In the first books I read about tarot I found instructions about how to befriend my cards, how to cleanse them, how and where to keep them. The practices reminded me of old traditions in which you had to put something under your pillow to dream about your betrothed, or to go on a bridge over a flowing water, under a full moon and throw a token in the water while saying certain words.
The creative in me loves the fantasy of it, but the rational person struggles to fit it into reality. So, although I was pleased to read about these magic prescriptions, at the same time I found it difficult to integrate them fully in my practice.
I read that if you have more than one deck they are jealous of each other, or that you need to sleep with them under your pillow when you first get them. I have never slept with my cards under my pillow and I have more than one deck, so if they are jealous of each other, there is plenty to be jealous about.
This got me thinking, that, I would like to write a post about some beliefs I read about that do not seem grounded in the reality of the tarot as a practice, but more in our need of the ritualistic and to give a mystical dimension to the practice.
Of course, this does not mean that tarot practitioners should not do what they feel is right for them and their cards.
This here is just my opinion and how I approach my tarot cards and learning. The beauty of it is that there is no prescription, no right or wrong, do what makes sense for you and your cards, and that is when true magic happens, when there is an honest connection between you and your cards.
Some people believe that the tarot is evil. Again, everybody is free to believe what makes sense to them. I do not think the tarot is evil. I think, and feel, the tarot is a collection of archetypes from our human development, which resonates with our subconscious, even when we are not aware of all its symbols.
The Tarot does not do evil things, it is a tool that can be used for personal growth and to clarify decisions when they are difficult to make.
A simple example that could explain this, it is like when you need to choose between two things, and you just cannot make up your mind. They both have advantages and disadvantages.
You ask somebody to hide them behind their back, shuffle them and then you choose. If you listen to yourself when the item you chose is revealed, then you know exactly what you want. If you are happy, then that is the right choice, if you are slightly disappointed, then you know for sure you need to go with the other one.
The same with the Tarot. It helps you clarify within yourself ideas, emotions, paths and so much more. So the tarot is not evil. Sometimes the people that use it are, but that is not a reflection on the cards.
If somebody gives exact prescriptions of what a querent should do, or if they say the cards show problems that only that reader can solve in exchange for money or favors or etc. then the querent should leave and never look back.
If anything the tarot is good, because it can provide support and guidance when the path is not clear and the world can feel lonely.
There are so many other legends attached to the tarot, they might require future posts as I do not want to make this one too heavy and difficult to read.
I do want to end on a lighthearted note though.
Some of the funnier prescriptions I found are that, you should never buy your own tarot cards or that you should keep the cards away from cats as they drain the cards’ energy.
I do not think any of them is true. Choosing a tarot deck is such a personal thing that, I think, it needs to be done by yourself, to make sure it is a deck that you resonate with and whose imagery appeals to you.
As for the cats, I know they bring great energy to people and cat owners seem quite relaxed and happy in their presence, so I would not go so far as to reject cats.
The tarot fascinates and terrifies, and I think that is where some of these legends originate. I find it quite interesting to study them and underst
and how this mindset was formed in the course of Tarot’s history. As I discover more I will share it with you.
I had never really thought that decks might get jealous of each other.
I also was reminded of The Dice Man and of flipping a coin.
And even the I Ching...
how is the secondhand market in Tarot these days?
A few people in my family think that reading Tarot was me getting into the occult and doing witchcraft, and it is like, no, I'm not. I just read it to get some positivity and guidance - especially as I'm on dialysis now. I'm not howling at the full moon, nor am I in a dark room casting spells and sticking voodoo pins into dolls
The legend and stories of Tarot fascinate me as well. xxx