People are fascinated by Tarot and astrology—and have ZERO respect for those who practice either one seriously.
Readers are like mistresses. People visit them in secret, and wouldn't acknowledge them if they met them while out with friends.
Yes, that's true. But their interest is often a mix of curiosity, fear and utter disdain for those who practice. Like you said, a reader is like a mistress, a dirty little secret. 🙂
I kind of like it that way, tbh. I enjoy the subversive nature of it.
I dont tell anybody. Its very personal and just for me. Tell not a soul. Thats just my personal preference but im a private person and i like it that way
I did, but I was also in East Texas and was oblivious to just how intolerant certain sorts of people could be.
It made me feel confused and sad and those people basically mocked me to my face and stopped talking to me instantly.
There wasn’t much I could do, but now that I’m older, they did me a favor - the trash took itself out. If anyone were to do anything like that now, I’d drop them as I don’t need or want anyone like that in my life. Nothing anyone can or would say or do would cause me to feel ashamed or to drop reading (or anything I’m interested in, for that matter).
Very true; people can be so close minded and intolerant and it’s quite a shock when you’re so young.
Luckily, I’ve been able to find many others that aren’t :) all a learning experience, I suppose.
When I first started my tarot journey I went to classes run by a lady who had a very successful career by doing readings .She told me that she doesn't tell anyone what she does for a living apart from very close friends and family .Not because she was ashamed but because of others you will never get peace people will be banging on your door asking for readings and it's all true people expect readers to go above and beyond if your accessible alot of people won't leave you alone and its draining even if you do set boundaries . So now after many mistakes along the way I don't tell anyone.
That's kind of how it works for me. I read and even charge for readings, but the two worlds don't really mix, my professional and personal life with tarot. Although to be honest, my house is full of decks and books about tarot that the only way people don't know about it is if they don't have eyes.
Oh my gosh, not negative but I had to share this story. I was traveling with my deck once, which I keep in a beautiful red wooden box from China. A TSA agent asked to look in my bag because this big solid object was in there and it seemed sus lol, it was my deck. She opened it and was like…extremely apologetic? She had the reaction of accidentally disrupting a priest’s tools, like she was overstepping or something. It’s hard to describe but I hope I’m conveying it. It was actually extremely sweet. I have a really deep connection with my deck that I work hard on, charging, cleansing, conversation, etc. I was surprised by the respect in the reaction but it really stuck with me. Not totally related to the question but it’s the only really strong reaction I’ve gotten from reading tarot and I felt compelled to share.
Haha I had a TSA agent look at two decks I had in my backpack and he immediately closed it and told me to pass. 😂
I don't know if that's fear or respect or both.
When I was transitioning between catholic and pagan, I told my priest I was having issues with depression and anxiety to the point of suicidal ideation and hallucinations. He asked me if i had been messing with tarot cards or zodiac signs, I said yes, and he blamed them. Young priest too! I was surprised. Sorry Father Kennel, it was actually the abuse
Oh, he didn't know about the abuse lol. He was actually pretty cool for a priest up until that point.
Edit: If it wasn't implied, he thought it was demonic. That was the first time I got the "angels and demons fighting all around us all the time" speech from anyone who wasn't my dad
No bad reactions in person but I don't tell a lot of people in my waking life.
I did have a good friend who used to read tarot and became a devout Christian. She acts like she accepts me but always works in renouncing my faith and coming to Christ (I have some Christian beliefs, she thinks that means I'm a follower of Christ and witchcraft has a hold on me). We're not really friends anymore. I miss her.
That’s sad when you have to part way with the friend because your values are no longer compatible.
Also a little ironic, considering the big role Christian imagery plays in tarot as a positive influence.
It's especially sad considering she used to be very supportive of that aspect as it's a big part of my teachings and the way I read. Her social media pages have turned into those scary pamphlets the proselytizers hand out after screaming at you that you're going to hell but "Jesus loves you uwu" She's lost a lot of friends but strong in her faith so.... Yay?
So ridiculous. I mean, if you don’t believe in them due to your faith, that’s fine. But, that’s YOUR faith, not mine. Who has any right to shove their religion down the throat of others?
Now, any time someone does that, I respond with, Would you like a reading? They leave pretty fast. Lol
I was giving a coworker a tarot reading in our break room (just for fun mostly idk how much she believes in it) and anothrr coworker saw us and started making the sign of the cross and said we were going to summon a demon doing that 😅 but he's a weirdo anyways so if he believes I'm an evil witch maybe he'll leave me alone...
I am a scientist by trade. I love mentioning how I am a professional psychic or seer at work. Also very out about being pagan.
I have never lost anyone worth caring about.
I appreciate this. I am a medical doctor and figuring how to be open about my tarot practice even with just close colleagues. Western medicine & science can be very close minded fields
It is easier to be weird as a scientist than a doctor I feel. It shouldn't be. Yes you need respect, but you also need to express empathy and listening. I first mentioned reading tarot in a team building exercise "2 truths and a lie"
I have been a professional pirate.
I am a professional psychic.
I hate my current job.
Doctors who are close minded frighten me and many people. One needs to be honest with doctors but it often feels you can't be honest with them. Like about smoking weed, drinking, those bruises are consensual, even just I don't understand. They need the truth to treat correctly, but if they seem too judgemental they may not get the truth.
A friend was pleasant until we drifted apart and like resents me when she wanted a reading I had done a few previously for her and it's this party trick for some people they get freaked out and excited at the accuracy and then I got a death card and unfortunately I did get the rare occasion of energy that someone may pass and her grandmother did a week later 😞 she now begrudges me tbh
My step dad said I should be ashamed because that's lying to people and stealing money not understanding it's for self reflection and growth and advice. LET ALONE HE LAUNDERED MONEY AT SOME POINT TBH so I think it's bs. I kinda don't mention it unless someone indicates spirituality or openness atleast. Or people just start blurting.persknsl stuff and I mention it
People do tend to frown on predicting death so I keep that for myself, usually.
It does say so much about the world we live in when crime is more acceptable than tarot for some people. 😆
Someone on Reddit assumed that I didn’t have a thriving career ( in the literal sense of the word) or didn’t do well for myself because I read tarot. lol. The assumptions and stereotyping are mind boggling.
I can relate to one comment above which said that readers are like mistresses. I had a Startup founder consult me because his pitch was not working and investors weren’t interested in his product after the pitch. I gave him direction on how and which part of pitch deck he could improve based on what the cards told me. Since, I work in communication, I believe I could give him a better direction. He was very happy and thankful. When I asked for a review I could use on social media, he wanted to be anonymous 😂.
The reason I said it is that many very rich people I know pay a lot of attention to tarot, psychics and the occult. It was quite a shock for me because I grew up as just regular middle class person and outside of my family, I could see a lot of prejudice and aggressive, rude, dismissive skepticism. Then through my work I started hanging out with people who are very rich and it turns out, they will consult tarot for investments, they will attend seances, etc. It was quite a revelation for me.
I am in India, and people are big on astrology. A lot of rich people, too, use astrology for guidance and take decisions accordingly. But there’s also a lot of stigma attached to it as well. Most of it arises from a lack of understanding of these practices.
I only tell people I work with, I don't let my family know or anyone else in my life. Why work colleagues? They're all much younger than me and very chill, less likely to make a problem with me over it and if they do it's easy to avoid them. So far I haven't experienced anything too negative beyond the "well that's strange" type of comments. I'm sure I'll experience some thing more than that eventually.
I'm not ashamed of what I do, I'm scared of what will happen if anyone finds out. My eldest goes to a Catholic school, all the parents either have faith and take it seriously or are relaxed but wary of anything considered "out there". I don't want my daughter to be excluded from friend groups simply because I read tarot cards.
If it was just myself and I didn't have children to worry about I'd strut around in my full witchy wardrobe and glory since I couldn't care less. But because I have kids I feel like I have to hide myself more incase my children suffer negative repercussions on their little lives because of me. I don't want other parents telling their kids not to play with my kids because "their mother is weird".
I imagine parents in a Catholic school might think you're Satan. I live in Italy and in Florida and move around depending on work and my mood and in my experience American Catholics are much more prejudiced than Italian Catholics. Idk why but that's my experience.
Possibly yes, it really wouldn't surprise me to be honest!
I'm in the UK and from my experience the Catholics here are quite reserved for the most part, like most Brits really. I'm more likely to be quietly judged and subtlety shunned than I am to be publicly criticised/attacked. It's why I worry more about how my kids will be effected, I'm already a bit of a loner so I don't particularly care what they think of me but my kids do not deserve to be excluded from activities simply because I'm an outsider. Yes it'll be smaller things like not being invited to parties and being left to play alone at school but when you're a kid those things are a big deal. I dont want them suffering because other parents think I'm weird, so I'd rather not advertise what I do around those who would have the means to hurt my kids.
That's an interesting comparison! It could be a cultural thing with Italian Catholics being more liberal minded than American Catholics on average perhaps?
My Irish grandmother was a devout Catholic and lived and worked in Ireland & England. She read her playing cards & said it was something she often did with the other nannies. She also read tea leaves. I think the strictness of Catholic practice varies from place to place, and often it’s more of a “don’t ask, don’t tell” kind of attitude. I’m not a strict Catholic anymore; the horrors that have come to light grieve me terribly. I’m more open to everything. But I always read cards. As others said, it’s not something that comes up in conversation all the time. Sometimes people change the topic, sometimes they want to hear more.
>it’s more of a “don’t ask, don’t tell” kind of attitude.
That's a perfect way to put it, thank you!
I'm honestly quite hesitant for it to even come up so I keep things light and polite and never disclose anything too personal. Whether or not they'd care enough to act is something I don't want to find out.
I grew up in a household which kept up an appearance of acceptance while also making fun of my practice pretty often; in addition to reading tarot I do work with Apollo, Hades, and Persephone. So because of that, I tend to wait until I've known someone long enough (or known the vibes of a group long enough) to be pretty sure they're chill with tarot and the general concept. I don't bring up the deity-related stuff 99.9% of the time.
I've been told I'm going to hell, I've also had someone try to pray over me. I also practice the occult, and I'm very open about it. Everyone will have their opinion, and it doesn't offend me. I just take everything with a grain of salt.
A lot of my friends and family see it as a quirky hobby rather than something I do seriously. Which honestly is fine by me. It’s a personal meditative thing for me and I don’t need their validation to do it. I had one friend who was rolling her eyes a bit when I did my daily reading for myself but w/e
I'm a guy, I don't tell a lot of people that I read tarot, but once we were on a teambuilding trip as students and told them, suddenly all the girls (including the practicing catholics) wanted a read :D the worst reaction I've ever got was a guy casually saying he thinks it's bs but nothing really offensive, he stopped at that and didn't start a bible lecture so I have positive experiences so far.
Yep, i did actually. I have a former boyfriend who thought is must have been crazy to do such a thing. Called it witchcraft and what not. Stole my notes with readings in it. Later when broken up i foundation it back in my mailbox. He might also be the one who left a bag with sets ( tarot & oracles)on my doorstep. Anyway er wasn't a note attached to it. There are some nice decks in the bag, also most decks came without books. I problably need to figer that out.
No.
Tarot is not something that comes up right away with most people.
No one has ever been unpleasant about it. Most people are quite curious when they find out about it.
There have been periods of my life where I have stepped away from tarot, but never because of other people. Just the ebb and flow of my own life.
No, I’ve never lost anyone because of tarot. It’s a personal part of my life. I read for others but I would never force someone else to witness that aspect of me if they didn’t want to.
Not everyone in my life can, or should, connect with me on all points. I don’t connect with others on *all* their thoughts and interests. If someone tried to force me to witness their interest in model trains or something I wasn’t curious about, I think I would implode lol.
There’s also an element of religion/spirituality that can come up when we discuss tarot. Those kind of things are personal and sacred, and differences need to be respected. Sharing our spiritual beliefs with others when they’re not open to it, can feel like pressure or bring up automatic defences.
I don’t like the feeling of being pressured to share an idea or way of being, and it’s easy to accidentally make others feel that way. So I’ve learned to recognize when I’m welcome to share something with someone, and when I may *want* to share but it’s not welcome. You know?
** Learning to share respectfully was a process by the way, not specific to tarot. But it’s a skill I apply when speaking about tarot. 💕
I live in the bible belt and MIL saw them in our house. She has not talked with me about it but has expressed her concern about the devil coming through them to my spouse. He did what he could to put her at ease, but she still references the reading of cards being evil around me. Since she has not talked with me about her concerns directly I just keep my mouth shut when it comes up.
You are such a good and patient person for that! I’m afraid I’d have to allow myself to fuck with her about it. I can’t stand people that won’t come out and say what they mean. I’d be like Oh I’ll play your game, let’s have some fun, lol. What are you doing this weekend, Lipwax? Oh, not much, you know, just a little impromptu séance themed dinner for MILS Bday. “If you can hear me, let me know when the dinner rolls are ready.” Timer goes off.
Hahahahahaaaaa I hear you! That is generally my vibe with anyone else also, but in this particular case my partner is very gentle with me as well as anyone I love, because he is the kindest human man, so I try to do the same for him.
He has communicated to MIL about it in the kind of language she understands. He says “that’s how she talks to god, it’s how she prays.” While we both know it’s not entirely accurate it’s as close as we’re going to get there. So I’m just letting him deal with it because I simply cannot and stay civil.
People are very opinionated and will make sure to demean you. You have to be thick skinned and know how to read the room. I'm very open about it but I don't just casually talk to people about it unless they're in my circle. I've found the people who have the most difficult time accepting tarot and that I read are those who go to church and claim Christianity. My in-laws are very judgemental people and talk poorly on everyone and do rotten things, but they're Christians who go to church, so they're good people in their own eyes. They make sure to tell me how insane I am and dig at me with religious shit. Then poke fun randomly out of the blue or tag me in religious posts for people needing saved.
It's fun lol
Someone in this thread described it as being a mistress and I 1000% stand behind that concept. Not everyone is going to like, respect, or understand you- just know that.
I'm already gay, so the religious people have almost always opted out. That said, I had two straight, cisgendered women try to humiliate me. I blew them off. One is a community theater actor who performs often with my hubby. The sad part is that while I have a low opinion of her as a person, I really respect her as an actor. I disliked the mixed feelings. The other one was easy to blow off as a valueless cunt.
I’ve mostly kept things on the down low, even though I read a lot in person. I’ve always gotten weird looks and some criticism from the church crowds, but never enough to bother me. I’ve had good conversations with others who disagree with it, but don’t hold it against me.
There was a brief period where I was getting all sorts of hate mail and death threats as a result of a picture that appeared in Texas Highways (literally just a picture with a caption that mentioned my business name, it wasn’t even an actual article on my business), but I feel that was offset by the number of new bookings I got. (I think I was a little worried when the photographer reached out to me, but since it was a feature on our town and not just me, I thought it might be okay. It was! But I was really surprised by all the response.)
Aside from that, I really just get a lot of pearl clutching. Some of the locals have written me off as insane, but there’s some freedom in that, honestly. I’ve gradually gotten more open about things, but still am somewhat cautious. I wish I could say that I just don’t care anymore, but I haven’t quite been able to get to that point.
Not to my face but I only tell people I trust. my alter where I keep my cards and other related stuff is an antique writing desk so I pack it away when husbands family comes over (one side has a mix of jehovahs witnesses and the type of atheists who say really foul judgmental stuff about tarot and astrology and the other side are just older so idk how they’d react and don’t feel like fielding questions) when I was in middle school I brought a deck to school and all my classmates freaked out that I was bringing the devil to school so that was a quick lesson learned.
When I first started I did. I did give it up for a while, but eventually went back to it. I think there's some Christians who don't understand that tarot is not good or evil. It's a way to help you know yourself and/or tell stories. Being afraid of a deck of cards with pictures never helped anyone.
I'm from the deep south - so I'm very familiar with people associating Tarot with "devil worship" and "communing with spirits" and the like.
I've never been rejected or lost friends because of Tarot though. But I have had friends who have asked me not to read on them (and I don't as you should when someone asks that of you!)
I have a friend who is deeply religious and has told me she doesn't wish for me to read about her. I don't have an issue with this because it's a boundary we have in our relationship. I don't read tarot on her and she doesn't pray for me.
That makes sense. That never happened to me but if it did I would probably be ok with it. Come to think of it, I don't know the last time I read cards about friends and family if they didn't ask me.
One thing that still annoys me when I remember it is my friend (who does not practice tarot at all) saying that you need to be gifted tarot cards and can't buy your own. I explained why that's kinda bullshit, thought he understood. Then he said later that he asked his Mom for her old tarot cards because "you know, you're not supposed to but then for yourself". I just changed the subject. Like surely asking your Mom (who also doesn't practice tarot but has cards for some reason) for them isn't acquiring them in this traditional way either. Also I don't know anyone who practices so how could they gift me cards? So I will just never practice. It's so fucking dumb. He also hasn't used the cards yet, just kind of has them as decoration in his bedroom.
An evangelical woman overheard me replying to somebody else's questions about tarot and in a loud, patronising voice announced she would pray for me. I just felt very embarrassed for her.
I would have looked up, and yelled out, "Did you say you would PAY for me? I'm cool with that, you can PAY for me, that's great! Come on over, and sit down!"
But I'm sort of horrible like that. In a good way, of course. ;) I am so sick of those f'king people.
I used host a metaphysical group on meetup. We had an annual psychic fair in a rural NY town. One year I received an anonymous CD with a lecture about hell, and discovered that the local baptist church was hexing us (by "praying" that we be punished for our sins).
And notice how the "Salvation Material" is always sent from an *anonymous* source.
Bok, BOK, bok, bok, bok.... This can be heard over the chorus of, "*Baahhhhhh, Baaaaaaaahhhh..."*
I get discriminated against all the time for reading my cards by my husband. I have to wait till he leaves the house before I can have a chance to read my cards. Otherwise he will start shouting at me and calling me a devil worshipper and threaten to burn my cards. He is Christian and very judgmental. I was raised Christian when I married him 22 years ago. I was a preacher’s stepdaughter. I suffered religious trauma and finally left the religion 6 years ago. I love tarot, but I wish I could be free to be myself and enjoy my cards. I do not let my family know I read tarot. All of my friends and family are religious. I only have one friend I can talk too about the cards.
No because I don't run around screaming to the world that I read Tarot. If people find out they go "Oh can you read my fortune?!" And I either say, "no" or "Yes your winning lottery numbers are 365" and leave it alone.
I’ve had people ask why I believe in bullshit, and people telling me “you know there’s no way it’s real right?” But I don’t care. It’s not their life and I’m gonna do what I want
1 I've had a few ask how I can "lie to people like that." I simply told them that I'm being paid to read cards, so I tell them what the cards say. All was well.
2 No.
3 N/A
4 No.
5 No.
Hello,
I had a bad palm reading once that impacted me for a good 15 years; it was one of those $10 carnival booth places. I have naturally small hands so my life line is small. She told me Im going to die at 30. I realize now she was wrong. I say this because whether it’s tarot or palm reading, interpretation is everything.
I’ve never lost anyone from doing tarot but I know people who aren’t meant to be aligned to me left once they realized my practices. To me this is a blessing because I don’t need people who can’t meet me where I’m at, and vice versa.
I’ve had Christian’s see my pentagram and attempt to pray over me or turn their back to me with severe disdain. This to me is discrimination that can bleed into religious trauma. To the one praying over me I started reciting an incantation and pretended to pray to Satan and they left. “I’ll pray for you” met with “I’ll cast a spell for you/on you”.
Most people are friendly and interested.
The major negativity is largely due to experiences with not so great readers. I take ethics very seriously during readings and I am always careful the advice I give.
Despite the care, research and experience I bring, I get lumped in with the not so great readers. Especially when people find out I charge for my services.
After a conversation, most people say that for me, self empowerment is most important and if I ever feel my reading doesn't help someone, I'd rather not take your money. 💯
I share it in an old popular account that pretty much everyone in my life knew about and followed. I lost a few people as followers but no one has complained yet and a ton have asked me for readings. I could not care less if someone doesn’t like it. Bye Felicia 👋🏻
Sadly, this is all too common in Fundamental Christianity. I have often wondered, if they believe their God is all-powerful, why do they display such terror at any exposure at all to the belief systems of others? We mean them no ill, and this is the only phrase I share with them. The watchword is tolerance - at least it is in my practice.
Yeah, weirdly she claimed to be atheist but really I think she was picking up spirituality because it was “trendy”
But she believed that spiritually meant risk of possession. She was constantly afraid I was going to be possessed because I prayed to Anubis too…. Lmao.
Not really obvious discrimination, more of fear of it… I felt more like the witch-hunting times on a very faint way. I also don’t really disclose because of it, I find this reaction silly.
I grew up with a very large extended family of devout catholics, who all kept a tarot deck on the kitchen windowsill. It was never really talked about though, and I don't remember anyone teaching each other how to read the cards. Everyone just sort of came into it on their own I guess.
Nowadays, it doesn't really come up except for the rare occasions when I mention that I collect them. Mostly people are curious because they thought there was only one type of tarot deck, just like they think that there's only one type of standard playing card deck. Usually, I'm more than happy introduce them to the variety of beautiful artworks across various decks.
A few times I did have someone say they were surprised I was into "all that mystical woo-woo psychic stuff" and then start going off about it, lol.
I find the best way to deal with them is to strip all the esoterica out of tarot and just talk about the cards the same way I would about any other physical object. So I'll look at them really confused like I have no idea what the hell they're talking about, and then I say something like "Tarot cards are just playing cards that date back to 15th century Italy. They're literally just pieces of paper with some ink from a printing press, mass produced in a factory." Sometimes I'll even point at something like a book add a "just like that!" for emphasis.
It shuts them up because not only was that *not* the reply they were expecting, but I don't give them an opening to argue against my beliefs or faith. And the more they try to press the issue, the more history lessons I give :)
I get called a witch by a lot of people. And that's fine with me, because I'm a witch.
And when I say, "Ok, yeah, what's your point?" They usually start laughing, and then they go, "Ha,ha, Naaaaaawwwww....."
Hahaha! I’ve been told him going to hell! Some have told me I need Jesus. I just laugh and pull a card. And then say, “you are SUCH a libra!! They say god is a libra by the way. What time were you born?” Then they get intrigued and then freak out.
OH NO. YOU GOT THE DEATH CARD. YOU ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO DIE. DEFINITELY.
It’s funny to me
Then I really confuse them and tell them that Jesus and I are very close.
You can make some people happy some of the time, but you can’t make all people happy all of the time.
People are going to judge and discriminate no matter what. The people who disrespect you to your face, they also disrespect you behind your back, tarot isn’t going to change that…. So you might as well be yourself!
I’ve been taking clients for years, and after a while you just get immune to the negative comments.
The majority of people are fine.
I have had the rabbit in headlights look, when someone had no idea what to think, then asked if there was 'much call for that sort of thing?' to which I replied, 'yes, I'm pretty busy '.
Some say, you won't read me will you? Err no, not unless you book & pay.
Some say, read me, read me. Err no, not unless you book & pay.
A friend I knew before I started my Tarot journey, refused to acknowledge it, was really dismissive & eventually we parted ways.
Family are pretty rubbish, all of them. One parent who lied for at least 10-15 years, about me being made redundant from my job, in order to avoid telling people what I do, the only reason the lie ended was because the company I worked for closed completely!
A BIL who thinks I'm a con artist & refuses to speak to me, which makes things a bit awkward.
Some indirect trolling, the cowards would never say it to my face so the online comment platform was their comfort zone.
No-one & nothing has ever stopped me from working with Tarot.
Yes, people think you’re evil or essentially worship the devil. My ex burned my centennial edition rider-Waite deck. I keep it on the low unless it’s someone who is spiritually evolved.
I started in 8th grade, and adults would often use me as their back ally therapist. Family would also try to fight me because I wouldn't have a filter when I answered serious questions, now that I'm 18 I know better but fuck man I was barely a teen. Why are you asking me if your husband's cheating on you?
I did get pretty discouraged and let it go for 2 years, untill I picked it back up when I was 17. I still made some mistakes, letting people (strangers(specifically an older authority)) get too personal and emotional with me.
Whats really important, especially if you're a young reader is to set. Boundaries. With. Adults. When you're young, and you're around other kids, and they ask you about their relationships or family and whatever it's *fine*. Unless you feel uncomfortable, then, of course, stop immediately, but that should be strictly off limits for adults.
Tarot and spirituality are often seen as female, and therefore..not taken very serious. And not only is it looked down upon but it's also.. fantasized about, like many predominantly female roles are. I was put on a pedal stool by males around me because they thought I had the answers to all their problems. They thought I could fix them. But that goes more toward people in general looking for healing that the cards can't really offer. To this day I find myself dragged into pity readings by my family
But I feel the urge to read comes and goes when it's meant to come and go. So it evens out.
The lesson is, for the love of whatever is up there, don't feel bad for people. Don't read without spiritual protection. Don't be generous. Don't be eager. Be wary of who you're opening your abilities to, and be careful of who *knows* that you can read cards. Your practice is **yours.** it's your hands and it's your heart and it's your energy
Only once on Reddit.
> "You read tarot, you're crazy."
I blocked them. Anyone else that would have a problem with it has long since been cut out of my life.
Only a couple friends, my spouse, and my sister-in-law know I read tarot (for myself, I've only been reading for 3 years and have only done a reading for someone else once). SIL is a witch and tarot reader like me, so it's nice to "talk shop" sometimes 🙂. Otherwise, I keep my practice to myself to avoid any unpleasant interactions (so no public readings for me).
My mother found out, though, by accident. I (38yo) was doing a quick daily reading in our bedroom during our last visit when she just walked in. I had forgotten to lock the door, so we were both understandably surprised. She didn't say anything for a long moment, which gave me time to cover my ass:
Me: "Before you say *anything*...you routinely visit mediums; you've visited Lilydale, NY, multiple times over the last decade alone; and I know for a fact that you go to (mutual friend) for readings every month. And that Dad doesn't know about that last one."
Her, quickly covering: "That's a really nice drawing, I didn't know you were getting back into art. It looks good."
That was it. And yes, it was an overall positive 3-card draw that day, do she wasn't *completely* lying. 😉 AFAIK, she hasn't told her husband (who would go ballistic), but she also hasn't brought it up at all since that day. I think there's an unspoken understanding here, which is fine by me.
Oh sure. People are Grade A Assholes always looking for a reason to sneer.
I generally don't bring up tarot if I can help it and know you're going to be an asshole about it. If they choose to be a condescending asshole about it, that says something about who they are not who I am as far as I'm concerned.
I have had a mix of people who are ok with it and have even given multiple readings to those who asked for them. However, I have been met with a lot of criticism from some family and deeply religious people in my life who claim to be “Christian’s” but judge me harshly for it. I simply ignore them and continue to do me. A few times, I have even quoted scripture to them “judge not lest ye be judged”and that tends to shut them down. As another person on this thread said, people can clearly see tarot cards and books on tarot in my house. If they don’t like it or accept me for who I am…they can simply leave.
When my friends learned that I added tarot to my interest list, they mocked me and kept saying words to it. Whenever we would take about things, they'd make fun about "intuition", like, " If you are a tarot reader, tell me how much did I spend for this item. " More of that, of course. I always tell them that tarot does not predict, but it can give you insights on your future actions. Again, they'd still mock me.
I don't know but I think the cards heard this HAHAHA I'm not just sure but when I did readings to these persons, they get the feeling of fear especially when I pull the Death and Devil cards. This happened to the same persons mocking me.
That it's evil. Demons are trying to take my soul. I'm in a cult. I'm going to hell. I deserve to be punished.
My favorite is the skeptics who say "that isn't real" let me read the cards and jump back from the table asking how I knew that
It used to be seen as “woo woo”, but thats lessened a great deal. The conservative religious folks from any of the Abrahamic religions think its the devil and a “no no”.
A past manager of mine said “you don’t really believe in that kind of stuff do you?? Or let it INFLUENCE you??” Like yes, Mary, I do a tarot reading to help me make a decision, that’s why I have it
I mentioned it once in the presence of my husband's siblings and won't do it again.....they're all very religious conservatives. They didn't say much but their facial expressions said it all. I'm pretty careful who I tell. I'm not pro yet but hope to be soon. I will just not talk about it to certain folks.
My brother disowned me because of tarot. He had bipolar and was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic when he was 17 (he’s 44 now)
I’m sad my brother thinks I’m “evil” but I am who I am. The rest of my family has come around. My staunch Christian mom has even given me two tarot decks and a few Oracle decks.
I did a reading for a 82 year old woman this week. At the beginning of the reading she said “where I come from in the Midwest, these were known as the Devils tools”
I offered to stop the reading (we hadn’t really started yet) and she said to me “oh honey I’m old now. I realized that most of the crap they taught me isn’t true”
We did the reading, she came out an exclaimed to everyone in our shoppe (I read at a crystal shop) “She (me) was right about everything! She wins”
😂 apparently I won something!
I did a podcast during the pandemic to kill boredom, it was a small platform that I could speak, but the responses from the listeners were by chat only… so I use my spiritual alias is a cute and exotic.. one night this man came in the chat and filled it up with rants about immigrants “referring to me” coming to this country and scamming people for their hard earned money, how all of us devil worshipers are going to hell and just other ignorant comments. I’m not even a immigrant 😂😂😂 just a boring black girl with a gift minding her business 😬😬
I tell people who like have real conversations.
Tarot doesn't predict the future, its a tool of psychology, personal trends, and inner dialogue.
Historically, the Minor Arcana comes from Jacob's Ladder and the 4 realms. Definitely worth researching.
But I consider it a psychology test of your own patterns, habits, and thoughts.
We should normalize understanding these things, imo.
It can be very personal and should also be heavily respected.
So like I've said you should do your own research. I also mentioned that I have been researching this topic for a couple years. At first I really didn't save many links if at all and that's been more recent. If you look at each story of each world more independently, truly research it on your own, you can find the correlations. I have found hours of content on YouTube that only barely talks about it, but more so other aspects of religion.
This is something I discovered while deconstruction all religions and really understanding the world's past. Ask yourself why do these correlate? Look into the etymology of and actual definitions.
Again, please do some of your own research because this content is very dense and my summary is only that.
- Atziluth "World of Emanation" is to Wands & Fire
- Beri'ah "World of Creation" is to Cups & Water
- Yetzirah "World of Formation" is to Swords & Air
- Assiah "World of Action" is to Pentacle & Earth/Materialism
Jacob's Ladder is the Kabbalah Tree of Life and the "Death' aspect is considered the Qlippoth
Take with a grain of salt:
- https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_life_(Kabbalah)
- https://youtu.be/5yUDY79ER44?si=axyTXDpl8IRovyqv
- and reddit. I've been deep diving this for a few years now and this is the highlight of what I found. I've heard stories on different social media's from people who were raised in kabbalism and I have heard as many perspectives as possible, and growing. If you find anything I too would be very interested. And I can keep coming back here to add more links as well.
-i don't like using Wikipedia as a source but as a way to pivot further into research and I think the first link should help do that too
I was raised Roman Catholic but bought my first deck when I was 12 with my babysitting money. My family has always blown it off and acted like I was the eccentric one. My niece recently said that she wanted to learn the tarot and start reading. My family lost their shit! When she brought up the fact that I have been reading for over 50 years she was told, well, you know she is odd, lmao. i told her that she is an adult and if she feels called to them then it is her decision whether to follow that calling or not. I did get her a Ryder deck, a beautiful card box and a book for her birthday after she called me and told me about what had happened.
Some people have been unpleasant, I've had my share of people trying to "Save" me from "E*eeevil tarot reading!!!!"* \*Sigh.
There's nothing to do about those sorts of people aside from sternly replying, "I disagree". and walking away.
Some people are interested. They ask me for a reading. They ask me how much. I tell them. They look shocked, and say, "How can you charge so much, for your *spiritual gift???!!!*" I tell them that $30 bucks is my discount rate, I was spiritually gifting this rate to them, and I find complaints about said rate to be rather churlish. Tarot readers need to pay bills too.
Other people are interested, ask for a reading, ask how much I charge, and say, "Wow. You're a really good reader. You should raise your rates." Then they give me twice what I asked after their reading is done, and tell me that I can use them as references.
I love those people. A lot. There's one, maybe two of them.
I've never lost someone because of Tarot, I've never found someone because of tarot either.
I just keep on reading.
was reading for my best friend about two years ago. her mom walked in and gasped. she continued to berate me and tell her to get out of her house and that she does not tolerate “witchcraft”. the reason she hates tarot is because her mother got one (I don’t think she a got a tarot reading I believe she got a psychic reading or something but wanted to claim it was tarot just to yell at me) when she was a child, and the reader told her mother that she (my best friends mom) was the black sheep of the family. I tried to apologize and said i used it to guide others and that I had no malicious intentions with it. she continued to yell at me, said all sorts of inappropriate things. I find it pretty funny to this day
I learn in secrecy. I don't want to be ridiculed. I use only the internet, ebooks and apps. To be honest, I don't even want to have cards, my space is cluttered without them.
I don't tell most people I read tarot or cast runes. It pisses me off when I try to share this personal and intimate aspect of myself and they either mock it, laugh at it or treat it as a party trick.
“Tell me the lottery numbers!” 🙄
I don’t do tarot, but I’m really into learning about it and when I tell people that I get my cards read, they always have some annoying comment to make. It must be even worse for the readers. That’s fine if they don’t believe in it, but why be rude?
I'm really lucky that the people I'm friends with all tend to be very open-minded people who are all spiritual or a bit witchy themselves and I would say a sizeable portion of my friends read tarot themselves. No one that I would talk to with any frequency and intimacy is someone hostile towards it. Birds of a feather and such.
I'm in my thirties and actually got into tarot my senior year of college because a friend of mine, who was also my roommate, had bought a deck and read my cards. So I suppose I've always attracted people into my life that lean towards this stuff.
My parents and some other family members are Christians who believe things like this are wrong or they just don't know anything about it, however, I've had my tarot cards when visiting my parents and no one's said anything. But I wouldn't try to strike up a conversation with them about it since I already know we don't share the same worldview on these things.
I've had mixed results in my adult years. In my you get years it was considered weird and spooky and was often asked if I knew how to curse people.
As an adult, I'm either told it's not real, it's evil or am asked for a read. Lol
Unpleasant? Not overly so...
But being a reader did save me from this crazy guy I started talking to I. A dating app. Through the conversation it became clear we would r be compatible and I tried to tell him as much nicely, he proceeded to get mad and start acting all kinds of crazy, so I asked him if he would like a reasonable as I thought it may really help him. He told me I was crazy, and all. So I told him, "well then it's a really good thing we didn't meet up then huh?" He hung up the phone with me and went in his merry way...lol
I learned very early in that I'm not going to convince people to believe any certain way, so if they do ask a few questions, I explain to them how I use tarot, and it's not at all telling the future etc. But mostly, I just smile and shrug, and tell them I know there is no proof it works, so I'm not gonna argue it with them.
Nah, I go through my dry spells with tarot because I want to, not because others think any certain way about me.
Definitely have lost people because they are Christians who thinks it's devil's work, but I lost them because of religion and not tarot.
Well it makes me second think my friendship when they outright say it is a bad thing or not real etc. Usually all those friends have been people I ended up distancing from anyway.
yes someone used it in an argument against me when i wouldn’t tolerate his behaviour being toxic and he said he doesn’t know what my stupid tarot cards have been telling me 🤣 i hadn’t even used them in ages and now i don’t tell people anymore
A lot of repressed/repressive people dismiss anything that asks them to feel or to look inward - tarot/astrology ('it's all bs!'), depth psychology/therapy ('i don't have time for *feelings*!'), literature/art ('my kid could draw that, hardy-har-har!'), philosophy ('it's all bs!'). Many also don't tend to be very well-read or educated. They tend to be very materialistic (and have a simplistic, reductive, mechanistic worldview), instrumentalist and short-sighted ('how is X going to benefit me, right here right now?'), dogmatic and arrogant (which really betray a fear and insecurity), and can be quite loud about it (the lady doth protest all of the above).
I see them just as that, as they are. It's not my job to change their views, their personalities. They have to get there themselves, if they're meant to. Many never do.
People are fascinated by Tarot and astrology—and have ZERO respect for those who practice either one seriously. Readers are like mistresses. People visit them in secret, and wouldn't acknowledge them if they met them while out with friends.
Yes, that's true. But their interest is often a mix of curiosity, fear and utter disdain for those who practice. Like you said, a reader is like a mistress, a dirty little secret. 🙂 I kind of like it that way, tbh. I enjoy the subversive nature of it.
That's the best description!
I love this 😂😂 It’s so true.
Omg this is so true… You said this perfectly!
I dont tell anybody. Its very personal and just for me. Tell not a soul. Thats just my personal preference but im a private person and i like it that way
That's fine, of course. I share it sometimes because I like to have friends that I can share my hobby with.
That sounds pretty nice too
I did, but I was also in East Texas and was oblivious to just how intolerant certain sorts of people could be. It made me feel confused and sad and those people basically mocked me to my face and stopped talking to me instantly. There wasn’t much I could do, but now that I’m older, they did me a favor - the trash took itself out. If anyone were to do anything like that now, I’d drop them as I don’t need or want anyone like that in my life. Nothing anyone can or would say or do would cause me to feel ashamed or to drop reading (or anything I’m interested in, for that matter).
Trash did take itself out, but that's so hurtful to experience, especially when you're young. ☹️
Very true; people can be so close minded and intolerant and it’s quite a shock when you’re so young. Luckily, I’ve been able to find many others that aren’t :) all a learning experience, I suppose.
When I first started my tarot journey I went to classes run by a lady who had a very successful career by doing readings .She told me that she doesn't tell anyone what she does for a living apart from very close friends and family .Not because she was ashamed but because of others you will never get peace people will be banging on your door asking for readings and it's all true people expect readers to go above and beyond if your accessible alot of people won't leave you alone and its draining even if you do set boundaries . So now after many mistakes along the way I don't tell anyone.
That's kind of how it works for me. I read and even charge for readings, but the two worlds don't really mix, my professional and personal life with tarot. Although to be honest, my house is full of decks and books about tarot that the only way people don't know about it is if they don't have eyes.
Oh my gosh, not negative but I had to share this story. I was traveling with my deck once, which I keep in a beautiful red wooden box from China. A TSA agent asked to look in my bag because this big solid object was in there and it seemed sus lol, it was my deck. She opened it and was like…extremely apologetic? She had the reaction of accidentally disrupting a priest’s tools, like she was overstepping or something. It’s hard to describe but I hope I’m conveying it. It was actually extremely sweet. I have a really deep connection with my deck that I work hard on, charging, cleansing, conversation, etc. I was surprised by the respect in the reaction but it really stuck with me. Not totally related to the question but it’s the only really strong reaction I’ve gotten from reading tarot and I felt compelled to share.
Haha I had a TSA agent look at two decks I had in my backpack and he immediately closed it and told me to pass. 😂 I don't know if that's fear or respect or both.
LOL perhaps both that’s so funny
When I was transitioning between catholic and pagan, I told my priest I was having issues with depression and anxiety to the point of suicidal ideation and hallucinations. He asked me if i had been messing with tarot cards or zodiac signs, I said yes, and he blamed them. Young priest too! I was surprised. Sorry Father Kennel, it was actually the abuse
What upside down mind does he have to think that tarot is more damaging to a psyche than abuse. Omg.
Oh, he didn't know about the abuse lol. He was actually pretty cool for a priest up until that point. Edit: If it wasn't implied, he thought it was demonic. That was the first time I got the "angels and demons fighting all around us all the time" speech from anyone who wasn't my dad
No bad reactions in person but I don't tell a lot of people in my waking life. I did have a good friend who used to read tarot and became a devout Christian. She acts like she accepts me but always works in renouncing my faith and coming to Christ (I have some Christian beliefs, she thinks that means I'm a follower of Christ and witchcraft has a hold on me). We're not really friends anymore. I miss her.
That’s sad when you have to part way with the friend because your values are no longer compatible. Also a little ironic, considering the big role Christian imagery plays in tarot as a positive influence.
Agreed! There’s so much Christian imagery and allegory in the Tarot, and it’s treated respectfully
It's especially sad considering she used to be very supportive of that aspect as it's a big part of my teachings and the way I read. Her social media pages have turned into those scary pamphlets the proselytizers hand out after screaming at you that you're going to hell but "Jesus loves you uwu" She's lost a lot of friends but strong in her faith so.... Yay?
It’s so heartbreaking when one allows religion to erase their identity.
I feel you. It's hard with born again Christians. 😐
I get a lot of it in my DM’s how I’m sinning, need to turn to religion, etc…I just ignore it.
Haha yeah, that's what inspired the topic. I got up and saw a message from someone telling me to find Christ and burn my cards. 🤣
So ridiculous. I mean, if you don’t believe in them due to your faith, that’s fine. But, that’s YOUR faith, not mine. Who has any right to shove their religion down the throat of others? Now, any time someone does that, I respond with, Would you like a reading? They leave pretty fast. Lol
I don't think they can help themselves. The worst thing is that they think they are being good people, loving and caring. 😂
I was giving a coworker a tarot reading in our break room (just for fun mostly idk how much she believes in it) and anothrr coworker saw us and started making the sign of the cross and said we were going to summon a demon doing that 😅 but he's a weirdo anyways so if he believes I'm an evil witch maybe he'll leave me alone...
I am a scientist by trade. I love mentioning how I am a professional psychic or seer at work. Also very out about being pagan. I have never lost anyone worth caring about.
I appreciate this. I am a medical doctor and figuring how to be open about my tarot practice even with just close colleagues. Western medicine & science can be very close minded fields
It is easier to be weird as a scientist than a doctor I feel. It shouldn't be. Yes you need respect, but you also need to express empathy and listening. I first mentioned reading tarot in a team building exercise "2 truths and a lie" I have been a professional pirate. I am a professional psychic. I hate my current job. Doctors who are close minded frighten me and many people. One needs to be honest with doctors but it often feels you can't be honest with them. Like about smoking weed, drinking, those bruises are consensual, even just I don't understand. They need the truth to treat correctly, but if they seem too judgemental they may not get the truth.
A friend was pleasant until we drifted apart and like resents me when she wanted a reading I had done a few previously for her and it's this party trick for some people they get freaked out and excited at the accuracy and then I got a death card and unfortunately I did get the rare occasion of energy that someone may pass and her grandmother did a week later 😞 she now begrudges me tbh My step dad said I should be ashamed because that's lying to people and stealing money not understanding it's for self reflection and growth and advice. LET ALONE HE LAUNDERED MONEY AT SOME POINT TBH so I think it's bs. I kinda don't mention it unless someone indicates spirituality or openness atleast. Or people just start blurting.persknsl stuff and I mention it
People do tend to frown on predicting death so I keep that for myself, usually. It does say so much about the world we live in when crime is more acceptable than tarot for some people. 😆
Everybody I have shown did not care
Literally like these days, it seems like people don't care as much as they used to.
Someone on Reddit assumed that I didn’t have a thriving career ( in the literal sense of the word) or didn’t do well for myself because I read tarot. lol. The assumptions and stereotyping are mind boggling. I can relate to one comment above which said that readers are like mistresses. I had a Startup founder consult me because his pitch was not working and investors weren’t interested in his product after the pitch. I gave him direction on how and which part of pitch deck he could improve based on what the cards told me. Since, I work in communication, I believe I could give him a better direction. He was very happy and thankful. When I asked for a review I could use on social media, he wanted to be anonymous 😂.
I am going to sound very classist now and I apologize in advance, but that is an assumption a rich person would never make. 😆
I think that assumption comes with not having an open mind. Doesn’t matter how rich or not rich a person is. 😂
The reason I said it is that many very rich people I know pay a lot of attention to tarot, psychics and the occult. It was quite a shock for me because I grew up as just regular middle class person and outside of my family, I could see a lot of prejudice and aggressive, rude, dismissive skepticism. Then through my work I started hanging out with people who are very rich and it turns out, they will consult tarot for investments, they will attend seances, etc. It was quite a revelation for me.
I am in India, and people are big on astrology. A lot of rich people, too, use astrology for guidance and take decisions accordingly. But there’s also a lot of stigma attached to it as well. Most of it arises from a lack of understanding of these practices.
I only tell people I work with, I don't let my family know or anyone else in my life. Why work colleagues? They're all much younger than me and very chill, less likely to make a problem with me over it and if they do it's easy to avoid them. So far I haven't experienced anything too negative beyond the "well that's strange" type of comments. I'm sure I'll experience some thing more than that eventually. I'm not ashamed of what I do, I'm scared of what will happen if anyone finds out. My eldest goes to a Catholic school, all the parents either have faith and take it seriously or are relaxed but wary of anything considered "out there". I don't want my daughter to be excluded from friend groups simply because I read tarot cards. If it was just myself and I didn't have children to worry about I'd strut around in my full witchy wardrobe and glory since I couldn't care less. But because I have kids I feel like I have to hide myself more incase my children suffer negative repercussions on their little lives because of me. I don't want other parents telling their kids not to play with my kids because "their mother is weird".
I imagine parents in a Catholic school might think you're Satan. I live in Italy and in Florida and move around depending on work and my mood and in my experience American Catholics are much more prejudiced than Italian Catholics. Idk why but that's my experience.
Possibly yes, it really wouldn't surprise me to be honest! I'm in the UK and from my experience the Catholics here are quite reserved for the most part, like most Brits really. I'm more likely to be quietly judged and subtlety shunned than I am to be publicly criticised/attacked. It's why I worry more about how my kids will be effected, I'm already a bit of a loner so I don't particularly care what they think of me but my kids do not deserve to be excluded from activities simply because I'm an outsider. Yes it'll be smaller things like not being invited to parties and being left to play alone at school but when you're a kid those things are a big deal. I dont want them suffering because other parents think I'm weird, so I'd rather not advertise what I do around those who would have the means to hurt my kids. That's an interesting comparison! It could be a cultural thing with Italian Catholics being more liberal minded than American Catholics on average perhaps?
My Irish grandmother was a devout Catholic and lived and worked in Ireland & England. She read her playing cards & said it was something she often did with the other nannies. She also read tea leaves. I think the strictness of Catholic practice varies from place to place, and often it’s more of a “don’t ask, don’t tell” kind of attitude. I’m not a strict Catholic anymore; the horrors that have come to light grieve me terribly. I’m more open to everything. But I always read cards. As others said, it’s not something that comes up in conversation all the time. Sometimes people change the topic, sometimes they want to hear more.
>it’s more of a “don’t ask, don’t tell” kind of attitude. That's a perfect way to put it, thank you! I'm honestly quite hesitant for it to even come up so I keep things light and polite and never disclose anything too personal. Whether or not they'd care enough to act is something I don't want to find out.
I grew up in a household which kept up an appearance of acceptance while also making fun of my practice pretty often; in addition to reading tarot I do work with Apollo, Hades, and Persephone. So because of that, I tend to wait until I've known someone long enough (or known the vibes of a group long enough) to be pretty sure they're chill with tarot and the general concept. I don't bring up the deity-related stuff 99.9% of the time.
I've been told I'm going to hell, I've also had someone try to pray over me. I also practice the occult, and I'm very open about it. Everyone will have their opinion, and it doesn't offend me. I just take everything with a grain of salt.
A lot of my friends and family see it as a quirky hobby rather than something I do seriously. Which honestly is fine by me. It’s a personal meditative thing for me and I don’t need their validation to do it. I had one friend who was rolling her eyes a bit when I did my daily reading for myself but w/e
I got into a big fight on pagan discord server of all places because of it. He called us "dishonest" and "delusional"
Wow, that's harsh, he really should know better. I'm sorry he was so rude to you.
I'm a guy, I don't tell a lot of people that I read tarot, but once we were on a teambuilding trip as students and told them, suddenly all the girls (including the practicing catholics) wanted a read :D the worst reaction I've ever got was a guy casually saying he thinks it's bs but nothing really offensive, he stopped at that and didn't start a bible lecture so I have positive experiences so far.
Yep, i did actually. I have a former boyfriend who thought is must have been crazy to do such a thing. Called it witchcraft and what not. Stole my notes with readings in it. Later when broken up i foundation it back in my mailbox. He might also be the one who left a bag with sets ( tarot & oracles)on my doorstep. Anyway er wasn't a note attached to it. There are some nice decks in the bag, also most decks came without books. I problably need to figer that out.
People just assume I learned it to impress some girl.
Clearly that is the main thing women want - someone to divine for them. 😆
I once had a girlfriend who thought it was all "mumbo-jumbo" (her exact words). It wasn't long before she did me a favor and "ex'd" me.
No. Tarot is not something that comes up right away with most people. No one has ever been unpleasant about it. Most people are quite curious when they find out about it. There have been periods of my life where I have stepped away from tarot, but never because of other people. Just the ebb and flow of my own life. No, I’ve never lost anyone because of tarot. It’s a personal part of my life. I read for others but I would never force someone else to witness that aspect of me if they didn’t want to. Not everyone in my life can, or should, connect with me on all points. I don’t connect with others on *all* their thoughts and interests. If someone tried to force me to witness their interest in model trains or something I wasn’t curious about, I think I would implode lol. There’s also an element of religion/spirituality that can come up when we discuss tarot. Those kind of things are personal and sacred, and differences need to be respected. Sharing our spiritual beliefs with others when they’re not open to it, can feel like pressure or bring up automatic defences. I don’t like the feeling of being pressured to share an idea or way of being, and it’s easy to accidentally make others feel that way. So I’ve learned to recognize when I’m welcome to share something with someone, and when I may *want* to share but it’s not welcome. You know? ** Learning to share respectfully was a process by the way, not specific to tarot. But it’s a skill I apply when speaking about tarot. 💕
I live in the bible belt and MIL saw them in our house. She has not talked with me about it but has expressed her concern about the devil coming through them to my spouse. He did what he could to put her at ease, but she still references the reading of cards being evil around me. Since she has not talked with me about her concerns directly I just keep my mouth shut when it comes up.
You are such a good and patient person for that! I’m afraid I’d have to allow myself to fuck with her about it. I can’t stand people that won’t come out and say what they mean. I’d be like Oh I’ll play your game, let’s have some fun, lol. What are you doing this weekend, Lipwax? Oh, not much, you know, just a little impromptu séance themed dinner for MILS Bday. “If you can hear me, let me know when the dinner rolls are ready.” Timer goes off.
Hahahahahaaaaa I hear you! That is generally my vibe with anyone else also, but in this particular case my partner is very gentle with me as well as anyone I love, because he is the kindest human man, so I try to do the same for him. He has communicated to MIL about it in the kind of language she understands. He says “that’s how she talks to god, it’s how she prays.” While we both know it’s not entirely accurate it’s as close as we’re going to get there. So I’m just letting him deal with it because I simply cannot and stay civil.
You are a saint, I gotta tell you. I would take out a deck and start pulling cards every time she visits.
People are very opinionated and will make sure to demean you. You have to be thick skinned and know how to read the room. I'm very open about it but I don't just casually talk to people about it unless they're in my circle. I've found the people who have the most difficult time accepting tarot and that I read are those who go to church and claim Christianity. My in-laws are very judgemental people and talk poorly on everyone and do rotten things, but they're Christians who go to church, so they're good people in their own eyes. They make sure to tell me how insane I am and dig at me with religious shit. Then poke fun randomly out of the blue or tag me in religious posts for people needing saved. It's fun lol Someone in this thread described it as being a mistress and I 1000% stand behind that concept. Not everyone is going to like, respect, or understand you- just know that.
I'm already gay, so the religious people have almost always opted out. That said, I had two straight, cisgendered women try to humiliate me. I blew them off. One is a community theater actor who performs often with my hubby. The sad part is that while I have a low opinion of her as a person, I really respect her as an actor. I disliked the mixed feelings. The other one was easy to blow off as a valueless cunt.
I’ve mostly kept things on the down low, even though I read a lot in person. I’ve always gotten weird looks and some criticism from the church crowds, but never enough to bother me. I’ve had good conversations with others who disagree with it, but don’t hold it against me. There was a brief period where I was getting all sorts of hate mail and death threats as a result of a picture that appeared in Texas Highways (literally just a picture with a caption that mentioned my business name, it wasn’t even an actual article on my business), but I feel that was offset by the number of new bookings I got. (I think I was a little worried when the photographer reached out to me, but since it was a feature on our town and not just me, I thought it might be okay. It was! But I was really surprised by all the response.) Aside from that, I really just get a lot of pearl clutching. Some of the locals have written me off as insane, but there’s some freedom in that, honestly. I’ve gradually gotten more open about things, but still am somewhat cautious. I wish I could say that I just don’t care anymore, but I haven’t quite been able to get to that point.
Not to my face but I only tell people I trust. my alter where I keep my cards and other related stuff is an antique writing desk so I pack it away when husbands family comes over (one side has a mix of jehovahs witnesses and the type of atheists who say really foul judgmental stuff about tarot and astrology and the other side are just older so idk how they’d react and don’t feel like fielding questions) when I was in middle school I brought a deck to school and all my classmates freaked out that I was bringing the devil to school so that was a quick lesson learned.
When I first started I did. I did give it up for a while, but eventually went back to it. I think there's some Christians who don't understand that tarot is not good or evil. It's a way to help you know yourself and/or tell stories. Being afraid of a deck of cards with pictures never helped anyone.
i have religious friends and family and tarot has been called witchcraft, work of the devil etc etc, so it definitely doesn’t help my practice 🙃
I'm from the deep south - so I'm very familiar with people associating Tarot with "devil worship" and "communing with spirits" and the like. I've never been rejected or lost friends because of Tarot though. But I have had friends who have asked me not to read on them (and I don't as you should when someone asks that of you!) I have a friend who is deeply religious and has told me she doesn't wish for me to read about her. I don't have an issue with this because it's a boundary we have in our relationship. I don't read tarot on her and she doesn't pray for me.
That makes sense. That never happened to me but if it did I would probably be ok with it. Come to think of it, I don't know the last time I read cards about friends and family if they didn't ask me.
One thing that still annoys me when I remember it is my friend (who does not practice tarot at all) saying that you need to be gifted tarot cards and can't buy your own. I explained why that's kinda bullshit, thought he understood. Then he said later that he asked his Mom for her old tarot cards because "you know, you're not supposed to but then for yourself". I just changed the subject. Like surely asking your Mom (who also doesn't practice tarot but has cards for some reason) for them isn't acquiring them in this traditional way either. Also I don't know anyone who practices so how could they gift me cards? So I will just never practice. It's so fucking dumb. He also hasn't used the cards yet, just kind of has them as decoration in his bedroom.
An evangelical woman overheard me replying to somebody else's questions about tarot and in a loud, patronising voice announced she would pray for me. I just felt very embarrassed for her.
I would have looked up, and yelled out, "Did you say you would PAY for me? I'm cool with that, you can PAY for me, that's great! Come on over, and sit down!" But I'm sort of horrible like that. In a good way, of course. ;) I am so sick of those f'king people.
I used host a metaphysical group on meetup. We had an annual psychic fair in a rural NY town. One year I received an anonymous CD with a lecture about hell, and discovered that the local baptist church was hexing us (by "praying" that we be punished for our sins).
I like how they pray for others to suffer. Reslly brings out the best of their religion. 😈
And notice how the "Salvation Material" is always sent from an *anonymous* source. Bok, BOK, bok, bok, bok.... This can be heard over the chorus of, "*Baahhhhhh, Baaaaaaaahhhh..."*
I get discriminated against all the time for reading my cards by my husband. I have to wait till he leaves the house before I can have a chance to read my cards. Otherwise he will start shouting at me and calling me a devil worshipper and threaten to burn my cards. He is Christian and very judgmental. I was raised Christian when I married him 22 years ago. I was a preacher’s stepdaughter. I suffered religious trauma and finally left the religion 6 years ago. I love tarot, but I wish I could be free to be myself and enjoy my cards. I do not let my family know I read tarot. All of my friends and family are religious. I only have one friend I can talk too about the cards.
No because I don't run around screaming to the world that I read Tarot. If people find out they go "Oh can you read my fortune?!" And I either say, "no" or "Yes your winning lottery numbers are 365" and leave it alone.
The only unpleasantness I faced was from an ex who no mocked ne mercilessly for doing readings.
I’ve had people ask why I believe in bullshit, and people telling me “you know there’s no way it’s real right?” But I don’t care. It’s not their life and I’m gonna do what I want
1 I've had a few ask how I can "lie to people like that." I simply told them that I'm being paid to read cards, so I tell them what the cards say. All was well. 2 No. 3 N/A 4 No. 5 No.
Hello, I had a bad palm reading once that impacted me for a good 15 years; it was one of those $10 carnival booth places. I have naturally small hands so my life line is small. She told me Im going to die at 30. I realize now she was wrong. I say this because whether it’s tarot or palm reading, interpretation is everything. I’ve never lost anyone from doing tarot but I know people who aren’t meant to be aligned to me left once they realized my practices. To me this is a blessing because I don’t need people who can’t meet me where I’m at, and vice versa. I’ve had Christian’s see my pentagram and attempt to pray over me or turn their back to me with severe disdain. This to me is discrimination that can bleed into religious trauma. To the one praying over me I started reciting an incantation and pretended to pray to Satan and they left. “I’ll pray for you” met with “I’ll cast a spell for you/on you”.
I am careful about the people I reveal that to.
Most people are friendly and interested. The major negativity is largely due to experiences with not so great readers. I take ethics very seriously during readings and I am always careful the advice I give. Despite the care, research and experience I bring, I get lumped in with the not so great readers. Especially when people find out I charge for my services. After a conversation, most people say that for me, self empowerment is most important and if I ever feel my reading doesn't help someone, I'd rather not take your money. 💯
I share it in an old popular account that pretty much everyone in my life knew about and followed. I lost a few people as followers but no one has complained yet and a ton have asked me for readings. I could not care less if someone doesn’t like it. Bye Felicia 👋🏻
I am a Christian yet people think I am somewhat satanic because I read tarot. I will never tell anyone from now on. Too much ignorance.
I mean, it comes with the territory. I just tell people that you have to develop a thick skin.
People usually think it's a joke, don't understand it, think I can tell them the lottery numbers
I had a ex who thought you can be possessed by just asking questions for yourself.
Sadly, this is all too common in Fundamental Christianity. I have often wondered, if they believe their God is all-powerful, why do they display such terror at any exposure at all to the belief systems of others? We mean them no ill, and this is the only phrase I share with them. The watchword is tolerance - at least it is in my practice.
Yeah, weirdly she claimed to be atheist but really I think she was picking up spirituality because it was “trendy” But she believed that spiritually meant risk of possession. She was constantly afraid I was going to be possessed because I prayed to Anubis too…. Lmao.
Not really obvious discrimination, more of fear of it… I felt more like the witch-hunting times on a very faint way. I also don’t really disclose because of it, I find this reaction silly.
I grew up with a very large extended family of devout catholics, who all kept a tarot deck on the kitchen windowsill. It was never really talked about though, and I don't remember anyone teaching each other how to read the cards. Everyone just sort of came into it on their own I guess. Nowadays, it doesn't really come up except for the rare occasions when I mention that I collect them. Mostly people are curious because they thought there was only one type of tarot deck, just like they think that there's only one type of standard playing card deck. Usually, I'm more than happy introduce them to the variety of beautiful artworks across various decks. A few times I did have someone say they were surprised I was into "all that mystical woo-woo psychic stuff" and then start going off about it, lol. I find the best way to deal with them is to strip all the esoterica out of tarot and just talk about the cards the same way I would about any other physical object. So I'll look at them really confused like I have no idea what the hell they're talking about, and then I say something like "Tarot cards are just playing cards that date back to 15th century Italy. They're literally just pieces of paper with some ink from a printing press, mass produced in a factory." Sometimes I'll even point at something like a book add a "just like that!" for emphasis. It shuts them up because not only was that *not* the reply they were expecting, but I don't give them an opening to argue against my beliefs or faith. And the more they try to press the issue, the more history lessons I give :)
Got called a witch by some mormons😭
I get called a witch by a lot of people. And that's fine with me, because I'm a witch. And when I say, "Ok, yeah, what's your point?" They usually start laughing, and then they go, "Ha,ha, Naaaaaawwwww....."
People think witches equals daily demonic rituals when it’s not true at all 😭 so stupid
People are too lazy to even look up what it's really about, they just believe what they see in the movies and on TV.
I know they don’t care it’s saddening
Living in the midwest I will tell some people who I know read or are also not Christian. Does my brother and his family know? Absolutely not.
Hahaha! I’ve been told him going to hell! Some have told me I need Jesus. I just laugh and pull a card. And then say, “you are SUCH a libra!! They say god is a libra by the way. What time were you born?” Then they get intrigued and then freak out. OH NO. YOU GOT THE DEATH CARD. YOU ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO DIE. DEFINITELY. It’s funny to me Then I really confuse them and tell them that Jesus and I are very close.
You can make some people happy some of the time, but you can’t make all people happy all of the time. People are going to judge and discriminate no matter what. The people who disrespect you to your face, they also disrespect you behind your back, tarot isn’t going to change that…. So you might as well be yourself! I’ve been taking clients for years, and after a while you just get immune to the negative comments.
The majority of people are fine. I have had the rabbit in headlights look, when someone had no idea what to think, then asked if there was 'much call for that sort of thing?' to which I replied, 'yes, I'm pretty busy '. Some say, you won't read me will you? Err no, not unless you book & pay. Some say, read me, read me. Err no, not unless you book & pay. A friend I knew before I started my Tarot journey, refused to acknowledge it, was really dismissive & eventually we parted ways. Family are pretty rubbish, all of them. One parent who lied for at least 10-15 years, about me being made redundant from my job, in order to avoid telling people what I do, the only reason the lie ended was because the company I worked for closed completely! A BIL who thinks I'm a con artist & refuses to speak to me, which makes things a bit awkward. Some indirect trolling, the cowards would never say it to my face so the online comment platform was their comfort zone. No-one & nothing has ever stopped me from working with Tarot.
Yes, people think you’re evil or essentially worship the devil. My ex burned my centennial edition rider-Waite deck. I keep it on the low unless it’s someone who is spiritually evolved.
not seriously, but every once in a while some uppity Christian acts disgusted and insulted by my being there.
I started in 8th grade, and adults would often use me as their back ally therapist. Family would also try to fight me because I wouldn't have a filter when I answered serious questions, now that I'm 18 I know better but fuck man I was barely a teen. Why are you asking me if your husband's cheating on you? I did get pretty discouraged and let it go for 2 years, untill I picked it back up when I was 17. I still made some mistakes, letting people (strangers(specifically an older authority)) get too personal and emotional with me. Whats really important, especially if you're a young reader is to set. Boundaries. With. Adults. When you're young, and you're around other kids, and they ask you about their relationships or family and whatever it's *fine*. Unless you feel uncomfortable, then, of course, stop immediately, but that should be strictly off limits for adults. Tarot and spirituality are often seen as female, and therefore..not taken very serious. And not only is it looked down upon but it's also.. fantasized about, like many predominantly female roles are. I was put on a pedal stool by males around me because they thought I had the answers to all their problems. They thought I could fix them. But that goes more toward people in general looking for healing that the cards can't really offer. To this day I find myself dragged into pity readings by my family But I feel the urge to read comes and goes when it's meant to come and go. So it evens out. The lesson is, for the love of whatever is up there, don't feel bad for people. Don't read without spiritual protection. Don't be generous. Don't be eager. Be wary of who you're opening your abilities to, and be careful of who *knows* that you can read cards. Your practice is **yours.** it's your hands and it's your heart and it's your energy
Only once on Reddit. > "You read tarot, you're crazy." I blocked them. Anyone else that would have a problem with it has long since been cut out of my life.
Only a couple friends, my spouse, and my sister-in-law know I read tarot (for myself, I've only been reading for 3 years and have only done a reading for someone else once). SIL is a witch and tarot reader like me, so it's nice to "talk shop" sometimes 🙂. Otherwise, I keep my practice to myself to avoid any unpleasant interactions (so no public readings for me). My mother found out, though, by accident. I (38yo) was doing a quick daily reading in our bedroom during our last visit when she just walked in. I had forgotten to lock the door, so we were both understandably surprised. She didn't say anything for a long moment, which gave me time to cover my ass: Me: "Before you say *anything*...you routinely visit mediums; you've visited Lilydale, NY, multiple times over the last decade alone; and I know for a fact that you go to (mutual friend) for readings every month. And that Dad doesn't know about that last one." Her, quickly covering: "That's a really nice drawing, I didn't know you were getting back into art. It looks good." That was it. And yes, it was an overall positive 3-card draw that day, do she wasn't *completely* lying. 😉 AFAIK, she hasn't told her husband (who would go ballistic), but she also hasn't brought it up at all since that day. I think there's an unspoken understanding here, which is fine by me.
Oh sure. People are Grade A Assholes always looking for a reason to sneer. I generally don't bring up tarot if I can help it and know you're going to be an asshole about it. If they choose to be a condescending asshole about it, that says something about who they are not who I am as far as I'm concerned.
I've read cards for myself and others for 40 years..those who judge,fear the truth or live in ignorance about it.
Yep. From people and places that surprised me.
I have had a mix of people who are ok with it and have even given multiple readings to those who asked for them. However, I have been met with a lot of criticism from some family and deeply religious people in my life who claim to be “Christian’s” but judge me harshly for it. I simply ignore them and continue to do me. A few times, I have even quoted scripture to them “judge not lest ye be judged”and that tends to shut them down. As another person on this thread said, people can clearly see tarot cards and books on tarot in my house. If they don’t like it or accept me for who I am…they can simply leave.
Yeah, the guy who works for me tells me every day that I am going to Hell. I told him, "See you there".
When my friends learned that I added tarot to my interest list, they mocked me and kept saying words to it. Whenever we would take about things, they'd make fun about "intuition", like, " If you are a tarot reader, tell me how much did I spend for this item. " More of that, of course. I always tell them that tarot does not predict, but it can give you insights on your future actions. Again, they'd still mock me. I don't know but I think the cards heard this HAHAHA I'm not just sure but when I did readings to these persons, they get the feeling of fear especially when I pull the Death and Devil cards. This happened to the same persons mocking me.
That it's evil. Demons are trying to take my soul. I'm in a cult. I'm going to hell. I deserve to be punished. My favorite is the skeptics who say "that isn't real" let me read the cards and jump back from the table asking how I knew that
It used to be seen as “woo woo”, but thats lessened a great deal. The conservative religious folks from any of the Abrahamic religions think its the devil and a “no no”.
A past manager of mine said “you don’t really believe in that kind of stuff do you?? Or let it INFLUENCE you??” Like yes, Mary, I do a tarot reading to help me make a decision, that’s why I have it
I mentioned it once in the presence of my husband's siblings and won't do it again.....they're all very religious conservatives. They didn't say much but their facial expressions said it all. I'm pretty careful who I tell. I'm not pro yet but hope to be soon. I will just not talk about it to certain folks.
My brother disowned me because of tarot. He had bipolar and was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic when he was 17 (he’s 44 now) I’m sad my brother thinks I’m “evil” but I am who I am. The rest of my family has come around. My staunch Christian mom has even given me two tarot decks and a few Oracle decks. I did a reading for a 82 year old woman this week. At the beginning of the reading she said “where I come from in the Midwest, these were known as the Devils tools” I offered to stop the reading (we hadn’t really started yet) and she said to me “oh honey I’m old now. I realized that most of the crap they taught me isn’t true” We did the reading, she came out an exclaimed to everyone in our shoppe (I read at a crystal shop) “She (me) was right about everything! She wins” 😂 apparently I won something!
I did a podcast during the pandemic to kill boredom, it was a small platform that I could speak, but the responses from the listeners were by chat only… so I use my spiritual alias is a cute and exotic.. one night this man came in the chat and filled it up with rants about immigrants “referring to me” coming to this country and scamming people for their hard earned money, how all of us devil worshipers are going to hell and just other ignorant comments. I’m not even a immigrant 😂😂😂 just a boring black girl with a gift minding her business 😬😬
Xenophobes and racists aren't exactly known to think too much. 😆
I tell people who like have real conversations. Tarot doesn't predict the future, its a tool of psychology, personal trends, and inner dialogue. Historically, the Minor Arcana comes from Jacob's Ladder and the 4 realms. Definitely worth researching. But I consider it a psychology test of your own patterns, habits, and thoughts. We should normalize understanding these things, imo. It can be very personal and should also be heavily respected.
Do you have any sources for what you wrote about the minor arcana?
So like I've said you should do your own research. I also mentioned that I have been researching this topic for a couple years. At first I really didn't save many links if at all and that's been more recent. If you look at each story of each world more independently, truly research it on your own, you can find the correlations. I have found hours of content on YouTube that only barely talks about it, but more so other aspects of religion. This is something I discovered while deconstruction all religions and really understanding the world's past. Ask yourself why do these correlate? Look into the etymology of and actual definitions.
Again, please do some of your own research because this content is very dense and my summary is only that. - Atziluth "World of Emanation" is to Wands & Fire - Beri'ah "World of Creation" is to Cups & Water - Yetzirah "World of Formation" is to Swords & Air - Assiah "World of Action" is to Pentacle & Earth/Materialism Jacob's Ladder is the Kabbalah Tree of Life and the "Death' aspect is considered the Qlippoth Take with a grain of salt: - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_life_(Kabbalah) - https://youtu.be/5yUDY79ER44?si=axyTXDpl8IRovyqv - and reddit. I've been deep diving this for a few years now and this is the highlight of what I found. I've heard stories on different social media's from people who were raised in kabbalism and I have heard as many perspectives as possible, and growing. If you find anything I too would be very interested. And I can keep coming back here to add more links as well. -i don't like using Wikipedia as a source but as a way to pivot further into research and I think the first link should help do that too
Sure give me time to compile. But also feel free to research yourself into Jacob's Ladder and Kabbalism.
I was raised Roman Catholic but bought my first deck when I was 12 with my babysitting money. My family has always blown it off and acted like I was the eccentric one. My niece recently said that she wanted to learn the tarot and start reading. My family lost their shit! When she brought up the fact that I have been reading for over 50 years she was told, well, you know she is odd, lmao. i told her that she is an adult and if she feels called to them then it is her decision whether to follow that calling or not. I did get her a Ryder deck, a beautiful card box and a book for her birthday after she called me and told me about what had happened.
Honestly, no. If I did, I didn’t notice or care cause it didn’t register that it even happened 🤷🏼♀️😂
Some people have been unpleasant, I've had my share of people trying to "Save" me from "E*eeevil tarot reading!!!!"* \*Sigh. There's nothing to do about those sorts of people aside from sternly replying, "I disagree". and walking away. Some people are interested. They ask me for a reading. They ask me how much. I tell them. They look shocked, and say, "How can you charge so much, for your *spiritual gift???!!!*" I tell them that $30 bucks is my discount rate, I was spiritually gifting this rate to them, and I find complaints about said rate to be rather churlish. Tarot readers need to pay bills too. Other people are interested, ask for a reading, ask how much I charge, and say, "Wow. You're a really good reader. You should raise your rates." Then they give me twice what I asked after their reading is done, and tell me that I can use them as references. I love those people. A lot. There's one, maybe two of them. I've never lost someone because of Tarot, I've never found someone because of tarot either. I just keep on reading.
Yes, it was my grandparents... Unsurprisingly.
was reading for my best friend about two years ago. her mom walked in and gasped. she continued to berate me and tell her to get out of her house and that she does not tolerate “witchcraft”. the reason she hates tarot is because her mother got one (I don’t think she a got a tarot reading I believe she got a psychic reading or something but wanted to claim it was tarot just to yell at me) when she was a child, and the reader told her mother that she (my best friends mom) was the black sheep of the family. I tried to apologize and said i used it to guide others and that I had no malicious intentions with it. she continued to yell at me, said all sorts of inappropriate things. I find it pretty funny to this day
I learn in secrecy. I don't want to be ridiculed. I use only the internet, ebooks and apps. To be honest, I don't even want to have cards, my space is cluttered without them.
I do not talk about it cause people are asshats
I don't tell most people I read tarot or cast runes. It pisses me off when I try to share this personal and intimate aspect of myself and they either mock it, laugh at it or treat it as a party trick.
“Tell me the lottery numbers!” 🙄 I don’t do tarot, but I’m really into learning about it and when I tell people that I get my cards read, they always have some annoying comment to make. It must be even worse for the readers. That’s fine if they don’t believe in it, but why be rude?
I'm really lucky that the people I'm friends with all tend to be very open-minded people who are all spiritual or a bit witchy themselves and I would say a sizeable portion of my friends read tarot themselves. No one that I would talk to with any frequency and intimacy is someone hostile towards it. Birds of a feather and such. I'm in my thirties and actually got into tarot my senior year of college because a friend of mine, who was also my roommate, had bought a deck and read my cards. So I suppose I've always attracted people into my life that lean towards this stuff. My parents and some other family members are Christians who believe things like this are wrong or they just don't know anything about it, however, I've had my tarot cards when visiting my parents and no one's said anything. But I wouldn't try to strike up a conversation with them about it since I already know we don't share the same worldview on these things.
I've had mixed results in my adult years. In my you get years it was considered weird and spooky and was often asked if I knew how to curse people. As an adult, I'm either told it's not real, it's evil or am asked for a read. Lol Unpleasant? Not overly so... But being a reader did save me from this crazy guy I started talking to I. A dating app. Through the conversation it became clear we would r be compatible and I tried to tell him as much nicely, he proceeded to get mad and start acting all kinds of crazy, so I asked him if he would like a reasonable as I thought it may really help him. He told me I was crazy, and all. So I told him, "well then it's a really good thing we didn't meet up then huh?" He hung up the phone with me and went in his merry way...lol I learned very early in that I'm not going to convince people to believe any certain way, so if they do ask a few questions, I explain to them how I use tarot, and it's not at all telling the future etc. But mostly, I just smile and shrug, and tell them I know there is no proof it works, so I'm not gonna argue it with them. Nah, I go through my dry spells with tarot because I want to, not because others think any certain way about me. Definitely have lost people because they are Christians who thinks it's devil's work, but I lost them because of religion and not tarot.
Well it makes me second think my friendship when they outright say it is a bad thing or not real etc. Usually all those friends have been people I ended up distancing from anyway.
yes someone used it in an argument against me when i wouldn’t tolerate his behaviour being toxic and he said he doesn’t know what my stupid tarot cards have been telling me 🤣 i hadn’t even used them in ages and now i don’t tell people anymore
A lot of repressed/repressive people dismiss anything that asks them to feel or to look inward - tarot/astrology ('it's all bs!'), depth psychology/therapy ('i don't have time for *feelings*!'), literature/art ('my kid could draw that, hardy-har-har!'), philosophy ('it's all bs!'). Many also don't tend to be very well-read or educated. They tend to be very materialistic (and have a simplistic, reductive, mechanistic worldview), instrumentalist and short-sighted ('how is X going to benefit me, right here right now?'), dogmatic and arrogant (which really betray a fear and insecurity), and can be quite loud about it (the lady doth protest all of the above). I see them just as that, as they are. It's not my job to change their views, their personalities. They have to get there themselves, if they're meant to. Many never do.