How do you get a good quality reading from a real, talented, genuine, and qualified reader?  There are so many elements that I think are very important to consider when choosing someone in this field.  I am not proud or happy to say it, but the field in which I work is filled with charlatans, frauds, and people who really just want to make a buck.  There are people who are deliberately fradulent, and there are people who are genuinely in it for the right reasons, but may not be very aware of what they are doing. Especially when ego gets in the way, and this field can have plenty of ego.  Examples of possible good intentions but not a very good reading are: selling you advice-column information, esoteric gobbly-gook that requires a new age belief system to accept, and/or personal biases and opinions.  The scale is grand, ranging from deliberately lying to you–to people who are very good at what they do.  I have encountered quite a bit of everything (although I have to say, people who are very good at this I have personally found to be very hard to find, maybe it is hard to read for a reader?  LOL)  There are some things that you should consider when choosing a reader.

Things you absolutely should never accept:

• People who tell you there is a bad spell or joo-joo hoo doo, or bad energy etc,  on you that only they can remove with a large chunk of change, or tell you that you are possessed and only they can right your ills, anyone requiring any large sum of money from you for any reason. These people prey on fear and will tell you anything to get your cash.
• Ridiculous claims of accuracy or incredible powers (changing your reality FOR YOU.)  No psychic, anywhere, ever, is 100% accurate.  These numbers are pretty much a marketing ploy.  Anybody who says they need your money to remove “bad” things for you or improve your life by bringing back your ex-lover, guaranteed, is giving you a lot of crapola. And, NO ONE can do the work that you need to do in your life for you, there are no shortcuts.
• Are they more focused on themselves then they are on you?  Readers who talk about themselves in readings, other than very briefly to illustrate a specific, related point in YOUR life—basically like to hear themselves talk, while you pay them to sound important.  There are other ways, though, that it becomes more obvious that readers are more concerned about how they appear rather than the quality of the work they do (which should speak for itself.)  These include: showmanship, name dropping and linking themselves with famous people, and a less than humble attitude.  Some have gone so far as to bring camera crews (and, their “help” unsolicited by the families involved) to scenes of crimes to garner attention for themselves.  Generally any signs that you are dealing with a larger than life ego, are signs that you are dealing with someone who is more concerned about their image than what they are providing for you, and this is a big stumbling block (similar to what is often found with ‘gurus’ that have ego issues.)
• A “one size fits all” reading that a reader simply regurgitates to everyone.  I have gotten a “cut and paste job” email reading from people before that I found suspect, only to google one or two phrases to see that this is the same reading the reader gives to EVERYONE.  I have sat next to people at events who market themselves very well, and have heard them give the exact same reading to every person in their seat.  Every person’s situation, although we are a lot a like on the inside, is their very own.  True intuitive information will not be the same from person to person.  It is specific to YOU.
• Personal biased opinions.  You go to a reader because they have the ability to use their intuitive skill to help you.  This means we have to turn off our left-brained tendency to judge you, and not give you our personal opinions.  Intuitive guidance is never judgmental.  Here is an example.  Let’s say hypothetically a reader is personally against inter-racial relationships, and you are in one.  Their intuition is not going to tell you to get out of it because the reader thinks its bad.  But their ego might.  That is an example of personal bias getting in the way. You can have all the good intentions in the world but if you are not aware of how your ego and your own biases and personal psychology can get in the way of your intuition, you are not a qualified reader.

Things that make a GOOD reader:

• Personal recommendation and word of mouth.  If the person comes recommended to you by someone you trust, chances are they will be able to help you.  (Although , this is not always the case, it is a good bet.)  This says volumes more than any slick website, nice marketing campaigns, good charismatic personality, sales or business tactics.
• Are their prices reasonable?  People who just want your money, and also, are full of themselves, will have outrageous prices.  They may also try to sell you things you don’t need (buy my other services, products, etc., that you do NOT want or need.)
• They know their field, whether it is tarot, mediumship, or whatever system they are using to work with you.  A good tarot reader will not open up a book and tell you what the cards mean by reading from it.  They should have a grasp of their tool.  However, their reading should not just be about the symbolism, it should be directly applicable to your life.  A good reading can include esoteric information, but I personally think that stuff is better learned in a class (because it is general and not specific to you or your reading.)  A reading is specific to YOU, it should not be a lot of “filler” information that is general and could apply to anybody.

Things that make a GREAT reader:

• Experience.  How long have they been at their craft?  There is nothing wrong with people who are new, but the more experience the person has, the more comfortable they will be with their own ability, and the more experience they have had dealing with all kinds of people, situations, departed loved ones, etc.  They also understand their own symbols, ways of working, and are better equipped to interpret what they receive.  Education in their field will help them to be a better reader, but actual years of experience says more than all the classes taken, teachers had, and books read.  In this case intellectual knowledge is meant to assist practice and experience.  The best learning in this field is acquired through practice.
• The person very seriously makes spiritual practice a part of their life.  This may be hard to ascertain, but if there is any information available about them on the internet, they should mention somewhere, that they have some sort of spiritual basis and practice.  I don’t care what it is, what religion or system it is, as long as they have one–you are ensuring a few things.  One–they are more likely to have, at least in theory, some system of ethics that they follow.  Two–that they are doing their own spiritual work on themselves (so important, for reasons I will explain further another time.) Especially, a meditation practice, as this is very important for the work that we do for so many reasons.
• Do they have a reputation for being honest and genuine with people?  Honesty–many readers will tell you just what you want to hear.  They may not even realize they are doing this, because they genuinely may care and want you to feel better.  But if all you get from a reader is nothing but good news, this is just not in any way realistic.  Just because someone comes off as love and light does not mean they are honest.  There is, of course, a difference between empowering a client with honesty and removing a client’s power with honesty.  A great reader will know how to be honest in the right way.
• Are they compassionate?  You would be surprised at how many clients have told me that even if they went to a very talented reader, if they are lacking in people skills and just don’t seem to care, how unhelpful that attitude is for them, and how much they wish they had someone more caring.  And they will go to the person who genuinely connects with them.

There are probably a million more things to say and I will update this post as I think of them.  As you can see, it really is a lot of hard work (mostly on yourself) that is required to provide a quality reading for someone.  Following these items will help you to get the best, most professional reading possible.