Recently, I briefly got into an Insta spat about the Tarot. We had both responded to the OP (Original Poster), who had published a cute meme about sometimes knowing when to keep quiet. One of those – if you haven’t got anything nice to say, it may be better to say nothing kinda things, or in this case, more of a try not to fall into the trap of going down to their level by opening your mouth!
Anyway, my detractor took against my comment, which agreed with the OP and I happened to mention the context of my agreement with regard to my Tarot readings – nothing like getting a little self publicity out there! Arguably, though, the detractor didn’t really think about the original post and it’s message! However, they did get me thinking a little bit about perceptions of the Tarot. This person truly feels that ‘its all made up anyway’ and I’m ‘basically saying that querents don’t have any free will’.
That’s an interesting perspective, somehow by listening to someone reading the Tarot cards for you, they’ve taken away your free will. To me, that’s a bit like saying, that if you listen to your doctor advising you to stop smoking, they’ve taken away your free will to smoke. Gah!
You’ll notice, the example refers to the Doc giving advice. Therein lies the rub for me. There’s a fine line where opinion is sought, that it could be taken as advice, recommendation, instruction or guidance. I’ve noticed on quite a few feedback threads (to other readers as well as myself), that we are often asked for advice or queries are framed in such a way that a reading may well wish to be received as an instruction.
To my mind, any sort of opinion seeking, is just that – seeking an opinion, be that opinion scientifically based, factual, religious, spiritual or psychic via a Tarot card reading. All the cards can do is help give you guidance on your journey.
So, how does a Tarot reading work? There are two parts, the first is to open my Psychic senses, which basically allows me to receive information intuitively. The second is to interpret the cards that come up for you alongside that intuitive information I’m receiving.
Intuitive connection, psychic senses?? Well, my belief system works on the basis that we are all Spiritual beings, currently occupying a Human existence, so at soul level we are all Spiritually connected, as all our souls are actually connected to Spirit / the Cosmos / the Universe. We are all able to connect on a Spiritual level, but our human existence often squashes this ability and we come to rely on intermediaries like myself to provide that link, which in turn provides guidance. So, I open up so that I am able to connect to you at soul level – if that sounds scary, please don’t be put off, by that I mean that our connection via the cosmos is now open, your deepest desires come from your soul and this is the place that wants the answers and has prompted you to seek the guidance.
So, now that I have some connection to your inner spiritual being, you choose the cards (or at least the part of the deck from which you wish me to read) and I lay them out in a pattern depending on the query you may have. I often start with a ‘get to know you’ spread, which gives an indication of what’s currently troubling you; the influences on that trouble; a little bit about your thoughts, feelings; usually something significant from your past; something for your future; a little about your personality; domestic life; fears and how you are perceived by others. This reading usually establishes a connection, you feel like I’ve nailed it with a few observations and we can then progress onto specific readings to do with your enquiry.
But how do the cards work? Well, for me, each card has a series of interpretations or meanings (these can also subtly vary from deck to deck). For example – the Hermit (in the decks I use, this is an individual, quite grey, holding a lamp aloft). Usually this card will carry some sort of interpretation to do with feeling lonely, doing something on your own, being happy or unhappy in this ‘aloneness’. The shining lamp is important too though, as it often indicates a bright spark in the midst of darkness – perhaps that’s your personality, or your thoughts are beset by darkness yet little sparks keep trying to keep you going.
So, I put together, what I intuit about you, what the card depicts, its position in the spread and then give you an interpretation. That’s important – its an interpretation, it’s not instruction, its only guidance. What you do with the information you receive from the reading is up to you. Only you can decide how to use that guidance.
By the way, I have been asked to respond to questions with blanket yes or no answers, for example whether a relationship is worth continuing with. I won’t give you that Yes or NO. It’s hardly for me to say what you should do – only you can truly decide. However, what I can do is tell you what options will be available depending on which route you choose – again by selecting cards for each option and interpreting them. In response to this particular question, I have answered variously by pointing out the positives and negatives of the person in question; equally I’ve refused to answer that particular question as it would be more beneficial to the querent to confront and deal with the most pressing issue, as the result of this step, will influence the answer to the relationship query. I haven’t had an obvious – ‘run like the wind’ interpretation, but if the shoe truly does fit, then I may well suggest it is worn!
So, there is definitely no block to your free will! Tarot reading is fun, you get the kind of honest answers that you might not get from someone who knows you. I haven’t got an axe to grind and I don’t necessarily know you either. Give it a go – its amazing what you can learn from it.