Do Tarot Cards Lie?

Zezina

So the question is do the cards lie?

Lorraine, I think it's your question that has missed the mark. The cards can't lie because, as Tarotbear says, they are only ink on cardboard. You have come to believe the cards can predict your future, and have now proved to yourself that they can't.

There are people who run their own lives, and influence the lives of other people, by consulting Tarot cards. Many believe passionately in the accuracy of what the cards tell them. Few are as stringent as you have been in examining the outcome, often because Tarot predictions are too amorphous for stringent examination.

I studied astrology for years, and when computer programs came established, I took a year of my astrologically unassailably accurate daily interpretations, cut them up into the 365 days and stapled those daily interpretations into each page for that year of a ring-bound diary.

Then I watched every day of that year. Many significant things happened to me that year, including the unexpected death of my best friend. My astrological chart missed everything significant that year, and instead indicated many significant events at periods of time that were totally bland in my life.

You've now done the same with Tarot, which is less measurable. Congratulations.

Tarot cards in many decks are very beautiful and fascinating works of art, and for that reason alone are intriguing, especially to artists like myself.

The history of Tarot is enthralling, and shows us that it wasn't until the 18th century that anyone thought to consult the cards about the future. Until then Tarot cards were used to play a card game. Etteilla was already a fortune-teller in France, who, like the gypsies, used regular playing cards to predict the future. When Etteilla saw a Tarot deck he got the idea to use them in his fortune-telling, and so emerged a huge business opportunity for many people.

That doesn't mean the cards 'tell the truth' or 'tell lies' Such actions are simply what you have been led to expect by those who tout the cards as being able to predict accurately.

Tarot is still a game, just a different one.

*Z*
 

tarotbear

So Tarotbear - am I being wrong and placing pressure on the tarot to be time specific and it cannot do that? Is that what it's underlying message is?

O.K. - your original question to the cards is/was: "would I be able to pay off all of my debts in the next 14 days?"

In heavy post-reading analysis - that is a proverbial 'YES/NO' question to which Tarot does not seem to give good answers to, because Tarot deals in the "history leading up to, the situation at present, and what an outcome could be" - best. All of those factors don't add up to 'YES/NO.' The seven cards you pulled do not answer 'YES/NO.' However, they are all intensely positive, so although they could be construed as 'Yes', the Tarot told you when that 'Yes' may occur in the scheme of things ... but it was not in the next 14 days.

Again - those Aces say different things to me than they might to someone else. However, to get back to the title of your thread - The cards did NOT lie to you, but you and they are on different pages about the answer.
 

Lorraine1100

Again - those Aces say different things to me than they might to someone else. However, to get back to the title of your thread - The cards did NOT lie to you, but you and they are on different pages about the answer.

I understand now - thank you.

Zezina, I enjoyed reading your post because it made sense X
 

Bhavana

Hi Bhavana,

For me the question is: Does the future really exist?

I don't think there is a 'real' future to be seen - the cards nevertheless can tell you the most probable outcome out of the Present.

Greetings


Kangiska

Yes, very true - the cards can show us possibilities, or what might happen if we keep on the path we are on - but nothing is concrete, there are so many variables to be considered. I make an effort to live in the now, because that is all that really matters anyway - too much obsessing over the future is pointless. Of course, living in the moment is much easier said than done!
 

caridwen

For the last two years I have kept very detailed notes on tarot readings done by myself and also what I have paid for professionally (some notes go back to 2006 as well but not conntemperaneous as the last two years).

Suffice to say that none of it has come right. I have gone back to November 2006 and allot of the cards were very positive but yet nothing has occured. Two years ago a reading I had, I was told that I would be moving last year. This year I am still very much here. My situation is not great and yet pretty much nothing in the cards has predicted (apart from the Death card and losing my job back end of last year) what an absolute turmoil I would be in.

So the question is do the cards lie? Everytime I have done them I have been left filled with hope that improvements are just around the corner, yet for the last few years it has been anything but and to be honest it has just gone from bad to worse.

If I was doing these cards myself I qould question myself heavily but when I have paid to have them done (these were very good and highly recommended tarot readers) and nothing has come right then I am left wondering what exactly is going on?

I know exactly what you mean and can't really help I'm afraid. I would say that a few tarot readings I have done (and I do at least one CC every day and have done for over ten years) have been accurate.

I treat Tarot with a pinch of salt. If I get a positive reading I think great and then get on with things. I'm not going to tell you that you should have done this or that. I have asked advice on certain situations and have been given completely the wrong advice. I should have trusted myself and not the cards.

However, I have also been given great advice and told truths I did not want to face or see. I have also done readings that predicted things I could not have known.

One thing I can tell you is just because you are paying for a reading does not mean it's going to be any good. People are easily fooled and may recommend a reader because they have told them what they want to hear. If that works for you then great. However if you want to actually do something about the situation then that's not so great.

Try asking different questions rather than predictive questions. For example, what steps can I take to turn this situation around is perhaps more helpful than: Will I still be in this situation next year...If the reading says yes you are then you are still in the same position.

I don't think cards lie but I would be wary of placing 100% faith in them before everything else.:)
 

Grizabella

Did you or your reader/readers read reversals or use reversed cards or use "elemental dignities? That can make a huge difference.

Also,(not saying this did happen with your reader but just suggesting the possibility) sometimes readers who only interpret the cards in the most positive way will have a great reputation because people like to hear what they want to hear and the reader knows that so that's how they read and that's why they get a good reputation. Also, there are readers who just can't bear to disappoint their sitters so they don't give the bad news.

As tarotbear (I think it was) mentioned, too, sometimes cards are not the best for yes/no questions. You may do better if you word a question some other way.
 

Lorraine1100

No reversals noted. I cannot lay the blame at professional tarot readers Grizabella because it has happened to me personally as well.

What I will say is this that about three weeks ago I posted on here about how I constantly kept getting the Justice and The Sun cards. The Justice card was almost stalking me. I couldn't get my head around why it was there, neither really could anyone else. Maybe now I understand a bit more, because I knew when we put the house up for sale this could be a problem with taking my land. I think the tarot was actually telling me that although I had money issues I needed to face up to it and stop hiding from what was going to be an eventuality and i had no choice but to go to litigation. Now bearing in mind Justice has been there since November last year - even in financial readings. Sometimes Chariot would be there quite a bit as well. Maybe, just maybe, I was wrong to insist on the timing for finances and maybe it is equally possible that it was saying you financial situation is not going to improve unless and until I get this legal matter sorted. So, Justice and litigation would be inextricably linked because it is busting us financially, but if we won at Court we would get all our legal costs back and likely as well compensation. So I don't know, it's a thought, but I think the cards were saying that I had to do this to get to find better days (The Sun) and that even though I am banked and cloaked in darkness the Sun will shine for better days ahead!

If it goes the other way we lose our home - simple as that! And we will be made bankrupt!
 

caridwen

No reversals noted. I cannot lay the blame at professional tarot readers Grizabella because it has happened to me personally as well.

What I will say is this that about three weeks ago I posted on here about how I constantly kept getting the Justice and The Sun cards. The Justice card was almost stalking me. I couldn't get my head around why it was there, neither really could anyone else. Maybe now I understand a bit more, because I knew when we put the house up for sale this could be a problem with taking my land. I think the tarot was actually telling me that although I had money issues I needed to face up to it and stop hiding from what was going to be an eventuality and i had no choice but to go to litigation. Now bearing in mind Justice has been there since November last year - even in financial readings. Sometimes Chariot would be there quite a bit as well. Maybe, just maybe, I was wrong to insist on the timing for finances and maybe it is equally possible that it was saying you financial situation is not going to improve unless and until I get this legal matter sorted. So, Justice and litigation would be inextricably linked because it is busting us financially, but if we won at Court we would get all our legal costs back and likely as well compensation. So I don't know, it's a thought, but I think the cards were saying that I had to do this to get to find better days (The Sun) and that even though I am banked and cloaked in darkness the Sun will shine for better days ahead!

If it goes the other way we lose our home - simple as that! And we will be made bankrupt!

Were you reading the Sun as a positive outcome? Tis not always the case I'm afraid. The Sun can mean enlightenment which is not always pleasant or something staring you straight in the face that you don't want to see.

It's also incredibly annoying when people come up wtih meanings in hindsight:p
 

Lorraine1100

Cardiwen - it has been staring at me in the face. We challenged it ourselves last September and we were able to buy time. Two weeks ago we received written notice - not unexpected entirely but what they want is allot more than they are entitled to. So yes it has been staring at me in the face and yes I have tried to turn a blind eye to it all in the hope that it would go away. The Chariot has only acclerated the situation further to the point where we have had to do something - they have put a time limit on it!

The financial implications have caused so much worry but it's like our arm is twisted to such an extent that we have no choice we have to do something. Ironically since contacting the lawyer the Sun has cleared off the scene totally to be replaced with the Star and ironically the six of wands (for victory I hope). Now though the seven of pentacles is all over the place but is usualy joined either with the 9 or 10 of pentacles or briefly these last few days Ace of Pentacles.

Maybe, as I said from the outset it was me, it was the fact that Justice was saying something else and I could not see it. It could well have been that it was saying unless and until you resolve this you will not move on. It is actually the very last thing we have to deal with in this house!

The home that we want when I asked the question on the house I got blockages on it and yes I can see that quite clearly now and I 'know' that I will not be allowed to run or hide from this current situation that it is us alone that has to deal with this. Yet this afternoon I asked the question over the future possible house (once this legal matter is resolved one way or another) and it all came out wonderfully positive.

I just hope that somewhere, something, someone gives us a lucky break and financially we can conclude this forever.

I almost feel inside and I have felt this for a while, that we have to tie up lose ends and this is probably it. Maybe I was too clinical in the way I looked at Justice but I hope that Justice also allows us financially to see this through to the end with some protection from a guiding Star!
 

caridwen

Cardiwen - it has been staring at me in the face. We challenged it ourselves last September and we were able to buy time. Two weeks ago we received written notice - not unexpected entirely but what they want is allot more than they are entitled to. So yes it has been staring at me in the face and yes I have tried to turn a blind eye to it all in the hope that it would go away. The Chariot has only acclerated the situation further to the point where we have had to do something - they have put a time limit on it!

The financial implications have caused so much worry but it's like our arm is twisted to such an extent that we have no choice we have to do something. Ironically since contacting the lawyer the Sun has cleared off the scene totally to be replaced with the Star and ironically the six of wands (for victory I hope). Now though the seven of pentacles is all over the place but is usualy joined either with the 9 or 10 of pentacles or briefly these last few days Ace of Pentacles.

Maybe, as I said from the outset it was me, it was the fact that Justice was saying something else and I could not see it. It could well have been that it was saying unless and until you resolve this you will not move on. It is actually the very last thing we have to deal with in this house!

The home that we want when I asked the question on the house I got blockages on it and yes I can see that quite clearly now and I 'know' that I will not be allowed to run or hide from this current situation that it is us alone that has to deal with this. Yet this afternoon I asked the question over the future possible house (once this legal matter is resolved one way or another) and it all came out wonderfully positive.

I just hope that somewhere, something, someone gives us a lucky break and financially we can conclude this forever.

I almost feel inside and I have felt this for a while, that we have to tie up lose ends and this is probably it. Maybe I was too clinical in the way I looked at Justice but I hope that Justice also allows us financially to see this through to the end with some protection from a guiding Star!

I'm not sure this is the right place to discuss this but believe me I am nodding sagely at all your interpretations.

I am not dismissing you but trying to be 'good' in order to bring this back on track when I say, it is only with experience that we learn other less conventional meanings to the cards. Possibly meanings that are overlooked in the plethora of books out there on Tarot or from readers less experienced.

As a reader your meanings are so much more enhanced as you have followed this situation through with your cards and have learned so many new meanings.

I also learned the Sun's less positive meanings through experience. It has recently come up in a reading for me it was the Sun crossed by the Two of Swords:laugh: Tarot text speak for face it baby, you cant' put the blinkers on this time:p

It's interesting you had the Sun rather than the Tower and they are sometimes interchangeable but in a subtle way. (Perhaps not the best place to explain why).

The Chariot is not always positive and does not always mean victory.

So now the Sun has gone (meaning you have finally dealt with the situation) it is replaced by a card of hope, faith and healing. Like a splinter finally pulled and healing the wound.

:)