Ethics of Reading Tarot

For both students of tarot and those who want to receive readings from me, I want to share a bit about the tenements I hold dear. I believe that any quality colleagues would as well.

Confidentiality – Anyone you read for should be allowed the automatic assumption that it is a private reading, and you will not share their life’s information with anyone once the cards are closed. I have the benefit of not remembering readings very well until I open the cards again for that person. I presume this is because I am using a different part of my brain while in these liminal spaces. Nonetheless, I do not share the details of what I learned in a reading with anyone afterward. If I have a mutual friend who shares something in relation to information I have learned, I make sure that I am extra cautious to respect their privacy.

Permission to Pull Cards – It is best to ask someone for an agreement to pull cards for them. I might pull cards to know how I can interrelate or help someone without asking first, but that is still a reading for myself. I feel that it is inappropriate to find out what is happening for someone without their request or knowledge. This is especially true if someone is afraid of the cards, has a religious rule about them, or have asked you not to.

Future prophecies – Be considerate that you state things in an open fashion that let’s the person feel in control of their life, and their response to their life circumstances. The movies do a terrible job of this, please don’t mimic the scary doomsayer style in most performances.

You do not have to say everything you see. I had a friend getting married who was going through hard times with her partner right before. I saw that it was not going to get better for a while, and was going to get worse before the wedding. I felt it was not helpful information to share, so I kept it to myself. Instead, I gave her advice as to how to work with him, as I saw this in the cards as well. She’s been happily married over ten years now. A few years I told her what I had not shared, and she was grateful that I didn’t tell her, since it might have made her give up on the struggle pre-nuptials.

Ego – It can be a lot when people approach you after a reading and share what it did for them. They say, “YOU were right when YOU gave me that incredible reading.” You can let it feel good, and be grateful, but remember that you were in service with the gift to support.You were a channel for messages to come through. They made their own best choices and heard the reading to their best outcomes. You did a good job being open to hearing and speaking messages that aligned with the great mystery. Fine work.

Remember that this is a humbling art form that you are honored to be graced with the experience of sharing. That is the best place to come from, in my righteous, yet reverential, opinion.