums: This group of people are not to be confused with Tarot or Runes or Astrology, they are in a class all their own and respectively so. They do not need to use tools generally to relay what they "see" to you - some use cards, runes, or even your car key or ring to assist them but the emphasis should be on assist as this item used is merely a "focal point" and nothing to do with how they got the information relayed.

They will tell you what time frame they are seeing ahead into (although I should note here that Mediums do not always see into the future at all) and so use that as a gauge of a reconsultation. You may be able to bluff a Tarot Reader or others into a reading ahead of it's time, but not the clairvoyant. *chuckle* They will readily tell you if they read for you or not, if they say no then it is because they already "sense" your previous consultations of other readers or that things have not fully come into play enough to warrant a new one just yet.

I should also note here that because a "Medium" or a "Sensitive" (as they sometimes call themselves that instead) do not claim to see into the future ... this is NO EXCUSE to see how often you can consult one for a reading. I realize you miss someone in your life, but even so please be considerate of the chances given to you and not get carried away with the consulation of folks to help you with this type of contact.

#900 Lines - Well, essentially "'if you got the dime they got the time'" type rule falls into play here. They won't ask you when you had a prior reading or such. The premis is basically is, if you are willing to overpay - then they will abide by the "customer is always right" rule and give you the reading. Some very talented readers work these lines - but some people who don't know the difference between Tarot and Dear Abby work these lines also. It's a gamble at times what kind of reader you will get, I won't lie to you. A good rule of thumb is to make note of a reader's extension number at the start of the reading - they tell you this when they answer the phone. If you are impressed with them - then ask if there is a number you can call to specify their extension # and what time frames they may be online to take your call.

Another notation about #900 lines is - and I am being honest here with you as I say this - there is NO WAY to get a nice, accurate, detailed reading within 3 to 5 minutes "free reading time limit". You will just have to forego the attempt to get a freebie read done regardless of the ad's claims on TV and magazines. A good reading on a phone line will take 15 minutes minamum - no ifs ands or buts there. A better detailed one will take 30 to 40 minutes. How often you interrupt the reader will also change the time length. The rest is up to you.

Yes, the readers on these lines are encouraged to keep you on the phone longer - but that isn't why I said this about the time length of the good or better readings. The Dear Abby readers or ones that try to see how long they can make their sentences of thought are the ones you can bet are dragging out the time for you to be on the phone to them. Also, to be blunt, you may be paying $2.99 or more per minute for this reading format, the reader themselves though only see about 15 to 35 cents of that per minute charge. *shrug*

© 1998 Secretive aka Carol