A little survey: what does Tarot mean to you?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 31 Jan 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Soraya	31 Jan 2002
I'm curious: what does Tarot mean to you? Why do you practice it? What do you get out of it? To me it's a tool to find out more about myself and other people from a different perspecitve from my own subjective point of view. I use it to gain greater understanding. What about everyone else?

Kalin	31 Jan 2002
Very much the same reasons you posted, Soraya. I'm not psychic and don't read professionally, so for me tarot is a bridge to my innermost self. It gives me an opportunity to increase my confidence about things I knew but kept questioning myself about. Other times it gives me a broader perspective about something I thought I understood but really didn't :) On the occasions I've been asked to read for friends, I found it interesting to experience the archetypes through someone else's perspective. For example it can be very reassuring and even life affirming to read for someone who's entirely comfortable with the concept of endings, of putting the past in the past and moving forward, sometimes on faith alone. The other thing I like about tarot is that it can be a great starting point for learning about different cultures, mythologies and belief systems. I probably can't count the number of books on seemingly "other" subjects I've been lead to read through tarot. Kalin :)

DeLani	31 Jan 2002
The Tarot is like a sacred scripture for me. Excerpt from my upcoming book: "In most of the dominant religions of our day, the priests (almost always male) and followers pay special reverence to a sacred book, or scripture. This scripture is the source for that religion’s view of the cosmos, human nature, and religious dogma. The Tarot is one of the most mysterious sacred books. Though it is not a book of writing, but rather a catalogue of images, it might be more accurately called “Sacrographics,” or sacred pictures. The word “graphic” is particularly used in mathematics, which makes it doubly meaningful when applied to the Tarot. The benefits of using a sacrographic systems instead of a scriptural one are numerous. First of all, there is no dogma put forth and the intolerance associated with it. Secondly, it is open to interpretation. All writings are, but written scriptural systems create polarity and narrow-mindedness: “This is the way it is written, so it must be true. Any other interpretations are heresy.” A pictorial system depends on subjective interpretations; it encourages and honors each individual’s unique perspective and road to wisdom. Third, and perhaps most importantly, a pictorial system stimulates right-brain thinking and encourages personal enlightenment. Scriptural systems are stuck in left-brain, linear thinking, and encourage or demand obedience (and may even punish personal enlightenment, if it undermines scriptural authority). Instead of being a one-way avenue of wisdom to you from God, as written by His prophet thousands of years ago, the Tarot is a two-way conduit to a Higher Wisdom. When you pray, you speak to the universe. The Tarot allows you to hear its answer, right now, specifically for you." I also think the system of Tarot has an inherent mythic or archetypical value. While the originators of the deck might not have imagined astrology, Qabalism, Hindu iconography, Egyptian mysticism, or numerology within it, some sort of sacred synchronicity occured and crystallized all this hidden wisdom from the ancient world into one very powerful deck of cards... I hope I haven't given anyone a headache! DeLani

Soraya	01 Feb 2002
Wow, DeLani. I am very impressed by the excerpt. It is very thought-provoking. What is your upcoming book about? The Tarot? Or are you just refering to it?

melikka	01 Feb 2002
I use it for much the same way, the only important thing here is "what does it mean to YOU!!! :)

Tess	02 Feb 2002
To me, it gives more insight into life, events people and feelings that we all go through, also it gives guidance to myself and others and is a never ending source of inspiration that keeps my interest.

Original Destiny	02 Feb 2002
For me The Tarot is foremost a friend. It is always there for me , supporting , helping ,always true. We work together to help others if needed. We have been together for so many years , like partners, I can't imagin what it would be like to be separated ! WOW we are like an OLD couple!!!

The A little survey: what does Tarot mean to you? thread was originally posted on 31 Jan 2002 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.