Why tarot? Because I can’t see why not!

Why tarot? Why not? That’s a simple answer but I feel my love of tarot deserves a tad more explanation than that. Although, I do believe that sometimes rather than asking why, we might get further by asking why not.

Why not tarot?

So, why not tarot? I did a Google search to find what people don’t like about tarot and nothing really came up. Even within articles written by people who were initially sceptical, the only constant thread was people’s concerns about tarot’s association with fortune telling. People’s attitudes change once this belief is corrected.

In his article in The Conversation, William Pooley discovered that “clients thought of fortune telling less as a method of predicting the future and more as a way to address problems in their present.” I agree. This is an important distinction.

Why tarot as seen through the eyes of others

Tarot reader, Liz Worth, points out that tarot sessions are “about creating a sense of empowerment and independence in people: helping them find their way back to themselves.” This further aligns with my thinking and the thinking of many others.

Social worker Jessica Dore and clinical psychologist Chloe Carmichael both highlight tarot’s ability to encourage self-reflection, which in turn can lead to self-healing and greater self understanding. You can read the full article, written by Amelia Harnish for Women’s Health, here. It’s an easy read and I think worth a look. Harnish discusses her personal experiences with tarot including insights into how tarot has helped her with her clinically treated anxiety. As mentioned in the article, tarot helps in many ways because it helps us to find answers to the question, “What’s going on with me?”

The how

Wondering how? In the guidebook for the Wild Wood Tarot, Mark Ryan writes, “There are many bridges to our subconscious … the actual activity itself has no special magical power; it only acts as a focus for the subconscious to allow the inner voice to have its say.” Tarot is such a tool. “Sometimes in our lives we cannot see what is so obvious to every one else.” I, and many others, feel that tarot can show the way.

I have read for clients that have had their dream life safely tucked away out of sight and mind because they didn’t believe it was possible for them. Experience has shown me that people underestimate themselves way more than they overestimate their abilities and options. Often, all that is needed is someone to affirm their vision and to suggest a way forward. I have seen tarot sessions help with this on many occasions.

That is what I consider to be the “magic” of tarot. The messages aren’t coming from some random person who’s tapping into something “out there.” Instead, they are clearly laid out in pictorial form. This, I find, validates the messages for people. Since they can see where the information is coming from, they know that I’m not just telling them what they want to hear.

Can I explain how the right cards come up at the right time? No, I can’t. I’m not going to delve into spiritual beliefs and explanations with you. It isn’t necessary. Because, put simply, what I know is this. I really don’t know how a lot of things work, but if I feel I gain benefit in any way, I just know and accept that they do.

Now all of this is great, and I very much agree with all that I have written so far, but it doesn’t explain my own personal love and connection with tarot. So, here goes.

Why tarot for me

I’m one of those people who had a real tendency to get stuck in my head. I would agonise over a perceived problem, slight, fear, worry, concern, and/or possibility over and over and over and over and yes over again. You get the idea. I would look at whatever my perceived problem or issue was from this angle and even that angle, yet it was always from the same vantage point – my way of thinking about it. It was painful, frustrating, time wasting and ineffectual. In reality, I spent a lot of time getting nowhere. That’s when I’d ring my Mum.

But unfortunately mothers don’t live forever and sometimes when they’re alive we don’t take too kindly to their advice. It might be valid, but it feels either too “but-you’re-my-Mum-you-have-to-say-that” or it triggers “you-just-don’t-get-it” reactions. Mum would prod and poke and encourage me, sometimes not gently, to uncover my truth. When she died I needed to find a way to do that for myself. I had two young children who I believe deserved the best version of me.

Enter tarot. Now just like my Mum, and as alluded to earlier, tarot doesn’t tell me what to do. It just suggests what to consider and ways to consider “it”. It takes me out of the never-ending loop of my ingrained thought processes and encourages me down side roads that can lead to exciting new discoveries. Better still, tarot cards don’t have an agenda. They just show what they show and it’s up to me to do the rest.

I feel that we usually know what we want, what to do, and/or how to handle a situation. But we let fear, doubt and our relentless internal dialogues prevent us from taking the necessary actions. Plus, let’s be honest, it’s much easier to blame others. The tarot doesn’t allow us to do that since it’s always focused on what we can do to help our own situation. This is why it’s so empowering.

Tarot doesn’t care what Betty-Sue in accounts is doing. It may well show she is adversarial, sly, gossipy etc. But, the focus of the tarot session would be on increasing your understanding about the situation and what you can do to deal with it, rather than Betty bashing – which would help no-one.

Then there’s the cards themselves. They are stunning. The artwork on many of the decks is incredible. Flipping through a tarot deck is a trip through 78 amazing pieces of art. The fact those creations tell a story and help us to redefine our own story is an added bonus. Take the artwork on the Forest of Enchantment Tarot. Meraylah Allwood’s original paintings are only slightly larger than the cards themselves. I find it incredible that she is able to put so much clear detail into a tarot card that measures approximately 12cm x 7cm. Just look at the detail in The Enchanter card below. Unfortunately, the photo doesn’t do it justice, nevertheless you get the idea.

Plus, I love looking through the cards and discovering new aspects. For me they inspire me to do and be better. For example, a card of the day suggests something I can focus on. Sometimes they serve as the pep talk I need while I work away in my office. Other times they remind me to be kinder/nicer/more understanding. To be honest I tend to use oracle cards for my card of the day. I also tend to use oracles at the conclusion of my tarot sessions. They round out readings nicely I find.

Then if all of that’s not enough for why tarot, let me add that I also use the cards as journal prompts, for meditations, and for my writing in general. As a tool that offers guidance, encouragement, and insight they are invaluable and that is why they hold a place in my heart and in the heart of many others. Why not find out what they’re all about for yourself?

If you have anything you would like to discuss about tarot, your experiences, your decks, etc or anything you would like to ask please leave a comment below or contact me via email. I would love to hear from you.

Mel xox