Risk

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I'm sure that even the mentally ill will be perfectly safe from the dreaded tarot with enough dopamine.

How can the cards hurt people?
I'm not trying to be rude, I just don't know what they could do to cause harm.
I have never had a bad experience with tarot.

I assume you are at least half-joking. btw, were you thinking of harm to yourself or harm to others (your querents) via the cards??

Hard to respond, because I don't really see what you are getting at.

Seems they are speaking of the possiable impact that What we say can have on someone.

We have the ability, via communication to lift someone up, or to send them futher into dispair. Knowing which your doing is an important aspect to any reading.

-Fenier

I don't really believe there is risk inherant in the tarot deck as a tool, however the tool in the wrong hands... I believe that a reader can be hurtful, if he or she says the wrong thing at the wrong time to the querant. Umbrae has many times cautioned on this forum, what if the querant goes home and blows his brains out based on something you said?

ON the other hand, with or without the cards, it could happen in the line at the supermarket too, or in the elevator - who knows if the random thing you say to the person next to you isn't the one wrong thing that will make them blow their brains out when they get home.

Perhaps if there is a danger inherant in reading, it owes itself to the level of trust sometimes involved. Does the person asking for a reading feel like they are opening up their entire soul to you and your fate rests in their hands? An open vulnerable naked soul, sitting before the svengali all-knowing tarot reader and/or counselor/lawyer/doctor/singing teacher/guru/ fill in the blank --is taking a big risk.

Perhaps that is why, at my current level of inexperience, I do not feel comfortable doing predictive readings. I would prefer to use the tarot as a tool for discovering solutions to problems, a tool for helping to make decisions, a tool for brainstorming, a tool for inspiring growth.

I can only hope that those who are gifted with a more predictive sight, in reading, will also have the gift of knowing, how to say the right thing at the right time, and not the opposite.

P.S. I believe too, that in certain very gifted and skilled hands, the tarot may be an immensely powerful tool. However, I 'think it is also perfectly possible to use it for harmless light amusement, without any dire consequences.

Most excellent reply Knightward and welcome to the forum.

Reading Tarot brings with it an awesome responsibility, especially when dealing with someone who is distraught or trying to make some life changing decision. Here, I am referring to rocky relationships especially, but honestly even the so-called mundane questions need careful thought and consideration.

Who really knows the psyche of the querant and what they will do with the information gained from a reading? I have been terrified of reading what I want into it, of perhaps making a reading sound better than it might be or the reverse, putting someone in jeopardy or being the catalyst of catastrophe. That is the main reason I haven't read for anyone but other forum members and even then I try to give a cautionary note, I'm human, I make mistakes and to listen to their own inner voice. So it is for those who hand over the responsibility of their actions and decisions over to someone with a deck of cards that cause me the most concern, because it is to those that the most harm can be done I think.

How many inexperienced might predict a physical death when that "unlucky" XIII appears or take the meanings literally from the LWB? Wasn't there a post just the other day about a psychic who said something something very bad to a girl, who then committed suicide rather than bringing shame to her family and then later it was discovered the "pyschic" was wrong? It could have been a tarot reader... an unscrupulous one just as easily.

Good thoughts Aoife, it's not only taking daily risk assessments with the words we use during a reading or where Tarot is concerned, but with all words in general. Which usually too late once they have been spoken and can't be taken back. Something that I was reminded of today... speaking before considering the risks and consequences of what hurt it might cause to another.

Even avoiding the specific risks of a bad reading (for self or others) I think tarot can be dangerous. It provides an outlet for endless self examination and introspection. The problem with the being it can become Endless.

I think it can potentially decrease rather than increase your opportunities for self expression and realisation, if used as a band-aid solution for our problems (large or small). You also run the risk of turning to tarot or a reader for support, when something else would be more appropriate (therapist, medication, professional of some description, or even just our friends and family).

It is like having a conversation with yourself in many ways. The problem with that, is yourself has some bloody stupid ideas about itself, and knows just how to hurt you sometimes, or delude you others. Expand your issues to another person you are reading for, and things could could awry easily. Kind of catch 22 that your tool for self analysis is limited by your lack of self awareness....

I prefer to think of tarot as a place to start a process, but not to finish it. The more I use tarot, the more the answers it gives me sound like questions. Its asks "what are you going to do about it?", and that makes me more comfortable. But not 100%...

WalesWoman said:

Most excellent reply Knightward and welcome to the forum.

Reading Tarot brings with it an awesome responsibility, especially when dealing with someone who is distraught or trying to make some life changing decision. Here, I am referring to rocky relationships especially, but honestly even the so-called mundane questions need careful thought and consideration.

Who really knows the psyche of the querant and what they will do with the information gained from a reading? I have been terrified of reading what I want into it, of perhaps making a reading sound better than it might be or the reverse, putting someone in jeopardy or being the catalyst of catastrophe. That is the main reason I haven't read for anyone but other forum members and even then I try to give a cautionary note, I'm human, I make mistakes and to listen to their own inner voice. So it is for those who hand over the responsibility of their actions and decisions over to someone with a deck of cards that cause me the most concern, because it is to those that the most harm can be done I think.

How many inexperienced might predict a physical death when that "unlucky" XIII appears or take the meanings literally from the LWB? Wasn't there a post just the other day about a psychic who said something something very bad to a girl, who then committed suicide rather than bringing shame to her family and then later it was discovered the "pyschic" was wrong? It could have been a tarot reader... an unscrupulous one just as easily.

Click to expand...

These words ring very true for me. I have not yet read for anyone here at all due to the risk factor (once or twice off the cuff sort of readings in chat room, but nothing in Reading Exchange), I find it too much responsibility to do a real one for anyone other than family/friends. Maybe someday I will feel skilled enough to reach out in this way, but not yet.

WalesWoman said:

Good thoughts Aoife, it's not only taking daily risk assessments with the words we use during a reading or where Tarot is concerned, but with all words in general. Which usually too late once they have been spoken and can't be taken back. Something that I was reminded of today... speaking before considering the risks and consequences of what hurt it might cause to another.

Click to expand...

I find deep resonance with this sentiment as well. Regretful that sometimes it can really be too late to say sorry, but still wishing you could.

One way to look is consider the old saying: "The chi follows the yi", where chi is energy, yi is mind/intent. Then 'risk' is proportional to one's believes. Tarot is true, but the ways one look at this truth are a multitude. And if chi is following....watch out ....