Tarot Spread: Reader Development

​As a tarot reader sometimes we think that we have nothing left to learn, and that we have everything in hand. Keep reading for details on a spread you should try regularly to grow.

​​This reading is designed to help you develop your skill as a tarot reader. It will show you where you are strong, what you can do to improve and even what might be standing in your way. Don't use this spread all the time, but use it as an annual review (or even semi-annual) because growth and progress take time. If you do it too often you run the risk of being frustrated with what looks like a lack of progress. 
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​This is a seven card spread. Not too complicated, but detailed enough for you to get a good picture of where you are at. If any of you have used this spread, please feel free to share in the comments how you felt it worked for you. Here is an example of how it would go using the cards I drew.
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POSITION #1 Seven of Pentacles (Strengths as a tarot reader)
​Looks like my strength is my ability to assess and analyze situations. I feel like this is pretty accurate, as this is also the feedback that I tend to get when I read on the hotlines. Being able to quickly and accurately assess a person's needs makes it easier to develop a quality reading without wasting time.

​POSITION #2 Queen of Wands (Weakness as a reader)
​The first thing that popped into my mind when I read this was "impatience".  The Queen likes motion and action and she can get cranky if that doesn't happen. I know that I have some issues with berating myself for not developing faster, or learning something quicker. Since this also seems a pretty accurate assessment of me, it sounds like I need to slow down and enjoy the voyage instead of complaining that it is going too slow!

POSITION #3 The Moon (How to develop your skills)
​The moon talks a lot about confusion, the subconscious and things not being quite what they appear to be on the surface. But for me that isn't what I get from this card. Instead I feel that it connects to the mystical, magical and mysterious energies.  For me, I take this as an indication that I need to add a little more "woo" to my readings - make them more of a ritual then a chore. Things like using candles, incense, incantations etc should spice things ups a little and make me feel more connected.

​POSITION #4 Knight of Cups (Dealing with blocks) 
​The Knight of Cups is also about connecting, but in this case it is telling me that I need to listen to that little voice inside of me that is always trying to get my attention. I need to listen to it, and above all learn to trust it. It might feel a little like flying without a net, but it can also help free me from what is holding me back.

POSITION #5 The Tower (What to avoid)
​I turned this over and immediately thought "well duh, of course I want to avoid unforeseen disasters",  which first of all is a dumb thing to say - how can I avoid disasters that are UNSEEN? But at the end of the day, I am pretty sure that the message here is to stop waiting for disaster to strike. There are so many things that you could worry about as a reader like "what if I freeze up and forget what to say?" or even "what if I am totally wrong and inaccurate with my reading?" Catastrophic thinking can certainly block your growth. Since I do this ALL the time (like "what if everyone hates what I have to say and won't read my blog?") so I am pretty sure the Tower is telling me to knock it off!

​POSITION #6 The Hermit (The lesson that you are learning right now)
​The Hermit talks to us about taking time to reflect and be introspective. This seems pretty on point because right now the tarot is teaching me about myself - who I am and where I fit in here in the world. Sounds like I need to trust in myself and my inner wisdom.

​POSITION #7 The Eight of Cups (The outcome of your work with tarot / development)
​The Eight of Cups talks about leaving behind the things that are no longer a positive influence in your life. Sometimes this is hard and even painful, especially if you have devoted a lot of time and energy into things. For me this is an indication that I have to stop biting off more then I can chew. For a long time I juggled school, work, kids, husband, housework, my tarot readings, my tarot classes, my blog, etc.. It's no wonder that I was getting burned out and leaving things undone. So the message here is to drop some of the things that are holding me back from doing my best work. I would rather be amazing at a couple of things then being just mediocre at a dozen.

​All in all I would say that this is a pretty accurate overview of where I am right now. I look forward to doing this again in another six months to see where I am at. I'm pretty confidant that there is nowhere to go from here but up! Share your experiences or questions in the comments below!