Dealing With The Clients
It can be challenging to know what normal is in an abnormal world. This work says that boundaries may not be high on the list of priorities, yet they are vital if you want to stay healthy. Many readers won't limit how often they read for someone, nor will they be too fussy about who they're reading for. It's impossible to judge a client's character until some time has passed, and this can present problems if it transpires they're difficult. Don't forget it's you who is supposed to be the professional. Structure your work time like any other job, and don't feel bad about saying no if you're tired or drained. If you try too hard to accommodate your clients, they could abuse your niceness later on down the road.
Your Time & Your Boundaries
Have a time limit before the reading starts and offer the option to extend for extra cash, but make sure to remind them when their time is up and don't pressure them to keep going. It's also worth having an overall limit on the time you're prepared to spend on any single sitting. Let your clients know in advance if you have this in place, and they won't take it too personally. I can't stress enough that establishing boundaries on your time is extremely important. Your clients need to understand that you're not an unlimited supply of whatever you offer. You don't have to be militant; a casual mention is often enough.
Let them know what you do and how you do it but don't feel obligated to give anyone anything until after they've paid you. This saves hassle, and you don't have to waste time with those who like to fish for freebies. Don't be a doormat; it's your life they're wasting free of charge. Have your time limit decided beforehand and enforce it without prejudice.
Reasons for the visit or call can vary, and it's usually best if you know beforehand. If they're heavily sceptical, I'd refuse the work. I'm all for having an open mind, but there's nothing genuine about the mind of a hardcore sceptic. They are a waste of time and energy, and if you try to do the work, you're likely to end up drained and feeling pretty shit about yourself. Some clients will have unreasonable expectations of your abilities, which can also be problematic. They're the ones who are usually looking for someone to blame and will often reject any level of personal responsibility in any given situation. You can work with this type of person to a degree, but you need to be firm about what you can and can't do. Many will claim to want a general reading but secretly harbour a very specific question they want you to answer. It might take them a few minutes (or even a few sessions) before they trust you enough to ask.
The Clients
Allow trust to grow, don't expect someone to hand it to you. If it's a new client and they're saying no to everything, you can always ask them if they want to terminate the reading immediately. More often than not, they'll say they want to continue. People tend to relax a little if you put the ball back into their court. I've done readings where the client has said no to everything, and five minutes before I'm due to finish, they've turned around and told me their story; it fits precisely with what I said in the beginning. And yes, it's frustrating.
Occasionally you might not be able to tune into a long-standing client, which can be for several reasons. One of you may be just having a bad day. If they know you well enough, they'll usually be happy enough to try again on another occasion. Even if you know it's not your problem; it's good manners and more professional to take responsibility or blame it on the cosmos.
When you have a vulnerable client, it can be the hardest thing to be straight with them. It's not up to you to decide what they can and can't hear; get on and give the reading to the best of your ability but be sensitive and stay away from fatalistic predictions. If a reading looks vague, tell them it seems unclear but don't dress it up if there is nothing to hang your predictions on. Some people have incredibly dull lives, and you may see nothing because nothing interesting will happen; likewise, if it looks chaotic, tell them.
The Characteristics that can be hard to ignore
Vampires - These are the ones who come for a feed. Quite often, they will be strongly intuitive yet be too lazy to work with it or do the necessary study to become a professional. They'll mention they've had a hunch/message/feeling regarding a situation and want the reading. You might find them reluctant to hear anything other than what they already had in mind. They'll frequently complain that they are not getting love from the person they want or that someone is not evolved enough to understand them. Vampires pretend to be givers yet somehow manage to drain anyone around them. It's always about their emotions, money, time, and life. They want pseudo-spiritual reasons why she/he won't leave the current partner (such as they are soul mates, and he/she just hasn't realised yet, or they are still working through old karma). These are valid reasons for some people, but the difference is that vampires believe they're above karma and their way is the right way. If they don't get what they want, they usually say you're shit and you're a fake. They can get aggressive but usually, increase their manipulation to get you to say what they want to hear. They don't take a hint unless it carries the weight of a two-ton truck, so you're unlikely to get very far being subtle. Oddly enough, they can be slow to spot deceit and infidelity because they're too concerned with themselves.
Martyrs - The ones who are always worn out and refuse to take a stand against the vast numbers of family members and work colleagues walking all over them. They frequently complain that no one takes their needs seriously yet find it impossible to understand that until they take their own needs seriously, no one else will either. They're usually under enormous pressure and take the responsibility very seriously. They can be genuinely nice people with massive hearts, but you must repeatedly tell them that occasionally, it is not selfish to put yourself first. They need powering up, and they need to vent. Let them. It might not feel like you're doing what you're supposed to, but sometimes you get paid to listen and hold hands emotionally.
The Enlightened - These are typically other energy practitioners who claim to be completely free of all wounds. They see everyone else's wounds but their own, and they'll profess they have no baggage. Getting them to accept the reading you want to give is like trying to eat concrete; you'll never get your teeth into it, and if by some miracle you do, you're going to cause yourself some severe damage. You do have choices here;
You can continue the reading painfully.
You can keep your teeth and lie through them.
You can be honest and tell them that you think they're full of shit; there is no such thing as completely healed, and unless they were brought up in complete isolation, there is no possibility on the face of planet earth that they have no baggage. Tell them that they can pay double if they want the reading because you have to compromise your integrity by reading for them. I'm not joking here, but I do expect you to be laughing.
Or...
You can claim that your divine guidance has informed you that you're not evolved enough to give them a reading. They'll buy this one hook, line and sinker....no questions asked.
The off-loaders - These are some of the most excellent clients. You will be used as a sort of sounding board. I've found they're pretty realistic and honest about their circumstances. The chances are they are private people who need a friendly voice and some sincere answers. They will have no great expectations about what you can do yet find value in what you can give them. When they say they need a reading, what they mean is it feels like they are going to explode if they don't talk to someone. Their circumstances will range from quite challenging to overwhelming, but they're always genuine regardless of why they have come for the reading.
The curious in-betweeners - They have a reading, usually out of curiosity. They know enough that there is more to life than meets the eye but are pretty happy with life and do not need support or guidance. They typically want to know when so-and-so will marry or if anything new will happen this year. These clients are nearly always pleasant and interested in what you have to say.
The praise and blamers - This is the riskiest group that comes for a reading. The praiser will tell you that you're the most amazingly gifted person on the planet, and they'll see every positive quality you've got. They talk sweetly and sing your praises to anyone who will listen. They'll love everything that you do and say. You might even believe them and feel good about yourself. Fuck, you might even feel appreciated. Then one day.....out of nowhere....., you'll say something completely innocent, and it'll be something they disagree with strongly. Under such circumstances, an average person would need a mere moment to collect themselves, but the praiser will take on the monstrous form of The Blamer. You'll be thrown from the pedestal, your entrails flailing behind, and they'll curse your existence. In fact, if they could tie you to a fucking horse and watch you get dragged over the hills into the land that time forgot to be eaten by a dinosaur, they'd do it! So, beware! Within the spiritual community, you can find praise and blamers in huge numbers. Staying grounded is the most effective defence against praise and blame. Seriously, just stay off the goddamn pedestal!
And finally.
People need time to assimilate the information you've given, and they'll need to go away for a while to process what you've said. I find this to be a healthy response to a reading. There's no doubt we can trigger some powerful insights during our time with a client, but the more profound work is a slower process. It would help if you had patience and you must respect boundaries. The biggest problem you'll likely encounter during a reading is getting them to go after you finish! If you forgot to establish limits beforehand and you're crap at the boundary game, you'll have to lie and say you have another reading to do.
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