‘Going pro’ – After you’ve been learning and working with tarot for a while, you may start thinking about reading the cards professionally. This will inevitably bring up lots of questions and anxieties, which could stop you making the decision to begin. The issues you may be struggling with include:
1) Am I good enough? Many people fear they will never be good enough in any area of their life. As tarot readers we are always learning. What does ‘good enough’ tarot reader look like? Do you help people with your readings, do you get good feedback, do people tell you that they would pay for your readings? Then you are good enough!
2) Should I charge for tarot readings? Tarot reading is a skill. We are all entitled to a fair exchange for using our talents and skills, and for the time and energy we give to a reading. A spiritual skill is no less valid than a practical skill. If you want to carry on giving free readings, that’s up to you. But there’s nothing wrong with making your living from tarot.
3) What should I charge? A good rule of thumb is to charge the amount that you would be comfortable paying for a reading. Also, look at what other readers in your local area charge and set your fee at a similar level. Alternatively, think of the highest amount you would be comfortable charging, and set your fee there.
4) Where can I read? The beauty of tarot is that you can read almost anywhere. You can run your business from home, at a local health or holistic centre, read at Mind Body Spirit fairs, local markets, charity or corporate events, or a local cafe. It depends on the kind of person you are. Which of these options do you feel most attracted to? Which do you want to avoid? Decide on one place to begin with, start reading there and see how it goes. In time you will decide what works best for you.
Becoming a professional tarot reader is an amazing experience – there is nothing better than doing what you love for a living, while helping people at the same time.
Maria Antoniou is a tarot teacher and reader based in Brighton. She is also an intuitive coach, working one-to-one with clients on the Unleash Your Soul 12 week life and business coaching course. Find out more: http://brightontarotschool.com
