The problem with Tarot Today

I thought I would kick the second part of this series off with some problems I see in the mainstream prevalent with the Tarot today and why these beliefs are more than likely not only holding readers back but also the client receiving the reading.

To put it bluntly, we should not use the Tarot at all for prediction of future events.

 If it must be, then it needs to be used sparingly. With it being used more to see the wider themes that might be present in the future and NOT the outcomes.

Now that we have that out of the way, let me explain why I feel this needs to be the case.

For our first scenario, let us say you ordered online your first set of Tarot cards. You bought a book to go with it to learn some of the more traditional meanings, and before you knew it you were ready to pull out your first few cards for yourself. Now without getting into detail on why I think you should only pull out cards for yourself under certain conditions and with an excellent knowledge, you grabbed the deck and asked a question. Let’s say for argument’s sake you wanted to know if you would have a new relationship in the next year and picked out three cards, turning them over and looking down upon them. 

five of swords
three of swords
four of cups

Horrified with what the imagery is showing, you double check the meanings of these cards and when you see words such as heartbreak, sorrow, arguments….you slam the book shut.

Two things often happen from this. Both are unhealthy. In your anxiety of what the cards said, you reshuffle the pack and deal yourself another few cards. You might repeat this process for several days and weeks to come. Needing to see the so called ‘good cards’ in the deck to make yourself feel better and thus causing increased anxiety.

The second thing can be that unhappy with what you see, you sweep the cards up and place them somewhere where you know you will eventually forget all about them.

In our second scenario and one that is all too common, you go to get your cards read. You ask the reader that you are unsure about your current relationship and want to know if you should stay with them. The cards are dealt and many ‘negative’ cards come out with the reader informing you that it looks like you should end the relationship immediately. You go home despondent and when you open the door your other half sits you down for a chat. You end up having a wonderful conversation where some issues were dealt with and spend a brilliant day with them. However, the reading plays on your mind and your anxiety increases….. do you see where I am going from here?

In both these scenarios you have completely stripped your own power and are at the mercy of the what the cards and reader say. The same is also true if you were to approach a psychic reading in the same way.

Does that mean that we shouldn’t be asking these questions? Well, yes and no. It all depends where we are coming from in our perception and our self-worth. However, this is another topic of discussion I will talk in much greater detail at a different time.

So what might we do in the meantime? We approach reading the cards less about needing to see the future, but instead looking at how we are feeling about an issue and how we can go about healing this and thus making ourselves feel better. The cards then become an empowering learning experience of our true nature.

So instead of asking ‘when am I going to be in my next relationship?’ We might instead ask, ‘How can I look to heal my loneliness?’ Because if we are honest with ourselves, that uncomfortable feeling will probably be present. From that question we will be ok with whatever the cards display because we ask that question from a place of wanting to become empowered. It is also through asking questions in this way that we will begin to understand the cards on a deeper level and thus begin to understand ourselves more deeply. The upwards shot of this is that by beginning to heal oneself, we would likely move closer to a much more fulfilling relationship instead of choosing partners that will lead us up a path of destruction of our self-esteem and the inevitable pain that brings. Alas, I digress….

We also have to be careful when going to get our cards read or any intuitive reading for this matter. If you get a feeling that you are being led down the path of a future obsessed reading where the cards are seen as predictive tools and the words ‘bad’ pop up again and again, do yourself a favour and get up, thank them for their services and walk away. That might be an unpopular opinion in this field, but it is my view that ANY reading you have should leave you empowered with a glimpse of an understanding to just how worthy of happiness you are.

Although you might not realise or feel this now, you have the very essence of life itself within you. You can do better than to be told that your future is a poor one.