Debunking Tarot Myths
Hello Lovelies,
Today I would like to tackle some distorted truths about Tarot. Some of these became really big road blocks for me when I first started to read Tarot and I frequently hear about these sort of things from new readers. So let’s just dive in and kick these potential blocks to the side! Here’s a list of 5 Tarot Myths:
1. You need to be Psychic to read Tarot
Bah! As a society, when it comes to talking about Tarot, many of us are exposed to an image of this stereotyped Gypsy with a head dress, crystal ball, and a veil of mystery.
The truth of this is that there are many kinds of readers who use Tarot in a variety of ways. The most common readings are intuitive and rely on the readers ability to read and piece together the cards. They often blend the divination of the cards with other aspects such as counselling.
A psychic reader, on the other hand, may utilize their intuition but they will likely receive additional messages or downloads through their psychic abilities (such as clairvoyance, clairsentience, etc).
Regardless, you don’t need to be psychic to give tarot readings, you just have to want to give them.
2. You must have your first deck gifted to you
This is an interesting one and I wonder how much of it is a result of the time when Tarot originally became popular? The myth states that if you purchase your own Tarot deck that you will have bad luck or that the cards will not work for you. This is a silly concept and tradition. Not every deck will resonate with every reader. This likely came into play when there were limited versions of tarot, and limited access to decks.
I had my first deck gifted to me and I absolutely did not resonate with it in the least. The print wasn’t quite right, it was fuzzy, and it was in Spanish. Even the guide book was in Spanish. It made absolutely no sense to me. I fought with the guilt of it for years. I always had hoped that the moment when I picked up my first deck of card that suddenly everything would make sense, clouds would part, and I would be filled with this sense of Divine mysticism. After several years, I finally picked up my own deck. It was the Celtic Dragon deck and it suited my taste and style perfectly!
Please don’t let superstition about buying the perfect deck for you stop you from experiencing Tarot.
3. You need to deeply know all the meanings to do a reading
The depth and breadth of Tarot is immense. You could spend decades studying symbology and numerology and still not truly grasp meanings. There are concepts and systems around astrology and the Kabbalah also associated with the Tarot. It is great to have a general understanding of tarot, but it is better to build a connection with your deck and enhance your own intuition.
To give context, I have been studying and using Tarot for over 20 years and I still am developing my knowledge with the cards. Just when I feel like I have something “mastered”, I realize I have just scratched the surface of something immense.
4. Tarot can only be used for readings
There are abundant uses for tarot cards: People use them in affirmations on alters, house cleansings/blessings, storytelling, journaling, and some people even use them in spell work.
The Tarot are a gateway to work with the Divine and Spirit. How you do so is entirely up to you. I encourage you to get creative with it and find new ways to integrate the cards into your life. I love utilizing different decks for different things based on their style. I have some cards I typically use for readings while others I use for creative projects. Some of my decks are perfect to help facilitate meditation or journaling.
The bottom line? Tarot can be used for anything.
5. Spreads, like the “Celtic Cross”, are the best way to read
In all honesty, the Celtic Cross is a difficult spread to start off with. I always suggest starting with a one card pull or some easy three card spreads. If nothing else, create your own spread to meet your needs. The spread and style you use should always match the style of the reader, the context, and the Querents’ (clients’) expectations.
When I do readings, I tend to create my own spread based on the needs of Querent. I find that by doing so, I give myself more freedom throughout the process and that it helps to unlock the door for additional intuitive guidance.
With this in mind, some Querents will expect that the more traditional spreads be used in the reading and they may start to tense up if they are not used. To circumvent this, many Readers end up creating their own signature Tarot Spread to use during a reading. Typically, this is one they have created or tweaked and it resonates intensely with their reading style.
Was there a big myth that I missed? Let me know and let's debunk it together!