Tarot is Not About Predicting Your Life
In my practice, tarot is an empowerment tool, not a fortune-teller.
I will never tell you when or how you’re going to die, but I will ask the cards what you can do to live a happy and healthy life. I won’t tell you whether you’ll get married, but I will share the personality traits that make someone a great match for you. I won’t tell you if you’re getting a career promotion next year, but I will give you a month-by-month roadmap of what to expect if you stay on your current path. I won’t attempt to read minds and tell you what someone else is thinking or feeling, but I will read the energy of a relationship and where it’s headed if nothing changes. My sessions focus on what you can control. Tarot isn’t meant to predict your life; it’s meant to help you make the most of it.
If I trust tarot’s messages so much, why don’t I view them as concrete, inarguable truth?
Because humans have free will. Any information received in a tarot card reading is the truth in that moment and can change based on what the client does with it. Here’s an example. Every year, I do a year-ahead spread to get an idea of what life’s rollercoaster may be throwing my way. A couple of years ago, the spread suggested I might have a very rough year in my marriage. So, I did a follow-up reading asking, “What can I do to ensure love, joy, and peace in my marriage this year?” I took inspired action based on that reading, and it turned out to be one of our best years of marriage yet!
With that being said, I don’t do readings for everything in my life.
When I first began using the cards as a pre-teen, I turned to them constantly. Over time, I learned to trust myself more and rely less on external validation. In fact, I rarely address the cards on my own behalf now! That’s how you know tarot is working for you; you don’t NEED it all of the time. If tarot becomes a crutch — something you lean on without actually learning or evolving — you may want to re-evaluate your relationship with it.
That’s not to say you can’t use tarot in your everyday life.
Drawing a card at the start of each day can provide inspiration, warning, comfort, and more. Revisiting that same card and writing a reflection at the end of the day can help you stay grounded and even improve your relationship with yourself or deepen your practice. Spreads don’t have to be elaborate to be powerful, and one card can help you prepare for and process daily events with clarity. For example, if you pulled the Tower card this morning, you may prepare your mind to expect the unexpected. In turn, you won’t be as surprised when something goes differently than planned and will be better equipped to overcome associated challenges.
If you remember nothing else, remember this:
Tarot is a tool that empowers you to define your own life. You have free will, so nothing you learn from tarot is ever set in stone. While some outcomes may be more difficult to avert than others, you truly have the power. Don’t give it away to the cards and let them tell you how life’s going to be when you can take the reins and steer onto a more desirable path. Instead, use their knowledge to assess whether you need to make changes to achieve your best life.
Reflection
Have questions about tarot or want to share your own experiences? Join the conversation in the comments or connect with me directly—I love hearing from you!
To empowerment and autonomy,
