Is Tarot like a Ouiji board?

GotH

IMO tarot is nothing like a Ouiji board.

Spirit evocation is (or should be ) an art or science that one needs to be trained in, the equivalent is like a trained electrician ... an ouija board is like playing with the wiring to see what happens.

Tarot is a set of images that we make associations to and draw conclusions from.

What did I just say ? :laugh:

No ... I tend NOT to play with the wiring.

http://images.medindia.net/patients/first-aid/images/300x250/electric-shock.jpg


No where above says you haven't played with the wiring. So I asked if you have...


My older sister had one. I was a little girl too when I tried it out with some neighborhood friends. It gave me/us it's name which I'm not comfortable sharing. Nothing bad sounding, I just don't feel I should. I can't say we received anything disturbing.. We were just a few really young, creeped out girls being silly.



To the OP: I've been reading tarot for a little bit now but like others, I have found it's more of a blessing than anything else. Thank goodness...
 

nisaba

What are your thoughts on spirits that just show up during tarot or oracle readings? As in the reader didn't evoke anything, they just show up?

A spirit is just that, a spirit. It is not solid. It can't touch you. It can't harm you. If you come to harm, that is down to YOU and your choices of reaction.
 

ravenest

Firstly, I commend you on distinguishing what you recognised as a deep disturbed state (sympathies there ) being projected into your readings, and when clearer, being able to read more objectively, I've tried to explain those two states a few times in other threads here... with varying success.

What are your thoughts on spirits that just show up during tarot or oracle readings? As in the reader didn't evoke anything, they just show up?

Thats a very broad question, so I cant really answer except with 'that depends'.

'Spirits' can be of a good or bad order, helpful or destructive, come to one as a form of superconsciousness or a manifestation during an extreme psychiatric disturbance, they can be honest or deceitful. They dont need a Tarot reading to show up, they can 'arrive' at or 'arise' at any time.
 

Zyfe

I have never had any sort of bad experience with Tarot cards. Yes, they can tell unpleasant truths. A friend who cares about your best interests (or someone who is completely indifferent and just doesn't care about social niceties) can also tell you unpleasant truths, and there is nothing malign in this.

My only truly bad experiences have come not from the cards, but from other people's reactions to the cards (though thankfully I've never experienced anything extreme). I guess it varies according to locale, but I've happily never encountered anyone of the "Tarot is the Devil's work!" persuasion up close and personal; rather it's been varying degrees of, "people who believe in that sort of mumbo-jumbo are weak-minded fools". Though the latter can be just as harmful in many situations.

I've never used one, but to my mind, Ouija boards and Tarot cards are nothing alike whatsoever. Ouija is specifically intended to communicate with spirits. (And I've often heard it said that any spirits hanging around waiting for an 'opening' to mess with people are exactly the kind of spirits you want not to have anything to do with. While I have no idea if that is true, it certainly sounds reasonable enough that I'd rather not put it to the test.)

So where does the 'power' of the Tarot cards come from? I think this is something that each person has to answer for themselves. If you believe that cards drawn are being selected as messages from the same spirits that would animate Ouija boards then yes, you might view the two as similar. I think most people here probably do not believe that. I personally do not believe that.

I have been told that Tarot is something not to be handled lightly and needs to be used with "kid gloves" and some physics and other religion than my own have turned away from Tarot because there was a strong mystery that scared them. They told me it all started fun and games until the more they used it, the more energy was taken away

...Doing a Tarot reading does require a certain amount of focus and mental energy. Just the same as, say, reading a book requires mental energy and focus. Performing any sort of activity requires some physical and/or mental energy. Thankfully, energy can be replenished!

Presumably this is not what was meant by the people in the above quote, but... well, honestly it sounds purely like a daft superstition pulled out of thin air by the "Tarot is the Devil's work!" squad aforementioned: "reading Tarot cards will drain your life force!" :rolleyes:

You'll probably also hear, if you haven't already, that you can become 'addicted' to using Tarot cards. No doubt this is absolutely possible! - the same way people can get 'addicted' to watching TV, browsing the internet/playing online games... all sorts of hobbies have the potential to turn into so-called soft addictions (as opposed to actual chemical addictions). This is a fact of human nature, not proof of the dangerous occult influence of Tarot cards.

Really everything I've written here is pointless, because if Tarot cards had sucked away all my own personal energy/common sense and left me brainwashed by demons (or whatever the heck these rumours are getting at), then I would say they are harmless, wouldn't I?
 

danieljuk

I wonder about this topic a lot. I have never used an Ouija board. They scare me but this is probably because of horror movies. I would be willing to try them in the company of someone very experienced in the area and I was protected.

But if we say that tarot is just images on cardboard and not the devil incarnate coming through :D is the Ouija just a board and planchette? This is something I wonder about. Some people use tarot to contact dead relatives or to find who is haunting them. Some people believe messages come through their loved ones.

I have never felt unsafe or scared doing tarot. I question if the Ouija is more negative hype then the reality. I am sure I will spiritually find out more in my life in future about both areas :)
 

Luna-Ocean

Only ever used the Ouija a few times and that was enough? not very good experiences when i was a teen but made me realize that you shouldn't really mess with the spirits entities that will often come through that can mess with your mind... but looking back now the group i was with were just out to have fun and didn't really take it serious that ended up with some of us being frightened, although i have always thought that Tarot cards had similar power with connecting with spirit guides and there has been a Ouija Tarot board game done by Frankie Albano which kinda looked interesting.
 

Rhapsodin

Is this asking me if I can tell the difference between a ouigee board and a deck of cards?
 

MagsStardustBlack

During any divination it is possible to connect with spirit for some people. However that is more to do with your state of mind, energy field and intent. Tarot is pieces of cardboard with beautiful images on it, reading tarot is also to do with your state of mind and knowledge. Its is the person that holds the power to connect to and read objects, or connect to spirit, intent is the key, good or bad.
 

EmpressArwen

A spirit is just that, a spirit. It is not solid. It can't touch you. It can't harm you. If you come to harm, that is down to YOU and your choices of reaction.

That is what is weird, I have felt them touch me...never in a bad way and it always feels loving but I do physically feel them. It doesnt really bother me, it is just a relatively new thing that has started happening and I am not sure what to make of it.