Let's Talk About Tarot Myths

The other day, I posted a Reels on Instagram highlighting a few of the tarot myths that I hear the most. As tarot has become more mainstream over the last several years, I've started seeing more and more false ideas about what it actually is. 

These are the ones I highlighted:

• Tarot is the work of the devil (or evil, or whatever). Reading tarot is all about tapping into your own intuition. While I'm sure there are some sketchy readers out there who are doing it for less than ideal reasons, this is absolutely not true. As you'll see in my next point, tarot is not about predicting the future. It provides insight into your current situation and is even sometimes used in therapy. As someone who was raised pretty religious, I have no qualms whatsoever about reading. 
  
  
• You need to be psychic to read tarot. Generally speaking, tarot readings deal more with providing insight into the client's present circumstances and decisions he or she may be facing than they do with predicting the future. The future is not predetermined, meaning each choice we make determines our outcomes. As a result, the cards speak more to the path we're currently on, and we always have our own free will to change things up. This is why I caution clients against asking black and white questions like, "Where will I live in five years?" or "When will I get pregnant?" The crux of providing a good reading is using one's own intuition to interpret the combination of cards in the spread, their artwork, etc. While mediums or other gifted individuals certainly may use tarot as a tool in their existing toolbox, I firmly believe it is a skill that anyone can learn. 
  
  
• The messages received in a reading are fake or made up. Nope! As long as you go to a reputable reader, he or she will provide a reading based on the spread at hand and their own intuition. A legitimate reader will not make things up or lie. 
  

A few other myths I hear often are:

• You need to memorize the meaning of every single card to be a good reader. Straight memorization and repetition does not make for a very meaningful or personalized reading. This is where intuition and analysis of the card's imagery come into play. 
• Your first deck must be a gift. This tradition is now mostly a thing of the past. I purchased my first tarot deck for myself (technically my first oracle deck was a gift, but I don't practice oracle as much as I do tarot). If you've been eyeing a certain deck, treat yourself! 
• Some cards are automatically negative. I notice a lot of clients get visibly upset when I put the Devil or Tower cards for them. Context is key here, and it's all about how the individual card relates to the question and the rest of the spread! They are not inherently negative. 
  

Is there a tarot myth you've been curious about? Let me know in the comments!