" What If.. " Questions in tarot cards

I recently opened a thread in talking tarot about whether tarot can really predict the future, which a lot of people contributed to-many more than I expected !
This obviously brought up some huge questions such as, what is the future ? Is it already set in some ways ? Is everything still open ?
Many people seem to think that we can modify the course of events through our choices, actions ( or non-action) and behaviour...in the light of that-(and I'm starting from the assumption that that is true, even though I'm not sure about that...) would it make sense to ask tarot questions such as " What would have happened if I had done this rather than that, behaved differently, not done anything at all, made a different choice,...?"
I'm asking because I've always avoided that type of question, always a firm believer of the principle that states that " history is not made with ifs and buts", but if we really believe that we change things and modify the course of events if we go along through our choices,, then why not ?
Do you ever ask that of tarot ?

Personally, I believe we have more power to change our fate than it's commonly believed. However, we can change the future but not the past. That's why questions like 'what would have happened if I did B instead of A" don't seem helpful to me. I usually ask 'what will happen if I do B instead of my usual/convenient/logical A".

I think it completely depends on one's viewpoint how we will explain it all. I personally think that the future is not rigidly set, and yet that there are karmic trends or 'causes and conditions', as they say in buddhism, that shape things, circumstances that are not within our control, and habits that are so ingrained in us that yes, every time we face stress, we then drink/fight/are peaceful/take meds/blame others/whine until someone saves us/whatever and so that is what is most likely next time we face stress, including the basic stresses of daily life, illness, aging, death, family life etc. As they also say in buddhism, our lives now show what we did in the past, and what we do now shows us what we will experience in the future--if I wanted something for the last few decades of my life, whether romance or money or career or benefitting others or something else, it is very likely that there will be proof of that in my life now, either great success at it, or constant obsession with it, or whatever. If all I do now is work hard, or complain, act peaceful and wish others well, or overeat, or cheat on the spouse or at work or whatever, I will expect to see those results later.

I also think that, heck, maybe the past present and future CAN be changed, but I am not skilled enough to do that, nor to know exactly how it can be done, or how I might know if it were done. I do NOT ever ask stuff in tarot about "if I had married X, what would my life be like?" or similar, since what if it said something like "life would have been great, so much better than now"--what would I do then, make my current spouse miserable by saying it's his or her fault my life is not as good as it would have been with X, or go stalk X to make that person marry me....?

That's an interesting question, Nikita.

There are actually visualization techniques designed to alter what's in the past. They don't literally result in changing the here and now but they can modify the effects past events have on the present.

It never occured to me to ask the Tarot the kind of questions you mention. But it's an interesting thought. Although I try not to regret anything ("if I only had..."). It's all there for the learning. If I mess up, I try to understand what went wrong and how to do better next time around. At least that's the theory...

Theoretically it could work, I suppose. You'd never have any evidence at all that it does. In the end, I'd only assume like donnalee suggested that it would be highly detrimental to you if you put stock in it.

Maybe it's like we are all given a set, pre-established ingredients; the food we prepare (choices) and HOW we do it is up to us but NOT what we are offered. Accidents along the way are also not up for negotiation, they just happen (oven runs out of gas, milk curdled, etc).
Everybody knows of people that, with very little, accomplished a lot and managed to get by happily and successfully while others, with a lot, didn't.
It's the skill of the cook that creates (or not) a good meal after all. Knowing how to dodge problems as well.

Nikita_ said:

Many people seem to think that we can modify the course of events through our choices, actions ( or non-action) and behaviour...

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Well, the only other logical position to take than that, is that we can't. And if we can't, there is *absolutely* no reason to even get out of bed every morning of our lives, let alone actually do anything, because it will not change anything. So yes, I think I can see where they're coming from.

would it make sense to ask tarot questions such as " What would have happened if I had done this rather than that, behaved differently, not done anything at all, made a different choice,...?"

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When I was young I asked questions like that, sometimes. Now that I am happier in my own skin, not so much.

Of course things would have been different. What if you'd stopped to take that phone call instead of rushing out to the car? You might have been at that intersection five minutes later, and been in a nasty accident with a broken spine as a result purely of timing. What if you'd leaned in to kiss someone who was obviously interested, instead of giggling nervously, saying goodbye and leaving? That could have changed the whole course of your life, your future family's identities, and everything.

But you didn't do it.

When you are comfortable with yourself and your life, these questions seem far less important.

nisaba said:

Well, the only other logical position to take than that, is that we can't. And if we can't, there is *absolutely* no reason to even get out of bed every morning of our lives, let alone actually do anything, because it will not change anything. So yes, I think I can see where they're coming from.


When I was young I asked questions like that, sometimes. Now that I am happier in my own skin, not so much.

Of course things would have been different. What if you'd stopped to take that phone call instead of rushing out to the car? You might have been at that intersection five minutes later, and been in a nasty accident with a broken spine as a result purely of timing. What if you'd leaned in to kiss someone who was obviously interested, instead of giggling nervously, saying goodbye and leaving? That could have changed the whole course of your life, your future family's identities, and everything.

But you didn't do it.

When you are comfortable with yourself and your life, these questions seem far less important.

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Agreed. I'm very comfortable with my life... I like being me as I am now. But sometimes, don't you wonder? Not because you wish it was different but out of curiosity?

To the main question: as I mentioned in the thread about Tarot and the future, I don't know how Tarot works. But I have two theories about it.

The first one: Tarot shows mostly possibilities. You don't like the outcome? Do something about it! You like the outcome? Do something for it or it might never happen! From this point of view: the past is not possible anymore so the answer is no.

The second one: we subconsciously know which cards we draw and Tarot tells us about events we already expect, subconsciously. (This is about the connection-of-everything-stuff I like so much). Then the answer is no as well, because we have no clues about events which didn't happen.

Then there is the third possibility: Doing a reading means to connect to a spirit/ghost/demon or something of the sort. Then the answer is: it depends. It depends on the power of the spirit you ate in contact with. And about this, I can't say any more.

Hi everyone...my apologies, I'm having real trouble with my internet connection, and I will continue to have them for the next 3 days I think...I'm in the middle of nowhere travelling, can't do anything about it...I will get back to all of you ASAP....sorry....

dancing_moon said:

Personally, I believe we have more power to change our fate than it's commonly believed. However, we can change the future but not the past. That's why questions like 'what would have happened if I did B instead of A" don't seem helpful to me. I usually ask 'what will happen if I do B instead of my usual/convenient/logical A".

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Maybe they're not helpful...but sometimes it can be consoling to know that, even if we'd done things differently, we couldn't have avoided things falling apart...