Even if you only read Tarot for fun, you will find that sooner or later you will experience burnout.

 

Why is that?

 

There are a few reasons but the main culprits is the phenomena of ‘tuning in and leaking out’.

 

 

First of all lets check what the symptoms and signs of burnout are:

 

Mentally and emotionally you may experience irritation, anger, crying for no reason, confusion, apathy, insomnia and over reaction to events.

 

Physically you will notice dark circles under the eyes, white spots on your nails, pains in the muscles and aches in the bones, easy bruising, fatigue, allergies and frequent infections.

 

Factor 1 – Tuning in

 

For many people, reading the Tarot cards takes effort.

 

Energetic effort.

 

Not only do you have to tune in, you have to shut those negative voices in your head that say, ‘Maybe this time I will be wrong’ or ‘I have no idea what these cards mean!’. So you manage to put those voices aside. Then you have to display confidence that you know what you are doing and this can often depend on the weather, hormones, hunger levels and whether you feel psychic today.

 

(Tip: No, you are not always psychic and in tune! Every woman has a cycle. Sometimes your abilities will be stronger than other times)

 

The next obstacle is the reading itself. If you read for a friend or family it may feel easier because you know them, but you may also feel ‘put on the spot’, especially if it is your uncle who does not really believe in the cards. If you are reading for a stranger, you have to know them instantly, their deepest fears, relationship issues and what will happen in the next six months. Psychotherapists take years to understand their clients. You have to do it in fifteen to thirty minutes. No pressure!

 

To be a good Tarot reader is actually not easy. The cards part is easy. Its the tuning in that is the hard part. You are listening, contemplating, interpreting the cards  and trying to translate a message in the best possible way.

 

Simply put the formula goes as follows…

x amount of effort tuning in = x amount of burnout afterwards

 

The more new you are to Tarot the more easily tired you will become. It is a simple fact. Tuning in takes time and practice. You have to ignore external distractions and feel what is happening with the cards and the other person. You need to read the cards in a way that makes sense and helps the other person. If the person is friendly and open it is much easier to tune in. A situation where someone sits across from you with their arms crossed is much harder.

 

(Tip: Yes there are people that will come to you, spend money and not actually believe in Tarot. Crazy eh?)

 

Once you get the hang of things, tune in quickly, gain a degree in body analysis, read a million psychology books and have a clean energetic system, then you will never feel tired ever again.

 

(I am being slightly sarcastic.)

 

We are humans, not machines – there is always a risk of burnout, not matter how experienced we are.

 

 

 

Factor 2 – Leaking out

 

Leaking out means not being grounded and centered. Simply put, you tune in and start floating off into space. Fantastic for channeling, not so good for coming back to earth and driving a car. A proper Tarot/Psychic teacher will ALWAYS teach you how to ground and center.

 

I see many psychics put on weight when they do not manage to stay grounded – they basically eat to feel heavy and in their body.

 

Tip: If you are ravenous after a Tarot reading session you are making one of the following mistakes – using too much energy to tune in, not getting grounded after you finish, doing too many readings in one sitting and of course…not eating.

 

When you leak out you are usually not centered and grounded. Being grounded keeps you in your body. You know who you are and where your energy ends and the other persons begins. I usually recommend my students to do a grounding exercise and to also image white or violet light around them for psychic protection. For many people these two simple methods work.

 

You will also leak boundaries when you are psychologically threatened (consciously or subconsciously) and that aspect is a whole other article because there is so much to explain.

 

 

 

Here are my Top 13 Tips to avoid burnout when reading the Tarot

 

Rest, good sleep, nutritious food and clean water should be obvious in helping you avoid burnout.

The 13 tips below are ALL practical, and you can start NOW.

 

 

Breathing

 

Watching your breath can really help to avoid burnout. We tend to hold our breath or do shallow breathing when we are stressed. Noting how your breath is, every so often will remind you to keep it steady and take full deep breaths. Breathing in fresh, unpolluted air can keep you grounded and in your body.

 

Washing hands

 

I always wash hands before and after a Tarot reading. Any time I worked in a Tarot business belonging to someone else, I always made sure I had a sink nearby or I wouldn’t take the job – it was that important to me.

I wash my hands before every client and I imagine my hands being receptive to the energies of the person I am about to meet. I always put my hand out to shake a clients hand while looking them in the eye and smiling. I will not offer my hand if the body language of the client is cold or closed. This is because I do not want to be intrusive or push their boundaries. My handshake is dry and firm when I shake hands. Subconsciously, humans feel the other person is anxious when their hand is shaky. You do not want to show a lack of confidence. 

As I shake a clients hand I feel what happens in my body. Do I suddenly feel sad, angry, scared, lost? Is it a firm grasp? A loose grasp? Sweaty hands? Dry, course hands? Shaking hands?

This can give me some information before I even take out the cards.

After the reading I shake the clients hand again and sometimes they reach out to give me a hug which I allow:) I then go and wash my hands well with soap and water. I imagine ‘washing away’ the reading and preparing for the next one. 

 

Meditation

 

 

Meditation works for me over and over again to avoid burnout. I would like to say I get up early in the morning and do my meditation but I don’t. I love my sleep and will stay in bed as long as possible, which these days, if I am lucky is 6 am when my son comes into the room and jumps on me!

 

The aim of meditation is to still your mind and be in the moment. Meditation is medicine for the brain and body.There are SO many types of meditation that there are bound to be a type that will suit you.  

 

I am not a ‘sit cross legged and gaze at the candle’ woman. You might be! I love active meditations, which means doing something. My favorite types of active meditations are 5 RHYTHMS DANCE and OSHO ACTIVE MEDITATIONS. If I have had a really hard day I go for a fast walk while calming my mind or I do an active meditation. 

 

White / Violet / Gold light

 

Imaging light around you to feel protected and safe is a very common technique. It can be simple as closing your eyes for a few seconds and imagine sitting inside an egg of white radiant light where no negative energy can penetrate. 

 

Protection of Guides / Angels

 

Many women like to call on their guides, angels, goddesses or whoever they feel close to. The woman will ask them to be with her and keep her safe. I personally find this does not stop me from getting tired but I have friends that say it works a charm. 

 

Grounding Before and After

 

Try the technique shown in the video above with Grace T.Kim. The instructions demonstrate being barefoot on the ground but if that is not possible, you can ‘imagine’ your feet barefoot on the ground. Other exercises include imaging your spine as the truck of a tree and your feet are roots which extend deep into the ground. Others imagine their shoes heavy, like lead.

 

Cleansing spray

 

 

 

I make up my own spray bottle with aromatherapy oils, flower essences and elixirs. The properties of the substances I put in my bottle are traditionally used for protection.

I use herbal liquids and teas from sage, rosemary, yew, lime and lemon flowers, daisy flowers, hawthorn, yarrow, lavender, rose and calendula. Into this liquid I put the flower essences of Fringed Violet (Australian Bush Flower Essences), Thistle (Findhorn Flower Essences) and Holly (Bach Flowers).

 

You can also make up a spray bottle with water and a few drops of essential oils such as Basil, Cypress, Cedar wood, Frankincense, Lavender, Lime, Lemon, Pine, Rosemary and Rose.

 

Burning herbs

 

Getting herbs, burning them and using the smoke to clear negative energies has been done for thousands of years. Most people know about loose sage and sage sticks but other herbs such as pine needles, rosemary, lavender and eucalyptus can be used. Light the herbs and place them on a plate or other vessel that will not be harmed by the heat. Allow the smoke to float around your body and imagine it cleansing your aura.  Some women use a large feather to help move the smoke.

 

Physical shower

 

This is a technique I use immediately after I finish doing Tarot readings for the day. I get into the shower with my jar of course sea salt. I vigorously rub the salt into my body with extra attention to where my chakras are. Then I wash it off with cold water. I wash ‘away the energies of the day’. Afterwards I have a nice soothing hot shower with my homemade aromatherapy soap. 

 

Drink plenty of water and eat a Heavy Food

 

During Tarot readings I always have a glass of water beside me. I rarely drink it during sessions but once I am finished and say goodbye to my client I drink it in one go. I try to drink a glass for every reading. It keeps me hydrated and being hydrated means you can stay psychic for longer without getting exhausted.

 

For snacks I eat my tahini treats which is a combination of nuts, seeds, whole tahini and honey baked as biscuits in the ovan. These keep me grounded and my belly full but not so heavy as to make me want to go to sleep.

 

For those who love meat it is incredibly grounding. Dairy products are also heavy, especially cheese. Find what works for you but be careful not to overeat. 

 

Take a stimulant

 

 

I am a big fan of tea so if my energy is slacking I will have a cup. I often offer clients a cup of tea also and then I am happy to drink alongside them as we do Tarot. If I have tea I must have chocolate so it becomes not only a treat for me, but also for the client. (70% dark chocolate is the best as it suits people with allergies and food intolerance’s).

 

Some tarot readers have a glass of wine or a shot of vodka/brandy/port at the end of the day and I see no harm in this as long as it is kept to one glass and not a bottle. Feeling drained and burned out makes alcohol a welcome tonic.

 

I am not a purist and I believe tasty things in moderation is fine. Your stimulant could be a green tea, smoothie with super-foods or some goji berries. Whatever takes your fancy.

 

Nature

 

Being in nature always works for me to feel cleansed, energized and at peace. Everyone has their favorite type of nature – park, forest, sea, river, stream, lake, mountain, valley etc.

 

I grew up beside the wild Atlantic ocean so cliff walks are my favorite way. Now I live in the desert, so walks on quiet rocky paths work for me. Year ago when I lived in the busy city of Dublin, I felt I would go insane from lack of green. I found a park  – and tucked away in one corner was a wild patch of bushes and tress. That was my sanctuary.

 

Find a place for you that works – even if it is as simple as sitting among your potted plants on your balcony. 

 

Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram

 

This is a ritual created by the original members of the Golden Dawn in England over 100 years ago. I do not personally use this technique to protect myself and prevent burnout, but I know quite a few Tarot readers that do. They claim that they never experience burnout when they use this technique. You do not need any props to do this ritual, which once you have mastered it, takes seconds. 

 

CLICK HERE TO READ HOW TO DO THE LESSER BANISHING RITUAL

 

 

So there you go.

 

A few of the many techniques I have learned over the years to keep me grounded and prevent burnout.

 

Putting soil in your shoes does not work  – believe me. I tried it!