From my Tarot blog:
As I see it, there are two big pitfalls in doing Tarot readings for someone other than yourself: Predictions and Pronouncements.
If you've read Modern Oracle Tarot for more than five minutes you already know how I feel about predictions. Choice is more powerful. The role of intuition is to broaden horizons. Readings should inspire, empower, and give options, not predict the future - you know the drill.
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Readings are about advice. When you do a reading for someone else, you are basically giving them advice, whether your guidance is drawn from your conscious experience and know-how, or drawn from spirit / inner knowing / intuition through using the cards.
Sometimes when people just aren't hearing what I'm saying, I'll put the hammer down, go into Tenth Doctor no-second-chances, no-means-no mode if someone keeps insisting on a prediction after I've told them it isn't appropriate. That's on them for ignoring the advice that is honestly given. The other half, the pronouncements, that's all on me.
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Saying 'you should' do such and such is just as limiting, and dis-empowering as a prediction. It plants a seed, sets the other person up for "self-fulfilling prophecy" not true choice. It is one of the most enduring and endearing premises of "Doctor Who" on TV - everyone, even the bad guys, must be given a real choice. If we pronounce what they "should" do we are asking them to learn from OUR mistakes, re-walk OUR path - we are not honoring, guiding or shining a light on THEIR path. For some people, our advice turns on the light bulb over their head, and eases the learning process. Other people need to learn the hard way (the way many of readers did). Who are we as card-readers and advice-givers to decide which is which? More...
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