tarot : predictive or reflective?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 04 Jun 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

alexis	04 Jun 2003
Hi to all Aeclectians... :) Recently, I have sort of confirm that my readings are reflective of my mood rather than predicting what will happen in the near future. Eg, when I was optimisitic about the exam paper I would be sitting for, I tend to get cards like 'the world, ten cups' etc & when I was pessimistic about the paper, I would get cards like '10 swords, 9 swords' etc. I had thought that these cards reflect how my performance could be in the exam setting but I think what really jolt me from this thought was; there was this day when the phone woke me up, the lady on the other line said i will be getting my refunds. after I hung up, i took a card as my daily reading and hey presto! i got page of pentacles. for the rest of the day and the following days, there were no more other matters concerning money. I read on many threads that tarot DO pick up the thoughts foremost on your mind. They do give insights. Yet again, I have also read that tarot are able to do predictive readings. i did celtic cross spread using RW and the relationship spread using Osho, both readings gave insights to the present situation rather than predicting anything in the near future. as for the cards reflecting my mood on the situation, i think the influence is lesser compared to when i do daily readings I was just wondering, for the rest of u guys out there, - is tarot more of a preditcion on your happenings or reflective of your current mood and do u have any idea why is it so? - does the deck that u use matter IYHO. - if i like to move from reflective readings to predictive readings do u guys have any suggestions to guide me ? thanks for answering. :)

Major Tom	04 Jun 2003
Quote: Originally posted by alexis - is tarot more of a preditcion on your happenings or reflective of your current mood and do u have any idea why is it so? - does the deck that u use matter IYHO. - if i like to move from reflective readings to predictive readings do u guys have any suggestions to guide me ? For me, tarot provides the information I need to produce the outcomes I desire. :) I don't think the deck you use matters that much - as long as it speaks to you. ;) Try doing some readings for other people. })

LittleWing	04 Jun 2003
for me - tarot is reflective. i am not always aware of what is in my subconcious - often one knows - but not yet! it is hard to say whether prediction with tarot is correct. i doubt anyone has had 100 % accuracey. i have alot of prediction accuracy - but i would not say i could predict the future - because i often have inaccuracy too. i think with intuition, reading people, and the tarot - one can do a good job of prediction - but should not claim - 'to predict the future'.

CompassRose	04 Jun 2003
Think it depends on the reader, too, a bit. I know some good predictive readers. I've had (very) occasional predictive readings. My personal specialty, though, seems to be "telling you all the deep dark stuff you may sort of know but haven't been looking at, in fairly clear language." That, and issues surrounding the question that the querent may not be aware of. Yes. What am I saying? Why am I posting at five in the old AM? Right. I'm not exactly a "reflective" reader, but I'm not normally predictive either, I'm a "here's your situation from all sides" reader. Very bad, as you can imagine, for querents asking about sketchy love affairs! :rolleyes:

little	04 Jun 2003
My approach to the tarot is reflective. I don't think the future can be accurately predicted, because the decisions we and the people around us make affect outcomes, so the future is strongly dependant on our actions and decisions. On the other hand, I think tarot can be useful for looking inside our own hearts, and that what we find there may, occasionally, inform the decisions we make.

Trogon	04 Jun 2003
I seem to be a waffle. No... this isn't some huge Zen-like revelation... I just seem to waver back and forth with my results. I guess the deciding factor is just what the querrent (whether myself or someone else) needs to have revealed. I have had some absolutely amazing and even gut-wrenching readings for people when they needed to have those deep, dark, inner recesses exposed to the light. In these readings I find that things in the person's past, the feelings, traumas, fun times as well as difficult times are revealed in sometimes startling clarity. These readings tend to be the clearest in revealing the past and present emotional state of the person for whom I'm reading. When the future is examined in this type of reading, it is usually more along the lines of "here is the direction this person needs to head" or "here are some steps this person needs to take towards healing". There are other readings, sometimes just as amazing, which seem to focus on the more mundane matters of every-day occurances. Sometimes the Tarot will show that a person is doing well, or poorly in school and may offer advice towards this aspect of their lives. There have been a few readings where I've gotten a strong feeling from a particular card that one thing or another may be happening in the future... and several times this has seemed to come to pass. It's happened often enough now that it is seeming to be more than meer coincidence. But this type of thing seems to be less frequent for me. Most of the readings I do seem to deal with emotions, healing, the psyche. Then again, perhaps it is just that most of the people who come to me for a Tarot reading are coming because of these very types of issues.

sagitarian	04 Jun 2003
My readings are a heinz 57. Some are perdictive, some are informative (making you aware conciously), some have the feeling of oh and by the way, other readings are completely inaccurate. I'm not sure what is going on, but for one, don't read if you are in a negative mood at all. If I'm upset, pist off, or depressed, of course that's all my cards are going to reflect. Try doing readings (wether they be for yourself or other people) when you are in a content mood. Not extremely happy, but not upset either. Mostly I read for other people, rarely do I read for myself with the exception of (occasional) daily cards.

Umbrae	04 Jun 2003
When you read for a stranger who sits, all closed off, no feedback – oral or body…I’ve found that, in my experience, Tarot to be BOTH predictive AND reflective.

NeXoRiouS	05 Jun 2003
I have no idea what my tarot have told me. Sometimes I don't even find that it is related to what might/would happen. Regarding reflective, when I was excited about going out and play, the knight of pentacles(rws) pop up. I was feeling, duh... Lalalalalalalala.....

Inana	05 Jun 2003
Quote: Originally posted by alexis Recently, I have sort of confirm that my readings are reflective of my mood rather than predicting what will happen in the near future. Eg, when I was optimisitic about the exam paper I would be sitting for, I tend to get cards like 'the world, ten cups' etc & when I was pessimistic about the paper, I would get cards like '10 swords, 9 swords' etc. To me is more reflective than predictive. Alexis, the mood im at the moment tends to reflect too on the cards i drop. When im sad or so, the cards tend to be darkest and more pessimistic. Also tried to read when drunk one time, and then, the devil was poping out all the time... so i left the reading, but thats another story. Maybe when our mood is affecting a lot the reading it means we are not in a proper state to do it? I think you can do predictions with tarot, but to me most of the time is about digging up underlaying stuff. I havent done many predictions, only a few but they were quite right.

alexis	05 Jun 2003
hmmm.. reading for strangers and having tarot reflect their current mood is great cos we do not know anything about them at all. and having the tarot give us insight to their situation is great as well so we can give them some 'advice'. In this sense, tarot is great being reflective and predictive. however, how do we 'prevent' having readings that show things we already know. When a tarot reading becomes too reflective of the mood, don't we feel that it is redundant? eg, I already know i am sad yes yes yes and that this negativity is generated by .. the fact tat a 9 of swords keep poping up. it's like, I rather know what's next to this negative feeling i have rather than it confirming with me tat i am sad. thus, the need for guidance to get out of this reflective reading. and quoting sagi; don't read if you are in a negative mood at all. If I'm upset, pist off, or depressed, of course that's all my cards are going to reflect. Try doing readings (wether they be for yourself or other people) when you are in a content mood. Not extremely happy, but not upset either I am not sure is it just me or some of u guys out there too. Sometimes, we could be in a neutral mood but something happened just before we do the reading. Like, eg, i had the call about my refunds and the card I got was page of pent.. (I thought it was pretty redundant but of, was rather impress tat it read my thoughts) do u guys think I should go and do something else before taking the daily reading in the first place or choose another card instead?? can anyone shed light on how he/she is able to overcome the part about tarot being too reflective of the mood? and start to make it move -(quote Trogon - " more along the lines of "here is the direction this person needs to head" or "here are some steps this person needs to take towards healing") Is it also because I often get reflective readings cos i only use a card? then can anyone suggest a daily spread that is likely to be less reflective and moving more along the 'predictive' state. many thanks for those who have answered and will be answering :P

Major Tom	05 Jun 2003
Quote: Originally posted by alexis do u guys think I should go and do something else before taking the daily reading in the first place or choose another card instead?? can anyone shed light on how he/she is able to overcome the part about tarot being too reflective of the mood? I've picked two of your questions to try. :) For your daily readings it is important to think of a question. The ones I usually ask are "What will today bring me?" or "What do I need to know about today?" or even "What lesson can I learn today?" For me, tarot is as reflective or predictive as the question requires.

Juccota	06 Jun 2003
Maybe you can do the daily reading before you do anything for the day like in the morning after you wake up? You can also use a 3 card spread to do the daily reading. I think the tarot can be either reflective or predictive based on the spread used and the positions the cards land on.

catti	06 Jun 2003
just MHO but i would say your questions , alexis, back up having a notebook and jotting down when you did your reading , how you felt, anything else that might affect you...then over time you may begin to see a pattern. Perhaps for one it is good to do the daily reading in the morning and for another the daily reading is more effective as a summary of events at night. just a thought because i know the more detail i put in my notebook the more useful a tool it becomes.

Suriel	22 Apr 2004
from my point of view, tarot cards can be both predictive nad reflective... but the reflective part is the most imporatant...for changing this part can change the predictive part...

closrapexa	22 Apr 2004
Like others here, I think it is both, Reflective, because it asks questions you usually wouldn't ask yourself. Predictive, well, thats tougher to define. I've given and received some good predictive readings, yet I always think twice and once again about acting upon those prediction. The Tarot never tell me the actual future, but it does recognise trends, possible outcomes, cause and effect- what will happen if you continue doing this or that or stop doing whatever. Maybe it does tell the future, but only and most importantly, a possible, thoretical one. After all, whats the use of knowing the future if you can't change it? It'll come whether you want it to or not.

Ilithiya	22 Apr 2004
For me it's a choice... ...and that choice is reflective, totally. I *never* pick up my cards for prediction. It's just not the way I work. Even if I could predict what's going to happen to me, I'd rather not know to begin with. But as a reflective tool, they're invaluable to me. All sorts of information bombards us all the time, and while all of it gets processed, only a fraction of it actually makes it to the "mental notes" folder. My cards are a nifty way for me to bring to my attention those things which weren't filed as being immediately important at the time, but may be relevant now. Now, whether that's because there's some sort of subconscious arranging of the cards through shuffling, or a more metaphysical explanation for where the cards fall.... eh, doesn't matter to me, really... they're triggers for my memory. It explains much, by the way, of why I can't read for other people; instead, I have rather good results if I instead guide them through the same memory-trigger process I use for myself instead of attempting to read in a more traditional manner, but usually that's really their success, not mine. Just my two cents... Illy

Dove	22 Apr 2004
Hi Guys, My readings for others (done via my website/email) are kinda unique in that I start with a purely (no cards) psychic reading, and follow it with a Tarot reading asking the same questions. Generally, the Tarot reading will back up what I just got psychically. I haven't been doing this that long, but so far I've had wonderful feedback on the accuracy of my readings, excluding those that aren't too pleased when I tell 'em "he's not the one." ;) But, I still feel it's all (or most of it) probabilities. I do feel some things are "destiny," but I think those events are few and far between. So, I invariably tell my clients that they can change the outcome if they choose to do so. I've even had my "Guides" come through saying, "It's your choice." In one case, a warning came through that seemed relatively mild (and I didn't get the outcome/probability of her choice) and it was followed with "It's your choice." This person chose to continue with her behavior, and another's death and trauma to her was the result. Now, that was long before I began using the cards. But again, the Tarot will invariably align with my psychic reading. Sometimes I can't really get an outcome, because there are just too many choices still "up in the air." And so I will relay this to the client and much instructional type information will come through. I feel it all reflects our energy (thoughts/intentions), it's not just the cards that are being reflective. It's everything. The people around us, the things and people that come to us, our environment, the situations we create every day, every moment. It all reflects our "energy." It's all us. Look around, it's all you. The cards can't help but reflect that energy that they feel coming from you, but they also indicate the probability of what will come from that energy. I've sat and ask the cards about selling certain items. I'd ask if I can sell it at a certain price and get a clear negative. It would then instruct that I needed to bend a little or something. So, I'd ask again if I could sell it for a specific lower price and it would give me a thumbs up. I've had it happen just as it indicated. The person did haggle with me and I feel it's likely she would have walked if I had not agreed to a lower price. One day, I was asking about a certain guy that I hadn't heard from in a while. The Tarot had previously referenced him as the King of Cups. I hadn't heard from this guy in weeks. In the spread that I did, it showed the King of Cups reversed in the Near Future position. He e-mailed me the next day, and was a cold-hearted jerk in his correspondence. Predictive. Yeah, the Tarot can be very "predictive." It just depends on the situation and one's current energy and especially one's intentions and beliefs, what one is focusing on doing... Also, the Page of Coins can mean more than just something about money. Perhaps it was indicating you need to study something, or look for a new job... I have found that whether I ask a question or not, the Tarot will show me the card that it may feel is a more urgent message for me. Also, multi-layerd meanings are not uncommon. It can be referencing one thing over here and also be trying to get you to look at something else over there. The Tarot is so cool like that ;) Blessings, Dove

Phoenix Rising	22 Apr 2004
I have just currently learnt that it is predictive and reflective. It will pick up all your thoughts. And what you think today will manifest tomorrow. Just carry on your thinking path and it will happen. Tarot is just showing you want you thought about yesterday.. It's all in your thoughts!

laura_borealis	22 Apr 2004
My use of tarot is reflective (I only read for myself, currently). I don't try for predictions, but look for illumination about situations or advice on what paths to take.

lionette	22 Apr 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Major Tom ... For me, tarot is as reflective or predictive as the question requires. So glad this thread popped up. Had been questioning this myself this the last couple days. And now, reading Major Tom's response, the answer becomes clear. The key for me must be in the question, or lackthereof. When I don't ask a question or don't really think about anything in particular at the time of pulling the cards, usually that's for a daily reading, then the cards are reflective of present mood/state. When I've formed a real question, then I get a predictive spread.

The tarot : predictive or reflective? thread was originally posted on 04 Jun 2003 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.