I do not believe that people should charge for their readings. I believe that the ability to cast and read the tarot to help people is a gift to be given as a gift. I myself have been casting and reading while practicing wicca for a while and would never think about charging for the help i try to give through this.
Arty
Date Added: 12-10-00

I feel that there is no difference between charging for a tarot reading than for the skilled craftsman who makes jewelry to charge for his jewelry. DIvianation is a way that many people do make a living...just because the person does not have a physical item to take with them when they leave does not mean they should receive this for free. So many pagans make money off of crafts that they have perfected such as, metalworking, jewelry, soapmaking et al and no one feels they should be giving these out for free. There is no difference in my skill at divination and anyone elses skill at there crafts.
Osmondia
Date Added: 12-10-00

I am just now learning more about the religion as I was raised as a baptist in Okla. After meeting my now-husband's mother, she has taught, showed and guided me with the ins and outs of Wicca.

I do not think that people should charge for readings, as it was a gift to be shared with others. The person was not charged to recieve the gift (ability to read) nor should they charge to give the gift (the reading) to others.
ijbram@hotmail.com

No I think there should be no charge for helping people I did work for a tarot reading company before after a few days felt strange about getting paid for it.
john craig II

Merry Meet!

I am a Solitary Eclectic/Kitchen Witch who reads Tarot. When I was first started reading I did all my readings for free. Well then people started taking advantage it and pretty soon I was left with no time and people calling and lining up.

I feel that like a Dr. we are putting in our time and no service should be free. So to balance the two of wanting to share my gift and not charge a outrageous price, I cut mine in half of what other readers were charging.

Well a bunch of people stopped coming around, all they wanted was the 'free gifts' of life and why should *I* allow myself to be taken advantage of like that?!

My regulars are still here and I love giving readings for them. I also do email and phone readings and have had success doing those too. Oh, I get a few who still email me and ask for free, I simply show them my page.

Some people will take advantage of anything and anyone. I REFUSE to be a part of these people and thier habits. I feel by charging a small amount it 'weeds' out the users and the more serious.

That is my opinion.

My homepage is: http://www.angelfire.com/ca6/wiccawitch/index.html

In Love and Light~~
Silver

I never charge for readings, because I know that once someone realises how powerful the readings are they want to learn to do them on their own. Know this is gratification enough, just to feel like I have brought someone closer to the true path of earth and the human nature. I'd love to have the extra money, but I feel so much better about it by changing someones life rather than taking their money and having them depend on me forever.
Anastasia

I have a good friend who does a beautiful job reading his Robin Wood deck. Wherever he goes, people ask him to do readings for them. He was fine with it for a while, but eventually, it wore him out doing 20 readings a night at our favorite coffee shop. It kind of made him sour about doing readings for another, and he rarely does it anymore. For a beginner, I don't think that charging for a reading is appropriate, but for someone like my friend who has put so much of his time into learning the art of Tarot, it is almost necessary. A good Tarot reader is in high demand and is perfectly justified in charging for his or her services. Also, it is curteous to at least offer some sort of payment whether it be money or a drink or something--even if it is not asked for. Don't abuse our beloved Tarot readers--a good one is hard to come by!!!!!!
ariadney

I feel that if you can view money as another form of energy that flows through your life and that energy, like other forms of energy, helps you to maintain your life (and money certainly does!) then you will have no problem with charging a reasonable fee for your skills and talents in tarot. As far as tarot reading being a gift from the All, this is true, however, the All also gave us the ability to come up with the concept of the monetary system too. When viewed as such you'll see that it is just another form of energy. Some people view money as something separate from the All and as something "dirty". It's not,although, it can be abused. Go ahead and use it,but, use it wisely and with respect for it is a gift from the All as well.
Catbird

I agree that any psychic gift is a gift from the Goddess and I fell that not charging for readings cheapens not the gift but the perception of that gift by others. we are all granted abilities which we use in our working life everyday and yet we don't feel shame when we collect our paychecks at the end of the week. Why should the use of psychic abilities be seen in a different light? Monetary reward for services rendered is a time-honoured exchange of energy. An it harm none, charge what ye will.
cerddorion@hotmail.com

I personally don't charge for readings but I know several readers that do(they are not wiccan ).I don't believe that someone sould be turned away that needs help simply because they could not pay. I think though that if someone wants to donate money for their reading that is okay .
tullny@webtv.net

I do not believe a person should charge for tarot readings. These are gifts that the goddess and god have given us and are to be shared with others. I myself have given several readings to friends and family and could never even think of charging them they came to me for answers WOULD YOU CHARGE A FRIEND FOR THERE ADVICE?

blessed be
Ambermoon

Apropos charging money for Tarot readings (or any other witchly service, for that matter): It's called the "Witch's Fee." When you expend energy on someone else's behalf, they need to give you energy in return. It's about maintaining balance. The energy may be returned in the form of book shelves, house cleaning, love, sex, food stamps, marbles, or whatever other medium of exchange is mutually agreed upon, but it is all about creating and maintaining balance. There is nothing wrong with using money as a form of energetic exchange. It is a wonderfully agile form: it can be converted into food, warmth, housing, objects of beauty, good books, and an infiinite number of other happy, life-sustaining things with the greatest of ease.

Bright blessings,
Lady Ishtar

I feel that if one is truly blessed with a gift then it shouldn't be sold it should be given but if someone wants to leave a donation then that is ok....If someone charges for a reading then they don't have belief in their gift.
kvlamb@lisco.com

one should do what they feel is right in there heart my personal opion is not to charge for tarot readings because its making a profit of a gift that was given to you by the dieties but sometimes exceptions do arise.....
beanandbrain@email.msn.com

I see no problem with charging for a skill. Yes some people instinctively know how to read the cards but most of us have studied hard to learn this. I do not charge other people of magic but I do charge others. Just as hairdressers swap services with other hairdressers but charge customers off the street. I see no difference. I also charge for classes I hold. I am more than willing to share the knowledge that I have but to be perfectly honest most people don't want to be bothered. They don't want to learn how to do it for themselves and are more than willing to pay to have me do it for them. I feel I owe it to them to be gentle, kind and honest but they owe me for the years that I have studied to be able to do this for them.

Sincerely
Wind dancer

I see this as acceptable as many witches make a living doing this. All divination for profit, however, should be done with honesty.
Elspeth502@aol.com

Merry Meet,
I feel that if one is blessed by the Goddess/God with such a wonderful talent, it should be offered freely to those who truly believe.

This gift should be offered to family and friends and their friends if help by the Tarot is sought. To charge for such a talent cheapens it and makes it into a "carnival" effect where it is viewed as entertainment. I have heard that many people who go to "commercial" Tarot Card readers are extremely sceptical people and do so more as a challenge to see if the readings will ring true.

Such real talent should be available to help others but not to those who are anti-wiccan with malice in their hearts. The best way we can help such folks is to ask the Goddess/God to lighten their way with love, peace, and understanding.

I, personally, am studying the Tarot and first thought about charging for my services, but thanks to my Wiccan studies, I have since changed my mind about that. If I can become proficient enough at the art to help my family members (those who are interested) and any interested friends, then fine - that is gratification enough!

I believe we Wiccans/Pagans must be careful to not take our gifts lightly. Those who are blessed with such talents should use them for the good of those who truly seek their aid.

May the Goddess/God guide the hearts and minds of all creatures, great and small, in this world.
Brightest Blessings to all,
Isis

The question of charging for Tarot readings seems to have become something of an issue for debate recently. My personal practice is not to charge for readings by setting a specific fee. If someone I do a reading for asks what I charge, I say that if he/she wishes to pay me, I will accept whatever amount they feel the reading is worth to him/her. I have been paid as much as $50 and as little as $2 and I always, no matter what the amount is, set aside a portion of that money to give to a charitable cause or to pass on a tythe to someone who has benefitted me with assistance or information that has helped me on my spiritual path. This is truly a personal call. When we have invested so much of our time into learning the Tarot, our skills are worth some compensation - be it monetary or just the satisfaction of having helped someone.
Toni

While i do not follow the path of witchcraft but one of Druidism...i do = not think charging for the sharing of knowledge is correct but to each = his/her own on that one. I myself and selective about who i give = readings to(plus my deck has to agree to the reading as well) but i see = it as a sharing of knowledge so i pose this question: Why should one = who is seeking knowledge be told to pay a fee for gaining that = knowledge? Just my thoughts in the matter.
istolil@nfx.net

I don't think that that is appropriate. Most people, given the time, could be excellent with their tarot cards. However, many people don't or won't participate. I'm sure that people can find other sources of income other than exploiting their spirituality.
slrmars666@hotmail.com

I think that if the person uses his or her skill or personal talents for profit, I am all for it. If he or she has another successful business, or career, I think that s/he should not. I'm kind of for both, though.
beagle@accessus.net

I do not believe it is a good thing to charge. A gift freely given to aid others (not to mention the person with the gift) should not be offered at a price. Let the entertainers fool the masses and charge them for it - but a child gifted by Mother should not prostitute the craft.
drachen@visi.net

As with any service, to offer yourself and services freely is truly noble. I do not charge for readings. But, I do not condemn those who do. If that is your living, and you must pay your bills with it, then charging does not seem unreasonable to me. Especially if the service you are offering proves valuable. I realize many people believe we are given the ability to read tarot by the God or Goddess, but the fact is, we are all given abilities of one sort or another -- and yes, for the purpose of helping others. But, can we really effectively help others if we ourselves are starving?
sgaia@flint.umich.edu

I personally think that it depends on the situation. If the reader is doing the reading to help a friend or someone they know, and the reader can afford not to charge, then don't charge. However, if the reader is doing the readings as a way of making money ... or if they are in real need of money, then they should charge a reasonable amount. I have no problem with professionals not charging for a reading.

As for whether the gifts will "vanish" or become unavailable if the reader charges, I say that that is not true. I have a gift for working with computers ... should I not charge my employer just in case I should lose that gift? I've been charging for a while and I still have the gift .. in fact it's improved with the practice. How is the gift of reading different? Both come from the same source. If the reader were abusing their gift either through charging people who couldn't afford it or overcharging for the practice of their skill, then the gift might be hindered.

Remember, you can help a lot more people if you don't have to worry about where your next meal is coming from.
Chatte

I would never charge for a reading because I believe the ability to read is a gift from God. I would not charge to dowse for water for the same reason. I would not however inflict my views on others and if some one else charges for these things it is not my place to judge anyone. I think if you do what you feel is right you cannot go wrong. If we all do what our consious teels us to it would be a much better world.
Stormy

I don't think you should charge for the reading itself, but if you need like a store upkeep cost, such as utilities, then by all means, charge, but at a moderate rate.

Like if you have had allot of people coming in for readings, lower the cost. Unfortunately, there are the months where you have to charge higher because of lack of customers, but either way, I believe that if you charge for the purpose of paying your bills, or putting food on your plate {even witches need to eat ;)} charge only what you feel would pay the bills. Any other charge would be defeating the purpose of trying to bring magick, if even in small amounts, to other people.
Blessed be...
Thom Strizek

We are given are gifts to help others, not worry about Material things. We should not charge for a gift that all people have but do not know how to use. We should concentrate on helping others learn the gift.
lothar_16@hotmail.com

I absolutely charge for Tarot readings. I actually do Tarot readings for a living now, and I feel that doing it as a profession gives me more time to dedicate to learning the Craft, better myself and worship the Goddess and God. Having this time is important to me. Ordained people in certain religions get money for their services so they can dedicate their lives to God and the people. I feel that the advice I give people is worthy of that. When people go in search of guidance, they must be willing to sacrifice something for it. This gives the individual a sense of independence and power over the situation. To pay for spiritual guidance builds morale. Of course, if I see financial difficulties, I do take it upon myself to do readings free for the person until the outcome looks better. Even once-borns need some spiritual guidance once in a while. I feel that the Goddess and God give us a special obligation as those who understand the true nature of the universe to help our "younger siblings", being those people who for one reason or another choose to live in ignorance. This obligation I believe also includes the responsibility of building self-worth in others. We owe it to people not to give them a "hand-out". Letting people work for what they get helps them appreciate the seriousness of the divination, and keeps me and other Tarot readers from wasting our time.
Jennifer

why charge for something that you have been given the ability to read as a gift...you should not charge for it... your ability to read and interpret the cards is a gift given to you by the dieties.... to charge for it would be selfish
lafreedm@telusplanet.net

I worked for a chiropractor/herbalist who showed me studies that evidence payment is part of the healing. If you pay for something you give it VALUE. Maybe, you pay more attention to the message. I haven't actually charged for a tarot reading (as opposed to astrology readings, which are much more technical and time-consuming). But I have received payment in many different forms. I do believe payment is part of the responsibility of receiving, my favorite payment was a shamanic journey in return for a composite chart reading.
faolan@ezol.com

I am Norah Coyne, a trained tarot reader. As well as always knowing that I had something to offer people to help them in their life I also went to a reputatble tarot training centre to try to learn even more about this wonderful tool. I have always used my ability with kindness and understanding to my family and friends as well as the odd stranger that couldnt afford to pay.

I have only ever charged £15 for a full and detailed reading. I have always try to understand fully the clients predicament or query and answer it as detailled as I can, I do not use any tricks or gimmicks and always do the readings in the comfort of my own home in calm and serene surroundings, Once I carry out the reading I either write or type it up for the client so that they can keep for future reference.

Although there are many people who do try to make too much money from tarot. There are also many, many genuine tarotreaders who find it a pleasure to help those in need. My web page is just the very basic of pages as I feel to get the real message across hype and gimmicks are not needed,
Norah Coyne

I do charge for tarot readings. You are providing a service for others. Shouldn't you get paid? If they feel they have not been helped they can dispute it. Also most people will not take the advice of something offered for free. Usually if they have to pay they will take the advice seriously. I do not overcharge for it but it is time and effort on my part to help people. I value my time at more than free.
-Lynna

Personally, I have been developing my tarot reading for 3 1/2 years. It was not until recently that I was willing to charge for the service, merely for the fact that I did not have the confidence in my ability. I do not charge friends for the service, but when it is used as "Entertainment Value", I cannot see anything wrong with charging for it. If one should not be paid for their skills, then everyone would have to work for free! In days of old, the barter system worked beautifully. In today's Pagan Community, it is definately alive and well. Unfortunately, those who are "unenlightened" (to use the horrible catch phrase) would just as soon get a 45 minute reading, say "Thank You", and then go tell their friends that they didn't believe a word they were told. It is truly sad, but many people outside the Spiritual Realm feel as though "You get what you pay for." The more you pay, the better the reader is, supposedly. I could go on about this forever, but, to sum up my feelings: If the person seeking the reading can afford to pay for the service, so be it. If the person doing the reading is using their skill to make a living, so be it. Otherwise, let your conscience be your guide.
MerryWomyn@aol.com

In my Mind, I think that we Wiccans/Pagans sould NOT have to pay for the Magickal readings. They are works of magick, and we are not suposed to accept money for Magick...I would take a gift of Thanks, though.
Blessed Be,
Areil Faults