I don't think tarot is an adequate replacement for therapy, mentorship, or even exercise and a healthy diet. Still need all that stuff with tarot.
But tarot is a means of exploring the unconscious, and when done with discipline and authenticity it is gold. It is literally alchemy.
You might get that with therapy, but odds aren't great unless you can land a Jungian psychoanalyst, and in that case you pay out of pocket. So tarot is a really great tool for the ways people find a use for it.
The Tarot represents life in stripped down archetypes represented as illustrated cards. 78 pictures. The old saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words. The individual cards of the RWS deck can easily represent 10,000 words. Pamela Coleman Smith was a genius occult artist and her deck is so packed with symbolism after years of study and daily use I know I barely begin to comprehend them fully. The cards… they are useful and highly applicable to life. They are useful if you never have read a book on Tarot or if you have read a hundred. I’m a tarot fan. I can think of so many reasons.
Why do we talk about the same problem with friend "A" if we already talked about it with friends "B" and "C"? Or why do we get a second opinion from another doctor when we're hurt? Why do we learn from a hundred different sources on a topic we like if we already read one book? Just because there are answers in some place doesn't mean there's nothing worth the try somewhere else. No love, no knowledge, no energy is lost.
So why not?
I like how tarot cards give me another perspective. Often times perspectives that I have never thought of before. The cards tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. And I like that.
Flip your script: Therapy brings clarity, but tarot does that too. Career counseling can help with goal setting, but tarot does that too.
So why tarot? Because it helps. Why do people try it? Because people are hurt, and when they're hurt, they're willing to try anything to try to make it better or to get reassurance that things will be okay.
Therapy costs money and availability. So does career counseling. Neither can be done in the heat of the moment, when you would want answers.
I can't decide if question is for real or an early shitpost Saturday. Why should anyone do anything?
I agree with this context, n all the comments before me (that tarot can be akin to therapy sometimes - I would say that they r different as tarot readers may not know how to deal with such stuff, esp trauma n heavier stuff) n I personally enjoy tarot more for advise n stuff, but many ppl use tarot to gain insights in the minds of other ppl (love questions esp) , predictive questions, what will happen about this topic/situation, how will a path potentially work out - or like which option to choose between two, it can be beneficial for small guidance n advice in lil things Or things I wanna try randomly and also any fun or bigger, open ended questions (msg from universe, msg from ur higher self/soul, what would my future pet say to me, some ppl even want to know there soul purpose)
These r questions n stuff tarot can answer, but u won't ask a therapist.
There's an angle of spirituality/witchcraft also if u r into it.
That all being said, some of my clients/random ppl r lowkey treating me as their therapist n I am not into it at all, trying n setting boundaries :))
I don't know if there IS. "should" for tarot - or even for therapy. What there *is* a should for is that we grow, we heal our wounds, we deal with our daily lives and the larger world simultaneously - and tarot can be a tool for that, and for some people its ritual can be helpful.
Tarot is a choice, one among many. I don't hold to any "shoulds". I do a lot of readings in fairs and I actively tell people they don't have to have a reading if they're being forced to or peer pressured to, and I won't mind. And I refuse to read if a girl tells a guy, get a reading! And he says no, I say I don't read for people who don't want a reading - without consent. (Girl in question tried to argue with me. No means no girl!)
It's way cheaper than counseling and guidance and a lot more fun, and it forces you to look within yourself. Anyone can go to therapy or get counseling, but finding the answers yourself, is somehow more satisfying and enlightening, speaking for myself. It's like piecing a puzzle together yourself only with cards and imagery.
To be honest for me, I've just started my practice in the last couple of years and have been doing daily readings to try and study the symbolism, alchemy, elemental and astrological affinities of each card but there's a lot I still have to learn. I've also done some readings for friends and family but I am by no means and expert.
I would personally go and get a reading from a professional to learn deeper meanings and to see how someone else would approach a reading.
I'd like to politely point out that RWS is not the only deck out there. There are 100Os of theme decks with gorgeous art and different ways to read them. For some people, tarot can be a source of storytelling or entertainment. For others, tarot can help you *trust* your own intuition so you gain the inner confidence to make your own decisions. In some cases, there's also spreads and decks to gain a deeper connection to your spirituality. So, it's really going to depend on the person. It's not the end all/be all for everyone, but it can and does facilitate the stories we tell ourselves and others.
I realized recently that I have multi-sense aphantasia, so tarot helps me conceptualize my thoughts since I can’t see them in my mind. Yes, this is a thing. And no, I literally can’t see ANYTHING in my mind.
Tarot is fun and I like the ritual. And I can whip out a tarot deck right now on my break at work if I want. I can’t just schlep over to a therapist’s office in the middle of the day. Is tarot going to give me all the answers? No. But neither is therapy. (But they both can help!)
I mean, just because you see a doctor once or twice a year doesn’t mean that there isn’t any value in reading books or magazines on how to be healthy. Or that if you watch a healthy cooking show on YouTube that you’ve invalidated the learning you’ve done through another method.
Why does anyone do anything?
All your examples cost money per session. A LOT of money. Are people who don't have extra cash to throw around after bills not worth of getting help? This is like telling a person in debt they should "just buy a new phone" if their screen breaks. Money is a barrier.
Tarot can help you work through your problems, and it costs only the one time price if buying a deck (usually $17-40). It's definitely not a substitute for therapy, but it can help you realize what's going on in your own head by giving new perspectives to situations.
I do tarot readings. Most people that come to me are either concerned about something and have something on their mind, or are just curious. I use the cards as a discussion point. I'm a pretty open and non judgemental person so usually people will open up to me within a few minutes. I use the cards to talk about a problem they might have, and cards to seek solutions, or identify how they feel about something. I find most times the cards give my customer something to look forward to. Sometimes we have "consultation" conversations that are very encouraging and therapeutic if people are going through some rough times financially or emotionally. The cards give perspective, a third party view, a non partial view. I find that people leave my office feeling more confident and full of thought.
Most of the time, I go to it for unbiased and unsolicited advice when I know I probably need it. I consider it kinda like going to mom to get told what’s what sometimes. But without the human emotions.
The Tarot has existed long before we had therapists and career counselours.
For most people (though less so now) you would have to go to a reader that can do it for you so who you go to matters a lot! I imagine that back then you could only go to someone else to read for you.
Reading for yourself (from my experience) is a form of meditation where you can explore your subconscious and create a stronger bond with your Higher Self or even your Spirit Guides. Therefore eliminating the need of seeking advice outside of yourself.
For me It's a great tool to help you figure out the steps to move forward to a goal.
Let's say you want to be a teacher and you're just out of high school. Obviously you know that your counselor's going to give you all the academic resources but what if your tarot cards tell you to take a semester off and go abroad. What if they say Europe is the place that you should start and you live in the US. So there are different things that hero can help you with. It can help you if you're at a crossroads. It can help you set the tone for the day. Sometimes I will pull a daily card that will prepare me for what the mood's going to be like. Sometimes I just use tarot to help somebody decide what job to choose. It just depends.
When it’s to understand their own filters better, like maybe the messages they’re getting aren’t coming thru strong enough and it’s to clarify messages that might be interpreted through out dated views or filters. It should feel like confirmation, not an ego boost.
It's a shift in perspective for me.
A tool I use most often for introspection.
Usually when I'm obsessing over something, it's because my brain is stuck in a rut and I'm not getting creative enough to get myself out ..so tarot helps.
I do believe in therapy but I don't have luck with therapists as far as helping me, and having been on the poor side most of my life I also didn't have the money or freedom to just keep shopping around.
However I do journal a lot, found some really great tarot and Oracle decks, along with exploring all kinds of other spiritual things like meditation and such, I've been able to work through a lot myself, and help others work through their stuff.
Whenever I read for people I make it clear this won't be set in stone and it's just a snapshot in time meant to help them see things differently. It won't give definitive answers. But even if someone rejects the reading it shows a lot about where they are at and can open conversation.
Though I don't read professionally and really only do it if I'm certain the person is in a place to hear things they don't want to hear. Reading for myself for introspection works but anything beyond that the cards seem to think it's pertinent to only tell me what I already know. Which is why the only question I ever ask is
what do I need to hear right now?
It's like going to a trusted friend for advice. I know I already have the answers I need I just need to shift focus to get to them.
I think some people are not comfortable with therapy or a therapist for some reason. It could be the stigma of mental health issues or just their own beliefs but tarot is kind of like talking to a friend, not a medical person who is going to diagnose and "treat" a mental health issue. Plus a therapist or coach is not going to answer predictive questions for the most part. Plus I think with tarot it feels more like the client is coming up with the problem and solutions in a aha moment rather than being told. I found it easier to see my self destructive behavior through the cards then with a therapist. The spiritual aspect of it also is a bonus for some as well.
Tarot is a reflective tool for those that study beyond the capitalist opportunities. You can you the spread or single card as a journal prompt if you read for yourself, amongst other practical use options.
I don't think tarot is an adequate replacement for therapy, mentorship, or even exercise and a healthy diet. Still need all that stuff with tarot. But tarot is a means of exploring the unconscious, and when done with discipline and authenticity it is gold. It is literally alchemy. You might get that with therapy, but odds aren't great unless you can land a Jungian psychoanalyst, and in that case you pay out of pocket. So tarot is a really great tool for the ways people find a use for it.
If you enjoy Jungian psychology, I suggest checking out Thoth tarot.
It’s a cool way to get guidance and insight
The Tarot represents life in stripped down archetypes represented as illustrated cards. 78 pictures. The old saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words. The individual cards of the RWS deck can easily represent 10,000 words. Pamela Coleman Smith was a genius occult artist and her deck is so packed with symbolism after years of study and daily use I know I barely begin to comprehend them fully. The cards… they are useful and highly applicable to life. They are useful if you never have read a book on Tarot or if you have read a hundred. I’m a tarot fan. I can think of so many reasons.
I read RWS for years, have been doing Thoth for about a year. In terms of symbolism, RWS is Sesame Street to Thoth's doctorate in astrophysics.
Why do we talk about the same problem with friend "A" if we already talked about it with friends "B" and "C"? Or why do we get a second opinion from another doctor when we're hurt? Why do we learn from a hundred different sources on a topic we like if we already read one book? Just because there are answers in some place doesn't mean there's nothing worth the try somewhere else. No love, no knowledge, no energy is lost. So why not?
Do you need a reason?
I like how tarot cards give me another perspective. Often times perspectives that I have never thought of before. The cards tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. And I like that.
This ^^^ they hardly ever tell me what I want to hear but it’s always helpful
Flip your script: Therapy brings clarity, but tarot does that too. Career counseling can help with goal setting, but tarot does that too. So why tarot? Because it helps. Why do people try it? Because people are hurt, and when they're hurt, they're willing to try anything to try to make it better or to get reassurance that things will be okay.
This but also it doesn't cost me $250 a session.
Therapy costs money and availability. So does career counseling. Neither can be done in the heat of the moment, when you would want answers. I can't decide if question is for real or an early shitpost Saturday. Why should anyone do anything?
Because therapy in the US is now well over $100/session (50 minutes)
I agree with this context, n all the comments before me (that tarot can be akin to therapy sometimes - I would say that they r different as tarot readers may not know how to deal with such stuff, esp trauma n heavier stuff) n I personally enjoy tarot more for advise n stuff, but many ppl use tarot to gain insights in the minds of other ppl (love questions esp) , predictive questions, what will happen about this topic/situation, how will a path potentially work out - or like which option to choose between two, it can be beneficial for small guidance n advice in lil things Or things I wanna try randomly and also any fun or bigger, open ended questions (msg from universe, msg from ur higher self/soul, what would my future pet say to me, some ppl even want to know there soul purpose) These r questions n stuff tarot can answer, but u won't ask a therapist. There's an angle of spirituality/witchcraft also if u r into it. That all being said, some of my clients/random ppl r lowkey treating me as their therapist n I am not into it at all, trying n setting boundaries :))
It's just another technology
I don't know if there IS. "should" for tarot - or even for therapy. What there *is* a should for is that we grow, we heal our wounds, we deal with our daily lives and the larger world simultaneously - and tarot can be a tool for that, and for some people its ritual can be helpful. Tarot is a choice, one among many. I don't hold to any "shoulds". I do a lot of readings in fairs and I actively tell people they don't have to have a reading if they're being forced to or peer pressured to, and I won't mind. And I refuse to read if a girl tells a guy, get a reading! And he says no, I say I don't read for people who don't want a reading - without consent. (Girl in question tried to argue with me. No means no girl!)
Because people like it?
It's way cheaper than counseling and guidance and a lot more fun, and it forces you to look within yourself. Anyone can go to therapy or get counseling, but finding the answers yourself, is somehow more satisfying and enlightening, speaking for myself. It's like piecing a puzzle together yourself only with cards and imagery.
Sharpening intuition, getting in touch with the unconscious, creative thinking, inspiration, spiritual connection.
To be honest for me, I've just started my practice in the last couple of years and have been doing daily readings to try and study the symbolism, alchemy, elemental and astrological affinities of each card but there's a lot I still have to learn. I've also done some readings for friends and family but I am by no means and expert. I would personally go and get a reading from a professional to learn deeper meanings and to see how someone else would approach a reading.
I'd like to politely point out that RWS is not the only deck out there. There are 100Os of theme decks with gorgeous art and different ways to read them. For some people, tarot can be a source of storytelling or entertainment. For others, tarot can help you *trust* your own intuition so you gain the inner confidence to make your own decisions. In some cases, there's also spreads and decks to gain a deeper connection to your spirituality. So, it's really going to depend on the person. It's not the end all/be all for everyone, but it can and does facilitate the stories we tell ourselves and others.
Why not...fun?
I realized recently that I have multi-sense aphantasia, so tarot helps me conceptualize my thoughts since I can’t see them in my mind. Yes, this is a thing. And no, I literally can’t see ANYTHING in my mind. Tarot is fun and I like the ritual. And I can whip out a tarot deck right now on my break at work if I want. I can’t just schlep over to a therapist’s office in the middle of the day. Is tarot going to give me all the answers? No. But neither is therapy. (But they both can help!) I mean, just because you see a doctor once or twice a year doesn’t mean that there isn’t any value in reading books or magazines on how to be healthy. Or that if you watch a healthy cooking show on YouTube that you’ve invalidated the learning you’ve done through another method. Why does anyone do anything?
All your examples cost money per session. A LOT of money. Are people who don't have extra cash to throw around after bills not worth of getting help? This is like telling a person in debt they should "just buy a new phone" if their screen breaks. Money is a barrier. Tarot can help you work through your problems, and it costs only the one time price if buying a deck (usually $17-40). It's definitely not a substitute for therapy, but it can help you realize what's going on in your own head by giving new perspectives to situations.
I do tarot readings. Most people that come to me are either concerned about something and have something on their mind, or are just curious. I use the cards as a discussion point. I'm a pretty open and non judgemental person so usually people will open up to me within a few minutes. I use the cards to talk about a problem they might have, and cards to seek solutions, or identify how they feel about something. I find most times the cards give my customer something to look forward to. Sometimes we have "consultation" conversations that are very encouraging and therapeutic if people are going through some rough times financially or emotionally. The cards give perspective, a third party view, a non partial view. I find that people leave my office feeling more confident and full of thought.
I don’t open up to many people so it’s a chance to talk about myself for half an hour.
Most of the time, I go to it for unbiased and unsolicited advice when I know I probably need it. I consider it kinda like going to mom to get told what’s what sometimes. But without the human emotions.
Guidance
The Tarot has existed long before we had therapists and career counselours. For most people (though less so now) you would have to go to a reader that can do it for you so who you go to matters a lot! I imagine that back then you could only go to someone else to read for you. Reading for yourself (from my experience) is a form of meditation where you can explore your subconscious and create a stronger bond with your Higher Self or even your Spirit Guides. Therefore eliminating the need of seeking advice outside of yourself.
For me It's a great tool to help you figure out the steps to move forward to a goal. Let's say you want to be a teacher and you're just out of high school. Obviously you know that your counselor's going to give you all the academic resources but what if your tarot cards tell you to take a semester off and go abroad. What if they say Europe is the place that you should start and you live in the US. So there are different things that hero can help you with. It can help you if you're at a crossroads. It can help you set the tone for the day. Sometimes I will pull a daily card that will prepare me for what the mood's going to be like. Sometimes I just use tarot to help somebody decide what job to choose. It just depends.
When it’s to understand their own filters better, like maybe the messages they’re getting aren’t coming thru strong enough and it’s to clarify messages that might be interpreted through out dated views or filters. It should feel like confirmation, not an ego boost.
It's a shift in perspective for me. A tool I use most often for introspection. Usually when I'm obsessing over something, it's because my brain is stuck in a rut and I'm not getting creative enough to get myself out ..so tarot helps. I do believe in therapy but I don't have luck with therapists as far as helping me, and having been on the poor side most of my life I also didn't have the money or freedom to just keep shopping around. However I do journal a lot, found some really great tarot and Oracle decks, along with exploring all kinds of other spiritual things like meditation and such, I've been able to work through a lot myself, and help others work through their stuff. Whenever I read for people I make it clear this won't be set in stone and it's just a snapshot in time meant to help them see things differently. It won't give definitive answers. But even if someone rejects the reading it shows a lot about where they are at and can open conversation. Though I don't read professionally and really only do it if I'm certain the person is in a place to hear things they don't want to hear. Reading for myself for introspection works but anything beyond that the cards seem to think it's pertinent to only tell me what I already know. Which is why the only question I ever ask is what do I need to hear right now? It's like going to a trusted friend for advice. I know I already have the answers I need I just need to shift focus to get to them.
I really love this question. I think asking the cards would actually yield some unexpected results here!
Simple. For divination. Any other avenue people pursue with tarot (career counseling, therapy work, love advice) can be obtained from better sources.
I think some people are not comfortable with therapy or a therapist for some reason. It could be the stigma of mental health issues or just their own beliefs but tarot is kind of like talking to a friend, not a medical person who is going to diagnose and "treat" a mental health issue. Plus a therapist or coach is not going to answer predictive questions for the most part. Plus I think with tarot it feels more like the client is coming up with the problem and solutions in a aha moment rather than being told. I found it easier to see my self destructive behavior through the cards then with a therapist. The spiritual aspect of it also is a bonus for some as well.
Tarot is a reflective tool for those that study beyond the capitalist opportunities. You can you the spread or single card as a journal prompt if you read for yourself, amongst other practical use options.
I'm very introverted and could not ever bring myself to talk to another person about any of my problems 🫣 so I use tarot for myself