'When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you...'

Doing a Tarot reading for a client is a joy as well as a real responsibility. The client requests insight and guidance for their next steps forward and regardless of what their query is, they come to a reader full of hope for either good resolutions, a clear sight on the best journey to take, or to just find some peace and comfort - even when their situation at that moment in time may be unenviable.

My first impressions of people are usually spot on, and it takes me very little time to kick in my intuition to sense what is going on around them without even having peeked at their cards. Sometimes, even a voice behind me from spirit tells me something about them. I feel fortunate to have this gift but have needed to reel it in over the years to let a person open up in their own time, rather than me telling them! Time and experience smooth our rough edges but it is so important to use the wisdom of the years to consider how we are just a small part of a big picture and similar to the old cliche 'butterfly effect' can have an effect on the people around us all the time. You can meet a person and spend just a minute with them...but what happens in that 60 seconds could stay with them, or indeed you, for a lifetime.

When reading for clients it is so important to use this first impression, their body language, the instincts they ignite and open up to any spiritual presence that may have accompanied them. It is important to be mindful now, use all these senses together with their questions to give them a reading which will leave them feeling empowered and uplifted. There is nothing like taking control of your life and making things happen yourself rather than waiting for 'fate' to take its course. Make no mistake, I totally believe in fate and it can play a huge part in a person's life, but I also believe that The Universe wants us to use the opportunities that life throws out every now and again, and that it rewards those who try. The people who recognise these times and act on them are successes. They have initiated and controlled a course of action. Now, all successes are not millionaires by any means; successes can be the smallest of achievements but are enormously significant to that person, and/or to the people around them. Someone's success positively affects the people close to them. You can apply empowerment and opportunity to anything you want. Managing sensitive issues and situations and circumstances is the same; encouragement to take the initiative and empower yourself to do something about it to make it better for you and for those you love. Life does unfortunately sometimes throw things at us that we have no hope of changing, because it is down to nature and the circle of life. There is massive heartbreak in this world, and we have to deal with it when it comes, but do we let it destroy us too? If it destroys us - what effect does that have on those close to us? Our Tarot readings are tuned to empowering. We want to guide people onto their best paths forward, to attain their hopes and desires for the future and to help them when the path is a little rocky. We are conscious and mindful that misinterpreting the cards and the person's signals could indeed hinder rather than help. Being mindful means also using the right words to explain what can be seen.

Everyone is part of the big story and in that sense it cannot be helped that each one of us influences a course of action or a mood. Decisions made will always affect somebody's life even if only in a small way. Words that are spoken cannot be taken back - much like toothpaste squeezed out of a tube. Actions may help, hinder or hurt others. Everyone's life is different, people will have had experiences that no-one else has, or feel differently about certain aspects than other people. People may be ill, hurting, scared; they may have an unseen disability, the list is potentially endless. Don't assume that no-one has suffered like you or that a person who stands back and is quietly unassuming has never lived or been successful. Don't snap or attack when the only reason is that you are angry. No-one expects everyone to love each other - that is just unreal - but what we have to do is be nice, be considerate and be respectful of others so that we can all live in peace and feel good. A simple smile can make someone's day! As we go about our day to day lives it is good to remember the impression we give should be a positive one, and that our demeanour and actions influence people and situations that we are part of. Negativity breeds very quickly, and we all deserve a nice place to be.

We, as the Druid and the Dragon, do our best to put these things into our readings whilst being honest, caring and encouraging, and thus giving our clients the knowledge that they can affect their own destinies. Our aim is to help clients feel better, calmer and move on with a positive outlook.

And of course, a Druid and Dragon Tarot Reading wouldn't be the same without a good old signature sprinkling of spirit help and good old fashioned magic!

Blessings to All!

Sandra, The Druid

NB: The title of this post comes from the song 'When You're Smiling' by Fisher, Goodwin, and Shay. Give it a listen!