Tarot cards can be a wonderful tool, but there are also many misconceptions and half truths floating out there about the cards and their use. That’s why I’ve decided to discuss a few of these myths.

Myth 1: The deck must be wrapped in silk

This is simply not true. The silk supposedly protects the deck from negative energies. I’ve had my cards for years and have never wrapped my cards or hidden them away in special bags, boxes, or wrapped them in any material of any kind. It has not had any negatively affected my Tarot readings in any way.

Myth 2: No one else should handle your cards

This is something that is really up to the individual, because some readers prefer to have their clients shuffle the cards, while others prefer to do the shuffling themselves. I’ve done it both ways, and I can honestly say that it makes no difference in my readings whatsoever. Reading for someone over the phone there’s no way they can shuffle their own cards, but they can focus on their intent and questions.

Remember that the Tarot is a great and sacred arcanum – its abuse is an obscenity in the inner and a folly in the outer. It is intended for quite other purposes than to determine when the tall dark man will meet the fair rich widow ~ Jack Parsons

Myth 3: Tarot is from the devil, evil, or connected to a specific religion

Nothing is further from the truth. There are Tarot decks that were created by certain well-known individuals associated with certain religious views, such as the occultist Aleister Crowley who designed the Thoth deck, but that doesn’t mean you have to follow his belief system to use it. The Tarot is not rooted in or connected to any one religion. It is simply a divination tool that anyone can use, regardless of their religious views or beliefs.

Myth 4: A tarot reading determines your future

This is another common misconception, and I always try to remind those I read for that the Tarot merely acts as a road map. It can show you the way, show you the opportunities and possibilities, but the choices you make ultimately determine your destination or outcome. Free will is a beautiful thing, and we all have the power to alter our course in this life through the decisions we make along the way. The Tarot is great at shedding light on situations and may even bring things to your attention that you should be aware of, but it most certainly doesn’t mean your future, or the outcome shown, is written in stone.

It’s important for anyone who decides to learn the Tarot to find their own way and to do what feels right to them. If you feel you want to do things a certain way, follow certain rituals or observations before you read; or if you want to store your deck a certain way, go for it. It is ultimately about doing what you feel is best for you personally, because you’ll be the one using the deck.

Reading Tarot is not about superstition, or about fear, but about the journey and about discovering the wonderful truths and insights that it has to offer.

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