Put to their most practical use, Tarot readings provide an avenue for describing the issues, forces and energies unfolding in a person's life, offering insight that can be a helpful tool in understanding both specific situations and "the big picture."  It also can provoke thought and insight based on the "answers" the cards suggest, moments that prompt you to expand into new perspectives and understanding, and you profit by approaching tarot consultations in that spirit.

It is very valid, therefore -- and even helpful -- to ask an intentionally general question such as "Where am I heading now?"  or "What is happening in my life at the moment?" -- and then pursue points raised in the answer with subsequent questions.  Such readings often introduce other avenues to explore, offer immediate insight and information into your present situation, describe currents of thought, intentions and energy you may or may not consciously realize.  It is a most dynamic strategy to provoke "food for thought."

Of course, the Tarot can also address very specific matters of personal concern, but it is always wise to give your question or request careful thought.  Be clear in your phrasing and focused in your intent.  Pay attention to completeness and wording.  As I mentioned in the FAQ section, ask exactly what you want to know.  Be direct.  Be blunt, even.  Don't handicap yourself by trying to be "nice," or indirect, "sneaky" or subtle.  The more you try to camouflage what you are really asking, the more likely it becomes that you'll just "gum up the works."  The more respect you show for your Tarot reading, the more I can promise you the Tarot will respond in kind.

Also as I said in the FAQ section, avoid, if possible, questions with yes-or-no answers. Instead, keep things as open and flexible as possible, inviting as much information as the Tarot can provide from the context of the cards themselves.  Often requests rather than questions allow the Tarot's best answers to emerge.  For example:  "Describe the situation with the project I'm currently facing at work."  or "Tell me what's going on in my relationship with X." or "Tell me how the problem I'm having with X is likely to be resolved."

Again, avoid compound questions.  Keep them simply worded and focused on one point at a time.  By that, I mean . . . ask two questions (or more if needed) . . . not either-or questions or questions that list a series of alternative choices.

Insofar as possible, phrase questions so as to ask for information that is not overly dependent on matters of personal choice or self-control.  For example, asking:  "Where is my relationship with X heading?" or "What can I do to improve my relationship with X?" is far better than asking "Will X and I ever learn to get along?"  The answer to that last question, of course, is highly dependent on how much effort both you and X are willing to put into achieving that result.

I am a great believer in truth and honesty.  In that tone, I want to meet with honesty your sincere desire to investigate and understand the information that results from your questions.  But there is only so much that can be blunted, soft-pedaled or sugar-coated before the truth become distorted.  It is not my desire to help you fool yourself by maintaining dearly cherished fantasies that represent the easy path for the time being.  Nor am I looking to tell you "what you want to hear" in order to support comfortable beliefs or hopes that may not be valid.  Therefore, we need a level of maturity, an ability to respect our work together in that way.

That brings up my next point.

Keep an open mind.  Don't try to read into the information the "facts" you want to be there.  Read the notes carefully.  Be as objective as possible.  Your greatest value will come from handling the information "as it is" rather than "as you wish it were."  With this in mind, read the section here on "What Will My Tarot Reading Contain?" . . . and understand what is being offered.

Along this same line, before making a request of the Tarot, ask  yourself candidly and in your private heart, "Do I want to know the answer?"

Some crossroads and decisions in life are so raw, so wrenching and so life-altering in their potential directions and changes, that the information regarding them should be processed slowly, absorbed at its own pace and handled with temperance and gentleness.  For some of these moments, you may need the support of on-going therapy with a trained professional.  Sometimes, indeed, temporary ignorance maintains a very necessary bliss, which, ironically, has its place in one's spiritual evolution, and that choice, that process, should be respected.

Be self-aware and self-respecting enough to judge whether you are emotionally, psychologically or spiritually prepared to hear an extremely difficult and disappointing answer to a highly-charged issue in your life -- should that answer come.  Granted, not all crises are devastating.  Some work out very well and that is always a wonderful thing.  But, if, indeed, you face considerable challenge in meeting a life situation, I wouldn't be doing you any favors by lying, glossing over or substantially minimizing its impact and importance.

You might consider, instead, questions about how to respond to the situation, how to remain your own "true person" in the midst of challenge and adversity, what is the best course to adopt in meeting or handling these circumstances, what is the "lesson" to be gained from this matter . . . and so forth.

I, myself, often wait to bring questions to a Tarot reading until I know I'm as prepared as I need to be to hear whatever the answer is.  I most gently and respectfully urge you to do the same.

Finally, understand that I may choose not to follow you down certain lines of questions or I may e-mail you for discussion or clarification before proceeding.  My interest always is that you obtain the most value possible from your Tarot reading, and I will help that happen whenever I can.  I consider that you and I are partners in this work, and just as you have your responsibilities here, so do I.

I do, however, look forward to working with you . . . and invite you to read further the material describing what my Tarot readings offer and what you can expect to receive from this service.  You may, of course, at any time, proceed to the Request Page and follow the instructions there to order a reading.
 

This, of course, depends on what you request -- so let me explain your options.

There are four kinds of readings available here -- from the quick, basic, snapshot type to the more extensive, in-depth look at what may be going on in a given situation.  Each reading spread I offer presently is designed to deal with one question at a time, as I have explained elsewhere.

As the site expands, I will add more options, offering spreads that can address multiple issues simultaneously.  But for now, you can access an explanation of what each spread provides by clicking on the appropriate highlighted spread title and reading a description of each card's position.

I suggest you read each option carefully to help you decide how thoroughly you want to investigate your issue and what kind of information you want to consider regarding it.

Once you've made your selection and placed your order, your reading will, naturally, contain the cards that fell in each position when I did your reading.  There are also two types of text that explain, in general terms, what these cards mean.

In the Three Card Spread and the Seven Card Basic Spread, this text is a short summary ranging between 4 typed lines (for Minor Arcana cards -- which describe events and situations) and perhaps 1/3 of a page (for Court cards -- which describe people and attitudes involved in the matter, and for Major Arcana cards -- which describe large life themes, assets and perspectives which are having an effect.)

In the Seven Card Expanded Spread and the Celtic Cross Spread, the text provided is very detailed, and can contain between half a page and a full typed page of explanation for each card.

In both cases, the explanations offer you details of what the card indicates, the energy it describes, the feeling or atmosphere the card brings to the reading.  Very often you will read in these explanations remarkably accurate descriptions of how you are feeling, and what you are finding in the situation under discussion.  Whole paragraphs may sound as if the Tarot is looking at your life "over your shoulder, if you will.

Certainly, read these explanations carefully to get the feel of what each card is saying, because even in the extra details, you may find tidbits that open your understanding and offer avenues for thought you'd not otherwise considered.  Again, I stress:  The Tarot is not fortune-telling.  It is a tool to help you gain insight and perspective into your issues, questions, concerns, circumstances, situations, dilemmas, challenges, opportunities and other life lessons.

Then, because a spread "tells a story" in response to the question that inspired it . . . (Rather like the frames in a cartoon or comic strip.  I cringe at the analogy, but it does fit.) . . . I tell you, often in a fair amount of detail as well, what this combination, this "story," says to me about your question or request.

Certain card combinations or cards in certain locations can bring with them a slightly altered tone or flavor than just the stark description of the text conveys.  This is why a human reader (including you) offers more depth, insight, and discernment than even the best computer generated program can provide.

So taken together, these blocks of information and interpretation seek to help you consider, view, and comprehend better the possibilities contained in your request and the response.  You yourself may see nuances, potentials, and data in the writing that are very valid and legitimate.  And since this is your life and your situation, I certainly urge you to trust your own instincts and insights.  Those are the most valuable of all.  And such moments of awareness and enlightenment are what a Tarot reading is designed to help you achieve.

If you need further clarification on the material you just read, please feel free to e-mail me at [email protected].  I'll do my best to help.