Religion and Tarot

Tarot, God, Gods, Goddesses, Aliens, Rocks and Trees- Can we all play on the playground?

This post has been sitting in my drafts for a long time and has been revised a thousand times. I have been debating over and over again, do I really want to talk about religion on here? Religion has become such a taboo subject and that makes my hands sweat when I think too hard about it. Its sad in a way, because I remember being a kid and only thinking positive things about religion and faith. It helped people be better people, it gave them hope for what's waiting after this life and on top of that, it gave you something bigger than yourself to hang onto for help or comfort. Sadly, as history seems to prove, we only get to see the dark side of religion and the extremes that come with it. It has become one of those topics that you do not approach in polite company. I am going to attempt talking about where religion falls in the Tarot world and will do my upmost best to try not to offend anyone.

I want to begin by saying that I personally do not spend any time thinking about my client's chosen faith or lack there of. I think that faith is something that is personal and I am not to judge you for how you seek comfort or where you get guidance from (or if you don't believe anything at all!). I don't think any religion in this world is inherently bad and I think at their cores', religion is a good thing for most people.

When I read Tarot, I get to read for people of all faiths and never have I ever had a negative experience with anyone, but I do hear this question from time to time, "Do you think God would be okay with me getting this done?" That's a really good question and not one that is easy for me to answer. I usually phrase it back as, "Do you think God would not be okay with you getting messages of hope, happiness and positivity?" I can't speak for the man upstairs, but I would like to think he/she would be supportive. (Also note when I say "God" I just mean that in the simplistic term that could mean whatever God is to you. It could be Aliens, Gods, Goddesses, God, Rocks and Trees, Energy, whatever you want it to be or nothing at all.) I do not think it matters if someone who is religious would like to get a Tarot reading done and I most certainly do not place any judgment on anyone wanting a reading or wanting to learn Tarot. Tarot is a way to express yourself, learn more about who you are and its a great way to have some innocent fun. We have morphed religious texts so much and lost their original meaning that I think the only thing that matters is that you are comfortable and wanting the reading done. If you don't feel comfortable with Tarot, I am not going to knock you over the head with a crystal ball for deciding to opt out of a reading.

I do not see Tarot in the same way Hollywood likes to portray it. Much to the disappointment of a few, I did not sell my soul for these gifts nor did I have to throw any virgins into a volcano or perform some intricate blood sacrifice. A lot of people get the idea that it comes from a dark place and that the man downstairs is somehow involved. I think the Devil, should he exist, has a lot better things to do than hangout with me and my Tarot deck- I am not very good company and my deck is starting to get a little grimy. I am sure there are jewel thieves, spies and villains hiding out in much cooler places than my house or myself for that matter.  I think that my ability to do readings comes from a positive place. I believe that there are special people on this earth who are just a little bit more connected to the unknown and mystical side of life. I also think that anyone can get that connection, but it takes time and a lot of hard work! When I am doing readings, 90% of the time its usually a positive message and I don't see that coming from a dark entity who would be hell bent on telling you that you are going to fall in love or get a raise. Even when the message isn't so positive, it is never something bad, its just a warning to get you to wake up to what is happening around you. Again, not necessarily a bad thing at all; nor do I believe it is coming from a place of devil possession and black magick as some would have us believe.

Tarot to me sits outside of religion. It is more of a tool to help us get connected to the Divine, the universe or even one another; it is not a tool for one specific faith or group of people. I think anyone of any faith can read the cards, if they wanted too. Note:  I really do want to stress that a lot of faiths, Tarot is a no-no. If you think you would feel guilty reading the cards, then Tarot just might not be for you right now and that is okay too. I really don't want anyone to feel pressured! Now that I got that little disclaimer out of the way,  I think as long as you are an intuitive person and you feel in your soul that you could do this, than I think you should totally give it a try. If you feel drawn to Tarot but don't know if you should or shouldn't try it, I think you should give it a whirl and see how it makes you feel. Tarot might just open a door that brings you closer to your spiritual self. I am really trying not to be the shady person hanging out on the side of the church parking lot, trying to get people to sell their souls to the dark-side- this paragraph is kind of giving me that feeling but I hope you guys and gals know what I am trying to grasp at here.

Tarot is such a beautiful art and can bring a lot of positivity for both the reader and the person getting the reading done. Its an exchange between two souls to open doors that have been sometimes shut for a long time. Readings can provide emotional release and spiritual satisfaction. They can make you feel excited about the future or help you make positive changes to better your life. Tarot for me has been a blessing. Not a day goes by where I am not proud to be a Tarot Reader. When I tell people this is what I do, I am proud to say it! The cards have something really special about them, that has drawn countless people to them for hundreds of years. When I pick up my deck and shuffle it, I often think of the different people who have crossed my path through Tarot and I am grateful to every single one of them. Its not about what religion they follow or what they believe (or my own faith for that matter!), its about that moment that we shared together. When I open my spirit up to you and you open your spirit up to me so I can read for you, this exchange is beautiful and I think that is where the magick of Tarot comes from. To me that is not a bad place at all!

Blessings to you dear reader and thank you for taking the time to read this entry and I can only hope that it was written with enough class and grace to make people understand that anyone can get a reading or pick up a deck to learn more about this wonderful art. )O(

I am not sure what deck this Ace of Cups comes from but it sure is beautiful!