The Occult

No one knows for sure how far the world history of tarot card readings dates back but scholars suggest it goes back at least to the 1400s. The most famous and widely used tarot cards were created in the 1800s; the Rider-Waite Tarot deck. In the early 1900s, Western culture learned of tarot cards, which become extremely popular during World War I. Today, some people believe the tarot cards are an evil symbol associated with the occult, while others believe they can be a psychologically empowering tool to influence one’s personal path and future.

If you were to walk down any big city block, then you may stumble across a glowing neon sign that reads “TAROT CARD READINGS.” Surprisingly, most countries have organizations that offer courses on learning tarot cards, as well as certification programs! The rise in popularity of these “fortune tellers” has led to tarot card readers who work in coffee houses and as private party tarot readers. There are even entire festivals dedicated to the subject. For instance, Montreal holds the “International French Tarot Festival” each year and Lilydale in New York State has a spiritualist community of psychics, fortune tellers and tarot card readers.

There are generally two types of readings you may receive at one of these places: the Question Reading or an Open Reading. With question readings, you ask a specific open-ended question to which the cards suggest an answer. Open readings are recommended for people who are going through a life transition, such as a marriage, graduation or career change, or are suffering with health problems. You can address a general area but your priorities are suggested by which tarot cards come up.

Tarot card readers allow seekers to cut and shuffle the deck as they please and then the cards are laid out into a “spread” for an overall message. There are many different types of tarot spreads: the yin/yang, elemental, a seven card horseshoe, rainbow, spheres of life, a ten card celtic cross, astrological and three card spreads. These variations are just different ways to look at the messages. For example, in the three card spread, three tarot cards are laid out and represent the past, present and future. In the celtic cross spread, there are ten positions with different meanings: the present inner environment, the obstacle, the deeper root cause of the situation, the resolved factor/quality to let go, the goal or purpose, the unresolved factor, you as you see yourself, another’s expectations, hopes and fears and outcome.

The seven card horseshoe spread has positions representing the recent past, the present situation, what is hidden, obstacles/challenges, surroundings, advice and outcome. You have many options, depending on what sort of answer you’re hoping to find, but generally if you approach the tarot cards reading with an open mind, you’ll get something positive from it.

Let’s be honest with each other, okay? Chances are probably pretty good that you check your horoscope occasionally. Checking your daily horoscope is fine but it is a pretty general way of predicting your day or your week. Why not go a little more in depth? You should give tarot cards a try. A good deck can reveal plenty about your current financial situations, your personality and even let you know when to make big decisions regarding your finances. It is a way of getting a little hint at what the future may reveal about you.

Click here to find your future today!

Some people believe that psychic healers have a “sixth sense” or special powers passed down through their bloodlines. Others believe tarot card readers are just a little more intuitive than most people, able to see “auras” or receive impulses about a complete stranger. Many of us are skeptics who are simply curious as to what tarot card readings could do for us. After all, as the popular adage says, “Don’t knock it ’til you try it!” No matter the back-story, a psychic card reading has more power than you might think.

So, what’s the fascination behind live tarot readings? Are people losing faith, looking for answers, or just plain curious? “People come by because they are looking for some kind of direction,” said Dawna SuMaria, one of the more experienced tarot card readers at the Hawaiian Islands’ 12th annual Psychic Faire in Lihu’e. For her 49 years of practice, Miss SuMaria charges $25 for fifteen minutes and aims to help people focus and reflect on their self growth.

Another tarot card reader, Erik Taylor, said that self-actualization is a big part of his readings as well. “It’s about helping people get through their everyday things and be the best possible person they can be,” Taylor said. Like a mirror, he reflects back to them so they “see the scene as it really is.” The Psychic Faire is just one of many spiritual events happening this year.

Ma Prem Usha, one of India’s well known tarot card readers, explains why tarot card readings are picking up in popularity in her country. “The Tarot has been evolved for spiritual growth and this should be a person’s essential reason for using it. It gets you in touch with your strengths and weaknesses at the four levels of consciousness: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.” She adds that the tarot cards allow you to “change energies, look at situations from another viewpoint,” eventually overcoming obstacles and progressing.

Whether tarot card readings are a cash grab for fundraising and amusement for skeptics, or a legitimate source of psychotherapy, many people report a rejuvenated feeling inside following their reading. “I see them as philosopher’s cards. The answers are already inside of you. The cards just prompt them out,” said Cheryl Pelow, a Canadian artist whose work is largely inspired by the tarot cards. “[People who read tarot cards] learn their own psychological makeup. You can turn things around in your own life.”

If there were a crystal ball that could see the future for anyone, people would be lined up in the streets to buy one. It is natural to be curious about the future. People want some sort of reassurance that they are taking the right steps or making the right decisions. Some people find guidance in the form of daily horoscopes. But others want a more personalized outcome that is specific to themselves. They turn to tarot cards to divine their present and future troubles. But you do not have to be a psychic to use these cards. You can read them yourself.

Click here to see how.