Ethony Puc What’s it like being a professional tarot reader?

Today’s guest poster, Ethony, knows all about it.

The lovely Ethony is a full-time professional tarot reader, who is deeply in love with the tarot and the wisdom it shares with herself and her clients. She’s been reading professionally for the last twenty years (so she’s a bit of a badass) and been teaching workshops in tarot and witchery for the last fifteen.

Here she shares how she began as a tarot reader, what it’s like working as a tarot reader professionally and the challenges a tarot reader faces. 

How did you discover Tarot, and how did you start reading for people?

tarot reader beginnings
Ethony working at the Fairy Shop!

I discovered the Tarot while working at The Pickled Fairy and Other Myths store in Fremantle, Australia at 15 years of age. This store is amazing, any work place where you can dress like a Fairy every day is pretty much my dream job! There was a stunning case full of Tarot decks and I was drawn to them straight away. I bought The Mythic Tarot in instalments with my pay (the original, I am not a fan of the new version) and when they were paid off I started to use them straight away.

A couple of years later I met Gail who was the owner of another New Age store in town and also a professional Tarot reader. She was my first Tarot Teacher and it was then when I really started to discover the Tarot. I started to exclusively work with The Spiral Tarot which really spoke to me and because that deck really inspired me it allowed for my experience in learning the Tarot to be even deeper.

Part of the course was reading Tarot for other people. First it was practicing with each other and then on the last night we brought in friends to have readings with other students. I was taking to reading the cards very quickly and with the encouragement of Gail I soon started to read for as many people as possible. It wasn’t long before I had my first paying Client. It was a huge leap for me (as it is for any reader I am sure) and it was a transforming experience to have such wonderful feedback. I made sure that I felt really ready and didn’t rush it and also worked on my skills for a long time ensuring that I knew the meanings of the Tarot cards by heart and then also how to conduct a meaningful professional Tarot reading.

I then started to work at different stores around the city on weekends while still working a weekday ‘muggle’ job. Another gig for me was working at psychic fairs which were whole weekends of full time Tarot reading. They were full on but very fun. Bridal showers, dinner parties, corporate parties and reading for Clients in my home were also regular jobs for me.

What is it you love about the Tarot?

There is so much I love about the Tarot! I am more than a little addicted, just ask my partner – our apartment has so many decks around. I am lucky he is also interested in the Tarot and supports my passion.

I love that the Tarot is so deep as a spiritual tool that you can have worked with the Tarot for years and still have so much to learn. It is not only that you are learning more layers of the system but you are also always learning about yourself.

The Tarot has the ability to transform peoples lives – I have seen it happen right in front of my eyes. When something becomes illuminated for someone after so long in the dark it can literally empower them to make more informed choices. It links people to their intuition and there is nothing more powerful than that for positive change.

Ethony's Tarot Class Professional Tarot Reader
Ethony’s Tarot Class!

I love that I can share my passion with others, and I love teaching Tarot to people who are interested in learning to become professional Tarot readers themselves or just wanting to use the tool personally. I am starting an Academy this year, the Tarot Readers Academy which is going to be a dedicated place for people to learn the system and become empowered and gifted Tarot readers.

I love the genuine connection I am able to have with Clients when they come for a reading. That is a real gift when someone is willing to put their guard down and share their problems and soul with you. It is always an honour.

What are the challenges of being a Tarot Reader? 

One of the biggest challenges of being a Tarot reader is that people often seek out council in times of great change and sometimes outright trauma. Witnessing that and having a Client open up to you energetically and emotionally around those times can be a tricky path to navigate. As I connect with my Spirit Guides when I conduct readings I often get messages from spirit, usually coming in the form of seeing things in my minds eye when I am reading for a Client. Some things are not always easy to experience. Learning how to remain connected enough to my Clients so that I can be a genuine help but also protecting myself from being drained and taking on their grief or energy is a skill I had to master quickly.

Something that surprised me about being a Tarot reader is that there is always something in a reading for me. So I can’t very well hide from my issues or my guides. Sometimes over the course of a weekend of conducting readings a card will come up in every reading which is always something to take notice of. Or I will have a very direct message from my Spirit Guides that what is being delivered to my Client is also a message for me. It makes every reading a healing and learning experience for myself.

How do see your readings helping your clients in their lives?

I have witnessed people take control of situations that they feel they have been trapped in. This has come about after looking at the situation from different angles, often that is what the Tarot can do. It can show people different paths or show the patterns that Clients have created to have the situation unfold like it has. Armed with this information there are so many more options. You don’t know what you don’t know and the Tarot can change that.

I have seen people honour their intuition when they felt that something was off and the Tarot reading reflected that they were indeed right. When that happens it is more likely that that Client is going to trust their intuition the next time. Which is a huge gift to anyone.

Another thing that is great is the feeling people leave my readings with. I bring something positive to a Clients life and have them leave the reading more empowered, happy and in touch with their higher self.

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Ethony Tarot ReaderLearn More About Ethony:

Ethony is a pro Tarot Reader,  Reiki Practitioner, Aura-Soma Consultant, award winning Photographer, Artist, Eco Faerie, Gamer and all-round Goddess. Pop on over to her website at http://www.ethony.com to find out more about getting readings and to sign up to learn more about her upcoming Tarot Academy.