I want to take time today and talk about 6 common myths about tarot (revealed & debunked) so you can read with confidence and truth.
A lot of people these days are intrigued by the mysteries of the tarot. Through the many years of reading for others, I’ve heard so many superstitions that caused a client to be so fearful that they have either shied away from getting a reading or have come in totally freaked out before any cards were pulled.
So here are 6 myths I want to share with you, and debunk, so that you can move forward feeling excited the next time you come across the cards. You may even feel empowered to learn how to read them for yourself…
6 common myths about tarot (revealed & debunked)
- You have to be psychic to use the Tarot.
Not all who read tarot are gifted with clairvoyance, mediumship, or other forms of sight. Some are just really good at interpreting the cards and allowing their intuition to guide them through reading.
With careful study, you can learn to read the cards for yourself and others just like any of the most popular/talented readers out there. Even when you do learn how to read the tarot yourself, I definitely recommend getting readings from professional readers as a way to gain deeper insight and improve your confidence at interpreting.
Go to a true psychic medium if you’re looking to gain a deeper understanding of your own gifts and direction in life. You may even be able to ask questions about how to best activate your innate gifts.
- There are “good” and “bad” cards to look out for.
This is one of the most common misconceptions about tarot cards. There are no good or bad cards in the tarot. Even cards like Death and the Devil are not inherently bad (although they may warn of challenging times ahead).
These cards are a method of communication, which always depends on who is interpreting them and can be read in a huge range of different ways. What’s important is the information you gain from the reading, and how you act moving forward.
Similarly: reversed cards aren’t bad either, and an upside-down draw definitely doesn’t mean a backward prediction. Reversed cards have their own meanings, which your reader should be able to help you understand.
- You Can’t buy your own Tarot deck.
In all honesty, I never really understood this superstition. I suppose it made sense in a time when mysticism was way more taboo and tarot cards were harder to come by.
But if you wait for someone to pass down their tarot deck to you, chances are you’ll be waiting for a long time. And I’ve mentioned before how I had a tarot deck gifted to me but ended up buying my own because I did not resonate with that particular deck at the time. So babe, do your research on decks, go get your eyes, hands, and energy on a few and make that purchase based on what feels right for you. After all, this is an energy-based practice, so it’s YOUR energy that needs to do the choosing, no one else’s.
- Tarot is for “predicting the future”
Tarot readings help seekers find clarity around any number of issues in their lives. Are there psychics who use the visual aid of tarot in their readings, yes, but is it the cards predicting the future? I don’t believe that to be so.
Within my belief and experience, tarot readings are centered around using the past to understand the present: where you are now, and how did you get here? — which then would lead to various “ideas” about what could happen if a certain direction was taken.
The cards can help you find answers to your questions. They give you an opportunity to take stock of your life and how to best change direction if that is something you choose to do. But what they can’t do is make decisions for you. Remember you can use them as a guide, ONLY, to make new choices that feel right for you.
- Tarot is dangerous (like using a ouija board).
Tarot does nothing more than reflect your unconscious mind and pick up on your unique vibration. Have you seen those Rorschach inkblots and the imagination-stimulating pictures of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT? Go ahead and think about tarot-like that.
The tarot’s archetypes depict every possible state of consciousness and every facet of the human personality. When someone looks at the tarot cards and recognizes it (unconsciously) as an unacceptable facet of their personality, or outcome, they get frightened. Fear also comes from thinking that the image is predicting dire circumstances.”
You aren’t conjuring spirit with the tarot, you are accessing your subconscious mind and allowing your intuition to drive the reading. I would love to go into ‘calling in spirit’ to help you with the reading, but that is another topic for another day. For now, remember that the tarot is as dangerous or scary as you make it out to be.
- The Death Card Literally Means Death
Another common misconception about tarot that I always have to explain to clients who come to me for a reading.. I definitely understand the sense of dread that washes over anyone once they realize the death card has been pulled, I mean, it looks scary with the grim reaper trampling over someone. Not to mention all of the misguided interpretations from countless movies and tv shows.
The death card actually represents the end of a period in your life, signifying rebirth, change, transformation, and the beginning of new cycles. A chapter ending and, therefore, a new one commencing.
Side note: no responsible or ethical tarot reader will predict a death or the outcome of an illness or pregnancy. There are too many unknowns and variables involved.
I hope these busted myths help you feel easier about using the tarot and give you a deeper understanding of what they’re meant to help you learn about yourself and the world you’re navigating. I always say the only meanings that truly matter are the ones you create and believe in. When you apply that perspective to tarot and other facets of your life, so many things begin to shift for you.
