Sharing some hope with closet Tarot enthusiasts

[Grizabella]

I thought I'd share this because I know there are many other people like me who love Tarot but hide it because they fear ostraci5sm.

When I moved into this house recently, I made a choice and that was to stop hiding my Tarot decks and books and just display them openly. I'm 66 years old but have been so afraid of having people know about it because of prejudice against it, especially from my family, that I've gone to great lengths to keep it out of sight when anyone is around but certain people. But I've finally overcome that after about 13 years. I thought I'd share in hopes of giving some hope to others who are like I was. I'm putting my books on the living room shelves with my other books, putting my baskets out in plain sight that hold my decks, and just "letting it all hang out", as we used to say. It might seem like a little thing and might seem downright ridiculous to a lot of you, but I know there are others from fundamentalist Christian backgrounds or Bible conscious communities who are still hiding their love of Tarot. This thread isn't meant to push anyone into doing anything they're still not comfortable with. It's just to give them hope that in time, they might actually get to this place themselves and gain the courage to do as I've done.

What will I do if I do bring out the Fundie SWAT team mentality in anyone? I just have the courage and self-confidence now to stand up for myself and not let it bother me. I'm not quite sure how I got to this point here in this house but what's important to me is that I did. And believe me, it's a huge step for me.

 

[Zephyros]

Good for you! I deal with some of the same problems, but differently. Many of my friends are staunch aethiests, and I sometimes fear that my forays into spirituality might make me seem ridiculous or naive in their eyes. Fundies can have many names and faces : )

 

[gregory]

Way to go you ! I have never hidden my interest, on the grounds that people in my life can damn well take me as I am, as I am not about to waste my time pretending to be someone else.

If passing fundies throw a fit - they likely won't want to visit again. Family and people we are actually friends with - if we are real friends - will accept it, I think. Or just take it as part of our weirdness - just as I and many I know don't agree about politics and other stuff. My mother isn't happy about it, but she is resigned, and makes very silly remarks at times. One of my daughters is deeply uncomfortable, I think. We don't talk about it. Because what's the point talking to anyone about anything when they have no interest anyway ? I don't talk to my dearest friends about the books I read either. Because they just wouldn't like them and haven't read them.

I believe Alta had an interesting exchange with a fundie techy who came to her home once... She won.

 

[KMilliron]

I never hid it, but I understand why some people would be aprehensive about being open about it. I would like to let you know that my Christian family isn't repremanding me for it, my Christia band mates aren't judging me, and even at work I'm met with acceptance. Hell, my manager asked me to do a reading for her, and she let me do it while clocked in. Does that count as being paid to do a reading? Haha.

Fear not, Tarot lovers! Acceptance isn't hard to find, and my personal experience is one example you can hold on to.

 

[Polyhymnia]

Well done Grizabella! There is no way I can flaunt my love of tarot. I live in a small French village in the middle of the countryside, amidst staunch Catholics. It has taken many years here just to be accepted, so to then bring out the cards... woohooo, doesn't bear thinking about, YET. I had a friend drop by the other day and I had a deck out on the table, (forgot to hide it when i was done) and the first thing he said was, "oh but doesn't it have a picture of the devil?" I explained what the Devil meant, and we agreed that for the moment we would not discuss my reading tarot. And, you know, I am not religious AT ALL. And I have very little time for the Catholic church particularly, BUT, I do not sit in judgement of the community, in which I live, whom go religiously every week to their mass and at present are in their 40 days of abstinence. YET, they WOULD judge me. It is a contradictory world we live in. So for the moment, for MY peace, I will continue to hide my cards and hide my interest in the Tarot. Sad sad world that spins around us

 

[Kosjitov]

Good morning, Griz, and congrats.

It may seem like a small thing for some, but I understand the huge step it took. My family disapproved of it as well but somehow I've managed to present it in a way that my grandmother doesn't immediately drag me off to church and demand them destroyed. My father looks at me as if I'm ... well, foolish, but I'm okay with that.

I hope you have peace and continue to keep the strength to stand tall.

 

[AJ]

What will I do if I do bring out the Fundie SWAT team mentality in anyone? I just have the courage and self-confidence now to stand up for myself and not let it bother me. I'm not quite sure how I got to this point here in this house but what's important to me is that I did. And believe me, it's a huge step for me.

My house, my rules. Smile and change the subject. If they won't, smile and show them the open door.

 

[newlillith]

That's great Grizabella! I find it's hard to slip back into the reality that some people disapprove of tarot after finding such a wonderful community here of people who accept and love it. Tarot is a part of you and you should not be afraid to share that, so kudos to you!

 

[celticnoodle]

Grizabella!

you know, upon moving back home to our place in NY, I decided to do the same thing. I have most of my tarot decks upstairs in the bedroom, where I also have my 'shrine' and where I do often meditate too--or at least like to meditate. But, some of my decks are also downstairs, the ones I'm using most at the moment, and I also decided not to hide them anymore.

After all, it is MY home and MY interest. I am tired of 'hiding' it from people who are coming into MY home. When I go to theirs, if they don't like what I do, I will honor them by not talking about it, or bringing my decks with me to their home. but in my own home--so be it if I want to display it!

So, right there with you, Griz. Enjoy your tarot treasures and other treasures around you!

 

[Fezzi]

That's so great! Good for you! I know how you feel though, so I know how hard this is for you! My husband put me through a lot of crap because of my tarot reading....he was just down right mean about it, so I tried to hid it from a lot of people, afraid others will have the same reaction. After 5 years I don't even bother hiding it from anymore and most people who find out just ask for a reading lol! So, it turned out not as bad as I thought it would! After years of successful readings, my husband has went from full blown non-believer, to very curious and actually just got his first deck I've had a few rude comments here and there, but nothing that can't be easily brushed off as just ignorance. I just wanted to let you know that even though it is a hard and scary step to take it's not all that bad and is very much worth it in the end!