I'm in the Tarot Closet

[DesertDream]

Help! The Devil locked me in! Jk

Im a Christian tarot reader and I confess that im in the closet. My family and friends dont care about it. But my religious affliation does. I havnt even told my closest friend about it. We are a lot alike. When she came over one day long ago she showed me her cards, she loves playing cards and their art. I was tempted to divulge my love for tarot and oracle but I didnt. Shes pretty libral but I did not have a way to gauge her reaction. One day I forgot my huge stack of different cards lying on the kitchen table. She came in and I was like, 'Dont go in the kitchen, its dirty!' She caught a glance but i doubt she knew what they were. She was like no its not! As my heart raced as I saw her peek. Another instance is i forgot my gargantuion size copy of holistic tarot was on my coffee table amoungst other things. I dont know if she saw it. I try to hide them. But one time i tried that an a exfriend now, came over at the time and bam! My reciet for holistic tarot was laying on my couch but he never asked. I know for sure he wouldnt of liked it! Anyway one say in the car my girl friend and I drove by a psychic place building and she was like we needa go there! All i said was yes! Paranoid that she saw my tarot book.And that she was gauging my reaction. Then today she didnt come in but i thought she was because other people were in the house that were now awake. I quickly went back in and threw a cover over my oracle cards on the table. She wasnt planning on coming in and she didnt. Phew!
If she ever ask id tell her but im in dont ask dont tell mode. I have a huge new age past that i will talk about but my Christian friends would have to ask.

Have you guys for any reason had to be in the Tarot Closet? Dont mind it much since its not a big deal to me, but i do wish i didnt have to hide it just because i dont want negative confrontation. In my dream land me and her can pour over tarot oracle cards and have a blast. But for now im a solitary practioner with no in person tarot enthusiast to connect too. Maybe I can start a group.There are churches on every corner where i livd tho. I dont know if id be able too.

Anyway....thoughts?

 

[madhatter00o]

I'm a Christian, too, so I know where you're coming from.

However, ask yourself (and answer honestly) why you use the Tarot. If you have faith in your Christian religion, can you reconcile the Tarot with that faith? You really should give thought to this as it will essentially be your defense if you find yourself confronting friends and/or family about it.

For example, I reconcile my Christianity with the Tarot by explaining to people (who have obviously made assumptions) that the Tarot is a system of archetypal symbols that can be "deciphered" just as any other code. Any and all the cards can be relevant at any time, but the ones that show up are the ones that can help you focus on a particular part of yourself or the situation. It's little different from psychoanalysis, I tell them. It's a way for me to get outside my own subjective mind and consider a situation from another angle or approach.

No, it doesn't do the Tarot justice. And, yes, it's a little dismissive. But! It does diffuse the situation, which is key to conflict resolution.

What about you? Do like the symbolism? The art? The way it trains you to trust your intuition and yourself? The way it gives you a means to look at a situation a little more objectively? Really think about it ^_^

Also, I noticed from your narrative that you seem to get really anxious about your friends learning about your use of the Tarot. By getting anxious about it, you kind of make things worse: you're acknowledging that the Tarot is "bad" or "unacceptable" or "inappropriate." Just relax. If you forget to put away your cards and a friend finds them and asks about them, explain your reasons honestly. From there, it's up to them to accept this interest of yours or not. Always be pleasant and friendly with them, though, because God does tell us to love one another, even if someone has hurt us. (It's also a basic principle of being a decent human being... XD )

It's very possible to stand by your religion while also practicing the Tarot. You just really need to have faith and confidence in your reasons for both of them.

 

[LadyV]

I admit, I'm selective on who I tell. My parents know, and could really care less. They're both skeptical towards metaphysical things. A couple of my friends know, and they don't mind either. In fact, one of them actually introduced me to tarot. The only person I actively keep the secret from is my fundamentally Christian friend. She'd be appalled if she found out.

 

[lark]

I used to be a Christian too...one day I realized prophecy was a gift of the spirit, but the church I was in didn't honor it as a gift... at best down played it and at worse totally rejected it.
I got out at that point after much thought and soul searching.
I read professionally yet my parents don't realize I do this...they are in their eighties and I figure why rock the boat...they are happy with how they see me, and I'm fine with that.
My brothers and sisters know, some embrace it some ignore it none have picked a fight over it.
Mostly I adopt an as you need to know policy.

I well remember the days running and trying to hide my books and cards...in the early days even from my husband who is now so proud of me it's embarrassing...blush...

I don't do that any more...I feel that anyone who can not accept the full person I am tarot and all isn't worth the effort of trying to hang on too.
If my parents asked me about it at this point I would just explain it to them.
I don't think they would disown me they would probably ignore it and think it was just another one of my crazy hobbies.
As I get older I just don't give a shit how people see me...this is it, lump it or leave it.
I just got to a point where I couldn't pretend any more..
But I do remember how scared and nervous I was in the early days when I was still in the church.

I was so scared my best friend would reject me as she was super fundamental...and now we go for coffee and she gets readings from me and thinks what I do is fascinating...so give people a chance you might be surprised.

 

[DesertDream]

I'm a Christian, too, so I know where you're coming from.

However, ask yourself (and answer honestly) why you use the Tarot. If you have faith in your Christian religion, can you reconcile the Tarot with that faith? You really should give thought to this as it will essentially be your defense if you find yourself confronting friends and/or family about it.

For example, I reconcile my Christianity with the Tarot by explaining to people (who have obviously made assumptions) that the Tarot is a system of archetypal symbols that can be "deciphered" just as any other code. Any and all the cards can be relevant at any time, but the ones that show up are the ones that can help you focus on a particular part of yourself or the situation. It's little different from psychoanalysis, I tell them. It's a way for me to get outside my own subjective mind and consider a situation from another angle or approach.

No, it doesn't do the Tarot justice. And, yes, it's a little dismissive. But! It does diffuse the situation, which is key to conflict resolution.

What about you? Do like the symbolism? The art? The way it trains you to trust your intuition and yourself? The way it gives you a means to look at a situation a little more objectively? Really think about it ^_^

Also, I noticed from your narrative that you seem to get really anxious about your friends learning about your use of the Tarot. By getting anxious about it, you kind of make things worse: you're acknowledging that the Tarot is "bad" or "unacceptable" or "inappropriate." Just relax. If you forget to put away your cards and a friend finds them and asks about them, explain your reasons honestly. From there, it's up to them to accept this interest of yours or not. Always be pleasant and friendly with them, though, because God does tell us to love one another, even if someone has hurt us. (It's also a basic principle of being a decent human being... XD )

It's very possible to stand by your religion while also practicing the Tarot. You just really need to have faith and confidence in your reasons for both of them.

Thanks for your incredable feedback.

I have no trouble explaining why i love different aspects of the tarot. And "reconcile" it from my studys of bible and divination and such. Friends and family dont care really, they are not into it or new agey types from my past. I dont know the reactions of those who are from my church though. I agree heavily with your reconcilling or interpritatipn of tarot. I like it a lot how you use the word code. I use it in my intution as well bit i see that as a gift from God so i dont worry about that.

I am not acknowledging that tarot is in anyway bad. But i do acknowledge what they may think and dont want confrontation. If they do find my cards...in particular my girl friend then i will explain it if they ask i just dont want to. I agree about being nice and tarot is nothing to fight over when it comes to this subject.

Thanks again.

 

[DesertDream]

I used to be a Christian too...one day I realized prophecy was a gift of the spirit, but the church I was in didn't honor it as a gift... at best down played it and at worse totally rejected it.
I got out at that point after much thought and soul searching.
I read professionally yet my parents don't realize I do this...they are in their eighties and I figure why rock the boat...they are happy with how they see me, and I'm fine with that.
My brothers and sisters know, some embrace it some ignore it none have picked a fight over it.
Mostly I adopt an as you need to know policy.

I well remember the days running and trying to hide my books and cards...in the early days even from my husband who is now so proud of me it's embarrassing...blush...

I don't do that any more...I feel that anyone who can not accept the full person I am tarot and all isn't worth the effort of trying to hang on too.
If my parents asked me about it at this point I would just explain it to them.
I don't think they would disown me they would probably ignore it and think it was just another one of my crazy hobbies.
As I get older I just don't give a shit how people see me...this is it, lump it or leave it.
I just got to a point where I couldn't pretend any more..
But I do remember how scared and nervous I was in the early days when I was still in the church.

I was so scared my best friend would reject me as she was super fundamental...and now we go for coffee and she gets readings from me and thinks what I do is fascinating...so give people a chance you might be surprised.

Back in my new agey days i didnt care who knew what. I do now because i dont like being misunderstood, which already is common occurancec and a pet peeve of mine. Im sorry your church experiance im angered of how many people they turn away for frivolous reasons.....if a person serverly offends me id consider dropping friendship but if not that we xould agree to disagree and move on. Im a loyal friend very much so, so it would hurt to loose a friend over tarot no matter who dropped who. Btw im glad my church accepts we have gifts......thats a must for me in any non denominational church.

 

[The Happy Squirrel]

Sadly I am in that closet too. Not so much for religious reasons though. My religious friends are all very liberal and accepting. But the more academically inclined around me will laugh me out of my own house.

 

[madhatter00o]

I am not acknowledging that tarot is in anyway bad.

Heh, that's why I used quotation marks -- to represent that those opinions are commonly held by the majority of society, or that they are (from our perspective as practitioners) misconceptions.

Yeah, in general, I don't flaunt my practice with the Tarot. More than anything, it's a tool for personal discovery and gaining fresh perspective. I don't read for others (though that's also largely to do with the fact that there's not much of a Tarot community where I live). Still, I let those I trust know about it, since it does have an impact on my life and I see things. And, as my trusted friends, they deserve to know about my interests and views, just as I want to hear about theirs.

In any case, I'm glad that you found something that works for you! ^_^

 

[DesertDream]

Sadly I am in that closet too. Not so much for religious reasons though. My religious friends are all very liberal and accepting. But the more academically inclined around me will laugh me out of my own house.

Quell their skepticism with a bang on reading, perhaps?

 

[The Happy Squirrel]

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