Tarot Ahead: Proceed with Caution

By Jeanne Fiorini

There’s a good reason why most of us get a little nervous before having a Tarot reading. I’m not talking about the nerves that walk alongside the reader, but those that belong to the person sitting in the other chair, the person who has just put their trust in the unknown and is awaiting the first word. 

The people reading this article probably have a general idea about what to expect in a Tarot reading. But oftentimes a client is a newbie to the Tarot, so not only might they be uneasy about the process itself, they’re likely to be a tad worried about the kind of information (good, bad, scary, fantastic, crazy, not worth the money they just forked over) they’re about to hear. Apprehension about the Unseen and the Uncertain is a natural function for humans, it seems, a built-in survival mechanism of sorts.

Most of the clients who come through my door are relatively sure about what they’re getting into when they walk up the steps, but we never know what will happen once the cards are shuffled, how things will shake out, and what might come out of my mouth. Sometimes, after a particularly intense or otherwise difficult reading, I’m inclined to start using that big roll of orange plastic tape to mark off the Tarot Reading Zone: “Beware: Tarot Reading Imminent. Proceed at your own risk.”

Fear of the unknown, suspicion regarding the unexplained, and the mystery which surrounds the process; for these reasons (and a few more to be noted later) I often hear myself thinking that “Tarot ain’t for sissies.” (With homage to Bette Davis, having famously said that getting old isn’t for sissies.)

It is true that the best readings happen when the client shows up for a session endowed with these heroic qualities:

  • The ability to put trust in another person’s heart and mind.
  • Sufficient bravery to engage in an honest conversation.
  • An open--and yet discriminating-- state of mind.
  • A reasonable degree of self-awareness.
  • Willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own crap.


It’s also true that if you are a reader and your client walks through the door with most of these attributes intact, you are counting your blessings! 

Yup, Tarot ain’t for sissies and here’s another reason why: if the process is to any degree in the hands of a responsible and honest reader, the cards will tell you the truth. Not the truth you want to hear, but the unvarnished clear reality of the moment. Oh, I feel Jack Nicholson coming on…….You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth! (Or can you?)

No Sissies Allowed Behind the Orange Tape. Like a sign posted on the barricaded door of a 12-year-old’s tree fort.

Now at this point, I am talking about both the reader and the client, since here’s what it takes from the reader in order to have a successful session:

  • The ability to put trust in another person’s heart and mind.
  • Sufficient bravery to engage in an honest conversation.
  • An open--and yet discriminating-- state of mind.
  • A reasonable degree of self-awareness.
  • Willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own crap.


Yeah, I was being tricky there, but didn’t realize how true it was until I wrote it. Readers need the courage to speak from the information they receive, to confront the truth of what’s on the table, to cut through personal preferences, illusions, and bias, and to work with an integrity which honors themselves, the client, and the process. The entire thing is very heroic. 

And then there’s the part that they don’t tell you. It’s like when parents reflect that “If I knew what I was getting into by having children I would have thought twice before doing it.” There is a transformation that happens to those who embark on the study of Tarot, and it isn’t always easy and isn’t always pretty. We are forced to look at belief systems and friendships and partnerships that may no longer hold up; we are confronted with our connection to all things whether we like it or not; we are challenged to accept our entirety (not just the parts of ourselves that we like); we are transported into an expanded perception of “what is.” 

Theresa Reed (The Tarot Lady) in her Tarot Entrepreneurs blog page asks the question, “I believe that when you study Tarot, you live the Tarot. What life experience was the most profound when learning a certain card?” Although I didn’t personally weigh in on this question, I love the notion that it advances:  learning the Tarot will change your life. 

So Beware: if you’re going to pursue the path of Tarot, leave your sissy clothes behind and put on your warrior gear. This doesn’t meanyou can’t have pretty accessories; a fabulous hat or a beautiful piece of jewelry won’t disrupt the strong heart that beats within. And besides, a pleasing appearance might make the whole truth-telling business a lot more palatable.

All submissions remain the property of their respective authors.  Tarot Reflections is published by the American Tarot Association - © 2011 Questions? Comments? Contact us at reflections@ata-tarot.com