Many avid learners of the Tarot work tirelessly to practice their Tarot reading skills with friends, family and even strangers, but when is the right time to actually starting charging for your Tarot readings?
Here are seven tips to help you identify when you are indeed ready to become a Tarot professional:
- You know all 78 Tarot card meanings without having to refer to a book.
- You have at least three different spreads you can comfortably work with. The Celtic Cross, Horseshoe Spread and Past/Present/Future Spread are excellent places to start.
- You can tell a ‘story’ from the Tarot cards.
- You rarely draw a blank when performing a Tarot reading. Drawing a blank is when you see the cards laid before you but cannot for the life of you piece together what they all mean (it can happen to the best of us!).
- You have sought constructive feedback (i.e. what is and isn’t working well) from your friends and family and you have acted upon their feedback.
- You have read the Tarot cards for strangers. An excellent way of doing this is to join the Free Tarot Network where you perform free Tarot readings via email, with the support of a Tarot mentor.
- You have been certified by an appropriate Tarot body in recognition of your Tarot skills (however, certainly not a mandatory requirement for becoming ‘professional’). Tarot Guild Australia, Tarot Certification Board of America and other organisations offer certification. Read this article to determine whether certification is right for you.
Once you have made the decision to become a professional Tarot reader, you need to consider how much you will charge. Some possible options include:
- Accepting donations only.
- Offering a reduced rate for first-time clients (particularly useful for when you first become professional and want to build your client base).
- Charging on an hourly or minute basis.
- Charging per card drawn (e.g. at $5 per card a 10-card reading would cost $50).
My Personal Experience
I started learning the Tarot in 1997 and spent nearly three years learning the cards and practicing Tarot reading on myself and friends. I then offered free Tarot readings at the Free Tarot Network , which I highly recommend. I also established a basic website where I offered free Tarot readings.
It wasn’t until about 2001 when I started to charge for readings, and only then would I charge a small amount for a first-time reading ($10). I thought that if I was any good, people would come back and pay me a higher rate ($25) for a second reading. Of course, many came back and I established myself as a professional Tarot reader very quickly. I now charge $35 for a standard 10-card Tarot reading. While I am a professional reader, I still do not charge my friends or family for a reading as I see this as a gift I can share with them.
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This article was EXTREMELY helpful! Thank You for your time, expertise and willingness to share.
Many Blessings
Thankyou for sharing your experiences! It’s not a topic I’ve seen covered before but I’ve wondered how to go about transitioning once I (hopefully) feel ready. Can’t wait to look up the free tarot network. Thanks again
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