Do spirits speak through Tarot?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 27 Apr 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Moongold	27 Apr 2003
I mostly use tarot for spiritual purposes, insight and the occasional reading here or face to face, A couple of times I have done readings about particular people and have felt as though they were close to me. It was an unusual feeling. My mind was very clear on both occasions and I felt very close to *love*. On on occasion particularly, the words just flowed so quickly that I felt so convinced that they were coming from a strong space within but so far from my reach. I know how easy it is to delude oneself about these things, however snf how it sounds perhaps a bit weird. Those readings were about people who have died but who were remarkable in someways. I have been wanting to speak with people I know personally who have died and wondered about the propriety, safety and ethics of doing this. I also would like to speak with great spirits like Teresa of Avila, who was a childhood heroine and for whom I have much affection. Any advice would be keenly listened to.. Moongold

Dark Inquisitor	27 Apr 2003
It sounds like you might be approaching the border of channeling and/or mediumship . I do think you can use the tarot to communicate with the dead , or at least to find out information about them. A psychic I go to occasionally does a tarot spread and explains that while she is reading, she is looking past your right shoulder receiving messages from those who have passed over. They are standing there & she can see them. I can't prove that of course, but she is very accurate . As for the ethics of the whole thing, I think if there are things about people living or dead you would like to know, you can always ask. However, you might not always get an answer . I think if you are not supposed to know, the information will be blocked by the higher powers. What you do with any information you find out becomes the ethically tricky & responsible part. I have used the tarot to find out information about spirits attached to haunted houses. It did feel like there was an energy signature, as one would get with a living person. As for safety- I suppose that depends on who you are trying to contact, how well grounded you are, & how strong you are spiritually. I don't deliberately call any discarnate entities in the sense of requesting their actual presence. The tarot itself can always hold the possibilty of stirring supernatural things & abilities up within you - there are no guarantees. Tarotphelia

Kiama	27 Apr 2003
There was a wonderful, tear-jerking article written on Tarot Passages by Mark McElroy, called 'Letter from my Father', where he 'spoke' to his dead Father through the Tarot. Here's the link to it, it might be of help to you... http://www.tarotpassages.com/Letter-MM.htm I loved the article, and the tears did indeed flow... I certainly feel that what Mark did can be done, and even if we aren't actually conversing with spirits, the cards, IMO, can prompt our minds to realise what those spirits would have said anyway. Kiama

Astraea	27 Apr 2003
There was an earlier thread in which some of these issues were addressed very sensitively. Not all of the posts on that thread speak to specific points in your question, but some of them -- particularly those by Sagitarian -- apply poignantly. Here's the link: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2412&perpage=10&highlight=ouija%20boards%20and%20tarot&pagenumber=1

Moongold	27 Apr 2003
Thanks. The information here, present and past, and on Tarot Pages was very interesting. I am not going to do anything yet. Just thinking about it. Moongold

Minderwiz	27 Apr 2003
I hope this post isn't a repeat of points made in the link - I'm not sure whether spirits can speak through Tarot but I am sure that if we can 'shift' our mental 'gears' we can attune to spirit. Now it is very possible that Tarot can be used for this process - it is a focus and it can therefore aid channelling. How the process of channeling works is in a sense beside the point - if using the cards helps you channel then go ahead and use them. If you are trying to contact people who you knew and have since passed over then I don't see anything unethical in the process. Ethics would only become important if you start acting as a channel for others and especially if you started to charge fees for your services. In your reading I would take the card meanings that spring into your mind, without trying to think too deeply. If you are attuned then spirit will supply the 'meanings' to you.

Red Emma	27 Apr 2003
On the question of ethics, it's kind of hard to pin them down; except for the Pagan creed: "An it harm none, do as ye will." From my point of view I don't see that such a use of your tarot deck will harm anyone. However, you know your own situation best. If you think the whole thing thruogh in this light, perhaps your answer will be quite clear. As for me, it sounds fascinating. A new journey into adventure. Bon voyage, Red Emma

Belladonna	28 Apr 2003
Moongold, I get very worried when people begin to open themselves up to channeling. I wonder if you are adept at practicing white magic, or have access to somebody experienced in setting up a strong protective circle for you. While you may be looking to talk to one person in particular, to the spirit world you are like a lighthouse in the dark. A shining beacon able to attract anyone and everyone with the intention of "coming through". I mean no offense, and for all I know you are already well aware of the danger and well versed on the subject of magical self defense and protection. I thought I would take the risk at sounding impolite because my nervousness is based on past experience and my concern for you is very real and well intentioned. Love and light above and below you, throughout and about you, in the east, the south, the west and the north, in this world and in all the worlds. Blessed Be. Belladonna

Moongold	28 Apr 2003
Thank you for your concern, Belladonna. I have done nothing yet, and I know nothing about magic. I was simply curious. I have had dreams and sometimes feel very close to loved ones. To be honest, probably the latter only four times. For whatever reason, I feel really safe now but I have no intention to channel. I very much appreciate your blessings. Moongold

Belladonna	28 Apr 2003
I'm so glad to hear it, Moongold. I believe that, occasionally, messages do come through the cards from a higher power, or from loved ones who cross over, especially when we are looking for guidance. I really liked Holmes' advice about this in the thread about spirit guides. But I think that loved ones have a way of making their presence known to us and their love felt to us in ways that don't require our actively channeling them. I strongly beleive that this is a dangerous art even for knoweldgeable and adept witches! Belladonna.

Minderwiz	28 Apr 2003
There are a number of ways in which you can protect yourself - for as Belladonna says, you are indeed a 'lighthouse in the dark'. However protection does not require any real knowledge of magic. You can imagine yourself as being enveloped in a bubble of white light, or call on the highest and brightest who walks with you to prevent any 'undesirable' spirit to approach you. Books such as 'opening to channel' by Sanaya Roman and Duane Packer or 'Channeling for Everyone' by Tony Neale will give you some suggestions. I wish you luck when you come to try it and hope you connect

Belladonna	28 Apr 2003
Minderwiz, Still, I do not believe channelling is something ever to be undertaken lightly. If you are ill, depressed, distracted or for any other reason unable to maintain a focused visualization of a protective "bubble of white light", or if you are unable to raise enough energy or love, you cannot be certain that you are properly protected from entities who will try to use you to gain access to the physical realm. The possibility may seem unlikely and the risks low, but the possibility and risk remain and increase with frequency. Think of it like picking up hitchhikers- usually it's fine, but you are making yourself vulnerable and once in awhile you just may come across a class A Psycho. Unless you consider yourself an expert, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! Love Belladonna

Minderwiz	29 Apr 2003
Belladonna, I didn't wish to imply that channelling should be done 'lightly' - it is not an activity that should be done for fun or for a lark. It is a serious undertaking that requires committment at a spiritual level. What I felt (and both my wife and I have some channelling experience- her more than me) I needed to express was that protection, whilst a vital first step, could be done in a number of ways and any 'ritual' is one which is comfortable to the channel, rather than being objectively correct. I agree with you that trying to channel at times of ill health may involve some risk, but channeling is really only a process of using faculties which we all possess but which in modern society have tended to fall into disuse. Providing that sufficient care is taken it is a rewarding experience.

sagitarian	16 May 2003
I know I'm a lil late for coming into this post now, but better late then never eh? My point in my other posts that was linked to this thread earlier was that in the case of tarot cards, and channeling spirits. I don't think it wise AT ALL to try to talk to say Marilyn Monroe, but if you have family, or friends that have past and can feel them around you, then by all means, like you would use your deck for any other question, ask your deck what does my Aunt Mary want to tell me, then open up the spread with an open mind. If you feel blocked, or nothing makes sense, then most likely Aunt Mary doesn't have anything to say, she just wants to check up on you, and let you know she still loves you. I believe that if you still really really love the person, as if they were still alive, and you just can't seem to let them go, most likely it's b/c they love you too and won't go on. It's not b/c you won't let them, but it's b/c they love you too much to go on, and want to be one of your spirit guides. This is the case with one of my Aunts that passed, and come to find out (through Alissa my sister) that she is one of my sons spirit guides. Now I feel like I know why all this time, i could never let go of her, and why when she was here, I felt SO INCREDIBLY close to her, even though I only saw her maybe 10 times or less in my life. But the way I acted (and still talk about her) I may as well been brought up by her in a motherly way. IF you honestly feel the spirit close to you, then by all means, ask the tarot what this person would like to tell you. If you feel it necessary to armor yourself, then by all means, it can't hurt anything. For me personally, my cards are armor enough when talking with a close friend or relative that have passed.

Moongold	19 May 2003
I've been so preoccupied with the present that I've not pursued this at all. That in itself is a message. I think I'll wait until my inner voice contemplates action here again. I just have a feeling it's not right at present. Thanks all for your thoughts.

The Do spirits speak through Tarot? thread was originally posted on 27 Apr 2003 in the Spirituality board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Spirituality, or read more archived threads.