How does Tarot work?

DamePoplar

I know how tarot works...well the question is more something like how do you think it works? what is your approach to tarot?

I've had some conversations with my girlfriend and I was explaining to her that I don't really believe in fortunetelling, well I cannot do it this I am sure of. though I can't really say that no one can, I mean there are probably people with psychic abilities out there, I have never experienced it myself.

To me Tarot is really a tool, I approach it the Jungian way. The cards represent archetypes, situations, personalities that are so common to our lives that when we see then it will trigger something. They are keys to doors that may be closed and it is a way to access answers and hidden things or to gain comfort sometimes.

I tend to think there is no little man in there that know all about us but with a few readings that I've done, it is sometimes almost scary to see the "right" card coming out. I mean it could've been 77 other cards in that position but it is exactly the one that represents the situation that's been drawn. So I would think people unconsciously choose their cards.

What do you think?
Do you think you can tell the future with them?
 

graspee

I also answer these questions the same way: I don't believe tarot can read the future, it's not supernatural, it's just a mirror for my mind to help me reflect on my thoughts etc.

And yet. And yet...

I frequently ask the cards questions that presume they have the ability to know the future and take their advice. E.g.: I might ask, "How will my shopping trip go today?" and they will be up in face with a tower and a ten of swords and so I'm like Oooooh, better not go.
 

aranarose

I've gotten a reputation for being able to predict pregnancies, miscarriages, weddings, and divorces. I've also got one death prediction in there as well; the only one that clearly jumped out and said, "This girl is going to die, and it's going to be soon." It was a friend's soon-to-be ex-wife that I saw the death of; told him he wouldn't be getting divorced, because she would no longer be around to be divorced. Two weeks later, she died after a blood clot from her leg moved into her lungs.

I have two very strong instances of predicting a marriage that no one thought was happening. The first was a friend who'd been born in India; her parents had immigrated to the U.S. when she was still very young. She asked for a reading, and I got a combination of cards that clearly stated she was getting married, and very soon. Trouble was, she wasn't dating anyone! I looked at her, and said, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were getting married in the next few months!" She admitted she was going to India soon to meet her future husband; it was an arranged marriage. She swore up and down it was just to celebrate their engagement; they weren't getting married for two years. I shook my head. The cards did not say engagement, it was clearly marriage to me. She came back from her trip to India married :D

The second one was a reading for an acquaintance. He'd only recently gotten out of jail, and had jumped head first into a relationship with a less than honorable woman. Again, here the cards said clearly they'd be getting married, and very, very soon. They both said, no, that wasn't happening. She never wanted to get married, and he needed to get his life together before getting married. They were engaged three weeks later, married a month after that.

So yeah, I'd have to say that I believe in the predictive power of the cards!

How they work? Not a clue. I don't really think about it much. I've heard some say that our subconscious mind knows where each card is, and subtle movements when we're shuffling bring the right cards to the top. But that doesn't explain how electronic readings can be just as accurate; and there are some that have been for me. I just know they work, and so do my clients.
 

Frayling0

I agree with the first two posters... the Tarot deck is not supernatural to me - what it does is make us think more deeply and ask questions about our lives. It shows where we are, and where we're going - which allows us to speculate about the future (not KNOW it).

I'm going to be controversial and state my opinion - I don't believe in "psychic" powers whatsoever (the future is too splintered and based on infinite variables), but I believe the mind has many and more complex layers than scientists can tell us.
 

Amanda

I believe prediction is possible. But not because of tarot. Tarot is a tool that is an extension of the human using it... the human is where the magic lies... the tarot just helps bring out and give shape to that which we already know on a very deep level, even the future.
 

nisaba

DamePoplar said:
...well the question is more something like how do you think it works? what is your approach to tarot?
Click to expand...
I don't much care how it works. As long as it does. And I notice if I get to hung-up on *how*, it stops working so well.

So my approach to Tarot is just to accept that it works, and not ask how. That way, it works.
 

DamePoplar

aranarose said:
I've gotten a reputation for being able to predict pregnancies, miscarriages, weddings, and divorces. I've also got one death prediction in there as well; the only one that clearly jumped out and said, "This girl is going to die, and it's going to be soon." It was a friend's soon-to-be ex-wife that I saw the death of; told him he wouldn't be getting divorced, because she would no longer be around to be divorced. Two weeks later, she died after a blood clot from her leg moved into her lungs.

I have two very strong instances of predicting a marriage that no one thought was happening. The first was a friend who'd been born in India; her parents had immigrated to the U.S. when she was still very young. She asked for a reading, and I got a combination of cards that clearly stated she was getting married, and very soon. Trouble was, she wasn't dating anyone! I looked at her, and said, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were getting married in the next few months!" She admitted she was going to India soon to meet her future husband; it was an arranged marriage. She swore up and down it was just to celebrate their engagement; they weren't getting married for two years. I shook my head. The cards did not say engagement, it was clearly marriage to me. She came back from her trip to India married :D

The second one was a reading for an acquaintance. He'd only recently gotten out of jail, and had jumped head first into a relationship with a less than honorable woman. Again, here the cards said clearly they'd be getting married, and very, very soon. They both said, no, that wasn't happening. She never wanted to get married, and he needed to get his life together before getting married. They were engaged three weeks later, married a month after that.

So yeah, I'd have to say that I believe in the predictive power of the cards!

How they work? Not a clue. I don't really think about it much. I've heard some say that our subconscious mind knows where each card is, and subtle movements when we're shuffling bring the right cards to the top. But that doesn't explain how electronic readings can be just as accurate; and there are some that have been for me. I just know they work, and so do my clients.
Click to expand...

This is fascinating aranarose. You must have a very good reputation amongst your customers!

What cards would predict a human death (apart from the death card)? I wonder how you know they represent a death and not change?
 

Frayling0

DamePoplar said:
This is fascinating aranarose. You must have a very good reputation amongst your customers!

What cards would predict a human death (apart from the death card)? I wonder how you know they represent a death and not change?
Click to expand...

The Tower accompanied by suitably dark cards? Since the Tower generally means impending calamity.
 

Sar

I am a good old fashioned fortuneteller. How the hell bother?
 
Strange... I don't want any new decks right now Strange thing happened....