There are many misconceptions about the tarot that people believe simply because of their connection to divination, which is a popular practice among those of a Pagan faith. These misconceptions may have to do with fear or bigotry or simply a misunderstanding. I want to clear up a few of the most common ones. 1. The tarot is evil. This is an ignorant statement at best because evil is a state of being, and doesn’t apply to nonliving objects. There is nothing evil about a deck of cards. They may have strong imagery that you don’t understand or represent something you don’t believe in or agree with, but they aren’t anymore evil than a glass of water sitting on the table. Though a gun is used to shoot, it’s not evil. Only the person’s intent who uses the gun can be evil. 2. If you get the Death card, you’ll die. The Death card, like any other card in the deck is an archetype. It’s symbolism. The Death card is actually about cycles in our lives. Where one cycle ends, another begins, thus it is a card of transformation. Imagine the butterfly emerging from the chrysalis. It went in as a caterpillar, suffering a “death” of sorts within its cocoon, only to emerge as a completely new insect. That’s what the Death card is about. 3. The tarot is for devil worshipers. The tarot is actually for anyone of any faith who wants to use them. In fact, with all of the different decks available today, there is probably one out there for people of all ages, religious beliefs, and interests. Because the tarot is a spiritual tool, it’s generally considered non-denominational unless you buy a Pagan or Druidic deck, or a deck that is catered to those of any other specific faith. A large majority of the people who use the tarot don’t believe in the Devil. 4. People who use the tarot talk to the Devil. Again, this would imply that most of us believe in the Devil, when a large majority don’t. Also, the cards are meant to be a spiritual conduit between the reader and the Divine (God, Goddess, Universe, Spirit Guide… insert your deity here. I use Divine to encompass all.) You ask for the information, and you receive it. You aren’t communing with demons, devils, or any other negative entities. 5. People who get tarot readings in movies always die. As with almost everything else, Hollywood gets it wrong. Their job is to glorify the darkest cards of the tarot in order to build suspense and foreshadow future events. It has absolutely nothing to do with real tarot readings. In fact, a good tarot reader may have to deliver bad news to a client, but he or she should be able to give some insight in how to cope with this bad news and when and how things should improve. If you are headed for a difficult time, he or she may be able to give you pointers on a course of action that will allow you to avoid your downfall. Mostly, a tarot reader will be able to give you some Divine insight into a difficult situation that may be plaguing you and help you sort it out so that you can come away feeling ready and able to deal with whatever comes into play. 6. What the tarot reader said didn’t happen at all, so she’s a fake. There are fakes out there. Generally, these people are swindlers out to get money, and will tell you that you’re cursed or they can do a spell to remove bad luck, etc. It’s an attempt to bleed as much money as they can from you. But there are good tarot readers who get it wrong. The most common way is because they don’t explain to clients that nothing is ever set in stone. Unforeseen events can change the paths of those involved, making it hard for any reader to be 100% accurate. Your future is always changing based on whatever decisions you make on a daily basis. Just as the weather shifts on a daily basis based on developments outside of your viewing area that directly affect your town, decisions you and others around you make will affect the outcome of any and all situations. A good tarot reader will be upfront about this information from the start. Tarot readers are, in fact, spiritual counselors, not the Hollywood version of a fortuneteller.
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Samantha Buttrick
Author of "The Beast of Yorkshire Place" and "The Wasteland" Archives
October 2015
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