"Fate" "destiny" and long term predictions

Sorry if this is in the wrong section I was unsure where it should go

So I've been thinking about tarot lately - as opposed to actually using them because my cards seem to not be answering questions, rather telling me how I feel.

I know the general rule to the life span of a reading is a few months/the next coming event and that of your free will - you can change it if you don't the outcome. BUT. I am a firm belieber in fate and destiny. Many things in life are destined to happen, such as you were meant to hate your job, and find a job in a completely different sector, which let you to find an investor for a company you end up starting. This is a general jist of a friends true story. They simply believe it is The whole right place right time. except I believe that's destiny. After all, no one will stay in a job they hate forever, so that's not a choice to leave, it's inevitable. Then there's the whole religious side (for those who believe), the story (I can't remember the name sorry) of where god gives a choice to his follower, sends sign after sign, saying their path is no good for them, after 3 warnings this person is on the wrong path, but they refuse to listen, god gives up and let's him lead his choice down the wrong path. So it's like fate will play a certain thing out despite you trying to resist it or make your own choices.

After furiously reading everything about asking tarot questions, how to phrase, how not to phrase, life span etc. I became curious, I know many believe not to ask "will I ever" questions or that of things years down the line and that the tarot won't answer it anyway .
But what if it's in your destiny? what if years down the line you are destined for that very thing you're asking about? Even free will and choice will not take that away, whatever happens, whatever choice, will lead you to that same spot you were meant to be in.
So my question here is, if you were to ask the tarot a question, something as trivial as will I ever go on a date with x, and it was in your destiny that you will, even years down the line. Would it not tell you even considering the many years hat may pass.
Or you simply ask what your fate in a certain matter is... will it tell you the fate, or will it only tell you the fate for the coming months?

Simple trying to understand this really any help would be appreciated. I'm quite new

I hesitated answering because I'm not a believer in fate, destiny or pre-determination myself, but I know many people who are and I get where you are coming from. I have more of a cause and effect and karmic consequence perspective, but I know for some people, a belief that a life path has been laid down for them and that there are things that are 'meant to be', is really important. I take from what you're saying that you would like to know from Tarot what your destiny or fate is, and what events and circumstances are on your path? Whether you believe in fate or not, I do firmly believe that Tarot as a tool of empowerment tells us what we need to know in that moment. If the cards are not offering up answers then I take it to mean these are things we are not meant to know about right now, and that it wouldn't be helpful to us to know about these things at this moment in time. That doesn't mean we can't ask about things in future and see whether the cards will yield up that information. But I personally wonder if knowing too much about the future can make us feel helpless rather than empowered and perhaps it is often the case that understanding what is going on in the here and now is where Tarot can best support us?

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I to don't believe in fate. But if you do, why bother to ask the cards a question...the outcome is already determined, the cards are simply paper and ink. What you see in them would be wish fulfillment or sorrow based on whatever was in the forefront of your brain that day.

Interesting question! I hope others chime in.

IMO if we were meant to know the future/fate or whatever - we would, quite simply.
(Just like if we were all meant to be walking round freely reading each others minds, we would. Lol).
Knowing or expecting something so far in advance tends to breed "the self fulfilling prophecy" (imo again).
I believe one should live in the now and work with what you can see - to the best of your ability/circumstance.

Hi guys, thanks for your replies!

I know a lot of people don't believe in the whole fate/destiny thing. I have to admit, I believe the two are very different! Fate is a sort of "karmic" thing to me- such as I do believe in choice and your actions leading you to places/people/things etc. Each choice you make will lead you down a different path, such your fate inevitably changes. I.E. You met a lovely man who happened to eat in the same place you worked as a waitress, you date for a while, you deal with a lot of personal issues, making the same mistakes everytime, your choice was to let your insecurity win over letting him in. Life lesson. Fate bought you together because it was teaching you somethings.

Destiny I would regard as something that WILL happen, irregardless if you're fighting for it or against it. (I.E. Those who are clearly talented actor/actresses, who go through toil to make their life into fame, but alas after a lifetime of trying never became the hollywood star they were dreaming of, and visa versa, the girl who was working as a waitress had no intention of fame, one day, got spotted by a big shot, became a model, which then lead her to kick start her career into acting!) That to me is destiny.

Now don't get me confused, I am not saying things just happen even if you don't try (although not always the case) - I mean you still have to work for it, some more than others. You can't complain you've not got any friends and really all you're doing is sitting at home making no effort to keep the ones you already have, let alone new ones! It goes the same with career, love, etc.

We all have our own opinions, definitions, even interpretations of everything. Even if you were a non believer in fate, Here I could argue that fate (but not destiny) is basically the outcome to whatever question you are asking the tarot. Your choices, your actions are leading to your fate for whatever you are asking.

Basically, I think Im rambling here haha sorrry!! - Even those who do not believe in destiny, but believe in right place right time, or karmic events (which can come from past life too), is that not partially the same thing, would tarot not be able to predict if you were to ask am I destined to be famous, if it can predict how in 3 months time your relationship with someone you have met once will work out, what is stopping it from knowing your whole future?

To what end?

Tanga said:

To what end?

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What do you mean?

I believe in fate. However, I think that a lot of minor events are changeable (like will I hang out with these people tonight or stay at home?). I think that Tarot helps you to decide between different paths, to explore your inner-self and to confirm (or infirm) what you already know.

I somehow think that a main plan was decided before incarnating. But it does not mean that our job is easy and that we can accept this plan easily. Perhaps there are some micro adjustment along the way, slightly altering some details of this plan. As much as I believe in fate, I still think that some major lessons are avoided or not understood in this life. It could be that we need to come back here several times to improve and ''get'' those lessons.

CharlotteK said:

But I personally wonder if knowing too much about the future can make us feel helpless rather than empowered and perhaps it is often the case that understanding what is going on in the here and now is where Tarot can best support us?

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I also think that knowing certain information (via Tarot) could alter our behavior, so not everything should be known, even if it is ''written'' in your plan. It is tough to conceptualize, but even if there is a ''plan'', we have to get there and stay sane mentally, so knowing every step on the path could be counter productive, because seeing that a negative event will happen is something that people want to avoid, and there is often a lesson behind it.

Sazzle said:

What do you mean?

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"What is stopping it from knowing your whole future?"

..."to what end?" - so that you can then know your whole life in advance, and therefore change it all, and therefore not actually live your life, which imo is the whole point - because that's what life is.


Obviously your mileage differs. That's just imo.

I prefer empowerment.



**Now - a little ditty that the mother of one of my friends once said to me, comes to mind just now:
"If you've got one foot in yesterday, and one foot in tomorrow...
You're peeing on today"

Sazzle said:

would tarot not be able to predict if you were to ask am I destined to be famous, if it can predict how in 3 months time your relationship with someone you have met once will work out, what is stopping it from knowing your whole future?

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I am sure it can (and I agree with your entire paragraph, well said!). But think about it this way. You are learning maths, let's say for grade 1. Why would you look at the math content for grade 5, if you are only learning the basics of grade 1?

I am just trying to say that knowing too many things in advance could screw up 1) what you do by the time it happens 2) the final outcome. Imagine that you would know 10 years in advance who will be your life partner... Ok fine, but are you going to wait for 10 years and do not get other romantic connections, because you love this person and believes tarot's message (i.e. He will come back)? Worst case scenario, you did not get the message correctly, outch! You did wait for 10 years and it never happens. Or you were sad all the time you were waiting because you don't meet men that are ''as nice'', since you know that a better man will surely come in 10 years.

Now, I think that in some situations, it is surely good the know some long term predictions, but not always.