Whenever the topic of Tarot is brought up, there is one question that is always
raised. This question is: Are Tarot cards evil?
It is a question that has always baffled me. Why you ask? Well it's simple. At a very basic level, Tarot Cards are simply pieces of paper that people have drawn pictures on and are quite often used to aid an individual in self development. So when you ask me "are Tarot cards evil? my answer is a resounding "NO".
So Why Would People Think tarot Cards Are Evil?
A lot of the Tarot haters out there are actually religious groups that rely on people putting their faith in a particular God or group of people. This gives them power over the people. They use their position of power to try to convince people that seeking their own guidance and walking their own paths is evil and will lead them to damnation. When a self -empowering tool such as Tarot comes along, it threatens the power held by these groups and they push back by telling their followers that the cards are demonic and therefore evil. Sometimes these people are well-meaning, other times they are not.
If Tarot cards are not evil? What are they?
In actual reality, Tarot cards are a tool to access your own intuition, and in this way they are no more evil than choosing not to walk down a certain alley way because you have a "gut feeling" that you shouldn't.
Tarot cards are neutral. They are a deck of cards, not too dissimilar to playing cards, and you do not hear many people saying that they are evil.
So maybe the question we should actually be asking is not "are Tarot cards evil" but " can tarot cards be used for evil?".
So, Can Tarot Cards Be Used For Evil?
This is as complicated a question as is human behaviour- and when you figure out human behaviour, please enlighten me!
Tarot cards can in fact be used for evil, but that is not the work of the cards- it is the work of the practitioner, and sometimes the individual seeking answers (also known as the querent). If a Tarot reader tries to tell you that they
have all of the answers- be cautious. Also if they want you to keep booking regular sessions (i.e. more often than a session a few months apart) with them, know that this is probably a money making scam. Always be careful when you place your fate in the hands of another. If you go to someone seeking answers about your future (whether that person be a Tarot reader or Priest/Guru), you are placing all of your power in the hands of that person and their opinions, and you don't need to be psychic to realise that this is unhealthy and ill advised. At the same time, if you notice that you are becoming overly reliant on having your cards read or someone points this out to you, maybe it is time to take a step back and if you cannot, you might be better off seeking the help of a counsellor. Like all things, an aspect of personal responsibility definitely comes into play when talking about Tarot cards and divination.
In fact, in my opinion this is one of the most positive aspects of the Tarot. While many religions try to make people reliant on them, and them alone, Tarot guides you to become self-sufficient. Like "The Fool's journey " the Tarot will take you on a journey of self-discovery. Instead of committing sin and going to confession to have someone else relieve you of your sin, the Tarot calls you out on your mistakes and holds you accountable for your own destiny. Is this evil? Do you think self- accountability is bad?
My Conclusion- Why I Don't Believe That Tarot Cards Are Evil
We live in a society where it is natural for people to walk around with knives, and in countries like America you can own a gun at a ridiculously young age, but people still worry about a deck of cards? Maybe it is just me, maybe I am crazy- I have certainly been called that in the past; or maybe we should stop worrying about whether or not a pack of paper playing cards is evil, and start focusing on how those cards can aid our personal development and help us become better people. I don't know about you, but I personally don't think that becoming a better person is evil at all!
At the end of the day, Tarot is like anything else. Used for the purpose that it was designed with respect and a healthy attitude towards it, Tarot can be a powerful tool for self development and divination. Used for the purpose of gaining ultimate power over another- it can definitely be considered evil- but no more evil than what religions and churches all over the world have done. If religion does not want to be associated with it's own evils (and I am not going to name them but I'm sure you can think of some) maybe we should stop blaming a deck of cards for the misguided machinations of a few practitioners.
Let me know what you think? Do you believe that Tarot cards are evil?
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