As part of my participation in Ethony's 31 Days of Tarot, I'm sharing the rituals I follow before, during and after readings.Here's another prompt that really got me considering what I do - and don't do - in terms of preparation for client readings. It led me to have a heart-to-heart with my guides that went something like this:

Me: Are rituals before, during and after client readings important?

Guides: Yes.

Me: Do I need to be more intentional about the rituals I perform before, during and after client readings?

Guides: Yes.

So noted. Given that, it feels like I'll be using a two-prong approach with this post.✨ Prong one will show what I do already that's working and that you may find interesting and perhaps even inspiring for your own rituals.✨ Prong two will reveal what my guides wish for me to undertake by way of rituals for client readings, and so what I'll be putting into place immediately.

What I do already

My readings routine begins the moment I get up in the morning. First, I oil up. My guides point me to the essential oils I'll be using, and make clear how they'll be used.I can almost guarantee that White Angelica will be applied to my crown, third eye, throat and heart chakra points. Sometimes, there may be an additional oil, such as clary sage.The next essential oil chosen is the one that will be applied to the soles of my feet. This oil changes on a daily basis, so it could be anything from a pre-made blend, to a single, or a combination.The essential oil is added to a carrier oil and rubbed into the soles of both feet, and excess oil (there's always excess) is applied to - wait for it - my armpits.(I don't use commercial deodorants. Essential oil and baking soda do the trick in the colder months, with the addition of arrowroot powder and coconut oil in the warmer months.)Next, I meditate. The length of the meditation practice varies from day to day. On average, it's 20 to 30 minutes. And, by this time, I've consumed my first bottle of water; 17.5 ounces of that sacred liquid.Next, I eat breakfast. My go-to in these cold months is oatmeal. On the occasional weekend day, I might have an omelet. (Eggs are the only animal protein I'm consuming.)Next, I do my morning card draw. This practice, along with meditation, really sets the tone for the day and for the readings the day holds.Prior to every reading, I pause to take a centering breath and invite in the client's guides and ancestors. Sometimes, the invitation is moot, as it can happen they'll begin to show up on their own, which is totally fine. They know my boundaries.That, my dearies, concludes my "usual" in terms of a routine. And I can feel, even without my guides' nudging, that more - maybe different - will be helpful. Let's find out what "more" - maybe "different" - will be.

What I'm putting into place

"We notice there will be benefit from placing a simple routine to frame the individual readings. We notice the routine of rituals will best be approached in this manner:

💫 10 minutes prior to the reading, sit in silent meditation with the person's guides and ancestors.

💫 5 minutes prior to the reading, ask to determine if cards will be used in the case of an intuitive session. In the case of a card reading, the ask will be what cards are to be used.

💫 During the reading, be fully present with the phone in silence and the computer screen blank.

💫 After the reading, clear the cards which are used with the black tourmaline, and thank the guides and ancestors. Wash the hands."

Okay. So, that is wonderfully simple and also makes a whole lot of sense.I do already silence my phone through its do-not-disturb setting during readings, and I close my browser unless I'm conducting email readings.I love the silent meditation ritual, and the clearing and thanking and washing ritual.The washing of my hands... That is definitely something I don't believe I'd have thought of on my own. I can see both the symbolic and the practical benefits of that.For what it's worth, I'm also shown "dusting" my hands off as we might do when we've just concluded a task; bringing the palms together and sweeping them against each other as though to remove dust. Purely energetic and wholly useful.There you have, then, the ritual I'll use from here on out, in addition to my morning preparations.