Does the tarot actually work???

Question

Or is it a psychological game? If its real....who is the best reader you know?

Answer 1

No, it doesn't. A tarot card reading is much like any other psychic reading in the sense that each card can be interpreted in general ways. The results is that a tarot card reading is also very general and vague (EDIT: see the tarot card reading posted by Kokopelli further down for an example), but this works because the customer is looking for any ways that the predictions can mesh with their own lives. The more general the predictions are, the more likely the customer can find a fit with some specific, practical aspect of their lives. I'm not sure what the psychology of this rationalization is called, but it's powerful enough to fool people, that's for sure.

Answer 2

Tarot cards are not a "game" but rather a knowledge of what each card means. The reader must know it's meaning and placement during the session and each card has a different meaning when it is facing upright or when it it upside-down. And it doesn't always state "the obvious" for example "the Death card" doesn't mean physical death. It can mean the end of a relationship, a job, etc. And a card's meaning depends on the previous card and sometimes the card that follows it.
Reading Tarot cards is a talent that requires many years of practice and research and readings. Really, anyone can do this-but only a true Psychic can read beyond what the card itself can present-which is merely a deck of cards and the chance of the shuffle and draw.
Be careful whom you choose as a reader or Psychic. Ask around for good references as many can be deceitful.
When getting a reading, NEVER give out information other than answering a yes or no politely. Give the Psychic a chance to prove their gift to you and earn their money.
Good luck and many the fortunes you seek be good ones!

Answer 3

Does the tarot "work" may not be the best way to pose your question. The tarot has no need to "work", the tarot is simply the visualization of a natural pattern. There's actually not even anything "occult" about it. Charlatans not withstanding anyone can learn to recognize the patterns of almost anything in nature ~IF~ they have the patience, and at least an average intelligence. You must however accept that there is no such thing as true random chaos. The universe is orderly beyond any possible hope of ever being resolved by meager human thought. That can be verified rather easily by just numbers (math) alone. (If there were chaos then ultimately numbers at some point would become meaningless). To begin with, don't EVER think we are a terribly advanced species, we are the merest of infants relative to creation itself, and we DO NOT have the ability to contemplate infinity! Albert E. proved this by developing the concept of curved space, (a blatant impossibility) to deal with the limits of human thought.
Anyway.......................
it's difficult to conceptualize at this low level, (this normally requires a language which cannot be used here).
The bottom line is this, the tarot is as legitimate as any other mathmatical system, and although it certainly may be used to predict patterns following from patterns presented (just as a handful of sand thrown in a certain manner will disperse in a predictable manner,) it's use as a "fortune telling" device is very low level. It should be personally studied, and not sought from the mind of another.
This kind of information is seldom revealed here, and those few who do so know full well they probably waste their time! In any event, I'm just passing through, if only one of the thousands who read this suspect it's implications, and decide to search even just a little bit farther my time will have been well spent.

Answer 4

as the old saying goes...even a blind hog can find an acorn....that is about how often tarot cards actually work. There is nothing paranormal about anything that comes with instructions.

Please do not misunderstand me. I am a paranormal researcher and have done so even before it was acceptable to do so. It is not that I do not believe that strange things happen. Its just with tarot cards and ouija boards I gotta say that they have never proved anything right, wrong or otherwise.

Answer 5

Psychological game.......Tarot cards are a medium for cold reading psychics. What cards come up doesn't matter, the psychic is going to tell you what you want to here.
When I was in college they had some tarot readers come in and give free readings. Of course, I couldn't resist. I made sure to give no facial or verbal clues as to the correctness of the reading.
The lady told me that I was partying way too much and that my grades were hurting because of it. She told me that I need to stop partying and focus on my work, or I wouldn't finish college. She asked me if I had any specific questions. I told her I wanted to know how the relationship with the woman I had been seeing for a year was going to go. She told me I would end up marrying her.
Reality. I maybe went to two parties in college and even that was for less than an hour, as I was way to focused on my work, my friends always wanted me to go out an have fun, and I never really did.
The woman I was seeing ended up dumping me and I have not talked to her since, and I hope I never do. I met another woman in my senior yet, and she is the one I married.

Answer 6

Tarot cards and their meanings are far from general.

Whomever said that does not know what they are talking about. (ignorance- my biggest pet peeve)

Anyway, yes, they work. The best reader? Would it be too stuffy to say me?? I am pretty good. You have no idea how many times I've done a reading for someone over the phone, by email, or in person, and then they call me later on, amazed that I knew what would happen! (If only I got paid a dime for every time I said "I told you so"- I'd be a millionaire!)

It's pretty hard to play mind games with someone over email when all they ask for is a reading, give no info, and I give them an accurate reading.

The fake tarot readers are the ones who ask for money. They are in it for the cash, not the betterment of mankind. I personally think it is dishonest and just wrong to charge money for that. (Therefore I must be the one with actual talent)

Others may say what they will, just because they got ripped off by a fake doesn't mean we all are...

Answer 7

Tarot cards are archetypal symbols or metaphors that help open the door to intuition. All symbols, whether dreams, psychological symbols, fairy tales or other synchronistic or metaphoric events or situations help the rational mind step out of logic into feeling. I don't mean the emotional type of "feeling" but the sensing and intuition that we all have but often don't know how to access.

All the greatest spiritual teachers in history share their wisdom through parables, encouraging their listeners to reach beyond the literal world and discover the world of intuitive understanding.

Not all tarot readers know how to tap into the intuition via the archetypes of the tarot. Some do and they are the ones that can help the subject detach from the literal experiences of their world and find profound meaning in metaphor. If you only want to stick with literal mundane stuff of life, don't bother with the tarot.

Answer 8

depends.

Saying Tarot doesn't work is like saying no one can see anything in a Jackson Pollack painting but paint.

If you want to know, is there a mysterious (cue the fog, boys) force that predicts your future in the cards, then no. (cut the fog, boys)

Try a Tarot website. Do a reading. Bet you will be surprised how accurate it is.

As to why... take a CLOSE look at the meanings of the cards... hmmm... kinda general.

Tarot reminds me of that Randi experiment were he told a room full of people that had filled out birthdate info that he was handing each of them a special horoscope. they all voted that their horoscope was either 'pretty accurate' or 'dead on'. Then Randi showed them that they all had the exact same horoscope.

Have fun with it, but remember what is real.

(btw, Jackson Pollack was a hack)

Answer 9

Sure if you have a good reader. Many times though the reader is too close to the situation and does not read them correctly.
BB

Answer 10

Yes it works and yes it is a psychological game. It works based on both your belief and causing you to examine aspects in your life. For instance when I read my horoscope if its' good I go with it and try to have a positive day, if it's bad I wonder how they got it so wrong that time.
Positive reinforcement is a psychological game but it's one that works.
Carl Jung took the time to study the Tarot you might look up some of his writings on the subject.

Michael John Weaver, M.S.