“Getting It Wrong”
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Tarot novices often ask more seasoned diviners (with almost palpable dread) “What should I do if I get a reading totally wrong for one of my sitters?” The puzzling thing for me is why they assume they must be infallible when that’s an impossible feat in a practice as fluidly impressionistic as card-reading. The future is often too elusive (and changeable) to be pinned down with precision by such anecdotal methods, so the most we can do is infer it.
The main problem with this borderline panic is that inexperienced readers shouldn’t deliver oracular observations of dubious pedigree in the first place, and then second-guess themselves. Every tarot reading is a matter of relative likelihood, not undeniable truth: it suggests tendencies, trends, potentials and possibilities (or at most probabilities and opportunities); think of a prediction as an “educated guess,” or what I describe more cynically as a “scientific wild-ass guess” (SWAG). The “scientific” part is the prior learning and experience the reader brings to the table; the “wild-ass guess” part is the intuitive conjecture that must often be summoned to make up for any shortfall in accumulated wisdom. How far it should be trusted is a matter of opinion.
The best guidance I can offer beginners before they inadvertently land in such a pickle is to always present a reading in language that is open-ended and negotiable (e.g. “might, may, could, suggests, implies, indicates, intimates, looks like, seems to me, reminds me of, makes me think, and other examples of what I view as artful “weasel words” that display prudent constraint). If we make it clear that we are only relaying what we see in the cards and aren’t going to produce any kind of value judgement about them (and definitely no actionable advice), the querent must take on the burden of connecting the dots in order to successfully relate our statements to the question or topic at hand. As I always tell them, “It’s your reading, not mine; I’m just the interpreter.”
I try to evoke the “Aha!” reaction from my clients as I develop the narrative in a way that feeds them useful insights without attempting to overshadow their personal outlook. If I can help them see “the writing on the wall” to the extent that they have a good idea what to do about it, I will have fulfilled my professional obligation and they can act according to their own informed judgment. I’m not a trained therapist or counselor with all the answers, just an experienced prognosticator who can aid them in their quest, and I expect clients to form their own conclusions in line with their superior (albeit subconscious) understanding of their private reality. Whether the quarry is objective answers or subjective self-discovery, I can lead them to the proverbial well but they must still choose to drink the water, however bitter it turns out to be.
I make a point of never telling querents bluntly “You will experience these specific consequences from the outcome shown in the reading” (or even that they might safely anticipate something close). Instead, I will say “The cards indicate that the time is right to contemplate embracing (or avoiding) certain measures in response to your situation.” (In essence, that is; as a storyteller I’m much more colloquial in my presentation.) In this way the individual will have received a “heads-up” about something that warrants attention and perhaps intervention that could point them in the right direction. But the choice is still theirs, and I never worry whether I’ve steered them right or wrong. I just convey the “forewarned is forearmed” message to the extent that they are willing to consider their options. I can then walk away with a clear conscience, confident that I’ve done my best.
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on April 26, 2024.
