Are you hearing what you want to hear when you receive a Tarot reading? How do you know if the reader is just telling you what you want to hear? These are some pretty important questions to ask yourself, especially when you have a reading that you dislike or with which you are unhappy.

Phrasing the Question

The question you originally asked may have been too black and white and the reader may have assisted you to rephrase it. When you rephrase the question, make sure you really look at the question and understand how it is different from your initial phrasing. Your best reading is going to come from an open question style and I discuss this a bit in a previous post.

The few clients who disliked a reading had their question rephrased from a yes/no to a more open question. “Does he love me?” as opposed to “What is our relationship status right now?” The answer to the initial question is inherent in the rephrased question, but the client nearly always insists that their initial question wasn’t answered! This despite it is no longer the question being addressed. So make sure you understand the phrasing of your question.

Examining the Answer

The reader is impartial or should be. Work from the assumption that they are impartial and examine the reading carefully. My readings are usually in writing, so you can take as much time as you need to understand it.

Sometimes a reading can be uncomfortable. 

You may feel resistance to reading it or resistance during the reading. Try to keep some distance between your emotions and the reading. If you are experiencing strong emotions, force yourself to read it through once and then leave it alone for a bit.

Re-read your question, hearing it with as much detachment as you can muster. Make sure it is the question that was actually used for the reading. Does it address the question? At this point, you may feel it does not, but the reader did feel it was on point, otherwise, they would not have sent it to you!

Look Within

Depending on the spread used for the 

reading, there are usually several parts to the reading. There may be an overview of the current situation, obstacles or problems, and actions you can take to clear the obstacles. Think about what is written about the current situation. Does it resonate? Does it feel right? Do you feel resistance, a kind of internal “NO!” when you read it? This can be a sign it is correct and you need to pay attention to why you are resisting the message.

Do the same with each part of the reading. Do you understand the obstacles? If you are given choices, do you understand the choices and why they are important?

Finally, do you want to overcome the obstacles or make a choice? Are you willing to put in the work? If you aren’t, the fault doesn’t lie with the Tarot reader.

Ask for Clarification

If you don’t understand the reading or a part of the reading, ask the reader for clarification. Maintain a sense of detachment, remember the Tarot reader isn’t attacking you personally, they are just reporting what they see in the cards. Perhaps they need more information from you. Perhaps they need to describe the interpretation in a different way.

Hearing What You Want to Hear

The following is an example of a client who was hearing what she wanted to hear. Her initial question involved a new relationship. She wanted to know if he was in love with her and was he her “twin flame”.

I worked with her to rephrase the question to “what is the current state of our relationship, what are the obstacles, and, if those obstacles are surmounted, where is the relationship going?”

I felt from the cards that she was obsessed with this relationship, while he was indifferent at best. He was looking for someone fun to be with and not necessarily a long-term partnership. She needed to “take off her blindfold” and view their relationship with more logic and detachment.

Her rather indignant response was “you didn’t answer my question! Does he love me? Is he my twin flame?”

This situation shows how important it is to pay attention to the actual question asked and realize that you are not necessarily going to get the answer you want. You aren’t going to hear what you want to hear.