Ah, this is the fun part! You never really know what to *fully* expect ... As you have a distinct personality, so will the readers you encounter! Oh it can be loads of fun though!

Some readers like to have "atmosphere" - this includes anything and everything from candles to specific styles of table cloths or clothing on to what type of music played. Some readers like to use incense, but if you schedule a reading in advance and know you have an allergy to certain scents or incense oils - ask the reader if they use incense and if they do, to try not to burn any prior to your arrival. They will respect your health if they know ahead of time.

Other readers dress in casual attire and may not have a candle in site or "new age alternative" music playing. I, myself, generally wear jeans and a casual shirt and may have on a country or rock CD if I opt to have on music during a reading - sometimes I candle burns, sometimes I just opt to not light the candle.

If it is your first reading, go ahead and tell the reader that. This lets them know that you are not accustomed to some of their layouts or actions and so they will probably step by step walk you thru it by offering a sentence or two description of what position the card is in (position means that that placement has a line of thought it is to be interpreted by) or even suggest a book or two for you to read through (even if you aren't interested in learning card reading yourself) to help you learn more about the Tarot for your own reference in a reading situation. They WON'T try to sell you any books or decks or even charms.

A reader may go from one area to the next in a reading in a systematic style or point around back and forth hurry-scurry style - yet another reader may do both styles, go thru the cards one by one then point out comparisons or more details. No two readers actually read alike, they have their different styles that they feel help the accuracy of their readings.

Regardless of the methods or little "signature styles" (the music and stuff), a good reading will include not only accuracy felt upon past and present aspects but also:

1. a clearer image from an "outsider's point of view" on how things may have been helped to develop to what they are now ...

2. insight on how your present actions or thoughts can help foster the future course of events ...

3. a little tidbit or advice (emphasis on little) on how you can possibly see yourself in a better light of things

... they won't tell you how to do something but more merely point out that "maybe it need to be thought about more deeply instead of only on the surface ..." or "you feel down and depressed but hey - I got an idea, why not re-think a bit on how you are regarding yourself by making a list of some good things about yourself and try to focus on that..." or maybe "I see a financial pinch may be coming into play, so to buffer this a little throw your loose change into a drawer, sock, or whatever to help not it pinch so deeply ..." or something along those lines of thought. Like I said, the emphasis is on the work "little" and so still leaves you in full control of the reading and your own future. Sometimes the adage "less is best" has it's purposes in some areas of a reading - the advice area is one of them.

Generally, most readers will let you tape record the reading - in fact many will even provide the tape recorder and the cassette tape in with their fee. This is not to be used to sue them in case the future doesn't pan out as they claimed - no - no - no, quite the contrary! This is for the reader's protection in as far to the various Fortune Telling Laws and for your own future reference. Nothing else. They will even state that the future isn't an actuality but a probability thus leaving themselves free and clear of what you do with the information they give you ... and they won't give you technical deep down and dirty advice that you should follow, a hint or two maybe but not ever say "you should do such & such ...". Again, the future is left in your hands on how you handle it.

If a reader starts out a reading by saying "This is for entertainment purposes only..." and asks to see your ID. This again is for your own protection and theirs. You can hold up your ID to them with your thumb over your name and address - just have the picture AND birthdate visible for them to see. These steps are merely to insure you that the reader is adhering to some states or even locoalized cities stricter versions of the Fortune Telling Laws that came about due to con artists and ... well, liars.

© 1998 by Secretive aka Carol