"All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead, or other practices falsely supposed to 'unveil' the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we
owe to God alone" (No. 2116) (Taken from Catholiceducation.org)
I had to start with this quote and break it down just a bit. I completely respect different forms of divination and those that preform them, but I don’t consider my use of the tarot as divination. I won’t predict when you will get married, when or how you will die, how many kids you’re going to have, or any concern for any specific time and date in the future. I believe that you shouldn't really meddle with the absolutes in time, and there’s just as much mystery in the future as there is in the past. So, I look at tarot as an interpretation of the themes happening in the complete present, and how they might explain the past or influence the future. Tarot work is very therapeutic, and there is nothing wrong with working on improving your Self and aligning with your greatest path. If you are religious, no matter what religion, you can benefit off of tarot reading as well. I like to look at the cards as universal themes, and depending on what you prefer you can see them as mysterious or actually quite logically explained. If you want to think they are ‘magical’, then they absolutely are! There must be some sort of energy that these cards work off of that really know how to tell you what you need to hear in the exact moment that you need to hear it. It’s very strange, and a little scary sometimes. This could be some ancient, spooky force or presence being at the control of my hands, but if all it’s trying to do is help you grow as a person then I don’t see any harm in welcoming them. If you don’t want to believe there is any ‘mystical’ element to them, then you’re also right! The cards play on such a deep understanding of archetypes and the unconscious that everybody in life is bound to run into through their journey. That way it might seem to ‘predict’ certain things or ‘reveal’ certain secrets, but it’s not ‘unveiling’ anything that you don’t already know. The issues that tarot ‘unveils’ are ones that people deal with every day in their very core. It takes a lot of effort and hard work to peel yourself apart and listen to your unconscious and what it needs, in order to bring guidance for personal growth. This is not a desire over time, history, and other human beings – this is a desire over how you treat your Self and other people. Horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, and interpretation of omens are also all ways that you can understand who and where you are as a person and how to approach situations or people in life based on using your best qualities. I think clairvoyance and mediumship are a completely separate practice that I also don’t work in, but those that are seeking to understand grief are welcome to a reading, as it can benefit the inner process of that as well.
I turned to tarot at a time in my life where I didn’t understand a lot of things happening and I needed some sort of clarity. Some people have turned to the bible or other religious texts, some have turned to their parents or friends, others feel comfortable not even seeking out answers - but I am one that always tries to find an explanation. I don’t follow or practice any particular faith, so when there are situations in life that seem unexplained, tarot has been there for me to consult. But as I progressed through the cards and through life, and spent over a decade learning and practicing, I’ve come to realize that almost everything that the cards point to is already happening within you, and the ‘secret’ that they show is really based on self-improvement. The cards always told me things I didn’t really want to hear, but I knew I had to. I knew I had to buckle down and do some self-reflection and make hard decisions to what was best for me and my outlook on life. As I used this type of interpretation through other peoples’ readings, I noticed more and more how helpful it was to people based on the guidance it gave to practice in the present. I don’t pretend to know what is going on within you or your life, but I will do my best to tell you exactly what the cards mean and suggest, and leave the rest of the work for your beautiful self to do.
Nothing the cards will ever say will be ‘evil’. They can help bring awareness to issues in life or in yourself that you haven’t noticed yet, and oftentimes that requires you to do a lot of thinking on your own to figure out what the cards are trying to say. I’ve had a lot of ‘aha’ moment’s days after a reading because I finally ‘got it’. Even if you practice a religion, you can integrate aspects of your belief in tarot. A lot of cards talk about needing a time for spirituality, and getting closer to the divine to realize something or express gratitude. When I study the tarot, my mind often jumps around to all kinds of spiritual practices or beliefs and how they could relate to the themes the cards are expressing. This is why they are unbelievably universal and have fascinated all types of people from all over the world. There is no evil where there is someone using a tool in an effort to improve themselves as a person.
“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Holy Bible, Timothy 1:7
"Our whole spiritual transformation brings us to the point where we realize that in our own being, we are enough." Ram Dass
"Surely Allah does not change the conditions in which a people are in until they change that which is in themselves." The Holy Quran 13:11
“Be a light unto yourself; betake yourselves to no external refuge. Hold fast to the Truth. Look not for refuge to anyone besides yourselves.” Buddha Shakyamuni
"For those who have conquered the mind, it is their friend. For those who have failed to do so, the mind works like an enemy." Bhagavad Gita 6.6
"Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darknesses of other people." Carl Jung