Does tarot attract any (bad) spirits?

yagger

Lately i got interested in tarot cards because i met a bunch of new friends that practice tarot. So I bought a rider waite deck for myself and started playing with it too.

But now one of my friends that apparently retired from using tarot, tells me I'd better not touch tarot again. Cause tarot can be very dangerous! My friend explained to me the following:

"Doing tarot can screw up other people's destiny or that of yourself. Since bad spirits can be around you during the devination and make you draw ominous cards. Especially when you don't channel your energy properly, bad spirits will be attracted to you. After drawing the ominous cards, the spirits will actually want to make the cards come true as well! Even if you asked things for someone that is not present during the devination, bad spirits can be sent to that person to screw up his destiny that wasn't supposed to be like that.."

That sounds pretty severe. How much of it do you think is true?
 

northsea

It's maybe a tad superstitious. I think they're cards.
 

HearthCricket

None. Does she seriously think a piece of cardboard is going to conjure up an evil spirit? She sounds very superstitious and silly to me. We make our own destiny. Tarot cards give us the opportunity to explore paths we may be overlooking and to see situations in a more objective manner. There are also no ominious cards in a tarot deck. All cards have both a positive and negative quality to them and which one it is depends entirely on the question, the reading itself, the position it is in and the cards surrounding it. If a person depends entirely on tarot, or astrology or numerology or the advice of friends, in making all their decisions, then they need to stop and look within and search out why they are so dependent on such things to rule their life. Karma will throw things in our pathway no matter what we do...cards or no cards.
 

214red

i think tarot is too external for that, people have free will and it doesnt interfere with that.
i dont think the cards open you up to spirits, i think its other spiritual work
 

Le Fanu

yagger said:
"Doing tarot can screw up other people's destiny or that of yourself. Since bad spirits can be around you during the devination and make you draw ominous cards. Especially when you don't channel your energy properly, bad spirits will be attracted to you. After drawing the ominous cards, the spirits will actually want to make the cards come true as well! Even if you asked things for someone that is not present during the devination, bad spirits can be sent to that person to screw up his destiny that wasn't supposed to be like that.."

That sounds like an explanation from someone who has zero knowledge of tarot.

These are age-old symbols and archetypes. Does that mean that 15th century paintings and engravings with personifications of Strength and Old Father Time attract evil spirits?

Too silly to even contemplate.
 

Basic Elements

Your fears are unfounded on so many levels I'm not even sure where to begin. Tarot does not attract spirits, but people may. Tarot cards are just ink and paper until they come into contact with an appropriately understanding consciousness to give life to the symbols.

To imply that the presence of a spirit may interfere with the drawing of the cards, and subsequently alter the future of the individual is to give the spirit godlike abilities..which obviously they do not have.

"The only thing you have to fear is fear it's self."
 

Grizabella

Tarot won't invite any spirits unless you invite them. A Ouija board---now that's a different story. Just use the cards, don't invite any spirits, and you'll be fine.
 

Sulis

Your friend is spouting nonsense and twoddle in my opinion.
These are cards with pictures on them; think of them as a book without the words... The pictures make stories which help people to understand their lives and their problems.
I think by using cards you are no more likely to conjure spirits than you would be if you were reading a book.
 

OrbWeaver

Your friend sounds like some kind of Fundamentalist Christian got to her, and she's spouting off what THEY said.

I've never had a problem with tarot and "evil spirits!" *waggles fingers*
 

Umbrae

I dunno...

I was once reading in a bar. Somehow word got out that the 'cost' was a shot of Bushmills. I remember looking up and seeing a line of people (five or six) all holding shots of Bushmills...

So yeah - Tarot CAN attract Spirits. Good or bad depends on yer point of view I suppose...