I’ve been reading tarot for myself for a while now, and I feel pretty confident, but some friends have asked me to do readings for them online, which is… new for me. I’m not sure how to make it work when we’re not in the same room.
With in-person readings, there’s that physical connection when they shuffle the cards, or I can feel their energy in the space. How do you create that same connection through a screen?
I’ve heard some readers ask for photos of the person’s palm or have them send a picture of something they’ve touched recently, like jewelry or their coffee mug. Does this actually help? And I came across someone who has their clients knock on their computer screen three times while the reader shuffles. Has anyone tried these methods?
I really want to give my friends meaningful readings, but I’m worried the distance will make them less accurate or connected.
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I hate online readings. In fact, look at your average Zoom meeting even. That second or two delay completly removes from what a “normal” social interaction would ever be.
One thing that often happens with online readings is misinterpretation.
Without hearing someone’s voice or seeing their expressions, it’s easy to miss the little meanings and end up misunderstanding each other. It’s interesting how much we depend on those little facial expressions and voice changes to really understand what’s being said, things we don’t even notice until they’re gone.
I let online clients pick which cards I pull when I’m fanning them out on video. They guide me with directions like ‘more left, no the other one’ and it’s interesting how they seem drawn to certain cards even through a screen. Their verbal cues tell me a lot about where they’re at energetically and what they need to hear.
Distance readings work really well. The energy connection during a reading doesn’t depend on being in the same room, kind of like when you think of someone and they text you at that exact moment.
I do the same prep whether I’m reading in person or online. It helps me stay grounded and connected. The distance has never been an issue for me or my clients.
I’ve started adding a 10-minute buffer before each session now. I also light a candle on camera, and seeing the flame flicker seems to help clients settle in. It creates a shared ritual moment, and the candle being lit is a clear signal that the session has begun. It’s more effective than explaining it with words.
When I first started doing online readings, I noticed something interesting. Having my friends either tell me what they wanted guidance on OR letting them say 'just tell me whatever comes up’ made a clearer starting point than in-person readings.
When people typed out their questions or concerns beforehand, they’d already done some internal processing that made the cards speak more directly to their situation. The distance helped them open up more honestly than when sitting across from me. Online readings just work better for me now. People are more honest when they’re not face-to-face and that lets you get a lot more in-depth with the reading.
If something like the video freezes or there’s a microphone issue, being able to sort it out quickly can keep things on track. It’s not ideal when a session gets interrupted by tech issues, so knowing some quick fixes can really make a difference.
I hate online readings but the demand has been growing and I think we need to follow that.
I’ve been doing online readings lately and they definitely take longer than in-person ones. In the same way, minimalist decks need more time to interpret compared to decks with detailed artwork.
The extra time comes from all the back-and-forth messages you need at the start, explaining what you want, asking questions, getting clarification. In person, you can just talk through everything quickly and the reading flows better.
If you’re trying online readings for the first time, plan for them to take longer. It’s like learning a new deck with abstract art instead of the standard Rider-Waite images… you just need more time to figure things out.
There’s no correct way (or wrong way) to read tarot, it’s about finding what works for you.
Some readers only do face-to-face readings, which is fine if that’s their thing. You mentioned spreads where the querent shuffles, but lots of readers won’t let anyone touch their deck. Just personal preference.
Internet readings work fine.
Here’s what I do: the person sends their question,and I shuffle and pull cards on my end. I take a photo of the spread and send it with my typed interpretation. I like creating custom spreads or adjusting existing ones to fit the question, so I always explain what each card position represents.
Yeah the technical side worries me too. What happens if my wifi dies right when I’m doing a reading? Do you guys write down backup interpretations or something? I feel like I’d just freeze up if my connection dropped.
when people talk about how they’re feeling before a reading, it seems to help. Like they get more out of it when they’ve already opened up a bit. The reader can pick up on what’s really going on better too.
How does focusing on the querent lead to clearer insights? Has anyone experienced a tarot reading so synchronistic it made you rethink what you believed?
Like when you exchange readings online and both pull the same cards, in the same positions, at the same time? It’s odd how my themed deck made me notice it later. How is it that the universe lines up things so perfectly between distant readers? Does anyone else feel a bit shaken when tarot shows us these connections?
I’ve been reading tarot remotely for years now and honestly, distance doesn’t seem to matter much.
When you’re really focused on someone’s question, the connection just happens. Those little rituals like knocking on screens or having them send photos, yeah, I do those too sometimes. I think it helps everyone feel more involved in the reading.
But the cards still work fine without all that. The main thing is just being focused when you shuffle and them being open to what comes through. Physical distance doesn’t really change that.
If two readers are tuning into the same querent’s energy or question, they’re often picking up on similar themes and archetypes… which naturally leads to similar cards appearing. You’ll see this more often than you might think. Still, even if that does happen, different readers emphasize different aspects of the imagery or meaning based on their intuitive connection. Hence, it’s more validation that the querent’s situation has clear energetic signatures that multiple readers can perceive, regardless of distance.
I used to read at coffee shops and farmers markets before going online. Had the same worry about losing that connection. What worked for me was focusing on fewer clients but doing longer sessions. Instead of quick $10 readings for tons of people, I work with regulars now who book 30-45 minute sessions.
The distance matters less when you actually have time to talk to someone. I spend the first 5-10 minutes just chatting before pulling any cards. Works better than trying to recreate in-person vibes through a screen.
Started getting my online clients to pull their own cards at home during sessions.
They shuffle while we’re on video and I interpret what comes up, which keeps that hands-on feeling even through a screen. There’s this moment when they flip the card and tell me what they see, their first reaction usually gives away so much about what’s resonating with them.
Sometimes I don’t even need to say much after that.
Something with online readings is how they connect you with people from everywhere.
Different cultures bring different takes on the cards, which has been pretty interesting to explore. I’m still figuring out how this affects my readings overall.
Video readings have been an interesting experiment for me.
Being able to spread the cards and have someone pick them through the screen is kind of neat. I fan out the deck and people guide me, ‘left a bit, no the other one, yeah that one!’
The right cards do seem to find their way somehow. It’s become this collaborative thing where we’re both involved in the process, which I didn’t expect when I started doing readings this way.
Been doing this thing where clients touch their screen and I put my hands near the camera. Kind of weird but it does help with the connection somehow. Like their intention comes through while I’m shuffling. Not the same as in-person readings but close enough.