How does Tarot "work", in your personal opinion or experience?

Silmaril23

Hi all,

I'm relatively new to Tarot and very new to this forum. I really enjoy hearing from such a diverse community, particularly those of you who have been working with the cards for years and years.

I've read several books on Tarot, but right now I would like to hear people's personal experiences and opinions about how Tarot "works" for you. What do you believe is really going on here?

I feel that I could go a few different ways within my own mind. The positions described below are just a starting point for discussion:

1. Tarot provides a valuable new vocabulary and lens for seeing reality, but there is no deeper component of mystery involved. In other words, I could hypothetically draw ANY cards for a given spread, and if I'm willing to dig deep enough into my own psyche, I can apply those cards to my question or situation in a meaningful way. The cards themselves contain no special qualities beyond symbolism, and my draws are random (i.e. not guided by any higher principle or supernatural force). In a nutshell, Tarot is a useful psychological tool.

2. Tarot provides a new vocabulary, as stated, BUT...there is also something deeper and more mysterious going on. The cards drawn for a particular situation are NOT random, indeed, when combined with intuition, they are often eerily relevant and prescient in a way that defies human understanding and taps into some kind of higher realm.

3. Tarot is undoubtedly a sacred, supernatural tool that taps directly into the Mystery and is guided by divine forces and supernatural energies.

If I have to place myself somewhere between these three positions, I would place myself somewhere between #1 and #2, but leaning heavily towards #2. I would LIKE for #2 and/or #3 to be true, but my rational mind still gets in the way at times.

I'm sure that there are other positions that I'm missing here. What are people's thoughts? What is going on with the cards for YOU? I'm especially interested in hearing from those of you who have been doing this practice for an extended period of time (though of course all are welcome to chime in). :)
 

JoJoCat

I believe in #3, based on the science of repeater cards. Two examples.

I drew 7S for a relationship reading. Then I realized hours later I had asked the question in a muddled way, redid my pre reading ritual and shuffled and drew again. Of all the 78 cards, I got 7S again!

Or readings for my friend. I've done a grand total of three readings for her, separated in time by 1.5 months. She had the same cards come up (Moon and 10S). (She's doing work on those issues but of course healing takes longer than 2 months!!) or another friend who I've read for three times, twice on related questions. Page of cups in both of those readings.

I mention that these folks have had only three readings bc it makes the likelihood of repeater cards So Much Less. Do you see what I mean?

So with evidence like this, it goes beyond #2 and into #3 for me. The universe WANTS us to understand ourselves better, WANTS us to be more whole people so we can help others and create a better world, and WANTS us to have the knowledge we need when we ask questions.

I also believe that believing this is what connects me to the helping side of the universe.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

SunChariot

Silmaril23 said:
Hi all,

I'm relatively new to Tarot and very new to this forum. I really enjoy hearing from such a diverse community, particularly those of you who have been working with the cards for years and years.

I've read several books on Tarot, but right now I would like to hear people's personal experiences and opinions about how Tarot "works" for you. What do you believe is really going on here?

I feel that I could go a few different ways within my own mind. The positions described below are just a starting point for discussion:

1. Tarot provides a valuable new vocabulary and lens for seeing reality, but there is no deeper component of mystery involved. In other words, I could hypothetically draw ANY cards for a given spread, and if I'm willing to dig deep enough into my own psyche, I can apply those cards to my question or situation in a meaningful way. The cards themselves contain no special qualities beyond symbolism, and my draws are random (i.e. not guided by any higher principle or supernatural force). In a nutshell, Tarot is a useful psychological tool.

2. Tarot provides a new vocabulary, as stated, BUT...there is also something deeper and more mysterious going on. The cards drawn for a particular situation are NOT random, indeed, when combined with intuition, they are often eerily relevant and prescient in a way that defies human understanding and taps into some kind of higher realm.

3. Tarot is undoubtedly a sacred, supernatural tool that taps directly into the Mystery and is guided by divine forces and supernatural energies.

If I have to place myself somewhere between these three positions, I would place myself somewhere between #1 and #2, but leaning heavily towards #2. I would LIKE for #2 and/or #3 to be true, but my rational mind still gets in the way at times.

I'm sure that there are other positions that I'm missing here. What are people's thoughts? What is going on with the cards for YOU? I'm especially interested in hearing from those of you who have been doing this practice for an extended period of time (though of course all are welcome to chime in). :)
Click to expand...

My personal belief is in Option 3. Although I would never use the word "undoubtedly". It's a given that no one knows for sure how Tarot works, All each of us has is our personal beliefs on the topic.

To me, divination of any kind IS a communication with the Divine. We ask the question and shuffle... and the Divine (God or our angels) set the right cards in the right place so the right ones come up. Then if we close our minds and listen (intuition) that sources guides us to see the intended answer.

It is a very spiritual practice to me. Almost, in a sense, like a form of prayer for me...where you ask for something to happen (for the answer to show up) and what you ask for is sent to you.

Babs
 

Maru

Nothing in the universe is truly a coincidence.
 

SunChariot

JoJoCat said:
So with evidence like this, it goes beyond #2 and into #3 for me. The universe WANTS us to understand ourselves better, WANTS us to be more whole people so we can help others and create a better world, and WANTS us to have the knowledge we need when we ask questions.

I also believe that believing this is what connects me to the helping side of the universe.
Click to expand...

Very much all this, and the right/best possible answer comes up way to often (read always) to let me think it could be coincidence.

That is exactly where the name SunChariot came from actually. As The Sun card came up over and over and over and over for months until I had to accept that was no rational logical way this could happen and something more was at work. Once I got that message it stopped.

The believing in what can't be proven scientifically....I find the more I let myself believe and drop the disbelief, the more personal proof shows up in my life.

Babs
 

Shade

I like that you have option #2 as a place in between #1 (it's all in our heads) and #3 (magic).

I hope it's #3 because that would be the most satisfying and it does seem to be what is happening but I'm willing to accept it's much, much more likely that it's #1 and we're all at best Eye's-Shut readers.

I'll hedge and say #2, so again thank you for that option. :)
 

Padma

I'm so going with #3. How does it work? Magic! :D (almost joking!)

I love my cards, and I always feel like I am tapping into something very old and unknown when I use them. It's a really cool feeling!

I've also had others do my cards and had the most accurate readings. As these people were strangers, and knew nothing about me, I can't say anything else but "wow!"

It's an amazing world, still so full of mysteries, among them the tarot.

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
- Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio
 

Beancrew49

I believe (I use the word believe, but "know" would be more accurate, though there is no "proof" so we'll stick with "believe:) ) that Tarot is nothing more than an open line of communication between my higher self and my earth body, facilitated and triggered by symbols and imagery on playing cards. Through my mind, body, and soul my higher self dictates which cards come out, and if I am able to remove my ego mind as much as possible, helps to interpret those cards in an accurate way that draws from a source of information that contains all of the knowledge and wisdom of the universe.

I don't know what option that fits under. I would not call it "supernatural" as your higher self is the most beautifully natural thing there is.
 

Silmaril23

These replies are all so interesting. Thanks to each of you who has shared your experience and thoughts so far! I love hearing about phenomena like the repeater cards. I haven't been working with Tarot long enough to really see this for myself, so it is just absolutely fascinating.

Keep em' coming! :)
 
Are you obsessed? subsequent readings on same subject with same reader produce different results