The Man Bag
I find that turning up to a reading with a backpack on (or pushing a wheelbarrow!), toting all my Tarot paraphernalia with me, doesn't feel professional...and messenger bags, despite giving the necessary space, tend to allow things to swirl around inside, like a washing machine, leading to a frantic rummage for what I need...and so I invested in a manbag, or, as it's affectionately referred to, the E.G.H. - the European Gentlemans Handbag.
Turns out that a good size man bag looks professional, classy, and will fit just about anything in it that I need for a days Tarot reading, coffee-shop adventures, clients and cake! What more could a Tarot-reader-on-the-go want?!
So what does a Tarot professional cart around with them? Surely it's just a deck of cards, right?! If only it were that simple!
Tech essentials - my iPad, keyboard and headphones - for everything from email readings, blog updates, and website queries through to photograph opportunities, video editing and catching up with the latest Tarot news online!
Accessories - an umbrella, gloves and sunglasses - becuase, let's face it, the British weather being what it is means that even now in what is supposed to be summer, it's a bit of guesswork as to whether it's going to be drinks in the sunshine overlooking the river, or dodging thunderstorms and hailstones in a shop doorway...luck favours the prepared!
Business cards - because you never know when someone will approach and ask about the cards, or query the possibility of getting a reading, and where my schedule is full, I can direct them to contact me so that diaries can be synched for an appointment!
Takeaway coffee-shop cup sleeve - well, you never know when a stroll in the sunshine (between downpours!) can help blow the cobwebs away, and give a little headspace for understanding the cards that have appeared in an email reading. Taking a little time can work wonders for perspective, and for the intuitive message to come through!
Decks - plural, naturally! Current manbag capacity means that I can carry two Tarot decks (and i'm currently favouring the Ellis Deck and the Wild Unknown Deck), and Two Oracles - one deck (currently the Alchemist's Oracle deck), and a Lenormand in alternative format (the Magpie Oracle). My 'on-duty' decks get rotated, based on what is calling to me each week, or what a clients reading calls for (whether it's some gentle comfort and direction, or some straight-talking, shoot-from-the-hip directness!), and I'm rarely caught out and about with anything less than two decks tucked somewhere about my person!
My charm bag - a little gris-gris pouch of crystals, herbs and meaningful trinkets and tidbits that have personal significance to me. I wear this through all my readings - many readers like to have a candle, crystals and other personal items around them when they perform a reading to provide focus, and given my predeliction for coffee-shop readings and travelling to meet clients, it's an excellent alternative, giving me the opportunity to 'put my stamp' on the reading area, without needing to take up valuable space with those extra items!
It's definitely a case of the 'sac magique', with my manbag seemingly Tardis-like in its ability to hold far more than you might give it credit for! It really was the perfect investment for when my Tarot business needs to go 'on the road'.
Do you carry decks with you on your travels, reading on the fly or where you intuition guides you? What else goes onto your essential list of things to take with you to a client meeting? How do you keep your list short and functional to avoid trailing a small suitcase with you? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
