JudithLaura.com

Judith Laura's answers to 
Frequently Asked Questions about Tarot Readings

Are phone or online chat readings as good as in-person readings?
That depends on what you mean by "as good as."  If you mean are they as accurate, all I can say is that from the feedback I've gotten from people I've read for, there is no difference between how accurate people feel the insights I give them are whether I read in person, in online chat, or by phone. However, if you like to see the cards as the reader is reading, or if you like to participate deeply in the reading process--such as offering your interpretation of the cards-- then you may prefer in-person readings. Please note, I can speak only for myself here, and not for all Tarot readings or readers. Different readers use their skills and their art differently, so whether an in-person reading is better than other types of readings may vary with different readers. Personally, I have been intrigued by readings in online chats, which I have done since 1997. I began in online chats without knowing the real name and sometimes even the gender of the person I was reading for. I think that with the traditional, in-person reading, many people assume that the reader is getting "clues" from people's body language, dress, and other visual factors. Reading in online chat for people I've never met eliminates these factors. I've been gratified that in the online chat readings I've done, information I receive is as appropriate as when I read in person. (For theories about how this is possible, see "How Does It Work?" ) . It's easiest for me to set up a reading in online chat if you are on AOL or AIM.

What is the shortest in-person reading?
The shortest in-person reading I do is 1 hour. (See chart below, "In Person Gift Readings" for times and fees that also apply to in-person readings for yourself.)

What is the shortest phone or online chat reading?
The shortest time for phone readings is 30 minutes. The shortest time for online chat readings is 15 minutes (see chart below for details).

If I want a phone reading, will you be able to do it when I call you?
No. Like other readings, phone readings are done by appointment only. In my experience, I can usually schedule a reading quicker if you contact me by email, even if you are scheduling a phone reading. This is because it usually saves time by eliminating "phone tag" and other problems.

Anything else I should know about phone readings?
Yes. Results will usually be better if you use a landline phone, or a wireless phone you are sure has good sound quality (remembering that wireless calls are not as reliably private as landline calls). It's important that you are in a quiet place where you are unlikely to be interrupted. Believe it or not, I've had clients who have scheduled phone readings from their cubicle at work, a public restroom, a car in which they are driving their kids to school, and an amusement park. I feel that these are inappropriate places for you to have a phone reading as you can't fully concentrate on what I'm saying or even on your own issues, and the commotion on your end of the phone can throw me off. But hey, as the saying goes, it's your nickel.

Why don't you do readings by email?
I feel that accuracy is enhanced by answering the question at the time it is asked.  For me, the connection between me and the person I'm reading for is better when we are both present at the same time (but not necessary the same place). On a practical level, when questions are answered by email, your feelings may change from the time you ask the question to the time I answer it. Reading by email does not allow give-and-take and clarifications of issues as there can be in online chat, by phone or in person. For me, as a reader, I feel "something is missing" in email readings. Again, I am only speaking for myself, and not for all readers.

How long have you been reading Tarot?
I've been giving in-person readings since the 1970s. I've been reading in online chat since 1997. I began giving phone readings sometime between those two dates. (For more on my tarot background, see Readings and Classes)

I have a big decision to make. Can you tell me what to do?
I can't make the decision for you.  But I can help you get information that you can use in making the decision, along with information that you've gotten from other sources. You are responsible for your decisions and your actions.

Are there areas or things that you won't discuss or predict?
Most Tarot readers and psychics consider it unethical to predict death. I agree. I also don't give medical or legal advice as I am not a doctor or lawyer. Because there are legal implications, this means I cannot predict what will happen with your green card or visa applications. When it comes to health and medicine, I don't predict the outcome of a disease, or what diseases or conditions you may acquire. For pregnant women I don't predict the sex of the baby since this information is available through medical means. The same is true for finding out whether or not you are pregnant--tests are available from drugstores or in doctor's offices.

Can you tell me the name of my true love?
Tarot has no way to give us names of our true loves or of anyone else, and I usually don't get this information psychically.

Can you tell me what another person is thinking or feeling?
I consider it unethical--a sort of playing "psychic peeping Tom"-- to enter another person's private psychic space to find out things about them unless they have given me permission. By coming to me for a reading, you are giving me permission to enter your psychic space. But your friends and family members haven't given me the same permission. Therefore, I don't answer questions about thoughts or feelings of a person other than yourself. I can, however, look at the relationship between you and another person and give you information about it from your point of view and discuss the ways situations with that person affects you.

Do you remove curses?
 No. I don't deal in curses. Telling people that someone put a curse on them and that the reader is able to remove the "curse" (usually for a hefty price) is unethical and usually a scam.

If you can tell me some things about my life and future, does this mean you can see and know everything about me in the past, present and future?
No, I can only give you as much information as I receive through the cards, though Spirit. Sometimes this is just bits and pieces of information, based on the questions you ask, sometimes I get a complete scenario, and sometimes I get information you haven't even asked about--and I will tell you about that information too. However, no reader is omniscient (seeing and knowing everything). In fact, often I (as well as other readers) am not aware of the full implications of the information I receive for you and tell you about.  For example, I may see that you are involved romantically with two different people, but I may not "get" that you are married to one of the people (then again, I might). Though I like to think that I'd receive some indication if you are currently living your life in a thoroughly dishonest manner, it's unlikely that I will pick up that one time you cheated on your spelling test in the 5th grade ;-)

What is Tarot best at doing or telling us?
A Tarot reading is usually excellent for helping us focus on deep life issues in general or on specifics. For example, a reading can help you understand which job options are available for you and what is likely to work out well for you. It can help you establish career objectives. It can help you understand and solve romantic, family, or work-centered relationship problems. It can help you focus more effectively on just about any problem. It can give you insights into your spiritual path. When it comes to predicting, Tarot is best when considering the near future: usually the next 1-6 months. Although the prediction time factor can vary depending on your life circumstances, Tarot is usually best at predicting no more than 6 months into the future, and it is very unusual for a Tarot reader to predict more than a year into the future. You should be aware, however, that today some Tarot readers do not predict at all.  I do look at "outcomes" or future probabilities. (See http://tarot.judithlaura.com/read.html for more on my approach.) If "knowing the future" is important to you, and you are making appointments with other readers, I advise you to ask before making an appointment whether the reader includes future predictions in what they do.

Do you do Past Life readings?
No. Although I believe in reincarnation, my focus is on this life.

Do I have to be a certain age to get a reading with you?
If you're not at least 18 years old, you'll need written permission from your parents.

How long can I expect to wait before I can get an appointment with you?
It's often several weeks before I can schedule in-person readings. I usually have openings for readings in online chat or by phone in 24-48 hours, but of course how soon I can do the reading also depends on how compatible our schedules are. I don't do readings in the morning or at night. At the present time, I schedule readings only in the afternoons (before 6 p.m. ET) on both weekdays and weekends. I've found the scheduling process is usually faster when the person initially contacts me by email, even if you are scheduling a phone reading.

If I contact you by email, what information do you need from me to schedule an appointment?
I need to know what type of reading you want (in-person? phone? online chat?), how long you want the reading to be (see below for lengths of time for each type of reading and fees), and what your time constraints are, if any (for example, would you prefer weekends? or weekdays? are you available only at certain times on some days?). I schedule readings on both weekday and weekend afternoons.

Can I bring a friend along to watch my reading?
I don't allow other people to watch or to participate in any way in your reading. This is to protect your privacy and arises out of my experience of having people invite their friends to sit in on their readings and then get embarrassed--or worse--when we get into areas they didn't foresee we would get into and that they don't feel comfortable having their friends know about.

Can record the reading?
Yes. If you want to tape an in-person reading, I advise you to bring as much of your own equipment as possible for quality assurance. (Though as far as I know this has never happened with my readings, I know of experiences with other readers where, when the person got home, there was nothing on the tape. I'm told this sometimes happens with readings because psychic energy has been known to interfere with electronics, so I want you to have as much control over the recording process as possible). I have a tape recorder we can use, but I strongly advise you to bring your own tape. If you aren't able to do this and still want to record the session, I can sometimes provide a tape for an additional charge of $5, but please be aware that I don't always have tapes on hand.) You may also record a phone reading, but please be aware that you are legally required to first tell me if you  are going to record our phone conversation. The reading will never be recorded from my end. For readings in online chat, you have my permission to save the reading electronically and/or to print it out, but to protect your privacy I never save any electronic record or print-out of the reading. In all cases, you are always welcome to take notes.

Copyright 2003-2008 by Judith Laura. All rights reserved. Last updated Jan. 6,2009.