Tarot

[Gryphos]

I've recently started getting into tarot cards and stuff, and I'm finding it fascinating.

I don't see it as a way of divination in any way (I seriously struggle to believe that pieces of card with pictures on them turned over at random can predict the future); I just see it as a way of prompting thoughts. I look at my reading and go "how do I feel about that?". I don't think it will happen, I just ask myself whether it could happen, whether I want it to happen. In doing this I realise new things about myself and my desires. This kind of reflection is a massively healthy activity, and I would recommend it to anyone, regardless of if you think pictured cards are actually a factual basis of prediction.

 

[Russ]

On top of that there are a wide variety of decks available, and some of them have some stunning and thought provoking art.

 

[CupofJoe]

@Gryphos - I think you have the correct way of using the Tarot... Reflectively.
I don't know anyone that uses Tarot and takes the cards at their face and literal value... It is all interpretive and intuitive.
Decks vary greatly in design and their use. I know people that have a dozen and maybe more decks, in all shapes designs and systems that each have a specific role.
I have four different Decks but mainly for the art work.
I have an Arthurian set (High Victorian Gothic...), and "Dark Magic" set (lots of silver, purple and other lovely dark colours), a "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" set (just too cheesy cool for words...), and a traditional "Rider-Waite" set...
Personally I don't use them for their intended purpose... [ far to rationalist for that... ]
But I will be meeting friends this very evening that are sure to have a Deck or two with them and many things will be discussed and sorted out on the turn of a few cards and the debate that goes with it.

 

[Mark]

Tarot card images are beautiful and reflecting on them has given me ideas for writing. I began my story with a tarot reading, which set up later events.

Like everyone else here, I don't use them for divination - apart from the fictional reading - but I've had friends insist on reading them for me.

Actually, I gave a few characters secret readings (ones I did myself, but not for the story) and they gave me ideas. I didn't use all of the ideas, but it was a good exercise in creativity, I think.

 

[Philip Overby]

I wrote a series of stories during one monthly challenge in which I used tarot cards as the inspiration. I found it to be really fun and interesting. I recently bought a deck myself and had fun doing some readings. I also don't use them literally, I just like to break down their meanings and try to figure out how they may pertain to my life or other people's lives. I'm thinking of doing more fiction related prompts with them in the future. I paid 30 bucks for them after all. Need to get as much mileage out of them as possible.

 

[SM-Dreamer]

I wrote a series of stories during one monthly challenge in which I used tarot cards as the inspiration.

That might make for an interesting challenge

I have a deck, the Shadowscapes one. I love the artwork on it, and I am fascinated by the symbolism. I don't believe in it, but I find it useful for storytelling - the journey of the major arcana, and the various meanings. I also want to understand how it works so I can have characters be fortunetellers, and sometimes I like to play with readings for characters when I'm frustrated on where to go with them. I think it's a useful tool.

And sometimes reflecting/meditating on the cards comes in handy in general.

 

[2WayParadox]

If you want to read a series that has masterfully incorporated tarot into its magic/gods system, the Book of Malazan series would be your kind of thing.

There's different houses, which are headed by different gods. It's really quite complex. The world is full of magic users, and lots of them can read the cards. Sometimes they know that something's going to happen, but they're never sure. I have to say that I was impressed with the intricacy and the intuitive believability of the system. All the characters have grown up within this world where gods play their hands in the human world or in other dimensions.

I can't explain it very well. It's an epic series, with 10 500+ page books. Really worth the read, especially if you're into tarot.

 

[Reilith]

As a practitioner of witchcraft in real life I found tarot to be one of the best ways to seek for answers, for myself and for others. It is a highly intuitive process for me, looking at the cards and reading them, but it is also a spiritual journey though one's mind and soul. I currently have only the Thruth-Seeker's tarot set, which is one of the more basic ones, but it was given to me as a birthday gift from dear friends and it works for me nicely. Some people say that you always need to pick your deck alone, to get the feel on it, but in this case the thought of those people made it a good choice for me to use.

 

[Elrik Blackhaven]

Since Tarot is of interest to you, you may want to read The Chronicles of Amber written by Roger Zelazny. He uses a tarot aspect throughout his books. I remember reading it many years ago, before I became a witch, and found it fascinating.