Do mediums generally use Tarot cards?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 10 May 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Shy Priestess	10 May 2004
Does anyone have any insight as to whether mediums generally *need* or indeed *want* to use Tarot cards in addition to using their skills as a medium? I can't help but think that if they already have a "broadband connection" to the spirit world (and if you were to view Tarot as perhaps a "dial up" connection to a remote website, power source unknown...) then why "dial up" when you've got broadband? Any thoughts?

Imagemaker	10 May 2004
I know two mediums and neither one uses tarot. They see and hear things from guides.

TemperanceAngel	10 May 2004
I work as a medium and use Tarot cards, but I know mediums who don't. Think it's probably a personal choice thing. I open my mediumship with a reading(s) and then work without cards :) Hope this helps? XTAX

cheekyminx	10 May 2004
Mediums use all sorts of forms of communication or tools. Some people recieve messages or pictures - James Van Praagh. Some use tarot or playing cards, others do palm reading, some people read from jewellery, oh and then theres the crystal ball. Didn't Nostradamus use the ball? So there are many forms of mediumship. If that makes sense! Hope I helped & not confused!

closrapexa	11 May 2004
It all depends what the medium's specialty is. In Israel there has been a resurgence of mediums claiming they can bring back lost lovers, tell the future etc. Aside from the fact that I am skeptic about most of them, many use a wide range of methods. Everything goes from Quabala, coffee readings, personal object that are instilled with the client's energy, and divine inspiration. Edited to add: Just reread my post and found that it may have been offensive to some of the mediums on the Forum. I didn't wish to invalidate your talents, but I said that I was skeptic about most of them because it is hard to find some one who genuinly has those talents, especially in a field like this.

Phoenix Rising	11 May 2004
2 very excellent mediums that I've seen, both use Tarot. They both started out as tarot readers, and then their ability developed into mediumship. They said that they got to know there cards so well, that they became like living entities to them, and there sensitivity increased to other energies.

Shy Priestess	11 May 2004
Hi and thanks for your comments - they were very helpful. :) I was curious because I have just read a very good book about the concept of soul mates written by a very well known and highly respected medium. In the book, passing reference was made to other methods of divination such as Tarot - and where Tarot was concerned the medium said that they were "not a great believer in the power of the tarot". This was on the basis that the likelihood of the cards falling in the same pattern twice were tiny (for fortune telling in particular) meaning that the cards would then tell a different future, which "didn't add up" to this particular medium. I guess I was a bit surprised to read this - perhaps "assuming" (rightly or wrongly) that their thoughts would be different on this issue. Instead I feel it highlighted what I consider to be a common misconception about the use of Tarot cards... and it left me wondering whether mediums generally use them or not - and if not, why not? :confused: Quote: [temperanceangel] I work as a medium and use Tarot cards, but I know mediums who don't. Think it's probably a personal choice thing. Having thought about it more - I'm inclined to agree. Quote: [phoenix rising] 2 very excellent mediums that I've seen, both use Tarot. They both started out as tarot readers, and then their ability developed into mediumship. I hadn't thought of this way. I guess it does also depend on what route the medium has taken to develop their skills in the first place and the use (or not) or Tarot cards is as much a personal choice as it would be for someone who isn't a medium! Edited to add: Thanks CheekyMinx - you did help and not confuse! ;) It's good that you pointed out the range of skills of a medium. I guess at first I was only thinking of the type of medium who had such a strong connection that they almost had to "shut it out" at times. Thanks for your help guys! SP :)

Kahlie	11 May 2004
Quote: This was on the basis that the likelihood of the cards falling in the same pattern twice were tiny (for fortune telling in particular) meaning that the cards would then tell a different future, which "didn't add up" to this particular medium. I heard this so often from people who give it as a reason why Tarot doesn't work. I use Tarot as an inner guide to understanding and acceptance. If I would ask the same question twice, the cards would not be the same. Because the first Reading of the cards would have altered some of my understanding of the Question. Always seemed very logical to me. As for the Cards predicting the future.. I think all choices we make in life are our own. I do believe things happen for a reason, but I will not let the Cards take the responsibility for decision I make in my life.

Shy Priestess	11 May 2004
Quote: Kahlie I heard this so often from people who give it as a reason why Tarot doesn't work. I use Tarot as an inner guide to understanding and acceptance. If I would ask the same question twice, the cards would not be the same. Because the first Reading of the cards would have altered some of my understanding of the Question. Always seemed very logical to me. As for the Cards predicting the future.. I think all choices we make in life are our own. I do believe things happen for a reason, but I will not let the Cards take the responsibility for decision I make in my life. I agree that I've also heard this raised many times before as a reason why Tarot doesn't work and have indeed pondered the very same issue. I found a really good (and long) thread here which really helped me to clarify my own thoughts on this. I particularly enjoyed Diana's take on it! (Hope you don't mind me saying if you read this Diana!) :) The way I think of Tarot is to liken it to a conversation with a person about a particular subject. During the conversation, the person asks me the same question twice (let's say I'm the cards here) and this leads me to believe that the other person has not fully understood my original answer and so I feel that I must "re-phrase" my answer somehow to try and get the message across. In real-life conversations like this, I have often struggled to re-phrase and to find different words to give the same clear message. In my view, the first time I said it was the clearest way I could think of at the time. Also, even if I tried to use the same words again just to re-emphasise the point, I probably couldn't and chances were (like the cards) I wouldn't. Also - as is mentioned during the above thread, I see the passage of time as a key factor (even the seconds that elapse while you absorb the first throw...) which could alter the pattern of a subsequent throw. Just my take on things... I realise "off topic" but just wanted to add my own 2pence on this! :D SP :)

kerri28	11 May 2004
Hmm, this is a really good topic! I have had a few readings with mediums and most used tarot or oracle cards. My take on mediums using tarot would be that some may use it simply as a focus point for the qurent or to gather the querents energy to "tap" into their guides etc.

SongDeva	11 May 2004
Kahlie you raise a good point on the misconception about the use of cards that you mentioned. It happens with mediumship too, and generally from people with no experience, personal study, etc. This is obviously not a crime, not to study something that doesn't interest you. But how does one come up with an opinion and give a reason why it doesn't work, when one hasn't really "delved?" I don't mean this as a criticism of anyone, merely an explanation and a question perhaps. I'm a medium myself. I don't use cards. I could though. This vast thing called spirit, I find, doesn't compartmentalize itself the way we humans would like to see it done. I think there aren't half as many barriers or differences as we sometimes think. In fact, the reading I did with tarot recently for Happiness turned into a channeling really, when I set out to do a reading. Judge for yourself.

sagitarian	12 May 2004
The way that I view it as, every job has it's tools. People working with computers, have well, computers, not to mention, tools that work specifically with computers (and some general tools, aka, screwdriver). A carpenter has carpenter tools. A Doctor has a stethascope, tongue pressers, etc to assist him in his/her job. Some of these tools over time are improved, or more defined. I see the different types of readings similar to having a preferance to which "brand" you like. Some people like using the brand of crystals, while others enjoy the brand of tarot. In the end, we tell them the same thing, the same message, it still comes across. Could we do it without the tools, sure. It's one of the few jobs that doesn't require everyone to use a tool. For a lot of people though, it's a LOT harder, compare trying to screw in a screw by pure hand and muscle using only a screw driver in a 2 by 4. Pretty darn difficult, and tiring as well. But after we excercise and work up our strength, and get to know a "few tricks of the trade" to make it easier, then we can read using our "prefered brand" a lot smoother, with less drainage. Once your skill becomes well defined is when you begin to rid yourself of the tool and "plug in" to the source. At this point it's new, and you have to learn all over again. You will again doubt yourself, doubt your accuracy, and the information you are recieving. We have to grow and this is the direction that we grow in. Some of us are "natural" at seeing spirits, speaking with them, recieving messages, and relating the messages to those that it pertains to. Then again, some people are natural artist and do not need art classes in order to learn how to draw. They "just know". So yes, it becomes a personal preference of what you feel works for you. Eventually, we all go to the point of not using our tools, or as others suggested, the tool becomes a way to channel the energy easier, or to speak about the issues that their guides/loved ones want them to know or recieve. What a great post!

mingbop	12 May 2004
this is a very good thread....but the tarot does often throw up the same cards twice for the same person. I'm not a medium but i can talk to spirit through the cards...I used to get confused about what I was (!!) but now I just accept and wait to see where I go from here. I thought medoums didnt use the tarot and its interesting to know that they do.I think the answer is that we all different and all do what works for us...

SongDeva	13 May 2004
Mingbop, you *are* a medium. In fact, all, so is tarot.

The Do mediums generally use Tarot cards? thread was originally posted on 10 May 2004 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.