For every psychic there is a seeker.  For every seeker there is a psychic.  We all resonate with some and not with others.  It does not make anyone a fraud - even when accepting money for services performed.  Although I have found when money is on the table there is expectation of performance and the expectations are high.

Many an excellent psychic has refused a sitter and returned money when they could not help the situation.  That is integrity and sometimes it appears to be in short supply.

There is another thing that happens with readers - the ones who do it for free have been seen to be a bit arrogant about their approach.  When this happens, in the end, they are seeking something from the reading - an ego boost.  It does happen!  Not to everyone and not for everyone.  Seeking your own comfort zone whereever the reading comes from is the most important thing you contribute to the effort.

Well I would like to say that I think asking is wonderful, I have been asked all kinds of things... and Have also been dead wrong.... and not just in front of someone else... (But also gives the same warning about VERY personal things being said) I am still new to reading, and I often get details wrong, but I CAN get the messages that I am supposed to across... I often tell people things that they don't want to hear, but I can not stop my mouth from saying what my head 'hears' (for lack of a better way to explain it)... I have also given readings without being asked for them, just to get the voice in my head to give me some peace.... Blinding headaches, do play havoc with my ability to question if it is a good idea to tell someone something that I shouldn't even know in the first place..... *sigh* ANy pointers from more would be greatly appreciated... ANyways that is my two cents....

                   Nyte

Yes, of course that happens, with so many people clamouring for free readings it is easy to appear aloof and picky and try to cut down the amount of reading requests by rules or eligibilty, and to play the role of 'head honcho' by choosing those that 'deserve' the reading?

I think that many free readers also get possessive and jealous of what they perceive as their territory?

Another sad fact is that there is an awful tendency for one-upmanship, giving another reading because they disagree with the original one, when of course it will be different, time has moved on after all. The dismissing of other's comments, and then the snobbishness over methods. Using larger and larger and more ornate cards instead of a simple deck. Adding in other forms of divination so that they offer more.

One way to combat and stop these situations developing is by having good ethics and regulations in place. But even this goes two ways, it can give a nervous reader a framework and help their confidence to grow and also restrain the more over zealous and flamboyant readers. For the seeker it gives them some reassurance on what to expect, nothing worse than getting a short paragraph when everyone else gets a page?

It is very easy to pick apart the whole ethos of free reading and also paid for readings.... funnily enough thats why I asked the question about 'Free Will?'  Do we even need readings at all?

Maybe not, but many still want them......

Readings have a form of confirmation - sometimes we just want to feel we are in the right direction for our lives.

Oh yes, I totally agree

We all need reassurance sometimes and maybe that's why so many do give free readings?

I know that the most overused spread in tarot must be the past present and future, but the reading on the past area can reassure many that the reading is on the right track, so thats another source of confirmation. Many readers don't use this though preferring to empower the seeker with hope and optimisn rather than going over spilt milk lol, so one can't win.