Reading tarot in public spaces?

[Quinn]

I was with a group of friends and we were doing readings for each other at a cafe. We are all still practicing at this point.

 

When we went to pay the waiter said he was happy we weren't going to contest the surcharge on the bill (due to the public holiday) because we were "obviously in to witchcraft and stuff" and he didn't want to get cursed.

 

>_>

[jrv1269]

I've taken my cards with me to the coast & recently pulled cards for someone while at a wine bar - both readings were some of the most accurate I've ever pulled. I think being in public really helps me to focus in on the deck & what I'm seeing whereas when at home there's nothing to really keep my thought process on track, I'm sort of free to think about whatever I want at any given moment. Honestly this could all just be based off of how each person focuses best - I've always been the type to be able to focus in a crowd.

I will say, too, I live in a very forward-thinking city & tarot is a pretty common thing to come across here, so it's not an oddity to see anyone whip out a deck.

[katrinka]

I've done readings at a lot of public places. Bars, restaurants, sidewalks, parks, trains, buses, car hoods, locker rooms, the meat room at a supermarket, music venues, restrooms, probably some other weird places I've forgotten.
But they're all just readings. No better or worse than my table at home.

[katrinka]

On 4/28/2019 at 1:16 PM, DanielJUK said:

- Is it safe for you to do it? In some areas or places that are conservative, whipping out your cards might not be appreciated and could get you in a lot of trouble. Gage the location and people around, ask the people working there. Reading in public in a social bar of a religious building is really different to say a vegan cafe in a vibrant young area of town.

I live in Texas and I have never been assaulted, arrested, or ticketed for reading in public. At worst, somebody might mention "the devil". Pffft. They're the ones who are scared, not me.
If I can do it here - not just in major cities and college towns, but in small, backwards towns - it can be done virtually anywhere. Check your local laws and ordinances.

[Eric13]

Restrooms?

[PageOfCups]

On 5/31/2019 at 3:59 PM, katrinka said:

I live in Texas and I have never been assaulted, arrested, or ticketed for reading in public. At worst, somebody might mention "the devil". Pffft. They're the ones who are scared, not me.
If I can do it here - not just in major cities and college towns, but in small, backwards towns - it can be done virtually anywhere. Check your local laws and ordinances.

LOOOOLLLL... I listen to a podcast and one time they did an episode on the Bohemian Grove.

 

the guy who does the podcast said [not verbatim]:

 

"most people probably can’t tell the difference between a Druid ritual and a legit Satanic ritual."

 

so I hate to stab Pamela Colman-Smith in the back, but I’d recommend if you’re out and about, bring out teh pastely/light-coloured cards (like the Dreaming Way Lenormand or the Housewives Tarot or something). Take the decks that only a Tarot reader might recognise as a Tarot deck.

 

don’t take the traditional RWS. Or any other kind of deck that some film prop master might use in a film (that’s recognised as a Tarot deck by people who don’t read). Hollywood is ridiculous, I get the impression they like to show the Death card in film/TV most. It’s pathetic.

Edited June 2, 2019 by PageOfCups
Forgot zee quotation marks.

[Decan]

I don't attend esoteric circles or something, and I'm not a professional too, but I don't think that in my country people look at fortune-tellers that way (I mean with regard to bad magic or "satanism" lol).

But in public spaces this doesn't happen much I think, probably in this case people will give the reader the stinkeye or look at them sideways (because of "an aura of scam" or something socially condemn).

Sometimes there are fortune-telling exhibitions (I'm not sure if it's the right expression in english), which bring together professional readers in a particular place (like a hotel lobby or the hall of a casino for example) for a few days; when I thought about that, it's a bit like a circus that will come to town and pitch its tent (actually a sideshow).

But apart that discretion is the rule.

Of course in a new age shop I think it's something usual, but these shops are on the decline.

Personally I don't speak much (or show things) about my interest in cards, it's something more personal.

Edited June 2, 2019 by Decan

[Nordica De Spell]

What some are saying here about bringing the cards out in public; having to disguise them or it could be dangerous, and people would be bothered and think negative thoughts about you, satanism etc... Well, of course in a dictatorship country... but it seems also the norm in some of the more restricted western countries here? 

 

That must be really tough to deal with on a daily basis, having to feel that way, that whom you are and what your interests are are socially banned or sort of forbidden in the society you live... or, maybe you’re used to it, so to you it’s not a big deal? To me, it sounds AWFUL!!!!! 😞 

[PageOfCups]

FTR i do readings for my girl friends in public places all the time. I'm more concerned about not freaking the friend out by using "blatantly scary decks", so I have milder ones where like the 3 of Swords doesn't look so scary.

 

Not so concerned about what nosy passerbys think (the tables at the places we go to have enough space & the baristas/wait staff are cool and leave us alone).

[Decan]

13 minutes ago, Nordica De Spell said:

What some are saying here about bringing the cards out in public; having to disguise them or it could be dangerous, and people would be bothered and think negative thoughts about you, satanism etc... Well, of course in a dictatorship country... but it seems also the norm in some of the more restricted western countries here? 

 

That must be really tough to deal with on a daily basis, having to feel that way, that whom you are and what your interests are are socially banned or sort of forbidden in the society you live... or, maybe you’re used to it, so to you it’s not a big deal? To me, it sounds AWFUL!!!!! 😞 

Well, yes.

Actually it can be just my own perception and not exactly how things are?

I don't live in a dictatorship country, but in my view people are very conservative in France, and as you said there are things socially banned somehow, or accepted in a restrictive way maybe. Nothing illegal though (while fortune-telling can be illegal in the US depending on the state where you are living, here not), but while legal it can be all about hypocrisy and people give you the stinkeye or stare at you with despise.

Of course I guess that things can be okay as well, it depends, but you need to be careful to don't be an easy target for hateful people.

Not a pleasant matter of course but you need to be aware too...

Edited June 2, 2019 by Decan

[PageOfCups]

2 minutes ago, Decan said:

I don't live in a dictatorship country, but in my view people are very conservative in France, and as you said there are things socially banned somehow, or accepted in a restrictive way maybe. 

Really, there are people like that in France?

 

I'm Javanese and I live in Indonesia (and the Javanese aren't even the most superstitious ethic group here). But some of the Abrahamic religion fundamentalists can be a bit scary.

 

I find it offensive when westerners get nasty about people's spiritual beliefs. It's silly because I think they're only so bigoted because their minds can't process it. Intelligent people aren't small-minded like that, yet we live in a civilisation where we have these small-minded people as "scientists" & and appoint them as the authority on everything about Universe (that scares the hell out of me). It's not okay to bar a person from an establishment because they're a certain religion, but it's okay to treat us that way? Hm.....

[Nordica De Spell]

5 minutes ago, Decan said:

Well, yes.

Actually it can be just my own perception and not exactly how things are?

I don't live in a dictatorship country, but in my view people are very conservative in France, and as you said there are things socially banned somehow, or accepted in a restrictive way maybe. Nothing illegal though (while fortune-telling can be illegal in the US depending on the state where you are living, here not), but while legal it can be all about hypocrisy and people give you the stinkeye or stare at you with despise.

Of course I guess that things can be okay as well, it depends, but you need to be careful to don't be an easy target for hateful people.

Not a pleasant matter of course but you need to be aware too...

 

For sure it’s something that I need to take into account when I travel, go on holidays etc... 

 

This will sound naive and probably is, but I never even considered this aspect... I mean, I know not to try and bring cocaine over the border in Thailand (this is an example, I’m not a drug smuggler.) But not to bring with me a tarot deck to France or the US and bring it out in a public place... It just never crossed my mind that that could be an issue anywhere...I mean, of course in a dictatorship or otherwise dangerous country... but France and the US don’t count as those, in my head anyway.

 

Unofficial laws are the worst. They’re actually more restricting than actual laws, and more difficult to detect. 

 

Btw, I love France anyway! 🙂

 

[Nordica De Spell]

@PageOfCups, 

I’d wholeheartedly agree, that that’s not OK. We are born free and it’s a deck of cards. Nothing that harms another in any way. I don’t want another person’s spiritual or religious beliefs dictating mine, officially or unofficially!

Edited June 2, 2019 by Nordica De Spell

[Decan]

10 minutes ago, Nordica De Spell said:

But not to bring with me a tarot deck to France or the US and bring it out in a public place... It just never crossed my mind that that could be an issue anywhere...

Well, in my opinion we need to relativitize here 🙂

Most of the time it won't be an issue at all, and people will look at you with a gentle smile or just be indifferent. But...

[PageOfCups]

57 minutes ago, Nordica De Spell said:

Btw, I love France anyway! 🙂

I love France anyway too.

 

At least if someone's going to yell at me, it'll sound nice on the ears. MDR~ 🇫🇷

[Decan]

Since we are from different countries, and at times cultures, I realize that people can don't be aware about "local behaviours".

Well, here nobody will yell at someone who read cards in a public space, I really don't think that, lol

Maybe in traffic jams in cars, people can be very rude and will yell and insult (it can happen!), but in this case if someone feels very uncomfortable with Tarot/fortune-telling or these things (possible while not systematic I note it) it would be more about to look sideway or about a non-verbal (insulting) language or a brief unpleasant comment.

Just my view on this question though! It really depends where we are. Like it is said above in this thread, in a vegan restaurant for example the atmosphere can be comfortable enough to read cards (I don't generalize while I think there is a tendency "against")! 🙂

Edited June 2, 2019 by Decan

[fire cat pickles]

You will find bigotry anywhere. And you will find acceptance anywhere. I don't think there are geographical restrictions on either. Human behavior is rarely predictable.

 

 

 

Edited June 2, 2019 by fire cat pickles

[katrinka]

10 hours ago, PageOfCups said:

LOOOOLLLL... I listen to a podcast and one time they did an episode on the Bohemian Grove.

 

the guy who does the podcast said [not verbatim]:

 

"most people probably can’t tell the difference between a Druid ritual and a legit Satanic ritual."

Bohemian Grove is a playground for uber-rich old pervy republicans in California, isn't it? That's almost 2000 miles away. Reading cards is not a "Druid ritual". (I doubt that whatever they get up to out there is anything to do with Druids, either. There is very little actually known about the Druids, and crowds of men in the woods are generally there to hide from their wives, get drunk, do coke, and bus in hookers.)

I've had my shingle hanging outside in the past. There's a botanica across the street from my house. I'm not worried.

Quote

 

so I hate to stab Pamela Colman-Smith in the back, but I’d recommend if you’re out and about, bring out teh pastely/light-coloured cards (like the Dreaming Way Lenormand

Ew.

Thanks for the good intentions, but no way.

Quote

or the Housewives Tarot or something).

I like the Housewives, but it's a gag deck. I would never use it professionally.

Quote

Take the decks that only a Tarot reader might recognise as a Tarot deck.

 

don’t take the traditional RWS. Or any other kind of deck that some film prop master might use in a film (that’s recognised as a Tarot deck by people who don’t read). Hollywood is ridiculous, I get the impression they like to show the Death card in film/TV most. It’s pathetic.

People who are that easily intimidated and bullied shouldn't take on work that involves dealing with the public. Not even as a cashier or a waitress. They need to find something more insulated.

I've been reading publicly since the 70's.  I'll be fine. 😉
WITH my respectable decks.

Edited June 2, 2019 by katrinka

[Nordica De Spell]

4 hours ago, fire cat pickles said:

You will find bigotry anywhere. And you will find acceptance anywhere. I don't think there are geographical restrictions on either. Human behavior is rarely predictable.

 

 

 

Certainly, bigottry is part of life, but in this case it would seem that the bigottry is fueled by cultural value systems... And I’d think to not acknowledge that, and just ascribe it to human nature, takes away from the notion that societal change is possible...

 

That’s just my position on it, though. (And wherever and whenever we live, I’m quite certain we’ve all got ”blind spots” as it pertains to our own cultures. It’s just a ”fish can’t see the water” phenomena, for all of us, I’d imagine.)

 

Btw, I sincerely hope I haven’t come across as disliking anyones Country here, because I absolutely don’t. I was just genuinely a bit shocked about this.

[PageOfCups]

5 hours ago, Decan said:

Since we are from different countries, and at times cultures, I realize that people can don't be aware about "local behaviours".

Well, here nobody will yell at someone who read cards in a public space, I really don't think that, lol

Maybe in traffic jams in cars, people can be very rude and will yell and insult (it can happen!), but in this case if someone feels very uncomfortable with Tarot/fortune-telling or these things (possible while not systematic I note it) it would be more about to look sideway or about a non-verbal (insulting) language or a brief unpleasant comment.

Just my view on this question though! It really depends where we are. Like it is said above in this thread, in a vegan restaurant for example the atmosphere can be comfortable enough to read cards (I don't generalize while I think there is a tendency "against")! 🙂

Oh Lord. I didn’t mean to imply that I thought the French are yellers (that’s not what I meant at all).

 

i just meant that I wouldn’t mind being yellled at in French since it sounds nice (not that anyone would ever yell at anyone for reading cartomancy cards in public).

 

i will always have a positive bias against the French (just because there was a really sweet tall French guy in school back in the day that I really liked—totally my type LOL). He wasn’t judgmental, nice guy (just laughed when I told him I don’t like wine that I have to put Sprite in it to make it drinkable for me... he wasn’t a snob about it at all, although I’m not sure how he’d ever feel about tarot cards! He was very academic/professional, and I’m never comfortable tellling academic types about my spiritual practices).

 

the only people I read for (in public places) are old friends from like middle school/high school. Nobody from university level knows about my spiritual life! I don’t tell them. I’ve had a deck since 2004 and never took my cards with me to the dorm when I lived in one.

 

(I guess that’s a relevant tidbit for A thread about being wary about reading in public. I just thought even my personal dorm room was no place for that... how sad, it’s MY room & MY life in the end of the day!)

 

Here’s an article about my culture: https://amp.economist.com/asia/2019/05/25/how-the-mores-of-indonesias-biggest-ethnic-group-shape-its-politics?__twitter_impression=true (I suppose when our sultans still throw hair/nail clippings as offerings to the Gods, i’m lucky to be around [mostly] like-minded people—really I should be grateful). 🖤

Edited June 2, 2019 by PageOfCups

[Decan]

@PageOfCups interesting! Indonesia gives me the vibe of a country where people are more in touch with the spiritual, at least more than here in the west, but I don't know much about Indonesia's culture, I recognize it.

41 minutes ago, PageOfCups said:

Oh Lord. I didn’t mean to imply that I thought the French are yellers (that’s not what I meant at all)

Lol, don't worry, I understood! And there are yellers as well, so 😀

[fire cat pickles]

4 hours ago, Nordica De Spell said:

Certainly, bigottry is part of life, but in this case it would seem that the bigottry is fueled by cultural value systems... And I’d think to not acknowledge that, and just ascribe it to human nature, takes away from the notion that societal change is possible...

I did not say any of this. You've taken my statement fully out of context. And I certainly didn't say I "just ascribe [anything] to human nature". I was referring to the comparison to the US and France to other parts of the world that somehow, it was implied, seem to be more accepting of tarot in public places as a whole. Katrinka and I have had no problems in our ultra-conservative areas of Texas, Florida, and South Carolina of all places, after all.

 

Bigotry is always fueled by cultural--no, sub-cultural and flawed---value systems. That's why it's "bigotry". And I wasn't refusing to acknowledge anything, either. What I was acknowledging is that anything, anyone, or any belief can be accepted and/or rejected anywhere and by anyone equally. The human animal is tribal and panicky. 

 

It doesn't matter who one is or where they are. Bigotry is an equal opportunity destroyer. It pays no respect to any other notion other than hate. Why would it [bigotry] care about "societal change"? One will never win an argument with a fundamentalist and conservatives don't believe in societal change by definition.

 

 

Edited June 2, 2019 by fire cat pickles

[Raggydoll]

9 minutes ago, fire cat pickles said:

I did not say any of this. You've taken my statement fully out of context. And I certainly didn't say I "just ascribe [anything] to human nature". I was referring to the comparison to the US and France to other parts of the world that somehow, it was implied, seem to be more accepting of tarot in public places as a whole. Katrinka and I have had no problems in our ultra-conservative areas of Texas, Florida, and South Carolina of all places, after all.

 

Bigotry is always fueled by cultural--no, sub-cultural and flawed---value systems. That's why it's "bigotry". And I wasn't refusing to acknowledge anything, either. What I was acknowledging is that anything, anyone, or any belief can be accepted and/or rejected anywhere and by anyone equally. The human animal is tribal and panicky. 

 

It doesn't matter who one is or where they are. Bigotry is an equal opportunity destroyer. It pays no respect to any other notion other than hate. Why would it [bigotry] care about "societal change"? One will never win an argument with a fundamentalist and conservatives don't believe in societal change by definition.

 

 

I got what you meant. And I agree. (I will admit that I first had to  google the word “bigotry” 😆). Here in Sweden you will find all types of people and all types of beliefs and attitudes. But I think it would still be perfectly fine to take out your cards in most of our public places. That’s just because it’s not really socially acceptable to critique people in public here. So if someone shouted that you were doing the devils work or whatnot then it’s highly likely that other people would step in and defend you. 

[katrinka]

I will be the first to say that the US IS dangerous, and we have mass shootings and hate crimes on a disturbingly regular basis. None of these, however, were set off by anything the victims were doing at the moment. They were just there. It seems to be a crime of opportunity. I've yet to hear of anyone getting mowed down with an assault rifle, dragged behind a pickup, etc. because they were reading cards.

[Nordica De Spell]

5 hours ago, Nordica De Spell said:

Certainly, bigottry is part of life, but in this case it would seem that the bigottry is fueled by cultural value systems... And I’d think to not acknowledge that, and just ascribe it to human nature, takes away from the notion that societal change is possible...

 

That’s just my position on it, though. (And wherever and whenever we live, I’m quite certain we’ve all got ”blind spots” as it pertains to our own cultures. It’s just a ”fish can’t see the water” phenomena, for all of us, I’d imagine.)

 

Btw, I sincerely hope I haven’t come across as disliking anyones Country here, because I absolutely don’t. I was just genuinely a bit shocked about this.

 

42 minutes ago, fire cat pickles said:

I did not say any of this. You've taken my statement fully out of context. And I certainly didn't say I "just ascribe [anything] to human nature". I was referring to the comparison to the US and France to other parts of the world that somehow, it was implied, seem to be more accepting of tarot in public places as a whole. Katrinka and I have had no problems in our ultra-conservative areas of Texas, Florida, and South Carolina of all places, after all.

 

Bigotry is always fueled by cultural--no, sub-cultural and flawed---value systems. That's why it's "bigotry". And I wasn't refusing to acknowledge anything, either. What I was acknowledging is that anything, anyone, or any belief can be accepted and/or rejected anywhere and by anyone equally. The human animal is tribal and panicky. 

 

It doesn't matter who one is or where they are. Bigotry is an equal opportunity destroyer. It pays no respect to any other notion other than hate. Why would it [bigotry] care about "societal change"? One will never win an argument with a fundamentalist and conservatives don't believe in societal change by definition.

 

 

@fire cat pickles,

 

I am tremendously sorry if/that I inadvertently offended you or anyone reading here, and came across a way that I have NOT intended, at all...

 

I’ve gone over my previous post, and still feel that it’s accurate to what I wanted to say, but it really was on the subject matter and not at all on a person here or even as a comment on anyone here’s country. So, that wasn’t in my intentions of it, and I’m sorry that that’s how it was read. But with your clarification above:

 

Our viewpoints here really do seem to differ; there’s a lot in it that I don’t necessarily agree with, at all...

 

(And please know, that that’s OK by me, and in this case I’d say diversity is more an illustration of the matter, and a richness of sorts.) 🌻