Top Tips to Handle Negative Reactions From Others When Reading Cards or In Life in General

I am writing today about how to handle negative reactions from clients or querents when reading tarot cards but this really can be applied to negative reactions to all areas of life.  The truth is that sooner or later someone will either disagree with your reading or become upset by what you have to say.  We are human and we aren’t perfect and neither are the people we work with so we do what we can to handle such situations with grace.

1. Prepare the querent for difficult news ahead of time.  This can be done by simply saying “You might not like this” or “I think this might be difficult but I am going to say it because it is what I see going on” or “This isn’t what you might want to hear but …”  I find that most clients receive difficult news easily if properly prepared.
   
2. Be compassionately honest.  There is no need for brutal honesty in this life.  Be honest but do it with kindness and compassion.  Most people appreciate the sensitivity and most do not just want you to tell them what they want to hear.  Be kind but tell the truth.  Always.
   
3. Listen to their point of view.  If someone is upset about something sometimes they just need someone to hear them out.  A reading room, whether in person or virtual, should be a safe place for each person to express how they feel.  Often a reading triggers something else that the client might be upset about and this opens a floodgate of emotion.  Hear them out.  Be a good listener.  This is about their process and if you can be of service by listening they will usually appreciate your calm and compassionate approach.
   
4. Offer an alternative viewpoint or rephrase what you have said.  Sometimes when we say something it doesn’t come out quite right.  Often the differences are semantic so it often helps to say the same thing in several different ways if the client is not understanding what you mean or doesn’t feel like it fits their situation.  Since tarot cards are symbolic it is no surprise that sometimes it takes a little wiggling with the phrasing to get it to make the most sense.
   
5. Admit you are not perfect and they you could be wrong … even hope that you are wrong.  Reading cards isn’t about the ego of the reader.  It isn’t about being “right or wrong”.  It is about aiding your client in a time of need and helping them to choose a clear path forward when they might otherwise feel overwhelmed by their situation or circumstances.  It’s okay to say “I hope I am wrong about this but it looks like …”
   

These are just a few ideas.  Have you had something like this happen to you?  How do you handle it?

Photo by Cristian Newman on Unsplash