Tarot No Mo'

[Metafizzypop]

I'd like to ask a hypothetical question. What would you do if tarot cards were suddenly outlawed? What if a newly-elected leader of your country had a problem with tarot, because he/she thought it was evil or immoral, etc.? It's specifically tarot that he has issues with. Other kinds of cards are OK, and other forms of divination are OK, too. It's just tarot that bugs him.

So he forces all tarot card companies to shut down. Stores and websites that sold the decks can no longer do so.

No use hanging on to your current stash of decks, because the authorities are coming around door to door with their tarot-sniffing dogs, and every deck you've got with be found and confiscated.

What would you do? Would you replace tarot with another form of divination? Or another pastime? Or would you join a therapy group for people suffering from tarot withdrawal? How would you cope?

I'd probably buy myself one of those Magic 8-Balls. I always thought they were pretty good at telling it like it is.

 

[Barleywine]

If they got into my library, the intensity of all of the grimoires and books on ceremonial magic would probably fry their brains before they got anywhere near the tarot decks But if it came to pass (and we would have a much larger political dilemma afoot if it gets down to that) I would just fall back on my practice of Lenormand, astrology, geomancy, lithomancy, etc. Either that or leave the country.

 

[GotH]

Perfect post for someone with insomnia to ponder on..

If all my tarot cards were confiscated due to some law that forbade them, I'd be perfectly fine. I guess it's because I've branched out into other forms of divination that have brought excitement, mystery and joy to me just like tarot did when I first began. Tarot will always be the foundation of second sight for me but I have come to realize that the answers to our questions can be found EVERYWHERE and all we need to do is look around, observe and listen.

Would you replace tarot with another form of divination?

I already do practice using several methods just to confirm my beliefs that the answers can be reached beyond the cards. I believe we can pretty much use anything to divine with but my favorite tool over all would have to be my crystals. I feel the crystals reflect images like one sees in cards but the fascinating thing is, they are infinite and always changing. I NEVER see the same thing twice in my crystal spheres. Never.

Although I would miss tarot tremendously, I'd cope just fine.

 

[Alta]

Given the increase in 'fundamental' religions worldwide, that event is not so far fetched sadly. My guess would be that if tarot is outlawed then all forms of divination would be. We would have to do bibliomancy, or watching clouds or animals crackers or the like. Things that are not obviously divining materials.

 

[CheapShoes]

Runes. Tell the authorities they are alphabet flash cards. Or just use playing cards - add tiny scribbles if you want.

 

[Aeric]

That's easy. We'd all turn to Marseille decks or playing cards for cartomancy, at least in the privacy of our homes. Lest we forget, Tarot cards have been gaming cards in their lifetime far longer than divination. To confiscate them, they'd have to outlaw playing cards too, and the world would never let them do that.

 

[gregory]

That's easy. We'd all turn to Marseille decks or playing cards for cartomancy, at least in the privacy of our homes. Lest we forget, Tarot cards have been gaming cards in their lifetime far longer than divination. To confiscate them, they'd have to outlaw playing cards too, and the world would never let them do that.

I've no doubt those would go too. If I felt a need I would turn to bibliomancy. Undetectable, and it worked well for me when I did some here a few years ago.

 

[Padma]

I don't know if I would miss them alllllll that much, though I do love them. If it was not possible to leave the country, then I would just turn to my Lenormand, which I have found I prefer

 

[Redfaery]

Given the increase in 'fundamental' religions worldwide, that event is not so far fetched sadly. My guess would be that if tarot is outlawed then all forms of divination would be. We would have to do bibliomancy, or watching clouds or animals crackers or the like. Things that are not obviously divining materials.

Yep. This is not as farfetched as it seems. People here in the US have been arrested and charged with fraud for reading Tarot professionally.

If Tarot was outlawed fully though? I would get out of the country ASAP. Not because I couldn't do without it, but because the kind of government that bans Tarot isn't going to be all that amenable to many other areas of my lifestyle.

 

[gregory]

Yep. This is not as farfetched as it seems. People here in the US have been arrested and charged with fraud for reading Tarot professionally.

If Tarot was outlawed fully though? I would get out of the country ASAP. Not because I couldn't do without it, but because the kind of government that bans Tarot isn't going to be all that amenable to many other areas of my lifestyle.

This, too. Good point.