The Reading Session
Although tarot cards can be read by an individual or in a group situation, the classic reading session is where one person performs a reading for another. In this book we refer to these two participants as the querent and the reader. The querent is the one who seeks advice about an issue in his or her life. The reader is the person who conducts the process and interprets the cards for the querent.
The basic structure of the reading encounter is inspired by its origins as a fortunetelling session, even though most tarot readers today use the cards as a tool for guidance and advice and not for future prediction. Usually, the querent sits in front of the reader with a low table between them. The relationship between both is important. With two people who are already in a close relationship it is possible to sit on adjacent sides or sit together at one side of the table facing the same direction. But when the reader and querent are relative strangers, sitting together may be too intimate, and it is better to sit face to face with the table between them as a reassuring space of separation.
The general structure of the session, on which we shall elaborate, is as follows. The reader takes the deck of cards out of its box, and then both reader and querent take turns shuffling it. The reader lays a number of cards out on the table in a layout — called a spread — and then studies the cards and interprets them for the querent. In this chapter we shall discuss the dynamics of the encounter between the querent and the reader, while in Chapter 3 we will focus on the actual reading of the cards.
Everything Is a Sign
The reading of tarot cards involves a particular perception of reality. In the normal everyday perception, which is sometimes called consensus reality, the cards are pieces of printed cardboard and shuffling them is a random process. Yet when we read the cards, we shift to another framework of reality perception in which there is one basic rule: everything is a sign.
This rule is first and foremost expressed in the fact that we interpret the cards not as a random collection of cardboard pieces, but as a meaningful sign with a message for the querent. However, the signs to be interpreted are not limited to the specific cards in the spread. Everything that takes place in and around the reading session may also be seen as a sign. In other words, during the reading session our perception of reality is that nothing happens by mere chance. Everything is a sign.
We may start to apply this rule by observing the querent’s behavior. The way they present themselves and their question, the choice of words and the tone of voice, the degree of openness and initial exposure — these are all signs expressing their emotional attitude toward the issue in question, toward the cards, and toward the reader. The way the querent shuffles the cards — whether in a self-confident or hesitant manner — is a sign. If the querent apologizes for not knowing how to shuffle properly, it is a sign. If the querent touches and rearranges the cards once they are laid on the table, then the quality of their hand movement and the change in the cards’ layout are signs. The body language and the sitting position of the querent are signs. Also, the design and colors of their clothes and accessories, especially if they resemble details in the cards, are signs. Everything is a sign.
Unusual occurrences that happen during the reading are also signs. If at the initial shuffle in the reader’s hands a certain card pops up time and again, it’s a sign. If during the shuffle a few cards fall from the querent’s hands, we can look at them and try to understand what they signify. Maybe it is something that does not fit with the way the question was formulated or maybe it is a message that the querent rejects as being too much for them to hold. If the same cards appear time and again in consecutive spreads, it is a sign. If they appear in different spreads for the same querent, they might hold a special message; if the same cards appear in sessions with consecutive querents, it may be a message for the reader. If there is a candle in the room and its flame suddenly moves or emits sparks, or if a loud noise is heard from outside, it is a sign emphasizing what is being said at that precise moment. Everything is a sign.
We might not understand and interpret all the signs as they appear. Some signs we understand only in retrospect, at a later stage of the reading. Signs also may have different levels of meaning, which we may discover one after the other. We can at first give a certain interpretation to the sign and then realize that we can understand it on a deeper level. So we should not try to grasp all the signs at once. Instead, we should strive to open ourselves to the signs, take note of them when they appear, and search our imagination for their possible meaning. This is more an intuitive than a rational process. The meaning should appear as a moment of realization, in which we suddenly see a connection between the sign — a certain detail in the card illustration or something that happened in the reading space — and the querent’s life.
The Reading Space
Traditions of magic and sorcery often prescribe elaborate rituals to invoke supernatural forces or entities. However we interpret these claims — whether from a magical viewpoint or from a psychological one — the time-tested rules of these rituals can teach us something about the proper way to go beyond ordinary reality.
One essential feature of such rituals is a separation between the space and time of the ritual on one hand, and that of normal everyday life on the other. For example, in many traditions magical rituals are performed within a well-marked circle. Often, in order to strengthen its effect, magical words are written around the circle. In a similar manner, the time of the ritual is marked with symbolic actions such as consecration or self-cleansing, the lighting of candles or incense, and so on. These actions signify a moment of transition between the ordinary time of everyday reality and the consecrated time of the ritual.
Reading the tarot cards also involves going beyond the ordinary perception of reality. In the realm of the ordinary, the cards are cardboard pieces shuffled at random. But during the reading nothing happens by chance and everything is a sign. In accordance with the time-tested principles of the magical tradition, we may perform some symbolic actions marking the limits of the reading session in space and time. In this way we can clearly feel the transition between the two domains as we switch from one perception of reality to the other.
According to the type of reading, we can adjust the level of care and effort that we invest in marking the limits of the reading space. When reading the tarot in an informal and noncommitted spirit — for example, at a party or in a pub — it may be enough to clean up a table corner and lay the cards on it. But for a consultation that touches sensitive issues in the querent’s life and which can affect them on a deep emotional level, we should prepare a quiet, neatly arranged space with a serene and comfortable atmosphere.
It is a good idea to remove everyday objects from the reading space. Instead, at least for the time of the reading, we can put pictures or objects that have a symbolic and spiritual effect — religious or New Age pictures, crystals, plant arrangements, water vessels or fountains, and so on. The colors in the room should be calm and pleasant, and the general design simple and harmonious.
In doing this, we can follow the aesthetic principles of mystical traditions — for example, feng shui or Japanese Zen — or simply act by our own feeling and intuition. In many magical and mystical traditions it is customary to mark the four cardinal directions — north, south, east, and west. We can translate this into the symbolic language of the tarot itself and put copies of the ace cards in the four directions according to the correspondence table in Chapter 7.
Just as the reading space needs to have a special quality, much like a temple or sacred space, so the time of the reading should also be clearly marked to separate it from the mundane time of ordinary reality. A simple way to do this is by lighting a candle at the beginning of the reading and putting it out at the end. In certain traditions of fortunetelling it is also customary to put a receptacle full of water in front of the candle, symbolizing the two complementary elements of water and fire.
After lighting the candle — note that a wooden perishable match is better than a lighter — we can “collect the light” by passing one or both hands over the flame and drawing them in as if washing our head and body with its symbolic energy. A similar gesture is done by Jewish women lighting the Shabbat candles and by Hindus in their temples.
It is also a good idea to stop at this point for a moment of self-concentration, meditation, or even a quiet prayer before beginning the actual reading. Some tarot readers prefer to light the candle before the querent enters the room, so that the querent’s presence should not distract them. Yet there is an advantage to doing this in the querent’s presence, so that they also may feel the special quality of the moment and enter into a state of calm concentration. We can also mark the entrance to the reading space by removing our shoes. Of course, such actions should correspond to the sensibilities of the reader and the querent. For example, some people may appreciate the smell of incense, while for others it may be annoying.
Handling the Cards
Developing a close relationship with our cards is a gradual process. A new tarot deck usually arrives in a cellophane wrapping inside a cardboard box. At this stage the cards are still an anonymous industrial product, identical to thousands of others that came out of the same machine. But from the moment we open the package and touch the cards, they become “our” cards. From then on, they are a part of our reading history, accumulating our own and our querents’ emotional energies and fingerprints, and sometimes their tears. Thus, the first opening of the card package is a special moment in our relationship with the cards.
It is a good idea to open the cards for the first time as part of a little ceremony in a quiet, isolated place. We can prepare the place and the time in much the same way as we would prepare the reading space, sitting for a while in a state of calmness and concentration, and maybe lighting a candle or an incense stick. We may then open the package, take out the cards, and touch them one by one in order to feel them in our hands.
We may now look at the cards, starting to get used to their feel. But it’s better not to spread them right away on a specific question. Instead, we may look at the images without haste, taking the time to notice our feelings as we observe each card. Some readers like to perform a purification ritual to initiate their relationship with the cards; for example, to pass them through the smoke of burning incense or dry sage leaves, and perhaps to create bodily contact with the cards one by one.
Instead of the industrial cardboard box, we may prefer to keep the cards in a more personalized container. A common practice is to keep the deck inside a bag or wrap it with a piece of cloth, and then put the wrapped cards in a box of our own choosing. It’s a good idea that the bag and the box be made of organic material (such as wood, felt, or natural fiber), rather than an artificial material such as plastic or animal skin, which may carry negative associations. The box may carry mystical symbols or just nice decorations, preferably not something dissonant with the intimate spirit of tarot reading such as a commercial logo. We should also be sensitive to the color and texture of the bag and the box. For example, dark blue or soft purple induce a feeling of calmness and opening to the spiritual level, while bright red may be energetic but perhaps too aggressive.
Besides the bag and the box, it’s a good idea to have a reading mat made of thick cloth on which the cards are laid out. As with all other tarot accessories, it is advisable to use the reading mat only for this purpose. The material, color, and feeling of the reading mat can be chosen with similar considerations as the bag and the box. Instead of a separate bag, some readers use the same piece of cloth both to wrap the cards and to lay them out for reading. In mystic shops and on tarot websites it is possible to find many bags, boxes, and reading mats especially made for this purpose, but perhaps we may want to choose something more unique and personal for our cards instead of a ready-made solution.
Shuffling the Deck
Shuffling the cards at the beginning of the reading may seem like a simple technical action, but actually it has subtle aspects that deserve our attention. Shuffling the cards has two main functions. We can say that these functions are in some sense contrary to each other. One of them expresses our control of the shuffling outcome, and the other expresses our lack of control.
The first function of the shuffle is to establish a bond between our actions and the cards in the spread. We do this by shuffling the cards in our hands, deciding how to shuffle and for how long. In this way, the shuffling outcome — which cards are physically laid out on the table — is determined by our actions and choices. The second function of the shuffle is to introduce an open and uncontrolled factor into the reading. This is due to the fact that we shuffle the cards facedown, not seeing their illustrations. Therefore we cannot have any conscious or deliberate control over the choice of cards for the spread.
The two functions of the shuffling express two key principles that can guide us regardless of the precise way in which we choose to shuffle. The first principle is that our actions and decisions (that is, the querent’s, the reader’s, or both) should determine the choice of cards. The second principle is that the choice should be free of our deliberate control. In other words, in our conscious experience it should appear as effectively random.
To understand the logic behind the first principle, we can draw on two conceptual frameworks: magical and psychological. In magical terms, the shuffling creates an energetic link between the querent and the cards. In psychological terms, the querent can feel an emotional bond with the cards because the cards came out of their hands: in a sense, they are the querent’s cards and the querent is the one responsible for their appearance in the spread.
This understanding can also guide us on the matter of the desired order of shuffling. The exact ordering of the shuffled cards depends on the querent’s and the reader’s actions, as well as on the previous shuffling of the deck in earlier readings. The role of the reader and of the previous reading is not problematic by itself. Within the reading space we can accept it as a sign: it is significant that the querent chose to have a reading with us and with our deck at this precise moment, in which the cards are thus ordered and not otherwise. Notwithstanding this, the reading is focused on the querent and the issues in their life. In order to strengthen their bond with the spread, it is better that the querent should have the last word in the choice of cards. For example, if both the reader and the querent take turns in shuffling the cards, let the querent be the last one to shuffle.
The second principle is common to all methods of divination, as they always involve an uncontrollable and apparently random element. In this sense, shuffling the cards is not different from tossing coins, throwing seashells, observing a formation of tea leaves, or any other of the countless methods of divination used throughout human history. All of them are based on mechanisms that are regarded as random in the normal vision of reality. Therefore, even if we don’t understand the logic of this principle, in practice we should best observe it since it is an essential ingredient of the time-tested experience of divination.
Still, if we do try to figure out the reason behind the second principle, we would find that our two conceptual frameworks diverge from each other. The magical language applies within the reading space in which everything is a sign. In order to let the sign manifest “from the universe,” we have to relinquish control and have the cards appear without depending on our deliberate intention. The psychological viewpoint is relevant outside the reading space. It can interpret the random factor as a trigger to disturb the existing thought processes and drive them in a new and unexpected direction. Once this happens, the final message emerges not from the cards by themselves but as a product of the dynamic process of reading, which involves both the reader’s interpretation and the querent’s reaction and presence.
As these two sets of considerations apply in two different practical domains, one inside the reading space and one outside it, they don’t really contradict each other. Instead, they complement each other to give a more complete vision of the reading process. Those who are acquainted with the physical theory known as quantum mechanics can compare it to the question “What is an electron?” In quantum mechanics there are two disparate answers: “The electron is a particle” and “The electron is a wave.” Each one is valid in a different practical context of measurement, so that they complement each other to give the most complete possible answer to the question. In a similar way, the magical and the psychological visions can complement each other to give us a fuller understanding of the reading process.
Each reader has their own favorite way of shuffling, and no single way fits all. But however we choose to shuffle the cards, it advisable to do this in accordance with the two principles. My way of doing it is to take the cards out of their box and to shuffle them gently facedown while I listen to the querent’s story. In this way I renew my bond with the cards, reshuffle the arrangement that remained from the last reading, and also put in something of the querent’s presence as I feel it. Then I hand the cards to the querent, still facedown, and ask them to shuffle the cards. Once this is done, the querent returns the cards to me, still facedown. One by one I then take the first cards from the back of the deck (that is, from the top side of the facedown pack) and arrange them on the table in the spread layout.
When putting the cards on the table, I prefer to turn them faceup all at once, so that I can see immediately the complete picture. But there are readers who prefer to lay them facedown at first and reveal each card one by one during the session. It is also possible for the reader to shuffle the cards faceup, noting cards that attract the reader’s special attention, and then let the querent shuffle them facedown. Another common practice is to ask the querent to “cut” the deck — that is, to split it into two or three parts, put the parts side by side on the table, and then join them together again in an inverse order.
Readers of the Tarot de Marseille often use only the twenty-two cards of the major suit. In such cases it is also possible to use the following method. Instead of letting the querent shuffle the deck, we can spread it in front of the querent facedown, creating a fan-like form, and ask them to pick up cards by the intuitive feel of their hand. In this way, we conform with the two principles: the querent picks up the cards, but the cards are facedown so that they can’t choose any card intentionally.
When the circumstances do not allow us to use our usual shuffling method, we can improvise by using other solutions while keeping in mind the two principles. For example, sometimes I have to do a reading over the telephone. I prefer an actual meeting face-to-face, but it may happen that a querent needs immediate advice and can’t come over. So I shuffle the cards in my hands with the querent on the telephone line and ask them to tell me when to stop according to their feeling. At this moment I take out the first card from the top of the deck. I repeat the process for the next card, and so on. In this way, the querent’s choice of when to stop each time determines the cards that will come up, but this happens without them having deliberate control over the outcome.
Another method popular today is to do a computer reading. As far as shuffling is concerned, we can accept it as a legitimate method that conforms to the two shuffling principles. The card choice by the computer is not really random. It is dependent on the state of the computer’s memory at the exact moment when the querent activates the shuffling algorithm (that is, when the “choose the cards” button is pressed). Thus, the outcome depends on the querent’s action, as the first principle demands. On the other hand, the choice of cards in the computerized reading cannot be deliberately controlled. These considerations obviously apply only for the electronic “shuffling” of the cards and not for their interpretation. This still remains a human process, whether it is done directly from the card images or by figuring out the meaning of the written texts that the software brings up on the screen.
The Session Dynamics
People usually turn to tarot reading when they feel they need help with their personal problems. In this, the tarot reading presents itself as one option in a vast field of alternatives, ranging from divination methods to more conventional forms of personal guidance, consultation, and therapy. To be sure, the rules and procedures of divination are different from those of psychological therapy. Unlike psychology, they are not motivated by the need to conform to a scientific worldview. Instead, they trust the accumulated wisdom of age-old traditions, which have evolved by adapting themselves to human needs over many generations. But the aim is the same: to give new insights and to help the querent undergo internal processes that will lead him to a better situation.
For tarot readers, what this means is that we should not only pay attention to what we see in the cards. First and foremost, we should be aware of the emotional process that the querent is going through. To guide this process in a helpful and productive way, it is useful to have some knowledge and experience in other forms of therapy. We can achieve this in a variety of ways, from participating in New Age and self-awareness workshops to taking courses in conventional psychology. It is a good idea to spend some time undergoing therapy oneself, whether personal treatment or by participating in a therapy group. Books by professional therapists and psychologists can also provide us with useful insights for the reading session. For example, I often advise students in my tarot courses to read Irvin Yalom’s book The Gift of Therapy. Many of the tips that he gives to apprentice psychologists are also relevant for tarot readers.
Still, we should remember that unlike conventional psychology, which often involves long-term treatment, in tarot reading we usually have to open the process and close it within one session. The session itself may last for up to an hour, more or less. To trigger an effective change in such a short time, it is useful to have some idea about the stages that we are going to pass through.
The first moments of the session are the most important in creating the atmosphere that will prevail throughout. During these moments the querent and the reader test each other and try to assess the amount of trust and exposure that they can allow themselves to express. My way of handling it is to light a candle and strike softly a resonating metal bowl. While the sound is fading I sit down calmly in front of the querent and have a moment of silent welcome. I take out the cards and ask the querent an open question that does not require a specific answer. A typical question may be, for example, “What brings you here?” or “What can I do for you?” It is also a good idea to mention the querent’s first name in order to strengthen their sense of being here and now.
While the querent speaks in reply, I shuffle the cards, trying to be attentive not only to the explicit content, but also to the tone of voice, the choice of words, and the degree of openness and self-awareness that is expressed. These impressions will serve me later in assessing the emotional attitude of the querent toward the problem, as well as guide me in formulating my messages in words that they can understand and accept. For the moment, of course, I keep my observations to myself.
Now I hand over the cards to the querent and instruct them to shuffle as if they were putting themselves and their question into the cards. Sometimes the querent continues to talk while shuffling, and in such cases I ask them to be quiet and concentrate on the cards. The way they shuffle and the length of time that they devote to the shuffling depend on their personal feeling, but if it’s necessary I show them how to do it without wrinkling or folding the cards. If I feel that the querent is prolonging the shuffling, as if they’re trying to avoid the moment of truth in which the cards will be spread, I make a gentle remark like “Hand me the cards when you’re ready.”
With the cards laid out on the table, a new phase of the reading session starts. At this stage it is advisable not to be hasty and look for the answer right away. Instead, we may look at the cards in silence for some time. We can begin with our eyes wandering over them without focusing, letting the impressions flow in freely. Now we can note to ourselves the general character of the spread, the visual patterns that the cards form together, common objects or features in different cards, and perhaps some image details that specifically draw our attention. Still, we should remember that during those moments the querent is in a state of tense expectation, looking at the cards and at our facial expressions and trying to guess what we are going to say. It is important not to lose contact with the querent’s presence.
Now we can begin the conversation and start interpreting the spread. At first we may describe the general impression we got from the cards without making statements that are too strong. Even if the message of the cards is already clear to us, we still do not know to what extent the querent is ready to accept it. We can talk for a few minutes, suggest possible directions and interpretations, and then ask the querent to express their feelings about what we have just said.
During the session it is important to pay constant attention to the querent’s reaction and to adapt what we say to what they can hear and accept. Challenging and difficult contents should first be presented with caution, and we should gradually prepare the querent to receive them. Even if a message is correct by itself, if the querent is not ready for it, their reaction will be to shut off and reject it, and then we would lose contact with them. On the other hand, if we initially soften the messages and put them in a form acceptable for the querent, their trust and openness will grow so that finally we may be able to say things in a more explicit way. If we feel that the querent refuses to accept a specific message, we shouldn’t insist on it. When this happens there is no point in asking who is right. Rather, we should drop the issue, go back to the cards, and try another direction.
Of course, throughout the session our attitude should be open and reassuring, accepting and not judging, positive and emphatic. It is important to remember that the reading is not something that happens between us and the cards, with the querent just sitting there hearing our words. Instead, it is a process that the querent goes through, and our task is to guide them in this process according to the hints that we get from the cards. The important thing is not that we give a message that is objectively right, but that the querent leaves the session with a new insight or advice that they can assimilate and apply in a way that will lead to a positive outcome.
As a rule, we should not present things in an absolute and rigid form: “this is the way things are,” “such-and-such will happen.” This is especially true when we express difficult content. It is important to remember, and to remind the querent when necessary, that what we say is only our personal perception of the cards. They can get useful insights from it, but still it comes from us and reflects our limits, weaknesses, and blind spots. Sometimes it is useful to open a sentence by saying “I think that...” or even “I ask myself whether it’s not...” This way we take responsibility for our point of view instead of trying to force it on the querent.
People often come to tarot readings in a situation of difficulty or distress. Sometimes it happens that they express strong feelings during the session; for example, they may start to cry. We should not be afraid of such moments. They show that the querent feels confident enough to open up and that something in the reading has really touched them. Of course, in such a situation we should remain calm, delicate, and supportive, remembering that the querent is in a very vulnerable state. But even if we do have difficult moments during the session, we should remember to finish it in an uplifting tone, empowering the querent and giving them the feeling that they can do something to improve their situation. For this reason, it is better if such emotionally charged moments happen before the last quarter of the meeting, so that we have enough time to finish the session in a positive emotional tone.
Toward the end of the session, it’s a good idea to check with the querent whether there are other issues or questions they want to bring out. In principle, one can open new cards for additional questions, but usually I prefer to look again at the cards that are already on the table and interpret them in a new way for the other question. In many cases, I find that the second question, while supposedly dealing with a completely different issue, nevertheless reflects a similar pattern in the querent’s life and is therefore connected to the first question.
During the last minutes of the session, we should recap and summarize the main points and insights. It’s a good idea to ask the querent for some feedback — how they feel, what they understand from the session, and what they take out with them. If we feel that we’re leaving matters in an unfinished state, we should devote a few additional minutes in order to wrap them up properly. For this, we should plan ahead and leave some spare time after the scheduled ending so that we can prolong the meeting if necessary. It’s also a good idea to suggest that the querent doesn’t return right away to everyday reality. Instead, they may take some time to sit in a quiet, calm place or in a neutral environment such as a café, and work out their emotions about the content and experience of the reading.
Many tarot books attach much importance to the explicit formulation of the question, as if the cards were somehow obliged to answer the exact wording of the query. But as I see it, even if the querent comes to the reading with a clear and precise question, we should regard it only as a starting point. People are not always self-aware enough to know what exactly it is that troubles them. And even if they are, they don’t always feel free to reveal it right away during the first minutes of a meeting with a total stranger. In other words, the question that the querent presents at the beginning of the reading is not always the real question that we are supposed to answer in order to help them.
That is why at the beginning of the session I prefer to let the querent present their story as they choose, listen to them, and maybe ask some questions of my own when something seems strange or unclear to me. Eventually we may arrive at a focused question and lay out the cards in order to answer it, but we may also just describe the situation, open the cards, and see where they lead us. While the querent is speaking, I pay attention to the way they present things and interpret it by the rule that everything is a sign. If the querent starts out with a long and detailed story, perhaps the first thing that they need is just someone to listen to them. If the story is complicated and winding, they might be avoiding the real problem and trying to hide it behind a cloud of details. On the other hand, if the querent declines to give us information or challenges us to find out by ourselves what is the matter with them, we should note their closed and defensive attitude and understand it as a need for protection. We will probably have to work hard to gain their confidence, so that they may allow their defenses to be brought down.
We should be suspicious of an all-too-clear and explicit question, as it might be just a cover, hiding the really essential point. For example, a man may ask how he can improve his situation at work or with his life partner. During the reading the question may come up as to whether he wants to remain in his present job or relationship at all. Of course, in such a case we are not supposed to give him a definite yes or no answer, only to open him to new insights on the subject that he can later process with himself. In another instance, a woman may tell us about a business problem, but the reading may show that a family complication is bothering her and not letting her devote her energies to her business. In such a case, the real question is what to do about the family complication.
Many people come for a tarot reading expecting a fortunetelling session, as if the cards are to say what will happen to them. So they may ask a question about future events: When will I get married? Will the business succeed? Will the quarrel end? Taking such a question at face value and giving them a definite answer is usually not productive. Right or wrong, an optimistic prediction may lower the motivation of the querent to make an effort, as they may believe that success is guaranteed. A pessimistic one could also lower their motivation, this time because they may think all is lost anyway. The point is that such questions are formulated in terms of the future only on the surface of things. It is a language in which the querent expresses their present fears and concerns about the future. It is important to calm fears when they arise. But the real question — which has practical consequences — is not about the past or the future but always about the present: what can the querent do now in order to improve their situation?
The querent’s reactions at the end of the meeting should also not always be taken at face value. Sometimes it happens that people tell me things like “You didn’t tell me much that was new” or “I didn’t relate to the message you conveyed.” But a few months or years later I meet them by chance, and then it turns out that the reading was meaningful and occupied their thoughts for a long time. In such cases one can hear things like “I didn’t understand at the time what came up in the reading, and only a few months later did it dawn on me.” It is important to remember that the prospect of real change always arouses real resistance at first. The significant test is over time, after the querent has digested and worked out what came up in the session. Thus, the criterion for a successful and productive reading is not whether the querent comes away from it with an immediate feeling of satisfaction. Rather, it is whether in retrospect they consider it as having been a positive and helpful experience.