I got scammed by a reader a few years’ ago at a street fair. The reading was going along well enough… and then she started in with the “your parents were cursed which is why you have so many relationship problems”. Uh oh. The warning bells went off.
It didn’t stop there. Then she mentioned lighting special candles for me… never mind warning bells; a full-on siren was going off inside my head. What is a querent to do in this situation? What would YOU do?
Here’s what I did: I told her I had my own spiritual community and if lighting candles for cleansing was necessary, I would have them help me.
She dropped the subject and continued with my reading. I was nice, but firm. That worked for me. If it doesn’t work for you, head for the door, and the sooner, the better. You may have to shell out some money, depending on how much time has progressed in the reading (time is money, after all) but you absolutely should NOT drop a wad of cash because you were “scared into it”. I happen to believe that curses are real, but I didn’t believe it in this context. If you believe you are cursed, go to a spiritual advisor, not a tarot reader. Sometimes they are one in the same. Sometimes not. You cannot assume your tarot reader is “woo-woo” simply because they are a tarot reader.
There is enough room for all of us in the tarot reading business. It’s a shame that some people decide to go about it the wrong way, and make legitimate readers look bad. Employing tactics such as cold reading, money for spell work only the reader can perform for you, and other methods reek of desperation. Sometimes I offer some basic spell-working advice, but that’s only if I feel moved to during the reading, if the client is open to it, and I never tell them to buy stuff with me (hell, if I happen to have an applicable item, I will simply give it to them, like a small pink candle for self-love, etc.). I give them a materials list and send them on their way. Anything that causes co-dependency or neediness is something I avoid. I want to empower my clients. I don’t want them clawing at my screen door all strung out for their next tarot “fix.” Furthermore, these are the kinds of people who then turn to the cards to ask what kind of toilet paper to use. It gives them the idea that they have no responsibility for the action they take in their life. It makes for extremes such as freezing people in fear of moving one way or another, or the opposite, a risk-taker who thinks whatever they do doesn’t matter. It fosters a dangerous way of thinking.
It’s rather interesting that I was perceived as a “troubled relationship” girl by this street reader. Truth be told, I was a serial monogamist, and NEVER had trouble finding a boyfriend. Not necessarily healthy, but I rarely have been single since I started dating at sixteen. While I wouldn’t say I wear my heart on my sleeve, I also didn’t have a problem with taking the leap into a new relationship. This reader could have made the assumption that I had relationship problems because my then-boyfriend (and now fiancé) was keeping a wide berth between himself and the reader… who knows?
Bottom line: I’m a tarot reader, and yes, this happened to me.
Addendum: Just because a reading doesn’t resonate with you, doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a scam artist that’s reading for you. Not every reader will jive with you, and vice-versa. However, you CAN tell the difference between a disconnect in reading compatibility and a full-on cold read. Learn the differences. Trust your gut. If you’re uncertain a reader is for you, schedule a smaller amount of reading time or an email reading (if they offer it). If they don’t mesh with you, you’re only forking over a small amount of mulah rather than the whole enchilada.
Further reading/references: The Tarot Lady’s (Theresa Reed’s) 6 Warning Signs That Your Tarot Reader May Be a Scam Artist
Blessings,
~*~Hilary~*~
www.tarotbyhilary.com
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Fearful of frauds? Have you ever experienced psychic fraud? How did you learn to spot the warning signs? Share your experiences in the Comments section below.
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Excellent post, Hilary! Years ago, I went to see a reader that told me: “you are going to meet Mr. Right. But wait….you are going to get sick and you may miss meeting Mr. Right. You need a spiritual cleansing and I can do that for only 99 dollars.” I started laughing in her face and left post haste.
These kind of people do incredible damage to people’s lives – they prey on people, searching for a vulnerability so they can exploit and rip people off. It’s disgusting.
But with a little education and awareness, the public can learn the difference and avoid these con artists!
Btw, I did meet Mr. Right and have been with him for many many moon – with no sickness.
Theresa | The Tarot Lady recently posted…7 Business Lessons I Learned From Watching “Game Of Thrones”
Yes, Theresa! I do believe that curses are real, incidentally, but I really want to emphasize that tarot readers and “curse removers” are NOT one in the same. I strongly urge anyone that is told that they have a curse on them to seek a second opinion if they find a grain of legitimacy in their gut. Honor your inner bullshit detector: it is rarely wrong!
Very interesting post. I don’t believe in curses because I believe that we make our curses. Our decisions and beliefs will lead us to one thing or another. I we do good then we’ll harvest good. We shouldn’t let any readings dictate our future. 🙂