Whether you read professionally or not, you will probably find yourself at some point facing ethically challenging situations. One way to minimize troublesome on-the-spot moments is to determine your ethical guidelines ahead of time. This is helpful, but no matter how thorough and careful you are, you might find someone at your table asking something you never even thought of.
Ethical considerations are shaped by your philosophy about the cards, the purpose of readings, and your role as a reader.
Type of Advice
Some readers will never give medical, legal, or financial advice because they are not doctors, lawyers, or financial advisors. Most readers, although not all, would agree that these are good boundaries. But beyond that, each reader must determine how far those boundaries go.
What if a querent has three different medical opinions (or investment strategies) from three different medical practitioners (or financial advisors) and wants to know which one is the best for them?
What if a single doctor gives the querent two very different solutions to a health problem and leaves it to the querent to decide which one. Would that be outside the ethical bounds of a reading?
Some readers will not read about a situation regarding someone else who is not present. For example, a querent wants to know if her spouse is cheating.
Less clear is if the querent wants to know what to do to help a friend or support her daughter or improve communication with her boyfriend. These are less directly about the other person, but still do touch on their lives.
Confidentiality
Many readers say that their readings are absolutely confidential. Before deciding that is your boundary, make sure you consider:
What if the querent is a danger to themselves (is asking about self-destructive behavior or suicide)?
What if the querent is inquiring about something illegal or has confessed to a crime?
What if the querent is a danger to others?
Telling All
Where is your boundary in terms of telling a querent what you see? Do you tell them everything you see whatever it is? Are there some things you won’t tell no matter what?
Death is an extreme example, but let’s say you do think that the cards can predict death. If you see it, do you say it? What if you don’t usually think the cards can predict death, but you just know that’s what’s on the table in front of you?
What if someone asks about their children, and you see illness or some sort of accident?
What if someone asks about the 65 applications they’ve sent out while in their 12th month of unemployment and there is no positive outcome?
Minors
Will you read for people under a certain age? What age?
Will you read for people under a certain age if their parents give permission?
Will you read for people under a certain age if their parents are present? If so, are there things you wouldn’t reveal or say in order to protect the minor’s privacy?
Ethical boundaries are important but rarely the black and white lines we would wish them to be. Knowing what you believe to be right in these areas will make a good foundation. Time and experience will help you build those complex boundaries. But life being what it is and people being what they are, you should probably plan on a lifetime of learning about the complicated questions of your own personal code of tarot ethics.
Barbara, this post raises a lot of good issues. I try to be as honest and forthright with a client, but I will not give medical, financial, or legal advice since I am not qualified to do so. I won’t read for people not present. When I get the old “Does so and so love me/cheating on me?” I fall back to “What do I need to know about the relationship” since that focuses on the querent’s realm of experience, not the other person’s. If I ever read for a person that I thought was a dnger to themselves or another, I would defintely take action- you can’t let that slide. I only read for minors with a parent’s permission, but I respect their privacy- only if I thought the minor was in danger would I talk to the parents- it’s always been “what do I need to know about my relationship” and “will I pass that test?” stuff anyway.
I agree there are some things you just can’t be prepared for and you will have to use your best judgement.
I totally agree on this and the comment Ty made.
I am always surprised how many people ask questions about others. I see a tarot consult as a spiritual/therapeutic consult.
A great article, Barbara. Several years ago I wrote a booklet entitled “How to Avoid Psychic Fraud.” In an updated edition, Llewellyn published it as “The Truth About Psychic Powers.” In it I gave this code for any psychic reader:
1. My clients are responsible for their behavior.
2. I will be encouraging and give hope.
3. I will strive to be balanced, centered and cheerful.
4. I will concentrate on my clients’ issues, not my own.
5. I will educate clients so they do not have to keep returning to deal with the same problems.
6. I will never predict a physical death unless extreme circumstances call for such a prediction.
7. I will stress the karmic importance of keeping promises.
8. I will recommend that a client with any disease, illness or physical problem seek professional help. I am not a doctor.
9. I will recommend that my clients consult a professional banker or broker before making financial transactions. I am not a banker or broker.
10. I will continue studying anything that will aid me in giving better readings.
11. I promise to give the best possible advice to any client who seeks my aid.
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I only read for minors with a parent’s permission, but I respect their privacy-
This is a nice stuff for anybody who wants to find out about this topic. You realize so much its virtually onerous to argue with you . You positively put a new spin on a topic that has been written about for years. Nice stuff, just great!