Can you really trust a tarot reading?

trust tarot?

My interest in Tarot has only been growing over the years, but one thing really bothers me; can you really trust a Tarot reading? What sort of questions should you consult the tarot for? Have you ever made a life changing decision as a result of the cards?

Tarot is a form of divination that works on intuition and interpretation, that is to mean that it is completely subjective. Many will disagree, but the same cards drawn in the same spread, read by two readers, will often result in entirely different readings. The whole reason for Tarot-Explained existing is to have some sort of concise, largely agreed upon meaning for each card. As a logical person with an interest in Tarot, I found it hard to look up card meanings on different websites and different books, and find sometimes completely different meanings. With many cards, there is an almost unanimous decision regarding the meaning; ‘Death‘ means rebirth, ‘The Fool‘ means new starts, for example. For other, less well known cards, there seems to be a vague notion of their meaning. Tarot-Explained began as a way to have the most agreed upon meanings for each card, all in one place.

Holy Mountain Alchemist

Over the last few years I have performed many readings, and received a few myself. Some of the readings I performed dealt with life changing things; new jobs or prospective partners. I’ve also heard stories of people quitting their jobs as a result of a Tarot card reading, and in one instance that stands out, it didn’t bode well for the querent at all. There are a few things I would be very wary of when looking for somebody to perform a tarot reading for you:

Other people

When you consult the tarot, depending on your belief system, you are likely consulting some form of higher intelligence. You should really only be asking about your path in life. Many tarot readers, myself included, will not perform a reading based on somebody else’s actions, person or feelings.

Medical or financial issues

If you believe you have a medical issue, then your first point of call should likely be a doctor. Tarot is a good source of advice, but honestly I would leave it there. No card drawn is going to magically bring you out of bad health, or a bad situation regarding money.If you do decide to consult the tarot based on medical or financial woes, then try to give the cards the same wight as you would a friend giving you advice.

The general future

Tarot can become a self fulfilling prophecy when the future is considered. I have specifically heard a reader draw a spread and then say to the querent ;”You will go to Australia this year”. She didn’t go to Australia, but a reading like this can really change your life. Someone may draw cards that give you an idea of your future, and you may go out of your way to make that proposed future happen.

 

So what should you ask the Tarot for? My belief is that so long as you treat the Tarot as advice, and not an order, than you can ask for anything. We all know or have known people who give bad advice, and as discussed, people can run with bad advice from a tarot spread. The best part of tarot is that it can open your mind up to new possibilities in your life, but it is my belief that you have free will in this matter, in no way is the dealing of cards describing your future in a fatalistic sense.

 

Reversals and free readings.

Free readings are coming back at Tarot-Explained.com. Previously only open to newsletter subscribers, they will soon be open to all. Head over the the Reading page to learn more. Be aware that last time, this got so busy that they had to be limited, so get a request in as soon as possible. These readings are real, performed by an actual person, and we can have a little discussion after if you wish.

Also of note; reversal meanings are being added to Tarot-Explained.com, starting with the Major Arcana. Take a look at them here. Reversal meanings will be added to the Minor Arcana over the coming days. I’ve also been correcting silly mistakes along the way, as well as updating the pages and making them more user friendly.

That’s all for now, I look forward to receiving your reading requests when the service is available soon!

-Kali

Happy Summer Solstice, 2018

Tarot card - The Sun

Once again, Happy Summer solstice. The Sun will peak tomorrow morning, and the summer solstice marks the middle of the solar year. The summer solstice is a great way to understand what you have achieved so far and to plan the next half of the year. If you’re interested in performing a tarot card spread for the remaining year, try cutting the 12 Month spread in half, one card per month for the next six months.

In other news, I’m just finishing up the remaining stickers for the Redbubble account. The tarot stickers especially have proven to be popular, and proceeds go towards maintaining Tarot-explained.com. Though I do not promote it actively, the Fiverr tarot gig is still available.

Once again, thank you for visiting Tarot-Explained, and I hope to speak to you all soon!

New Spread – ‘Loss’

Five of Cups Tarot card

Greetings all. Be sure to check out the new spread: “Loss“. This spread unlocks our inner feelings when we inevitably deal with Loss. We all deal with loss in our life, and it is important to understand why this happens.

Follow the link below to see the spread page.

Loss Spread

The Best Tarot Decks – 2018

best tarot deck

Let’s be honest. Tarot decks are subjective, how can you have a ‘best?’ one? Popularity, quality of illustration and style are all things to take into account when choosing a new deck. This article exists to inform the reader of other decks which might take their fancy, from a selection of high quality decks.

Rider Waite Deck

Probably the most well known, though not the original, tarot deck in use. The Rider Waite deck is a brilliant starter set, as well as being perfect for advanced use. Every tarot reader should own a set of the Rider Waite tarot cards.

The Hermetic Tarot

The Hermetic tarot draws from hermetic and alchemical symbology. A beautiful deck, the Hermetic tarot deck can give you a different, more esoteric perspective on the questions you’re seeking answers for.

The Cosmic Tarot

The Cosmic Tarot is intended to make tarot more approachable, and helps by making the symbology of the cards easier to interpret. A fresh design and highly reviewed, one to check out if you haven’t had a look yet.

The Wildwood Tarot

The Wild Wood tarot is as well known alternate deck, using neo-pagan symbology to tell the story of the cards. Beautifully detailed, it’s one to check out, especially if you are this way inclined.

The Druid craft Tarot

Created by practising druids, notably those of OBOD fame (Carr-Gomm), the Druid craft tarot is similar in some respects to the Wild Wood deck, but focuses on Druidism over other neo-pagan practices. Featuring fresh illustrations, it’s one to take a look at if the designs appeal.

 

How to perform Tarot readings online

tarot sign

I’ve recently started offering tarot readings on fiverr. The experience has been uplifting, and I’ve been able to help a number of people so far. It’s very different from offering readings in person, and there are certain pros and cons of distance reading. You’re unable to discuss the reading as it’s taking place, and can only offer the final product. I quite enjoy this aspect, you can stay focused on the initial query and there is no distraction from further questions. You also perform a purer reading, untainted by unconscious hints and body language the querent offers. You can have a look at the fiverr page here.

How I perform an online tarot reading

Getting an order

As soon as somebody orders though the gig page on fiverr, I get an email. I reply as soon as possible  to say that I have received the request, and to give a rough timeframe. Fiverr allows extras, so if the querent has selected 1-day Delivery, I will make that reading my priority. Once this reply is set, I try to find a good period of time in the day I can dedicate to the reading.

Performing the reading

Finding time to fit readings in can be tough, but so far I have managed every reading on time. It is so much more than shuffling, dealing cards, laying them out, then typing up the reading. I like to get into a good receptive mental state before performing the reading, and I always perform readings when I am alone. Usually, the readings are simple, one or two cards, as described on the gig page. I perform my readings while sitting on the floor, though this is mainly because I do not have a table! Once the cards are dealt, I simply look at them. Intuition and knowledge of tarot cards plays it’s part here. Once the cards are dealt, an image will start to form. At this stage, I’ll start typing up the report.

Clearing and editing and presenting

Once the report is typed up, I’ll leave it for an hour or so, and then come back to it. The reading is still in my mind, even after it has been performed, and sometimes taking a step back to observe the situation can help you see things from a new angle. At this stage, I’ll edit the report and review it, as an editor would review a book. The reports I type follow a set pattern, shown below in a censored, but actual report.

tarot card report

First I greet the querent, and then get started with the reading. I like to jump straight in. I make it clean I know their question, and then type how each card I draw relates to it. One thing I like to add, are missing cards or suits (if many cards are drawn). At the end, I summarise the reading into actionable steps for the querent. I like to give a sense of closure to the question.

Delivering the report and followups

I send the typed up and formatted report as an image or PDF file. It’s as simple as that. For once, the technological part of something is the easiest! I like to be open to communication afetrwards and I’m always happy to discuss the reading afterwards.

Should you perform online tarot readings?

It’s really up to you. If you have a tight schedule like I do, then it’s a very good idea. You can still practice tarotology for real people, on your own time. I’ve found it to be just as good as a face to face reading, and my feedback so far has been very positive!

 

 

 

Hallowe’en updates!

tarot scene

It’s Halloween again, arguably the best time of the year. Last year, we introduced a Halloween spread for you all to try out. If you weren’t here for it, give it a go this Halloween! Tarot-Explained.com has seen a number of updates recently, so we’ll summarise them in this post.

Sometimes a written definition isn’t enough for a tarot card description. Maybe it doesn’t seem relevant enough or fit just right. We’ve started adding keywords to each card description, starting with all of the Major Arcana. You can find them on the card description pages, near the bottom. Sometimes a keyword can help more than a given description, it gives you a different perspective and a more open starting place to draw connections from. Soon, all of the cards will have keywords attached.

We’ve also drawn up a road map of new features to add to each card; symbology, astrological ties and card connections to name a few. It’s exciting to work on and I’ve loved seeing this site grow. In January, Tarot-Explained will be three years old! Thanks for sticking around, and thanks for the nice comments I’m receiving through email.

All the best.

Popular Tarot cards – The Lovers

Tarot card - The Lovers

Tarot lovers

There are quite a few cards that are the most searched for on Tarot-Explained.com. This can’t be a chance thing, surely all the cards would appear equally? The Lovers is one of the most searched for cards on Tarot-Explained, and has been for over two years now, but what is it about this card that remains so popular? What is it about this specific card that makes it one of the most iconic and well known tarot cards?

Why is The Lovers such a popular tarot card?

One of the biggest aspects of our lives are our relationships; romantic, platonic and familial. Love plays an important aspect in our lives, especially when considering our desires. Many people wish to be loved when they aren’t, and many wish to see where their current relationships will go. The Lovers is probably the most obvious and striking tarot card when it comes to Love, so it isn’t surprising that we all want to know the best definition of The Lovers to get an accurate tarot card reading.

What can we learn from The Lovers?

A very important aspect of all our lives should be healthy balance. The Lovers stresses this duality; woman and man, left and right, tree of knowledge and tree of life. An unhealthy life is one which is too far gone in one direction. This may be why in some decks ‘The Lovers’ is called ‘The Twins’. If you are seeing a particular aspect of your life which you are unhappy with, try to see things from a different perspective; is there imbalance in any way? Are you spending too much time on others and not yourself, or vice versa?

To read more about The Lovers tarot card, click here. If you have any experience with The Lovers tarot card that you would like to share, post in the comments below!

Spooky Halloween Tarot Spread

pumpkin Halloween Tarot

Halloween is a great season and a perfect time to do a Tarot reading. I love this time of year, the colours change and we all get ready to settle down for winter. With so much time spent indoors, it’s good to think about the future and how the next year is going to plan out. It’s good to give yourself some time before January the first rolls around to plan and think about what you want from your next year here. For now, let’s focus on Halloween and a scary,  spooky tarot spread!

Want a FREE Halloween Spread Tarot Reading?

Choose Your Halloween Tarot Cards Now!

 

Witch’s Pentagram Spread

Halloween Tarot pentagram spread

The pentagram is a symbol with many meanings. There’s even a Pentacle tarot suit! The five points of a pentacle each represent a differing element. For this spread; shuffle your deck, and then place five cards face down in the pentagram shape.  Flip them over one at a time. You can start where you like. The positions represent the following:

  • Spirit: Something to aim for, goals and achievements. The journey to take to become what you want to be. Your ideal life.
  • Fire: Instinct. How to treat your current problem. What you want to do regardless of the outcome.
  • Earth: Something or someone keeping you grounded. A dependency you may not realise. Something holding you back.
  • Air: Hidden secrets. Something or someone that may be here now but not for long.
  • Water: An action to take to improve your life. Someone who will benefit you. Someone you can help.

Be sure to check out the card meanings for insight. Why not comment below with your results?

Want to Choose Your Live Halloween Tarot Reader?

 

We’ve selected live tarot readers to give you a FREE 3 Minute Halloween Spread Tarot Reading! Scroll through them below and pick your favorite one.

How was your Free Halloween Tarot Reading? Let us know in the comments below!