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Going Pro: Why You Need To Discourage People From Buying A Reading From You

discourage people from buying a reading from you
Powerful Me Oracle available as a printable on Patreon

I see it all over social media: tarot readers enticing people to buy their readings with discounts and other special offers.

It’s a bit like clicking the Buy Now button for an email reading as if buying a t-shirt.

But if you are a tarot professional, then you actually need to discourage people from buying a reading from you.

Let’s pause for a moment and think. Buying a tarot email reading shouldn’t be like buying a t-shirt. It’s a spiritual service that offers reflection and guidance.

The last thing we want to do as tarot professionals is to lower a reading to the same level as making an Amazon purchase, which you can return for a full refund.

While requests for refunds are rare, they do occur, mainly because some clients don’t like the message they receive, and others weren’t bothered to  peruse your website to learn more about what kind of readings you provide and your terms of service.

You need to discourage people from buying a reading from you as part of your marketing strategy.

This includes making it clear on your website what kind of readings you provide and your terms of service, which may include a NO REFUND policy for readings already carried out.

The latter is your personal choice and depends on your willingness to put up with “tarot reading shoppers”.

These are people, who buy a number of readings online from various readers on the same question, and if they don’t like your reading, they’ll ask you for a refund.

There is this idea that you should offer a “money back guarantee” to make it easier for prospective clients to buy, but when it comes to provide a tarot reading in good faith, you will have spent time to carry it out, and that time is worth money.

By discouraging people to buy a reading from you with a no refund policy, you give them another chance to think before they buy rather than clicking the Buy Now button on impulse assuming they can ask for a refund if not happy.

Also consider listing reasons why NOT to buy a reading from you.

For example:

Don’t buy a reading from me, if you

  • want a prediction and then wait for it to materialise
  • don’t want to be pro-active about creating your future
  • want a quick fix
  • want the reading to be a miracle cure
  • reject new perspectives and viewpoints
  • are fixed on a certain outcome
  • want me to tell you just what you want to hear

This way you may well get less requests, but you will get better clients who know what to expect. They will be a better fit and make this work more rewarding for you.

While “negative” marketing seems counter-productive at first, it can help you find more suitable clients who you can connect with more easily.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

Wamrest wishes,

Christiane

 

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Podcast: Using The Tarot For Guidance During Challenging Times

using the tarot for guidance during challenging timesUsing the Tarot for guidance during challenging times is a current but also timeless topic, because we have to deal with all kinds of crisis situations throughout our lives.

When we are faced with a situation that is beyond our control, it can make us feel helpess, in shock and disbelief.

And while we have to deal with anger, frustration, anxiety and even loss, the last thing on our mind is being spiritually blissful and grateful.

But practicing mindfulness with the Tarot can help us ground ourselves in the here and now.

With the Tarot we can explore uncertain times to maintain and nourish our mental health, and learn to accept this moment in time as a stepping stone on our life journey.

By looking inwards with the Tarot, we can create balance, a shift in perspective and over time discover a way forward.

In my first podcast, I share with you my thoughts on how adversity can affect us, and how we can use the Tarot to empower us when dealing with loss and uncertainty:

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

NEW! The Powerful Me Oracle Deck (Patreon Exclusive)

powerful me oracle deckWhat do you do when the world is on Lockdown, and you’re only allowed one trip to the shop a week and an hour a day of outdoor exercise in a public place?

I started creating some oracle cards just for fun, and slowly they evolved into a colourful set of empowering prompts, which happen to reflect the challenging times we are all currently experiencing.

And hey presto, the Powerful Me Oracle deck was born.

This deck is exclusively available on my Patreon in digital format only.

Each month I will post 4 postcards and 9 oracle cards (see pic above) until a minimum of 36 cards have been created.

If you would like to start collecting the Powerful Me Oracle cards and bonus postcards, join my Patreon today.

You will need to select the Study tier at $3.33 in order to access the oracle cards, and they will only be available at this tier for one month only or until the new set of 9 oracle cards is being published.

powerful me oracle cards and postcards
First set of postcards and oracle card available on Patreon

Now is the perfect time to get creative and print your own oracle deck and fabulous greeting cards.

Use them for your journal, altar or sacred space – print them as a gift, send a postcard to a friend or loved one as an encouraging message…

Simply print on photo quality paper and cut to size with a craft knife and metal ruler.

Join my Patreon to start collecting the Powerful Me Oracle today and tons more tarot and journaling resources and printables.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

Spice Up your Tarot Readings with Divination Add-Ons

spice up your tarot readings with divination add-onsIf you feel your regular tarot practice has become a little stale or boring, here’s a new way how you can spice up your tarot readings – simply add some divination add-ons like the ones you can see on the pic above.

While I’ve created just eight cards, you can add more prompts, such as

enjoy/avoid
learn/release
think/feel

From your selection of divination add-ons, choose specific card pairs like yes/no, or draw random cards to create a spread.

How to use the cards

Each keyword can bring up a number of different questions, and your intuition will guide you to which question to ask.

For example:

Rest – What do I need to let rest for a while? What do I need to put to rest? What can help me rest?

Grow – What do I need to grow? What is ready to grow in my life? What needs tending to? What is growing? What can help me grow?

More – What do I need to do more of? What am I receiving more of? What do I need to be more?

Stop/More – If you draw two cards at random, you can combine them as follows:

If I stop doing this …., I will get more of that…. 

or

I will stop this …and do more of that…

(… = tarot cards drawn)

Simply go with the flow. Different questions or messages may come up for you when you tune into your reading.

Making your cards

Be resourceful with your cardstock – I’ve used a colourful cardboard box of paper tissues, which would have otherwise been thrown away. Upcycling rather than buying new.

I also decided to try my hand-lettering and doodling skills – not that brilliant, but I like it!

If you would like to download my version of the cards, hop over to my Patreon (more info on membership HERE).

In the meantime, check out my video for more ideas:

Let me know, how my divination add-ons spice up your tarot readings. I’d love to hear from you 🙂

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

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Global Year Card 2020: The Emperor In The Tarot

the emperor in the tarotThe Emperor in the Tarot (key 4 in the Major Arcana) is our planet’s year card for 2020 based on numerology (2+0+2+0 = 4).

This card symbolises power and control issues in both beneficial and challenging ways.

For many people, the world has become an unsettling place – fascist leaders taking control, inequality, rise in crime, radical climate change activism, environmental catastrophes around the world, the sheer volume of plastic waste, unsustainable consumption, war in the Middle East, fake news, political corruption and gaslighting…

It all started in 2017, the Wheel of Fortune year, in which Trump took office in the White House.

Since then, our heads have been spinning caused by a dazzling speed of change beyond our control.

But 2020 is the year of the Emperor – a reminder we need to step back into our power and become leaders of light and hope in our families, communities, at work, in our relationships and also for ourselves.

This means we have to get fully engaged with the world, get active, speak up and debate, join and support groups to contribute towards making a difference.

Taking responsibility that we are all to blame for the state of the world, and now it’s time to make amends by radically changing our ways.



The Emperor has a vision of where he wants to be in the future. He is passionate, ambitious, driven and doesn’t shy away from confrontation.

He is in control by making plans and getting organised.

He is creating a solid foundation – a springboard – from which he can progress, move forward and grow.

At a global level during 2020, we will see more people questioning old structures and institutions (Meghan and Harry, Iran protests, healthcare funding, climate emergency…). This will continue into 2021, the year of the Hierophant.

There will be power struggles between governments and new grassroot movements demanding change.

The dark side of the Emperor will show up, and we have to face it head on: narcissism and control issues.

Look at neo-fascist populist leaders taking control all over the world by spreading misinformation and character assassinations on a global scale through social media.

The population is being controlled by lack of funding for education. The government doesn’t want our children to become digitally intelligent. This would expose government’s lies and damage their power.

We have to take education (including critical thinking and fact-checking) in our own hands.

The Emperor is linked to the zodiac sign Aries – what will be started, may not necessarily come to a conclusion.

Projects borne out of passion or anger may be aborted midway due to intense emotions diminishing, lack of interest, energy, a short attention span.

Without a good plan and preparation, even the best intentions and ideas despite enthusiasm may not lead to anything and just dissipate.

I’m watching the Labour leadership election and development of Extinction Rebellion (and other environmental protest movements) with the Emperor in mind. How is the Emperor energy reflected in your part of the world?

The Emperor is this year’s global year card, which means that while this masculine, yang energy has a strong influence on our personal lives, it also works combined with our personal year cards.

The global year card represents our external influences – opportunities and challenges, global events and developments we cannot control.

Our personal year card represents internal energy – strengths, weaknesses, attitudes, beliefs, values, choices, desires, our actions and responses to global year card energies.

How does your personal year card interact with the current global year card?

Take these three steps to start exploring:

1. What’s your first impression when looking at both cards together?
2. What element/s are represented? (earth, air, fire, water…)
3. What astrological correspondences? (planets, zodiac)

Elements and astrological correspondences can give you an indication, whether your combination is friendly, supportive, neutral, conflicting or challenging.

You can then explore how to harness, resolve and align these energies to your advantage.

This work isn’t done in a day. It’s an ongoing project that lasts a whole year.

Over on Patreon, we will check up on a monthly basis, how the Emperor is influencing global developments, which is just one of many mindful tarot activities you can participate in as a member.

Learn more about membership HERE. I’d love to welcome you to my Patreon community. Together, we can grow strong.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

 

Tarot Astrology: Pluto in the Tarot

pluto in the tarotPluto is one of the three modern planets discovered in 1930, and it was later added to the Tarot as the ruling planet for Judgement.

Together with Mars, it is one of Scorpio’s ruling planets, so in the Tarot it is also linked to Death, the zodiac card for Scorpio.

Pluto in the Tarot is not associated with any Minor Arcana cards, which have all been assigned to the traditional seven planets.

While all planets represent gods, Pluto is the God of the Underworld, so it makes sense that it is now linked to Scorpio and Death.

The energy of Pluto is that of transformation, regeneration, letting go as well as the unconscious.

It is associated with sexuality, physical and spiritual birth, with death and resurrection.

Pluto nudges us to confront our – and nature’s – darker, more instinctive side.

Pluto energy offers us psychological insight and the ability to heal and regenerate.

On the other hand, it can generate obsessive compulsive tendencies.

So what does this all mean for Judgement and Death in the Tarot?

“I was dreamin’ when I wrote this, forgive me if it goes astray
But when I woke up this mornin’, could’ve sworn it was judgment day
The sky was all purple, there were people runnin’ everywhere
Tryin’ to run from the destruction, you know I didn’t even care…”
– Prince, 1999

Pluto’s influence on Judgement suggests the ability and necessity to let go of old patterns and baggage in order to move on.

After all, a change of direction is an ending, just like putting closure on a situation by having learned a lesson or practicing forgiveness.

Pluto’s influence on Death suggests the need for detachment, a rite of passage, an emotionally painful transition, resurrection.

Both cards remind me of the rise of the Phoenix from the ashes, endings and new beginnings, but while Judgement’s ending feels more upbeat and the rise is imminent, Death’s ending is lingering and comes together with Scorpio’s sting in its tail – ouch.

If both cards were present in a reading, it can suggest the transformative nature of Pluto intensified and a sense of upheaval, life being turned upside down as a result of external events or decisions being made.

If you would like to learn more about how to combine tarot with astrology, check out my course.

Warmest wishes,

Christiane

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22 Equinox Journaling Prompts To Balance Your Life

22 journaling prompts to balance in your life
The Cosmic Faery Tarot

The upcoming Equinox marks the day when daylight and night-time are equal in length.

It also coincides with the sun entering Libra, and in the Tarot this zodiac sign is linked to Justice.

So, whether you are celebrating the Spring or Autumn Equinox, the common theme is Balance.

Hence the following equinox journaling prompts are universal rather than specific to geographical location.

The prompts are designed to explore opposing energies in our lives and find ways to align them, to adjust and integrate.

Creating balance in your life is an ongoing process, and with this collection of seasonal prompts you can do some serious but also fun and fascinating soul work over the coming weeks.

Each prompt consists of two positions. Draw a card for each, and if you like you can also draw a third card to explore how to align the opposing energies.

22 journaling prompts to balance your life:

  1. Withdraw from… / Connect with…
  2. My heart / My mind
  3. I learn / I teach
  4. Denial / Acceptance
  5. I am free to… / I am responsible for…
  6. I am confused about… / This will give me clarity:
  7. Imagination / Reality
  8. Knowledge / Wisdom
  9. My struggle: / My power:
  10. I trust: / I doubt:
  11. My plan: / My action:
  12. I fear: / I embrace:
  13. Habit / Change
  14. Stop… / Start…
  15. Renew: / Discard:
  16. Slow down / Accelerate
  17. Fly high / Lie low
  18. My pain: / My pleasure:
  19. This is ending: / This is beginning:
  20. Conflict / Peace
  21. I resist: / I surrender
  22. I choose: / I receive:

Play the Equinox Divination Game

Just like the Solstice Divination Game, playing with these journal prompts doesn’t have to be limited to the time of the Equinox.

Play whenever you feel you need to create balance in your life.

Printable cards and instructions are available on my Patreon space, the Cosmic Spirit Sanctuary.

If you love a more creative and structured approach to working with the Tarot, consider becoming a member.

Learn more here.

equinox journaling prompts balance
Lots of printable goodies available on Patreon…