What Makes a Reading Good?
Alternate title: How Can I Be Confident My Readings Donât Suck?
This is mostly written with tarot in mind, but I think the sentiment can apply to any type of in-depth divination or metaphysical readings. Hereâs some things to look for in readings, and if you are charging a set price for your own readings, things to demand from yourself.Â
The information provided in a reading should beâŠ
Relevant to the querentsâ needs. If somebody comes to you asking about a specific question or topic, the reading should be designed to reflect that. This may mean using a different spread or focusing on details of meaning more relevant to the question than the traditional baseline meaning. (Example, if a querent is asking about money and Iâm picking up signs of a new romantic relationship coming soon, it shouldnât turn into a love reading. Rather, how might entering a new relationship affect onesâ finances?)
Abundant. Anybody can go online and find a random tarot card picker with a general description or some key words. If youâre providing a compensated service, your interpretation should have more meat than that. Allow yourself to explain your thought process or speculate on a deeper meaning, instead of regurgitating key words. After all, that speculation and personal insight is what theyâre paying you for, otherwise theyâd just find the bot! (For reference, Iâm trying to give each of these points about the same amount of depth I would want to see in a really good tarot reading for each card.)
Nuanced. A lot of us are afraid to get into the details and specifics of an answer because weâre afraid of being wrong, so we just stick to being vague. Throw that out the window. Right now. Being specific HELPS your reading be more accurate, believable, and helpful, because if weâre too conservative with our details it gives the querent nothing to grab onto. Go for the specifics, the details, the things that make the querent say, âokay, I know exactly what thatâs talking about.â (Example, what sounds better: âThereâs conflict in the futureâ or âThereâs conflict here, my gut says probably butting heads with an authority figure youâve known for a while. Neither of you is right or wrong, but youâll just keep wasting your time if you donât compromise.â)
Understandable. Keep in mind that most of your querents will probably not practice the service youâre providing, or if they do they may just be beginners. Donât shroud your reading in convoluted, arcane talk. If you can, explain some of how youâre getting the answers you getting. That doesnât mean divulging secrets to your practice, but something like, âThese runes are so close together, which to me means theyâre working together, and the synthesis of their meanings could mean X.â Really helps a querent feel involved and more confident in your skills as their interpreter.Â
Applicable. Give the querent knowledge they can walk away with. If youâre doing all of the above steps this is probably happening anyway, but itâs important to keep in mind. You should always be able to answer the question: âWhat is the best next step for the querent to achieve their goals, once they leave this reading?â What can they do right now to develop themselves, prepare for success, repair that relationship, etc? Do they have a game plan? Basically, they should be able to take the insight you have provided them with and apply it to their life in a productive way. Â
I hope this helps some people assess their own readings, and gives new diviners a better idea of what they should be going for! Did I forget anything important? Let me know your thoughts!Â
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