The tarot has long suffered the slings and arrows of society’s misinformed views about what it is and how it works. It has been variously described as “mumbo jumbo,” fake, not real, a scam, and the work of the devil – not particularly positive views.
To make my point, not long ago, I had a relative who, when she learned I read tarot cards, cautioned me to “watch out for evil spirits.”
Explaining how this unfavorable view of the tarot came about and why it persists is the subject of another blog post –although I suppose cards like Death or the 10 of Swords have the potential to make some people a bit uncomfortable .
I can say that this viewpoint is starting to move in the opposite direction as we broaden our understanding of this powerful tool, as well as our beliefs about the nature of reality and what’s “real.”
I’d like to describe, from this new perspective, what the tarot is, the best kind of information it provides, and why I believe it works.
One Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words
The deck of 78 tarot cards symbolizes in picture form aspects of modern human existence that EVERYBODY experiences.
The tarot reader uses this symbol system to help you understand what’s going on in your specific life experience at one level removed from day-to-day existence.
You’re taking a step back in order to understand the underlying dynamics at work in your situation.
A tarot reading catapults you above the surface details of your day-to-day life so you can view it from a broader perspective. This expanded perspective gives you a better understanding of what’s going on and what you need to do to achieve your goals.
When I studied linguistics in college, I learned that languages have a deep structure and a surface structure. The deep structure is like a blueprint or a computer program that we are all born with. It includes the main ingredients needed to generate an infinite number of languages.
In the same vein, the tarot describes the deep structure of life. Each card represents a unique aspect of that structure that can be expressed in a multitude of ways on the surface of life.
As such, it is a symbolic language that the tarot reader uses to give you a deeper understanding of what’s going on at the surface of your life.
A Magical Process?
But why does the tarot reading actually work? How do you get cards to show up that relate to your specific situation?
First, you need to ask a “good” question. If you’re looking for understanding and insight about the underlying (deep structure) causes of a situation, you need to ask your question in a way that brings this information to the surface.
The tarot card reader can help you do this. Here are some examples of the kinds of questions that will access the information you’re looking for:
- Why is this happening to me?
- What can I do to improve this situation?
- What are the obstacles keeping me from moving forward?
- How can I create this specific reality?
Here’s where the magic occurs.
The tarot reader will typically shuffle the cards to “randomize” the deck, to make sure the cards are in random order. The randomized deck is like a CD containing information that can be accessed and retrieved.
The way to access that information is to ask a question and have a spread that, when the cards are added to it, provides the answer.
Now it’s your turn to shuffle. Or the reader may shuffle the cards for you if you’re receiving a phone or online reading. In either case, you/the reader are focusing your undivided attention on you, your question, and the desire for information that will answer it — all while shuffling the cards.
The act of shuffling while focusing accesses or attracts the perfect cards for each position in the spread that will answer your question. The reader can now interpret the cards and show you how they apply to your specific situation. This gives you a better understanding of what’s going on and how to move forward.
But, but …
Now I know you’re going to ask, “But HOW does that happen? What are the mechanics behind this process?
In order to understand why it works, you have to move from the view of reality based in Newtonian physics, where matter is a real thing, to quantum physics where everything is energy.
With energy, you “attract” what you focus your attention on. Focusing on you, your question, and the spread attracts the cards needed for each position in the spread that will result in an answer to your question and the tarot card reader’s ability to accurately interpret the cards that show up.
Next you’re going to ask, “But how does this attraction work?” The mechanics of this process take place at the deep-structure level of reality. We don’t get to see it. But because this method of reality creation is now an established scientific fact , all we need to do is trust it in the same way we trust that gravity is going to keep us on the ground.
This explanation may not satisfy everyone, but I’m comfortable with it for now. However, like everything in life, I’m open to new information that will help me understand why tarot card readings work.