Zephyros
There are many posts, from time to time that adress a number of questions regarding Tarot, the use of the cards, and anything else relating to them. The posts I am referring to are those that ask "Do the cards do this or that...", "Can I do this or that or won't the cards let me...", or even "The Gods have taken away my love for Tarot..."
Usually, the members of the boards answer these questions with clarity, kindness, and usually, common sense. However, I have to ask if people really believe what they post, that they deify the cards to such an extent that a deck is a living, breathing thing that (usually) has a bad temper and will fly off the handle at any opportunity. I mean, apart from belief, we still live in the living world, and as such, must use our own common sense in all matters, especially Tarot oriented issues, where we have so few signposts to lead us along the way.
For example, if some one says that they have lost the "Tarot edge" and cannot read anymore, why do they not practice the same introspection that they preach. You can't read all the time, more than you can do anything all the time. Even writing in this forum is at times tiring. If I don't post a day or two, does that mean I hate you all? If I do not want coffee in the morning, does that have to have a "mystical" reason? Obviously not, but we do attribute mystical, spiritual reasons for not wanting to read Tarot.
Another issue that I have seen is that people tend to say "My deck is mad at me and I can't read with it." I mean, really... A deck of cards can no more be mad at you than the morning newspaper, and they are both made of the same material: paper. As others have said that they read with everything from toothpcks to napkins, you can use your intuition to pick words out of a paper at random and then read for your querent wth that. As long as you are a good reader of people, you can use a wide range of ways to read, and maybe the morning paper won't snap at you or be grumpy.
Be aware that I am not talking about Tarot myths and supersticions. Those, in my mind, are valid, since Tarot is about belief. We cannot prove that it works under scientific, controlled environments, hence me must practice a leap of faith. I have no problem with that, I myself believe strongly in the validity of Tarot, otherwise I would not be here. However, what bothers me is blind faith, and no use of common sense.
Like I said at the beginnig, think before you leap. Tarot is part of this world, not the next, and as such, operates according to it's rules.
Usually, the members of the boards answer these questions with clarity, kindness, and usually, common sense. However, I have to ask if people really believe what they post, that they deify the cards to such an extent that a deck is a living, breathing thing that (usually) has a bad temper and will fly off the handle at any opportunity. I mean, apart from belief, we still live in the living world, and as such, must use our own common sense in all matters, especially Tarot oriented issues, where we have so few signposts to lead us along the way.
For example, if some one says that they have lost the "Tarot edge" and cannot read anymore, why do they not practice the same introspection that they preach. You can't read all the time, more than you can do anything all the time. Even writing in this forum is at times tiring. If I don't post a day or two, does that mean I hate you all? If I do not want coffee in the morning, does that have to have a "mystical" reason? Obviously not, but we do attribute mystical, spiritual reasons for not wanting to read Tarot.
Another issue that I have seen is that people tend to say "My deck is mad at me and I can't read with it." I mean, really... A deck of cards can no more be mad at you than the morning newspaper, and they are both made of the same material: paper. As others have said that they read with everything from toothpcks to napkins, you can use your intuition to pick words out of a paper at random and then read for your querent wth that. As long as you are a good reader of people, you can use a wide range of ways to read, and maybe the morning paper won't snap at you or be grumpy.
Be aware that I am not talking about Tarot myths and supersticions. Those, in my mind, are valid, since Tarot is about belief. We cannot prove that it works under scientific, controlled environments, hence me must practice a leap of faith. I have no problem with that, I myself believe strongly in the validity of Tarot, otherwise I would not be here. However, what bothers me is blind faith, and no use of common sense.
Like I said at the beginnig, think before you leap. Tarot is part of this world, not the next, and as such, operates according to it's rules.