• Is anyone here psychic??

• *hello or a greeting is sometimes, most of the time,usually pre-empted or forgotten* Can I have a reading????? (sometimes phrased as "Is anyone reading??)

• What *is* Tarot anyway? Isn't it a deck of cards. . .

• *slightly hopeful-looking typeset* Can I have "ops"?

• What do you mean "schedule a reading"? Does that mean you can't do one right now. . .

• Ok ... so you can't do a reading right now. Is *there anything* you can tell me now ... ???

• *skeptical or testing form of typeset* Ok ... So ... What color clothes am I wearing ... (or can also be phrased as "Can you tell me what I am thinking about right now?")

• Ok, gotcha, this will be a general reading ... cool!! So ... what can you tell me about my significant other ...

• *during a reading* Oh no ... you are wrong! I know -- cause it says right here in the book that that I have that *that* particular card means "*starts to quote whatever it is they are reading about*"

• Oh ... I already know about my past. So -- uhm, can we just skip that part of the reading and go on to the future??

• *during the course of a reading * Eerie ... How'd ya know about that?? ("that" normally referring to a past or present event ... but not necessarily excluding the future tense ...)

• Why can't I have ops??? Huh? Huh? *pouting*

• *private message sent to a reader* I know you are in the midst of a reading and all, but I have a few questions for you ... if you don't mind that is ...

• *while talking to a nonreader on the channel* If you don't read the cards ... then *why* are you on the channel then ...

• *talking to the "ops"* So ... do you folks come here a lot???

• *puzzled-looking typeset* Does anyone here who reads know *anything* about the Rider-Waite^tm deck?

• Oh, you only read the tarot cards huh? ... Can I ask you a couple of questions about *fill in this space with a totally unrelated divination technique* ????

• *defensive, skeptical typeset* Oh, you could say *that* about anyone!!! (Or also has been phrased as "You just "got" what you said from what I told you. . .")

• Cool!! So, Uhm, how much do you charge for a reading??

• Oh!! You know some about palmistry huh? Cool!! So ... uh ... what can you tell me about mine?? *you gotta just know that they are holding their palm up to the monitor somehow*

• *confused-looking typeset* You are an "online reader"?? Does that mean you can read the cards over the computer??

• Gee ... you sure I can't have "ops"?????

• *private message to a reader while they are doing a reading on someone else* I know you are reading and all. . .and I don't want to interrupt you. But ... could I have a reading next when you are done with who are you with now? *if agreeable answer was messaged back ... in about 5 minutes another message arrives* So ... you done yet?? I'm waiting ..."

• But ... I really need a reading ... now! *whine whine* Nobody ever gives me a reading ... *sigh sigh*

We realize that since we have named the channels after a form of divination we will naturally have people who are seeking a reading to pop in. We take this all in stride ... but all we (as readers) ask is, if you do visit for this reason, for consideration of others on the channel. Come in, say hello and such, but also observe the channel's conversation or ask if the channel has a homepage you can look at. Some chat rooms or web groups that are about divination gather to just chat or talk about divination but do not do any readings online.

If you are on a channel that does readings then politely ask if someone is available or could possibly schedule a reading session for you. *smile* Don't beg. Don't whine about how badly you need a reading. Don't talk about your personal woes that you are hoping to have a reading upon (as that gives away too much information about yourself prior to a reading). Not so hard huh?

See, there are some who come online to these channels that are 1. just learning how to read, 2. read only face-to-face, not online, 3. don't read tarot cards but prefer another method that they may feel is better done over the phone then the computer or face to face, and 4. not into divination at all, just enjoys talking to those online in the channel. It is better to ask on the main channel for a possible reading rather than to take the time to private message everyone. Some non-ops are online readers and some ops are not readers at all. Ask aloud once on the channel ... wait a few minutes ... then, if you think that your question was lost in the conversation, ask out loud again (out loud not referring to turning on the "caps lock" key though). Chances are that if you don't receive a positive reply (either on the main channel or thru private message), then those on the channel at that time are not able to help you with your request. My advice in that case is simply this ... you can join in the conversation if you'd like, or leave the channel and come back after an hour or so to see if anyone new has joined the channel that may be able to help you.

Nothing gets my "dander up", per se, than someone saying to me (after I have responded that I wasn't available to do a reading) "Why can't you read for me now? All you are doing is just talking??" *grrrr* Yes, you may see my typeset flow across the screen on *your* side ... but you don't see what is happening on my side of the monitor. I may be having myself distracted by my children *how dare they, I know ... *chuckle* ... I could be getting ready for work *making an "ickie" face* ... I could have a reading already scheduled thus not have time to do one for you *apologetic look* ... I could have had a "rough" day and just want to relax and unwind by talking *popping aspirin* ... I could feel "under the weather", and etc. Although we may be in a grouping entitled "psychics" or "divinists", we are also regular-type folks too, just like anyone else. *smile*

Now, how does an online reading work?? Good question!! *chuckle* Essentially it *does* depend on who is doing the reading for you, every reader is different and unique in style. I can only tell you how it works from my own personal experience (which I have linked off at the bottom of this particle)... BUT let's also reflect a little on the *why's* of a reading, in the divinational sense. The Tarot is a method I use to "read" with and one commonly used to access information thru the relation of the past to the present -- and then present to the future. A system creating, per se, a connection between the conscious and subconscious minds -- keep in mind, intuition and logic work hand-in-hand, one of the hands being a direct reflection of reality while the other extends past it. So the reader must use clarity and focusing, as the cards can help tie together loose threads to create a whole picture -- sort of like a jigsaw puzzle. Once the cards are "asked" a question, the process has begun (and yes, sometimes one question can be turned into a series of questions as the cards seem to "respond" to your question then at times take the question to relate to another aspect. The cards used in a divinational aspect becomes a vehicle to help one glimpse at the unknown by shedding light on the information from the subconscious parcels of knowledge. At first it will seem that much of the information is common sense, BUT as you delve into the reading and look within, you may re-discover forgotten ^and/or unrealized facets of personality ... then move on to become more aware of the outer influences (people, family, etc) and they effect things or apply to each other. While intuition is a female aspect ... the application of it is masculine.

Most of the online readers are a patient lot. If you are curious as to what they are doing on their side of the screen or you have questions about the spread layout or what cards appeared, they will be more than willing to explain it to you. *smile* They want you to understand all that you can about your reading, though the emphasis should be more so on their perceptions though. Skeptical thoughts *are* allowed ... we understand that many do not understand how or why we do what we do with the cards. *grin* I don't know how to build a house, so would be asking a builder I contacted questions ... so I am not surprised to be asked questions about how I read the cards. All a reader will ask (if you are skeptical) is that you don't put yourself on defensive mode with them, this causes clarity and focus to be cast aside and just uses up unnecessary energy on both sides ... and to recall this: we can't see you, touch you, or hear you ... thus the only perception we have you during a reading is your words on our screens and what we tell you that we "see" in the cards. We can't physically "see" you ... but yet we are trying to "see" you. *shrug* We can't judge if we are "on the mark" or not ... some of us don't look at the monitor as we read so don't see your comments until the reading is over or near the end of it, and we can't see your facial or habitual mannerisms to "aide" us. As you have only our words coming over to your monitor, that is also all we have of you. *smile*

I have another section about readers and readings (do and don't type thoughts) here on my home page that goes into more detail about consultation.