Blessings and Welcome!

Frequently Asked Questions

Death is a subject that scares many of us, so the Death card sometimes has a chilling effect on tarot querents. This is because people are nervous that the Death card is predicting the impending death of the querent or one of his/her loved ones. Please let me assure you that the Death card almost never represents a physical death; personally, in over 20 years working with the tarot, I could count the number of times I’ve seen a physical death with the cards on one hand.  It does happen, but it is very rare.

 

Actually, this often-misunderstood card usually represents the death of a part of ourselves from which something new can grow. As such, one of the Death card’s main meanings is transformation or evolution.  It often appears when we are experiencing a significant change in our lives, one that occurs over time. This process happens thousands of times in our lives; it happens so frequently, in fact, that we fail to notice it.

 

Let me provide an example to illustrate what I’m talking about. Consider your friendships for a moment. We all have friends that are very close to us that we will keep long-term, but while we don’t want to admit it, most of our friendships have a lifespan. As you grow, certain friendships develop and deepen and stay with you. Others do not; as you change jobs, locations, and tastes, many of these relationships will “die”.  The same could also be said for romantic relationships.

 

Sadly, this does not mean, however, that the change the Death card portends will be painless. Letting go of patterns, people, and things that we are used to is difficult; just ask anyone who has tried to lose weight, quit smoking, or end a relationship that is no longer viable. Elimination is another one of the key words for this card, appropriately enough.

 

One thing I might tell querents who receive this card is that the change that is happening now because it is a natural time for something to end. The changes in the Death card will happen whether you want them to or not; transformation, like death itself, is inevitable. Therefore, I encourage people to accept the change as best they can and move forward, secure in the knowledge that something new will grow to replace what has “died”.

 

Finally, the Death card can represent the astrological sign of Scorpio. The Zodiac’s 8th house, ruled by Scorpio, is where we see many of life’s inevitable activities; death, sex, taxes, inheritance, wills and trusts, other people’s money, and of course, transformation, are all a part of this house.

Should I be concerned if the Death card comes up in a tarot reading?

 

 

Email hierophant@cox.net or call 703-829-3273 for additional information or questions!

What is a tarot reading?

 

 

Essentially, the tarot is a “metaphysical digital photo”. It will provide insights into the person who is being read, the querent, and the querent’s current situation. It does this by taking the querent’s energy—I always have the querent shuffle the cards for this reason—and revealing what the Universe feels you need to know at this time. As the reader, it’s my job to interpret the images on the cards and any intuitive feelings I get from them and create a story that the querent can understand.

 

It’s important to understand that a tarot reading is a “snapshot in time”. Our lives never stop changing, and so the message that the querent receives from the cards should be considered in context of everything that was happening at that moment: What the querent was thinking and feeling, other events that were occurring, and the actions of other people involved in the querent’s situation are just a few of them. This is also a reason why I don’t think it’s a good idea for anyone to read the tarot for themselves constantly, or have large-scale readings done for them, too frequently, especially on the same topic.

 

One of the most important things I tell querents is this: The tarot cannot take away free will. The querent is always the master of his or her own destiny. I try to stress this point because I truly believe that 10% of life is what happens to you, and 90% of life is how you react to it. The tarot presents life possibilities and influences and gives us the information we need to make good choices.

 

The message that a querent receives from the tarot is the one that s/he was meant to receive at this particular moment in time. What the querent does with the information is up to him or her; as a tarot reader, all I am doing is passing on the message. 

 

 

 

 

One of the biggest reasons for using the tarot is to get an idea of what it coming up in your life so you can prepare for it. For example, if a tarot reading tells you that you will have a financial crisis in 3 months, it may never happen if you know it is a possibility and make changes in your own life.

 

Another important reason to consult the tarot is to find out what you need to do regarding a specific situation. Many querents come to me with questions like this, especially regarding spirituality or career. The tarot shows us the truth and allows us to make decisions that will help us grow.

 

Finally, the tarot is an excellent way to confirm your own intuitive feelings. Many of my querents will say “Yeah, that’s what I thought” in some form or another during a reading as the picture becomes more clear.  I think of myself as an “intuitive advisor” who provides independent information about the intuitive feelings of the querent.

 

 

Why should I have a tarot reading?

 

 

Can you take a curse off of me?

This is a question I get more often than you might think. First of all, the chances are very good that you do NOT have a curse on you. Many times, unethical spiritual service providers will tell a prospective client that they are “cursed”, or that they have “an evil eye” which has been cast on them, or even that they “have a blockage”. Of course, the unethical spiritual services provider offers to “take off the curse” for a fee. See below for additional information about selecting an ethical/reputable spiritual services provider.

If you are feeling like you are having a run of bad luck, or that you are having increasingly negative thoughts, there are plenty of ways to rid yourself of negative energy, many of which you can find online or through the recommendation of a spiritual leader. But the bottom line is that if you feel you are having a spiritual problem it is your responsibility to address it YOURSELF to the best of your ability.

Will you cast a spell for me?

No, I won’t. As a practicing Witch, I do cast spells, but I don’t do it for other people, mainly because no one has the WANT, NEED, and DESIRE for the outcome more than you do. If you want a magickal solution, do it yourself. There are plenty of books and online resources, as well as very competent Witches and other spiritual practitioners who will suggest spells and other forms of focusing your will (prayer, etc.)

 

If you are going to do spellwork to accomplish a goal, however, PLEASE understand that mundane (non-magickal) efforts and magickal efforts work together to accomplish your spell. They do not work unless you put your own effort into helping yourself in addition to casting the spell. If you ask the Divine (God and Goddess, God, the Universe, etc.) to do something for you, you should be willing to do your part to make it happen.  For example, if you want a new job, you should put all of your efforts into finding one; it’s just common sense. Casting a spell and then expecting a new job to fall into your lap without effort is ridiculous. Nothing comes for free, metaphysically speaking or otherwise.

How can I tell an ethical tarot reader from someone who wants to rip me off ?

My rule of thumb is that anyone providing a spiritual service, like a psychic or tarot reading, who encourages a client to pay to remove a curse, an evil eye, a hex, etc., should be avoided at all costs.
 
Sadly, many people who claim to be psychics or tarot readers are just trying to get your money and either have no psychic ability whatsoever, or are choosing to use that gift negatively by fleecing people, which is even worse. And people who are in real need of a psychic or tarot reading can be vulnerable to these unscrupulous individuals.
 
One way you can often tell an ethical reader is the way they handle the financial aspects of their work. Are prices posted? Do they confirm how much a service will cost before beginning it? Are they trying very hard to sell you additional services? Another way is to request a code of ethics. If you ask a reputable reader for one,  s/he should have it readily available, or at least be able to give you a clear idea about what their code of ethics is verbally. One of the things you should look for is a policy on confidentiality, for example. Finally, personal recommendations are another great way to find an ethical reader. Most of my new clients are word of mouth referrals because people are happy with the service that I provide; I don't really advertise. Frankly, I am always a bit wary of those readers who feel the need to spend a LOT of effort promoting themselves, but that doesn't mean that they are crooks, either. It’s just a difference in approach.
 
The bottom line is that any spiritual problem you have you can fix yourself. A lot of people think they should go to someone, for example, to have their chakras "balanced". No one else can do that for you; you can learn about the chakras and how they work for free on the internet, or by buying a book to study up on it.
 
And let me leave you with this: Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, it probably is. :)

I’d like a tarot reading that only tells me the good stuff...I don’t want

to hear anything bad!

When I hear this statement, my answer is simple: “Then you are not ready for a tarot reading.”

 

I say this because life is not wonderful all the time; we all have periods of conflict and peace, anxiety and calm, stress and relaxation, weakness and fortitude, and vulnerability and confidence, for example. And the tarot is remarkably even-handed; it will show you both the dark and the light. As human beings, many of us tend to focus only on the good in ourselves and pretend that our weaknesses and failings don’t exist. I’m all about focusing on the positive, but if you refuse to acknowledge the areas in which you can improve, I believe that it makes personal growth impossible.

 

The tarot gives you the message that you are supposed to hear. I believe this statement with every fiber of my being, and see it happen in my tarot practice every day. We need to hear both positive and negative feedback, and they both are of equal value.

 

One night when I was reading, two women who receive regular readings from me were talking. One said to the other, “Are you getting a reading from Johnny tonight?” The other replied, “No, I don’t think I can handle any of Johnny’s ‘honesty’ tonight!”  I was gratified to hear this conversation, because this querent decided she didn’t want to ask the question because she knew she would get an honest answer from me.

 

So the bottom line is...if you’re not ready for the truth, don’t ask the tarot for the answer.

Can I read tarot for myself or others close to me? Should I?

A lot of people will tell you that you can’t read for yourself. Yes, you can read tarot for yourself and for those closest to you. 

 

With that said, it’s important not to consult the cards too often on the same topic.  And when you have a particular outcome that you or someone close to you is expecting, there can be a tendency to see what we want to see in the cards. My advice would be to do the reading, write down the cards, and leave it alone for a few days. Then go back to it and think about it some more. Consider all the possible outcomes for the situation and use the tarot as another opinion on the matter, not necessarily the correct one.

 

When reading for yourself, it should be done, ideally, at least once a year during a dark moon (the day before the new moon). Read for others anytime you like.