Many people want to be able to read for others. Read Akashic records, read Tarot, reach astrology charts….and that’s very good. Because people need to have them read. It is helpful in life to get clarity, to get further information, to get advise and support for the issues that are most important to us in life. So if this is something you are interested in doing, by all means go for it.
And by that I don’t mean put out a shingle and start right now, anymore than I would recommend that someone thinking about being chiropractor get a book on anatomy and then start cracking people’s backs for a fee. In any profession there are a minimum of three components: ability to perform the task offered, ability to work with the public (clients/patients/customers), and basic business skills. Knowing how to do something doesn’t mean you know how to do it for the public or that you have the skills to work with the public and it doesn’t mean that you have the ability to make a go of it.
So let’s look at each piece in turn. Having the ability to perform the task means you have learned how to perform a reading. You are proficient as creating and then interpreting an astrology chart in all it’s aspects and in a good number of the less common combinations and aspects, you are well versed in reading tarot cards not just for their individual meaning, but as a whole to get the entirety of the information presented however the cards are arranged due to the layers of meaning that a layout provides, or reading a soul book via all the different types of media it offers and differentiating between the different sections, the information they present, and being able to determine message and meaning from this.
Once you have that, then its working with the public or what is commonly referred to as other human beings. On the technical side of things performing the task is similar to doing so for yourself or friends. You go through all the motions in a similar way. However, there is usually a time limit that you are on so things need to go a bit faster. And the questions are usually more pointed and not necessarily what you would prefer or what you are best at reading. And that’s where skill with people comes in. Because people bring their own needs, perspectives, emotional states, history/baggage, and expectations to any reading. And it is just as important to be able to read and support them as it is to be able to perform the task they’ve asked for. Because the answer or information won’t always be what they are looking for, they may have expectations that are way outside the realm of what you are able to provide, they may want to take things out on the messenger, or they may need more from you than you are willing to offer. And you need to be able to handle all that with aplomb and poise as someone working in the public domain. If you want to know what this is like, look at the person at the Customer Service desk at any grocery store, the check out clerk, or ask a massage therapist or anyone you know who does customer service. They all have stories about the amazing and the horrific that goes with working with people.
And then there is the business side of things. It’s not just about money, about bills and accountants and financial statements. Even if you do this as a supplement to a regular job, even if it’s just something you do on weekends, even if it’s just something you do because its fun, there is a business side of things. Because business is about setting boundaries. It’s about being clear what you do, what you don’t do, how you do it, and what you are willing to accept from the public and from your peers. This shows up in people you know or know from a friend of a friend who want to have a reading, but don’t want to offer a trade or payment because they ‘know’ you. Or a peer that offers something that sounds like good opportunity for you, but then is really you doing all the work for the event and they getting all the spotlight. Or someone offering to barter services and then never holding up their end of the deal. Boundaries isn’t about being rude or mean or harsh or cold. It means being honest and authentic and clear and supporting positive interactions between yourself and others.
So reading for others isn’t just about knowing how to read the cards or the charts or the books. It’s a whole lot more and not something I recommend learning on the job. There will be plenty of learning when you hang out your shingle without having to figure all the rest out too. So before you open the doors, take stock of where you are at and how prepared you actually are. If your boundaries are set and you have the knowledge and skills to work with people to the benefit of them as well as yourself, then by all means, put out the ‘Open’ sign and let the games begin.