Maybe you’re new to paganism, or the whole mystical end of things. Or perhaps you want a neutral third party to held confirm or deny the message you think you have been receiving. Below are some tips of how to have a good divination session.
What Divination is Not…
Divination is not a replacement for any type of counseling—mental, legal, medical—nor is it a substitute for medical care. It is also not an excuse to throw away good sense or ignore your own intuitions. Whatever the diviner says, its is not a directive—it is your choice whether or not to follow it. One reading will not answer all your life questions, more likely it will clarify and respond to one question. Even if it is a favorable reading that says “go ahead with _” it is still up to you to do all the mundane paperwork to make it happen. The reading just says there is a good chance of success, but shouldn’t be seen as a guarantee or a way to get out of doing the work.
Divination is about more than predicting the future
Contrary to popular belief, divination is not necessarily about predicting the future. Divination is studying patterns and figuring out what they mean. Sometimes through intuition, sometimes through an established system of meaning. Most of the time it is a mix of both. Divination takes a snapshot of the present to help one make decisions or reveal an element that is hidden. Part of the message is the divinatory system being used, part of it is the reader communicating the message to the questioner, or querant. Like all forms of communication, some of it is a matter of interpretation, and personal biases can creep through.
In the pre-Covid world, I would say have your first reading face to face to get a feel for it. Remote viewing is becoming more common (like everything else) and it can be just as effective, but face to face would be preferable. However, make the safe choice for you.
I personally prefer to go to a metaphysical shop to get a reading done. Its easy to get a short reading while getting pagan goodies, and it takes some work out of finding someone with a good reputation. Most places that offer readings have a semi private area set aside. If you’re curious to see different types of divination, check out any local events to be able to pick from different readers and different systems. (Once again, this might not be realistic until the COVID era has ended.) There are zillions of tarot decks out there, chances are pretty good the reader isn’t using the iconic Rider-Waite-Smith deck. If a reader has multiple decks, ask for a reading from the deck that most appeals to you.
Getting a Reading Done Should Not Break the Bank
Short divination sessions are available for a reasonable price. Most readers will either charge a set rate per minute, or a set amount for 10 minutes or 20 minutes etc. I personally have a rate in my head for getting a tarot reading, but am not including it because cost of living is different everywhere. The other advantage of going to an event or looking up prices for readers in the local metaphysical shops is it’ll give a range of reasonable prices to expect. Like any service, expect to pay more the longer any session is. In my experience, readers are willing to work with you. If you have a set budget or time limit, let them know before you start and they will often accommodate you. Don’t be five minutes into a reading and say you have to go.
Always keep your consumer glasses on. Don’t feel forced to spend more than you are willing to pay. An ethical reader will be upfront about the cost before you begin. Something that is either too good—or too scary—to be true probably is. The Death card does not mean death (most of the time) in a tarot reading. If something feels off, and it is not just being nervous about doing something new, listen to your intuition. While some readers are better than others, or some questions are easier to answer than others, there is a difference between being unclear and unethical.
That being said, I have always had good experience with professional and semi-professional readers. With a few huge exceptions, I highly doubt doing readings is a huge moneymaker. The people who I know do it as a side gig.
Schools of thought are mixed on whether you should do your own divination. I personally think it is useful to develop the skills yourself, and sometimes what you learn studying divination helps you in other places. Of course, like any other skill some people are simply better at it than others, and another class needs to put slightly more work into it. However, if it is a serious question it is a good idea to have a reading done by a stranger to prevent personal bias from seeping in. Sometimes you or a person close to you are too close to the situation to read the divination accurately. It is also useful to have a reading done for discernment.
Divination is most useful for understanding the ramifications of your choices, or seeing an element you are overlooking. Don’t make any life altering decisions based purely on one divination session. You can always get a second opinion. It is always a useful tool, but use it wisely.