Tarotphobia: How do we feel about it, what do we do about it

Hi Folks,

I kind of hijacked the ethics thread, so it makes sense to make it a thread of its own.

Someone in the ethics thread mentioned the word 'tarotphobia' and am not sure its in the dictionary yet, but it serves the purpose of this thread.

Thought this would be a good place to discuss this, for example:

-How do we feel when people object to tarot
-How do we deal with it
-How do we want to see tarot evolve in society

so how do you feel, tell me.....i am all ears

I haven't even read the other thread, but anyway...

To be honest, the most "tarotphobia" Ive come across is someone (usually trendy, urban, savvy type) saying "you don't really believe it do you?" and I give them my usual line, which is;

"Look, I never really think in terms of does it/doesn't it work. All I know is that when I consult the tarot, I get perspectives which Id just never thought of, which can only be a good thing..." Im certainly not out to convert anyone. I mean, who cares?

Ive certainly never had anyone come over all "tis of the devil" type of thing. Thankfully I never come across anyone who thinks like this. I think I'd just guffaw. The most tarotphobic I could possibly cite is a mild incredulity; that I might believe in something as hocus-pocus as this. Me? Rational, thinking professional type who likes parties and leads a normal life! I mean, Im not holed up with a headscarf in some painted caravan

I don't really even analyse to myself the argument for/against tarot. I don't even think about it to be honest. Tarot fascinates me. I like buying them, looking at them and reading with them. I do it in my own home, behind closed doors, or in other peoples' homes with consenting adults.

I wonder, without generalising too much, whether there is a difference in tarotphobia between continents.... between Europe and American, or North America and South America or Europe and Asia etc etc. Or even between Spain and the UK for example. I often wonder about this...

Le Fanu said:

I haven't even read the other thread, but anyway...
Ive certainly never had anyone come over all "tis of the devil" type of thing. Thankfully I never come across anyone who thinks like this. I think I'd just guffaw. The most tarotphobic I could possibly cite is a mild incredulity; that I might believe in something as hocus-pocus as this. Me? Rational, thinking professional type who likes parties and leads a normal life! I mean, Im not holed up with a headscarf in some painted caravan

Click to expand...

ha ha ha i get this too esp from my boss, i work in analytic job, and i like to party and socialise...and sometimes they are shocked .

Le Fanu said:

I wonder, without generalising too much, whether there is a difference in tarotphobia between continents.... between Europe and American, or North America and South America or Europe and Asia etc etc. Or even between Spain and the UK for example. I often wonder about this...

Click to expand...

i think certain places within countries are more religious, and/or narrow-minded, for instances London is very open, but my little home town is alot more conservative so i think its not countries but towns within that can be a problem.

I live in Indianapolis, all my life, and to be honest, I think a majority of the people here mind their own business. They don't seem to care about what other people are doing unless someone is extremely standing out..You know, making a scene, loud offensive language...but in general I have been all over this city in restaurants, coffee houses ect, and have never scene or heard anyone complain about someone's activities.

When I was younger, I worked restaurant and retail for many years, and again, I never heard or saw complaints on other people...Customers complain of course, but usually about service or pricing.

I suppose this could be the differences between a modern city and a small town community. City folks don't usually tend to be bothered with other peoples business...We have enough issues and worries of our own to be concerned weather someone is reading Tarot, The Bible, Book of Mormon ect...

Personally I have so much going on with hobbies, and my own Tarot decks I could really care less about society and how people feel about it (unless, of course they are on AT, then I care).

I'm not that into sports. If it's on the TV, or the news comes up with it I leave the room and do something else until it's over. People that are not into Tarot must feel the same way, so I just avoid them.

We are evolving as a society because in most countries in the world you are free to buy Tarot decks instead of being burned at the stake for it!

Where I live, there isn't much of a problem with "tarotphobia"; however, there are certain pockets within my city that looks down on it. I haven't been really public with my interest except with a couple of friends. In the past, I've been preached at before, but it was more like random testimony.

Within my friends group there are people who are afraid of it (they definitely don't know), people who think it's fun, and those who just don't care either way. I know that if I was to read in a public area like a central fountain area, I may get weird glances or just curious glances from people depending on what day it is. (I kind of wish that I would've went up to a place like this during the IMF protest just to see what kind of reaction I would get.)

The only people who really objected to my doing it, and quite vehemently too, were my Mom and current bf. They tried their all to stop me, but it didn't work. My bf saw it wasn't working and learnt to keep his thoughts to himself, my Mom never stopped trying to stop me as long as she lived.

Otherwise, the reaction I get sometimes is discomfort or fear, just that look in their eyes, they almost take a step backwards when you tell them you read the cards. People sometimes just go: "Me, I would NEVER have my cards read, I'm too afraid of what they might say."

At that point I try to tell them that it is not like that, and that the future is flexible and what the cards say will happen is just one possible future among many, and they can change that future. Which if course is not the traditional view of how the future works in our society.

When the get scared like that I try to explain all that, but I don't think anyone has ever believed me. I just get the look, like "OK, this person is not quite as sane as I had thought"

And if I tell people I feel I channel the answers somewhat (which I do feel is part of the process for me) the look intensifies.

For myself I am coming to realize that you change others, and you can't make them see somethign they are too uncomfortable to look at. I'm about to think just accept taht I can't change others and maybe it's not even right to try unless they ask you for more info on it. We all have the right to view the workings of the Universe as we want to, accurate or not. I know I would not want someone coming up to me and telling me that my views of life are all wrong and I need to change them.

Even if I was wrong I would not know it and I sure would consider it nervy of someone to come up and tell me how I should think.

So I think when it comes to Tarot I will just accept our right to all be different from now on and not try to change people. That is G-d's job to make them ready to see in new ways. And then they will be curious and seek the info out.

I still do think Tarot should be much more mainstream and I honestly do think it should be taught in school, along with other more spiritual subjects (spiritual not religious necessarily), like when we learn the parts of human body in elementary school, why not also teach about the subtle body, energy fields, the chakras...Yes and Tarot.

Tarot to me is a vital life skill that enhances all areas of life. I don't feel that everyone should be exposed to it at least. And in a positive way that dispells the myths surrounnding it.

Babs

i must admit to not liking that even in spirituality there are a lot of people who have big egos, they are always saying "this is how its done" or "who do you follow...." whilst they are saying how rigid religions are...the hypocrisy of it all!


I think all religious or spiritual subjects should not be taught in a school environment unless your going to teach all theories in equal balance (unless you pick a faith school of course). in an ideal world i dont think religion should be a basis for laws

Telling someone "how it's done" is not spiritual really anymore. Spirituality is, to me, all about connecting to your higher powers yourself and communicating with them and finding out for yourself what they want for you, as opposed to someone telling you (religion).

That being said, that's a really good point, any course in Tarot, to me would have to stress letting the student find for themselves what methods work best for them, with some guidance here and there. I could see it, they could do readings and write compositions on what they are learning from reading Tarot, instead of on what they learnt last summer. Good to help their writing skills and to enhance their imaginations and intuition.

Babs

The biggest problem I ever had was with a cousin of mine. I was doing some readings at a christmas party and he asked me to stop. Acctually, it was my aunt (his mother) who asked me to stop - his reaction was so strong that he could not even speak to me about it.

But to be fair; he is a catholic priest, and I was reading in his presbytery (the priest's home attached to a church). I stoped immediatly - I knew I was in the wrong. I felt really awful about it afterwards, as did my other aunt who'd asked for the reading in the first place.