Do Not Pay Me For This Hour of Tarot Reading

A couple years ago there was an essay that Marcus Katz penned that was one that resonated deeply with me. In this post he really highlighted the things that go into a tarot reading that the client never really thinks about. This is my interpretation of his essay. Keep reading to get a peek inside my head.

Do not pay me for this tarot reading...

Instead pay the psychologist that introduced me to the archetypes of tarot after my most recent suicide attempt at 16. Pay for the work that I had to do in order to get out of that dark place and to be whole again. She opened my eyes to the power of connecting with something beyond yourself and using it to make positive changes so that I could be here today.

Do not pay me for what I can tell you about your situation...

Instead pay me for the days that I would sit under the stairs at school, devouring all the knowledge that I could, the hours spent in the library with my nose in a book regardless of the ridicule thrown my way  - for all of my friends who had to be my personal guinea pigs in the afternoons as I gave reading after reading, day after day.

Do not pay me for opening your eyes to new insights...

Instead pay me for the thousands of books (yes thousands) that I have devoured over the last 25 years about tarot, astrology, numerology, past lives and more. If it has to do with tarot, metaphysical aspects, even magic then I have probably read it. Pay me for the classes that I have taken on psychology, relationship coaching, communications, writing and history. All so that I could dive deeper into your situation.

Do not pay me for offering guidance unique to this reading...

Instead pay me for the years that I have spent in college and independently to learn how to run my own business and do it well - everything from website design, marketing, social media and graphic design so that I can provide you with a legitimate platform to find the help that you need, and so you can be reassured that you are dealing with a reputable business. 

Do not pay me for interpreting what is one of a million possible card combinations...

Instead pay me for the vast collection of tarot and oracle decks that I have purchased over the years, from mass market to indie creations. Decks from every corner of the tarot world from the classic Rider -Waite deck all the way to the most obscure and unique decks. Pay me for the thousands of readings that I have done over the years, from school, coffee shops, parties and local festivals - that have given me the breadth of knowledge and years of experience to answer your questions.

Do not pay me for the cost of my office, my utilities or even this deck...

Instead pay me for the leap of faith that I took to be a full time tarot reader, risking the income stream that helps me support my six children. Pay me for the fear that came from leaving the security of a 9-5 job that came with health insurance. For the countless hours that I spent away from my family to create my business, the missed dinners and the late nights. Pay me for the negativity that I had to face from a Bible Belt community, that impacted not only me but my family as well.

Do not pay me for the emotions that I draw from you in this session...

Instead pay me for the time that I spend defending my profession against all the people who don't understand tarot, who see it as evil, who call all of us scammers and frauds. For the time I spend educating those who are genuinely curious, and for the countless times that I have been "tested" by those who want to trip me up. I have pushed through it all, and would again - because I believe in what I do and the power that tarot has to do immeasurable good.

Pay me for everything that has gone into my practice so that I can be here to offer you the guidance that you seek.

I am so thankful every single day for every one of my clients, regardless of if this is your first reading or your four-thousandth. You are what makes every single day of this job worth it and if I had to do it all over again I would. Even the awful stuff, the pain and the sleepless nights - all so that we can be together in this time and place. Thank you all so much!