Policies for Shamanic and Divinatory Readings
As a Northern Tradition shaman, I provide readings and spiritual counseling for people, under specific circumstances. I am an experienced diviner and priest with over a decade’s experience offering readings and spiritual counseling for folks from all manner of backgrounds, religions and lifestyles. I work particularly well with folks who have unusual spiritual practices, involving Gods or spirits, or who do serious energy work, because this particular demographic tends to have difficulties finding competent and non-judgmental readers/counselors. That being said, there are specific parameters under which I work. Please read these guidelines before you decide to contact me to schedule a reading.
1) Readings take place in my home in New York or at another NYC location as per my convenience. I don't travel to you, unless there are really special circumstances. Occasionally,
I do travel and I can sometimes schedule readings during my travels, however this is entirely contingent on my schedule and general availability. Generally I prefer that you come to my house. How you get here is your concern. Unfortunately, I cannot pick you up or find you a ride.
2) I do occasionally do readings over the phone or the Internet. I ONLY do basic divinatory readings in this manner. I will not do soul-map readings this way as it is much easier to access orlog and wyrd with a face to face connection.
3) I have the right to refuse anyone, for any reason. Of course, if the Gods and spirits tell me that I have to help you, I will. But if they don't, I have the right to say no to you, for any reason. I do this for religious reasons, not as a money-making thing. (See my fee arrangement below.) That being said, I rarely turn away someone who is genuinely looking for help.
4) I choose the method of divination. Unless you are coming to me for a soul map reading, I choose the method of divination. Under normal circumstances, I use runes to access wyrd. Sometimes, however, other systems of divination may feel more appropriate to the querent in question. I am trained in several different methods of divination including runes, ogham, tarot, lithomancy, and astrology. I reserve the right to choose.
5) I don't do this for entertainment purposes. I do this for religious purposes. Please do not contact me for parties or parlor tricks. This is a sacred duty for me, not a game.
6) Please arrive on time. Readings last as long as they need to last. This may be ten minutes or two hours. Please arrive on time. I generally need at least an hour of ritual preparation prior to a reading. If you need to call and reschedule, please give me at least two hours notice. Pushing the reading back an hour or two is generally but not always possible.
7) Fee issues: I am owned by Odin, however because of my relationship with Andvari, Who is a God of exchange, sacred reciprocity, value, and money, I have very binding taboos re. payment. I am required to take money for any reading I do (unless the Gods tell me otherwise). Andvari is all about learning the value of one’s work and setting an appropriate price on it. It is one of the steps in learning to properly honor money and exchange, things He feels have been corrupted in our society.
I charge $75 per reading and the readings last as long as they last, be it ten minutes or two hours. Payment is expected prior to commencement of the reading. I accept paypal (Tamyris@earthlink.net), cash and money orders.
8) I am very busy and receive many, many emails per week, many of them from people in crisis. Please do not send me a ten-page version of your life-story out of nowhere. If you wish to contact me either about setting up spiritual counseling or about scheduling a session of divination and feel that I might need background information, please send me the short version of your question or concern and ask if I need more information. Short, by the way, means one or two paragraphs. If I tell you that I do indeed need more information, and to please send me your extensive email description of your issues, please conclude with a clear, succinct, logically coherent list of the actual questions or concerns you want my help with.
CAVEAT:
Re.: the incontrovertible consequences of a reading
Readings can be difficult to hear and I must caution you that because of the way Odin has me wired, I am extremely detached during a reading. Essentially, I sacrifice my identity for the duration of the reading to make space for the voice of the wyrd coming through me. If you hear praise or condemnation it is not me doing the praising or the condemning. I am not really there. This can be difficult and even painful to experience. The intensity that rolls off me during a reading is the force of the wod pounding into and through me. It is not in any way personal. Remember I cannot be kind or cruel because while I read I am not there. I am required to enter into a totally objective headspace and that means giving up my identity and my humanity for the time the reading lasts.
Please consider before you come to me for a reading. You may be prepared to hear unpleasant information, but you may not be prepared for what often comes across as complete lack of compassion on the part of the human vessel. Please look deep within yourself and make certain, to the best degree that you can, that this will not be a problem for you afterwards.
Galina Krasskova
Urdabrunnr Kindred
(Thanks to Raven Kaldera for his kind permission in allowing me to adapt some of his own guidelines to serve my required needs).
