What makes your consultations ethical?

Unfortunately, there is stigma against Tarot in many circles. And unfortunately, like in other fields, not every practitioner in this field bases their practice on ethical standards. I believe it is important to explicitly state my commitment to providing an experience that is based on informed consent and transparency. What do I mean by that?

By informed consent, I mean that you know before booking your consultation with me what my philosophy and approach is to the Tarot. I mean that we negotiate prices before I begin the reading, and there are no hidden fees. This means that you know what you are getting before you pay for it, and not after.

My Tarot consultations focus on empowering you as the expert and actor in your own life. I see the Tarot consultation as a collaboration to help you access your inner wisdom. I believe part of being an ethical Tarot consultant is to emphasize your agency in your own life, rather than reinforce your sense of powerlessness, or encourage you to look to me or the cards to make your decisions for you.

So what happens during a Tarot consultation?

When I perform a Tarot reading for you, the first step will likely be a request from me to hone your question further, and to make sure we are on the same page about what exactly is the core issue that you would like to explore. In my experience, the question is the absolute most important part of the reading, as it directs our focus for meditation and informs how we will interpret the cards that come up during the reading. With a good question, we are well on our way to learning our answer!

The next step will be for me to make time to sit in a quiet space and ground myself for a moment, say a brief prayer, and keep your name and question in mind as I shuffle and lay out the cards.

Regarding the content of the reading itself, a Tarot reading can range from one card to ten cards and beyond. Typically, the readings I conduct are anywhere between one and six cards. The spread I choose is based on the nature of your question, and my judgement of the format that will be most helpful in addressing your concerns. Keep in mind that the depth of your reading will be directly related to the depth of the question you present. In other words, you will get out of it as much as you put into it. A clear question that reflects an issue that is meaningful to you, and which is matched by your willingness to explore your own personal power in the situation, will yield the richest results in my experience.

At this time, I am offering consultations by email. Based on your stated preference, the consultation can be sent to you as a PDF document, or as an audio file.

What do you charge for a reading?

As I mentioned earlier, the Tarot spread that I choose for you will be based on the question you present, and the depth to which you wish to delve into your concern.

A Skype reading is charged based on the time we plan to spend together. A 15-minute reading is $20, a 30-minute reading is $40, and a 60-minute reading is $70. The fee will be set and paid before we spend time together, and I respect both my time and yours. That means that when you book and pay for a 15- or 30-minute reading, you will receive a full reading. I will not stop mid-sentence when the clock runs out and request that you pay more money! Rather, I will plan for the time that we agree to and together we will make the fullest use of that time that we can. Of course, be aware that with a shorter reading you will not get the same depth of information or discussion that you will with a longer reading. Keep in mind your goals for the reading when you book your time. I am also happy to help you choose the length of reading that most fits with your needs.

An email reading is charged based on the depth of your question, how many cards are pulled, how long I plan to spend interpreting the results, and how in-depth my analysis will be in the final write-up that I will provide to you. Here you have the option of booking a 'light' reading for $20, a basic reading for $40, or an in-depth reading for $70. With an in-depth reading, you may ask one clarification question, provided that it does not require pulling additional cards- that would be a new reading. I am happy to help you consider which reading would be most appropriate for your needs here as well.

Generally, I recommend a 30-minute reading by Skype or a basic reading by email. the 'light' reading can help you get a sense of my reading style if you wish to get a taste before committing to a longer reading, and the in-depth reading gives us a chance to really sink into things. If you wish to engage in a dialogue and have a chance to take full advantage of my collaborative and intuitive approach to readings, certainly the in-depth reading will be the best choice.

Regardless of the reading you choose, I am always happy to hear your feedback and would very much like to know how a reading has resonated with you. Please do contact me to let me know your experience of the reading. Keep in mind that sometimes, we do not fully understand a reading right away, and later when we have had a chance to reflect, or have experiences in the next few days or weeks, we come to a better understanding of what the reading means to us. Always feel free to drop me a message at that point.

What if I am not happy with my reading?

I value your feedback and very much invite you to share concerns about your consultation. That being said, part of my commitment to being an ethical Tarot consultant involves telling you that Tarot is not a measurable science and is not fool-proof (neither is science for that matter!), but rather is an art based on my knowledge of the cards, my intuition, the information you provide me about yourself and your question, and your own intuition about your life and situation. It is possible that my intuition may lead me in a direction that does not resonate for you, or that you do not understand a piece of the reading right away. In that case, we have the opportunity in an in-depth reading to collaboratively discuss those concerns. If the reading still does not resonate, I invite you to wait a few weeks, so that you have time to reflect and see what presents itself to you in your life. Sometimes we are not aware of certain energies right away, and a reading can help point our attention to something in the future.

I do not offer refunds for my readings, largely because by its very nature this is not an art that can offer a guarantee. What I can guarantee is that I will treat your consultation with respect and seriousness, and do my best to provide a thoughtful response to your question based on the cards that are dealt, my intuition, and my meditation on your request.

However, if after several weeks you continue to feel that the reading was not helpful or meaningful in any way, I am willing to do a one-card 'flash reading' at no additional charge. This is not a reading on a new topic, or even a new reading on the same topic. Rather, this is a one-card reading to explore the possible barriers between us during your consultation experience, or asking what we may have missed during the original reading. My goal is to establish a relationship of trust and mutual respect, and for any negative energy between us that may have gotten in the way of your consultation experience to be cleared. In order to receive this 'flash reading,' you must communicate to me at the time of the original reading what your specific concerns are about the consultation, you must wait one month from the date of your reading and experience continued dissatisfaction at that time, and you must demonstrate that you have spent time reflecting on the consultation in that 4-week period and how the content of the reading may relate to your life (in no less than a paragraph long message. A paragraph is a minimum of four sentences). Additionally, your messages to me must be cordial. I will not entertain additional contact between us if at any point you use cursing, insults, or in other ways demonstrate lack of respect for me or my work. I am more than willing to have a polite exchange in order to ensure that you find your consultation meaningful.

These requirements are in place because I believe in the value of my work, and I trust that if you truly do your part of the work (honing your question, engaging in self-reflection, and bringing that awareness into your life after the consultation), you will find value in your consultation. If you can demonstrate that you have sincerely engaged in the process and seen no results, I am more than happy to do the 'flash reading' in order to explore possible blocks in our relationship or in the reading itself.