Myths and Traditions in Tarot

     The popularity of astrology seems to be increasing every year and those who consider themselves to be experts are able to share their knowledge. Information about astrology can be found almost anywhere. However, when it comes to Tarot reading there is much less information available.   For those who do want to try their hand at reading, they will probably become confused and overwhelmed by the sheer amount of rules.  The traditions found in Tarot are not necessary to become a good reader.

     There are many rules to Tarot reading that are not needed but if a reader chooses to do so they can. I have been reading Tarot for a while and can tell you that the only rules to tarot are the ones each reader makes for themselves, and they can break them anytime they wish. I will go over the three most common traditions and explain how I use and interpret them. 

     A reader may not purchase their own deck. Every deck I owned for the longest time had been a gift to me, this did not mean I followed this tradition though.  Before I got my first deck, I searched all over, to find a deck I liked and buy it for myself. I never did because a friend surprised me with one because she claimed to “see something in me.”  If you are lucky enough to have people in your life who know about and support your interest in Tarot then you may choose to follow this tradition.  If you happen to find a deck that really speaks to you, go for it. It does not matter where the deck is from, all that matters is that it works with you.

     A Tarot deck must be kept in silk or velvet.  My deck used to sit at the foot of my bed in the box it came in.  I still had no trouble reading it and it did not lose energy. My old decks were kept in a glass case I had, and still no trouble. I simply don’t like storing cards in bags, velvet and silk are too flimsy. If you want to store your deck in silk or velvet, do it because you want to, you don’t have to.

     The cards are never wrong. Unlike the others, believing this can be harmful. The cards make mistakes, cards do not take into consideration that people have free will. The cards simply show reflections of past, present, and future based on the specific moment in time they are read. If someone has a reading that prophesizes the loss of a friendship, they might not lose the friendship. They will probably hear this prediction and make an effort to rekindle a relationship with a friend. It is always helpful to remember, if you don’t like a reading, you can change it by doing something different in your life. 

    I am not the only Tarot reader telling people to scrap the traditions. The website Speak of Secrets explains, “ Tarot is a system of self-discovery, so discovering what works for YOU as a reader and supports YOUR practice should serve as your guide.” (Speak of Secrets, para 8).  Tarot is done best when the reader is comfortable with everything and not feeling limited because they feel they must do things a certain way.

Jillmothy

Sources 

Tarot & The Rules Of Engagement. (2017, December 16). Retrieved October 15, 2019, from http://speakofsecrets.com/tarot-rules/.

Photos by Content Pixie, Damir Spanic, Soulful Stock, Tengyart, Jen Theodore, Viva Luna Studios on Unsplash