1. Create a Safe, Respectful Environment

• Greet clients warmly and offer them a calm, private space. 
• Offer to take their coat, offer tea, a compliment, a handshake, or a hug. Some form of gratitude for their investment in your wisdom. 

2. Communicate with Compassion

• Remain grounded and centered before starting the reading.
• Clarify what type of reading the client wants (general guidance, relationship insight, career paths, etc.).
• Before shuffling, take an extra moment to channel this person’s energy. 
• I usually say “let’s take three deep breaths together, with both our hands on the table.” This creates an energetic and nearly-physical connection. I have also had people put their hands on mine, but not everyone is comfortable with that. 
• The goal is to channel the clients energy without absorbing it. Feel the things they are feeling as best as you can before even beginning pulling cards. Are they shaky or solid? Are they calm or energetic? Are they anxious? Are they solemn? Take note without making assumptions yet. You can then begin to shuffle during this time. 
• Practice active listening: allow clients to share without interruption.
• Ask for consent before asking deeper or sensitive questions.
• Validate emotions: “It’s okay to feel this way—let’s explore what the cards suggest.”
• Use supportive language—never judgmental or predictive doom.
• Reflect what you hear. Not just your own opinion:
• “What I’m sensing from the cards is…” 
• “Spirit is telling me that the truth of the situation is…”
• “Im getting a sense that…” 
• “What is coming through is…” 
• “Your loved ones are always watching over you, and they think…”

3. Maintain Healthy Boundaries

• Avoid giving medical, legal, or financial instructions. Offer spiritual guidance instead.
• Don’t tell clients what to do—present possibilities, not absolutes. Remind them the future can change based on current decisions. 
• Keep your energy grounded; avoid absorbing the client’s emotions. Offer only positive or neutral energy back to them. Do not be negative or judgemental. 
• End readings gently, offer to ask another clarifying, ending question, and empower clients with takeaways, not fear.
• End with a single uplifting oracle card pull, (I like this better than a single tarot card pull because that can get into more questions rather than resolutions) 
• Give a recommendation for where to go after this. For example: Take some time alone, go on a walk, journal, rest, or go see friends. Sometimes people like immediate ideas when in this new head space. Or, at the very least just say thank you for coming, you have been wonderful! 

4. Ethical Reading Practices

• Keep readings confidential.
• Be mindful of your tone, facial expressions, and body language.
• Do not read for someone who isn’t present without consent (advanced ethics).
• Often people will ask about other people. This is usually with good intention, which I think is okay. If the entire reading becomes about this third party, then try to steer the questions back toward the personal questions the person in front of you seems to really be getting at. 
• For example: How can you better handle energy about the situation? 
• What can you do to help the person? Does this person want your help? 
• Pull advice card(s) for the client in regard to where to go from here
• It is okay to ask one question about the feelings of the third party- just remember not to go too deep into this, remember the reading is for your client, not this other person they are fascinated with. 

5.  Best Personal Practices - Before A Reading

• Cleanse and center yourself (deep breath, grounding visualization).
• Knock on the deck 3 times to clear residual energy.
• Set an intention like: : “I am open to clarity, honesty, and guidance.”
• Only if you want, allow your client to cut the deck, shuffle, or choose an extra card (or a few) if you need more of their energy infused. 

Best Personal Practices - After a Reading

• Return the cards back to order occasionally, to “reset” the deck. 
• Major Arcana first → Minor Arcana (grouped by their suits) 
• Clear the deck with breath, smoke, light, or crystals.
  Journal any intuitive insights or impressions.
• Thank the deck and your guides.
• Put it back in its’ sacred place. 

Sacred Storage Options

• A dedicated altar space
• A drawstring pouch, velvet bag, or carved box
• Wrapped in a scarf or cloth with a personal symbol
• On a bookshelf where it won't be disturbed
• Inside a Tarot Chest/Reiki Box with crystals or herbs

 Physical Deck Care

• Keep your cards in a silk cloth, tarot bag, wooden box, or designated shelf.
• Avoid leaving the deck in harsh sun or damp spaces.
• Shuffle gently—especially for older or delicate decks.
• Let your deck “rest” if readings feel energetically heavy.

Environmental Energetics to Keep in Mind

• Keep your deck away from chaotic or negative environments.
• Give it a “home” where it feels protected, intentional, and respected.
• Use a specific bag or box to house all of your decks so they can be cleansed together, and energetically help each other. 

 Energetic Cleansing Techniques

• Smoke cleansing with ethically sourced herbs like sage,  lavender, rosemary, or incense.
• Sound cleansing using chimes, bowls, or bells.
• Light cleansing: hold the deck to a candle flame (not too close!) and visualize the light clearing it.
• Reiki cleansing:
• Place hands over deck.
• Channel positive, bright, energy into the cards.
  Set an intention: “This deck is cleared and aligned to offer clarity and truth.”
• You can also create a Reiki Box where you channel positive energy into a box with crystals and other positive emblems to surround your deck. 

2. Crystal Companions for Your Deck

Keep one or more crystals with your deck to enhance energy, clarity, or protection.
Some of our favorite choices:

• Clear Quartz – positivity, purification, amplified intuition
• Amethyst – spiritual clarity, truth, protection, dreamwork
• Selenite – cleansing & charging
• Black Tourmaline – grounded, protective readings, anti-negativity (great after an intense, or uncomfortable reading) 
• Rose Quartz – heart-centered, compassionate readings
• Labradorite - Enhanced psychic intuition, protection
• Lapis Lazuli - Intelligence, understanding, authority, visualizations

Crystal Placement Ideas:

• Inside your bag or box with your deck
• On top of the deck between readings
• Put a crystal on top of each deck and ask your client which deck/crystal they are most drawn to immediately. 
• On your reading table to protect the energetic workspace
• I always like to have selenite and clear/rose quartz, and then at least one other third-eye chakra stone like or labradorite, lapis lazuli.