Can a person depend too much on tarot?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 29 Apr 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Adjustment	29 Apr 2005
:confused: I would like to know first if a person can depend too much in tarot and if so, what are the signs that you should look for. My sister suggested that i should read tarot less often so i don't become too dependant on tarot, i read for myself almost everyday and specially when I'm in the need to make decisions. can someone tell me if there is such a thing as depending too much on tarot?

Citrin	29 Apr 2005
Anyone who follows the cards' advice blindly needs to put them away for a while, I think. In the end you're the one who knows what needs to be done in your life, so don't ever be afraid to "go against" what the cards have suggested. :) A sign might be that a person cannot make a decision without asking the tarot first.

SunChariot	30 Apr 2005
The short answer is yes. :-) In my view, Tarot is a tool to increase our understanding of or all our options in life, but the final decision is always up to us. I don't think we are meant to use it to make decisions for us, just to see some of the consequences of taking certain paths so we can make more enlightened choices. If you reach the point where you are letting it make all your life decisions, in my option, that's the beginning of heading down a wrong path. Asking the cards what to do and blindingly following the asnwers given is not condusive to personal growth. We are meant to try new things, make mistakes and work them out and learn from them. If you could let the cards tell you all the right answers and follow blindly, you would not learn what you need to from your life, and we are all here to learn certain things. Although it has been my experience that the Tarot will catch on pretty quick if you try to do that, or anything that is harmful to your personal growth, and will stop cooperating and then you get nonsense asnwers until you get less dependant again. Maybe becoming too dependant on Tarot is not so much about how often you use it, but what you use it for. Also, if you reach the point where you feel afraid to make a decision without it, take a break. It should be life-affirming and confidence building, not the reverse. And of course the power is already in each of us already, Tarot is just one way to access it.... Bar

WalesWoman	30 Apr 2005
Most definately... Sun Chariot and citron both said pretty much everything I was thinking. You can't let Tarot make your decisions for you, but let it help you look at your options from another perspective. It seems when I have tough questions those are the times I can't make heads or tails and totally misinterpret my readings for myself... if I had followed what I thought it was saying rather than listening to my head and heart... I shudder to think of what I'd be doing right now. I guess that is why I'd rather use it to look at things I need to see and think about, to become aware of rather than as a predictive tool. I appreciate the Tarot very much, but it needs to be seen as a guide to greater awareness rather than becoming a crutch. There is a lot of threads on responsibilities and one of those is maintaining responsibility for the choices we make... no matter what the cards say.

tarotbear	30 Apr 2005
Yes. There are people who won't step out the door until they have read their horoscope for the day, or whatever their pecular idiosyncrasy may be. They need to get in touch with their real life. I read tarot every single day. It helps me be prepared for my day. I don't use it every day to make or shape major life decisions, or the run or control the mundane ones - that would be silly. If you need to read tarot every day in order to make a decision, my advice to you is to stop and reconsider why and what brought you to this kind point in your life. You have to make your decisions based on what is best for you, not what a throw of picture cards has to say.

The Dreamer	30 Apr 2005
I shudder to think what I'd be doing right now if I hadn't taken the advice tarot gave me about the future. I do not have the interpretation problems that so many have, since I don't interpret loosely. If tarot gives true answers to the questions we ask, (and I believe it does, because I've had proof of it) then I do not see why there should be any problem in turning to it. I think that the person who is using it must make the determination about whether doing so is useful, or not. It is not for anyone else to say that they "should not" use it. I would say that if someone uses tarot quite a lot but is not getting useful results, then that person may want to reevaluate their use of tarot- but that is their decision. Sometimes tarot will not give me a definite answer- and I always find out why soon after. Sometimes it warns me of something I didn't ask about. It gives me the information I need, and not always exactly what I ask for; but any short term unclarity about the message becomes clear very soon. A person can feel free to disregard tarot- we are all ultimately in control of our own actions. Time will tell if disregarding a message was the right thing to do, or not. That is how we can learn about tarot, and its role in our individual lives. I have found that being able to truly depend upon tarot when I need it gives me greater freedom, and not less- and also, that I turn to it less often than I did in the beginning when I was "testing" it. I know when to use it- and it gives me answers I really would not have come up with otherwise. Really depending on tarot can actually bring a person closer to real life, rather than farther- especially for someone who is afraid of taking action in general, for fear of making a mistake or because of inadequate information. I have never used it for general readings about the day. I have only used it for questions I really needed answers for, and it has not let me down. I would defy anyone to tell me I've been wrong in doing so. The things that I've done which I wouldn't have had the confidence to do otherwise are proof. The concrete disasters which I’ve avoided are proof. If someone is using tarot in a frivolous way, then perhaps they would get frivolous answers. If they approach it really looking for answers- they can actually get them. We must each decide how we as individuals will approach it.

psychic sue	30 Apr 2005
Yes most definitely. I have a lady who would come to me every day if I let her. I don't think any major decision should be based on a pack of cards. They can be used to help you figure the problem out for yourself, but I wouldn't totally base a decision on what the cards did or didn't say. Life is a learning experience and we have to take the good along with the bad. I don't think it's possible to circumvent all the problems in life, and it wouldn't be helpful either. It's all about balance - balancing the emtional/spritual/practicalties of life. Just MHO. Sue x

Rogan	30 Apr 2005
I agree. I have a young, gay closeted friend who comes to me every day (messages me, sms's me, emails me etc) with questions - "Should I come out now" "How will my mum react?" "can you ask the cards if my friends will react badly..." I had to sit him down this morning and have a serious chat with him - Ive only given him two readings - But he's become seriously dependant on them... and wants them continually... It's not a good thing, and I dont think it's something that should be encouraged... Rogan.

mike gorth	30 Apr 2005
Letting it run your life and all your decisions would be depending on it too much. Think of it as giving you advice. You can choose what to do with it. I don't think there is any problem though because you are just contacting your subconcious more often than most people. If you start reading for the heck of it without any specific question or thought then it usually doesn't function so well because your subconcious isn't focusing. It's really a personnal thing but don't be to passive(tarot) but don't be too active(logic) use both in moderation and use them with each other. This is the most potent and best way to conduct your life. Mike Gorth

Adjustment	01 May 2005
Everything that you guys have said sounds like i should put my deck away for a while or at list no to read for every situation that enter my life, perhaps I need moderation to know when i may be reading in a exaggerated way. Thanks everybody.

Vadella	01 May 2005
Rogan- I think I would go insane. haha It sounds like one of my friends and I told her... "I love you .... Go buy a set and learn it. You can do it!!" She has an immense amount of questions. But yes, I agree it can be overused. Especially without taking it's advice that it gives you. It's like asking a friend for help over the same issue constantly and then one day they say, "I'm done with you already! I'm too exhausted.I feel so used."

Fairawen	01 May 2005
Everything has a limit. EVERYTHING. Come on, that's simple to know. People can have an unhealthy obsession with anything. Thankfully, I'm the type of person who makes sure to always have healthy obsessions, because I have so many I'd die real soon. :P Point is this: Never forget to live. Tarot tells you a bit on how you are fairing in certain points of your life... but it's simply a helper. If you forget to live, then you've got a problem. If not, then you're fine. :P ~Fairawen~

Alta	01 May 2005
Times in your life you need a steady stream of guidance and reassurance. Then you read often for yourself. Times in your life you don't, and the cards come out mainly for others. When you need it, there is no 'too much'.

Cerulean	01 May 2005
...it could be in Rogan's case the friend 'coming out' really needs someone to talk to and 'consulting' the friend who reads tarot is an excuse to talk...about their very strong concern. A good thing is to write down pros and cons. If the list of pros outweigh the cons, the person who is writing is ready to admit more advantages than disadvantages and wants to move forward. If the list has more disadvantages than advantages, the person is likely not ready to move forward. Perhaps to suggest a person do this without tarot is a way to see things set down...and the person writing the list now can add or delete to the list and move themselves forward. I understand we all have limits in our patience and energy when our friends or family will obsessively ask the same question or not do anything beyond using us as sounding boards...I hope the above suggestion helps a bit. Best regards, Cerulean

FaeryGodmother	02 May 2005
Can you rely to much on on Tarot? I think yes and no. I agree with Marion that there are times in your life were you need a lot of reassurance and advice. No matter how many times you read your cards to get advice or look into the future, we card readers are still in the same position as everyone else, we still have to just take each day as it comes. So if you are getting paralysed by conflicting advice from your cards and not making any decisions at all because of it then its time for a break. But if daily reading is helping you wade your way through a minefield then go for it. (my 2 cents worth) FGM

gilded goat	02 May 2005
two cents worth from a newbie,some times tarot reacts to a persons feelings,that may be ok for a daily session but for greater worries best to get get someone else to do it for you, so yes you can have too much of a good thing, from time to time let others take the strain for you

MercyMe	02 May 2005
Marion wrote: Times in your life you need a steady stream of guidance and reassurance. Then you read often for yourself. Times in your life you don't, and the cards come out mainly for others. When you need it, there is no 'too much'. Ah Marion, such wise words. When I was seriously depressed, I read tarot all day long some days. I always had a deck in hand even if just to shuffle the anxiety away. Sometimes I didn't even look at the spread I threw, the act of throwing and reading was soothing. I was lost in a very dark wood, like Dante, in the midpoint of my life. I needed a "steady stream of guidance and reassurance." Now that my depression has eased off, I find I go whole days (!!) without reading. :) ~Mercy

full deck	02 May 2005
I'm glad to read such good advice from many people here. Anything that does not empower one -- anything -- is not a good thing. Chocolate, roses, money, sex, Tarot, more sex, music, pets . . . too much of anything we think good can turn one into a junkie or a mindless part of a greater machine. This can happen *so* easily too, everyday, anywhere. Like others have said, Tarot is also supposed to help develop insight or wisdom. Wisdom does not need cards or a system but what a person has within them. Take a break from shuffling and live and think (meditate a bit too).

Indigo Rose	03 May 2005
Tara Deck wrote: :confused: I would like to know first if a person can depend too much in tarot and if so, what are the signs that you should look for. My sister suggested that i should read tarot less often so i don't become too dependant on tarot, i read for myself almost everyday and specially when I'm in the need to make decisions. can someone tell me if there is such a thing as depending too much on tarot? Remember, Tarot is just a tool. I use Tarot in my own life for both big and small things; and I read almost every day. For me Tarot is not just a deck of cards, it is a link to the Divine. I have received many valuable messages via Tarot. However, the ability to think and use sound reasoning is essential. When doing Tarot readings we have to blend intuition with logic. If the messages are confusing, illogical, or pointing us in the wrong direction we need to step away; either Tarot isn't "talking" or we aren't "listening" at that moment. Temperance is really at the core of being a healthy and balanced person. Anything done reptitively out of compulsion or obsession is unhealthy. Tarot can be therapuetic, as MercyMe and Marion both described. Just keep it in perspective. Blessings, Indigo Rose :)

Emeraldgirl	03 May 2005
In the short yes. Blindly following anything without considering outside influences is a very silly thing to do. I use tarot most days for myself and I do readings for people most day as well. I use it as a guidence tool in order to help myself and others see all sides of situation and to work from there. If you need to make a decision and you refer to the tarot that is good but don't blindly follow it. Consider it with all the other angles you can and make an informed choice.

Nevada	03 May 2005
Tara Deck wrote: I would like to know first if a person can depend too much in tarot and if so, what are the signs that you should look for. My sister suggested that i should read tarot less often so i don't become too dependant on tarot, i read for myself almost everyday and specially when I'm in the need to make decisions. can someone tell me if there is such a thing as depending too much on tarot? That depends on what you do with the readings. If you use Tarot as a supplemental form of guidance, and also think things through in a practical, logical manner, then I'd say it's not a problem, and how often you read is irrelevant. But if you rely only on Tarot for your answers to critical life issues (as opposed to "what should I wear" or "what to put in my salad"), then I'd say yes, it can be a problem of dependence. While I take Tarot seriously as an aid in problem solving and decision making, I also make a point of being as practical as possible and using other means of deciding as well. If everything else but Tarot is telling me a particular course of action is the wrong decision, I'm doubly careful about relying on it. Nevada

The Can a person depend too much on tarot? thread was originally posted on 29 Apr 2005 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.