Mention the word Tarot to anyone, and you are certain to evoke an emotive response. Some will squeal in delight, "Oh, you read the cards?!" Others will recoil in abhorrence, either out of fear, or misunderstanding. Whichever way people react, I'm certain that most don't really understand what the Tarot is, and what it can, and what it cannot, do.
The Tarot Is a Picture Book
A deck of Tarot cards is just that; pictures on card stock. The cards have no magic, they have no energy, they are not good or evil, they are just cards. Many people will try to mystify the cards, saying that they have to be a gift rather than something purchased for oneself, their energies have to be cleansed before they can be used, no one else should touch a person's deck of cards; the list is seemingly endless. If that works for some people, great, more power to them. However, the reality is that Tarot cards are simply cards, and that any energies that come from them are those projected onto them. They have no life force of their own.
Is the Tarot Evil?
The Tarot is no more evil than any other book or tool. The cards are inanimate, they have no life of their own. What makes them good or evil is the way in which they are used. I know there are people who are adamant that the Tarot is of the Devil; have they really stopped to look at the Christian mythology on the traditional cards? The Tarot can be used as a tool to understand the psyche, to gain self awareness. There's nothing evil about wanting to know better, so we can do better.
When the Tarot card 'The Devil' appears in a reading, it has nothing to do with demons and other nasties. Rather, it is showing us where we need to let go of things that are restricting us, so that we can be truly free to grow and live and be happy. It's showing us where we are still earth bound, where we are still clinging. What's so evil about that? The Death card is another Tarot card that is very misunderstood. It does not tell us that someone is going to die. What the Death card shows is what is changing in our lives. Think about it; if we are moving house, then our life in our old house dies, because we are no longer living there. If we're a new mom, then our life as a pregnant woman dies, because we have just given birth. The Death card shows that things are in a state of transition. If we look at the picture on the card closely, we see signs of life all through it; the sun in the background the castle which is standing tall and inhabited rather than in ruins, the water (traditionally a symbol of life) with a boat on it; these are all showing that things are not dead. Once the horseman has ridden through to bring the changes, life will be transformed anew. This is a natural part of life; everything is in a state of constant change. Sometimes it's just more intense than at other times. Create the Life You Desire
Clients often ask me when they are going to be happy. While the Tarot can help to reveal reason to be happy, nothing can force acceptance of those reasons. Happiness does not come into life at a particular date or time, nor does a particular person bring it. It has to come from inside, first, and then the other things that are desired will follow..
Many people are worried about health, or the outcome of a legal situation. While the Tarot can show an overall view on things, it is not a substitute for legal or medical advice. Real concerns need to be taken to professionals in that field. I believe it was Samuel Goldwyn who said, "The harder I work, the luckier I become." The Tarot supports this all the way! The cards can do many things to help enrich and fulfill life, but the clients have to be willing to help themselves for any changes to occur. Lottery tickets? Don't ask -- if the Tarot could reveal that, do you really think I'd be working for a living? |
The Tarot Is a Tool
I use the Tarot more as an interpretive tool than anything else. Like ink blots, a Myers Briggs test, or any number of tools that we can use for self-exploration, the Tarot can open up a wonderful world of self-help to those who are willing to understand the archetypal images, and undergo their own 'Hero's Journey.' I don't see that the Tarot is connected in any way to anything that is negative, because I do not choose to use it in that manner. It's a tool, and I see it as a wonderful picture book to help us find our place in life, nothing more. Oh, how I wish I people would understand that anything can be used for a positive or a negative result. The Tarot is no exception.
Like any tool, the Tarot is only as good as the person who is using it. Many people acquire a deck of cards and immediately think they can set up as a reader. This simply is not the case! It takes time, and patience to learn the Tarot. To me, this is where some of the 'ground rules' enter. I don't recommend people start reading with a deck they have just obtained. It has nothing to do with energy or magic or ceremony; it's simply a case of getting to know the tool before it's employed. This is just logic; it applies to any tool, and any set of skills. There are many different kinds of Tarot available now. The market is inundated with decks; unique, traditional, whimsical, and others. This is exciting, because up until about fifty years ago, Tarot cards were hard to find, and the selection was very limited. I'm a Rider Waite Smith fan, because of the rich symbolism in the images. Does the Tarot Tell the Future?No. While the Tarot can show general trends of energies, and give hints as to what may be coming, the Tarot cannot predict the future -- nor can anything else, for that matter -- because nothing can take away our freedom of choice. Free will is a gift that we were given by the divine energy (by whatever name you choose to call it; my own personal belief is that is so vast it cannot be put into a box and labeled), and nothing will ever take away that gift from us. The tarot can give indications, it can show the energy signature of what lies ahead, but it is up to us what we choose to do what that information. This is why I prefer to use the Tarot as a tool for insight, and personal growth, rather than predicting the future. I interpret what the cards indicate, that is all.
So What Can the Tarot Reveal?
There are many reasons that people consult the Tarot. Usually those involve money, love, success, luck, and happiness. A good reader can do a lot to guide them through the situation, but there are some things that are just out of bounds, for many reasons.
A Tarot reading cannot tell someone when they are going to die. That is between them and the divinity in whom they believe. Yes, there may be indicators in the cards, but a reputable reader would never divulge that. It is not the job of the Tarot or the card reader to play at being a god. The Tarot can't tell someone what they are going to do, either. Yes, the cards can reveal what is appropriate to do, but as previously mentioned, nothing can take away free will. Not even the angels themselves can do that. The cards may show a relationship approaching, but they can't force the client to go on the date! Tarot readings are not going to promise undying affection. Again, neither the cards nor the card reader can take away the free will of the other person. We can discuss how the energies apply to the situation, we can look into the other person's energies to see what might be happening there, but we can't make him return. Not even a spell -- which I won't perform as I won't try to manipulate another person's free will -- can do that. A reading shows the pieces of the puzzle. It is up to the people involved to put them together. |