Distinguishing facts from fiction ...

In most people's minds, "Tarot card reading" means a woman in flowing robes, leaning over a small table in a candlelit room, foretelling impending doom. Some people also mistakenly and ignorantly link Tarot card reading with devil worshipping and black magic. That is a false belief and in fact it cannot be further from the real truth.

Tarot cards, are in fact not in itself or through the person doing the reading even really meant to tell your fortune or future. That would mean that we would have no control over the future at all. The reader is merely the interpreter of the information the cards provide about the person who's reading is being done, much like an interpreter translating what is being said by another in a foreign langauge to us.

According to The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, "The most powerful sources of information come from within and the Tarot aids in coming in contact with one's "Higher Self" to bring this information to a conscious level.

The Tarot is a powerful tool for gaining insight into yourself and your life. As with many techniques that are used for self-improvement, the Tarot has benefits and limitations. While it can do quite a lot for you, it cannot solve all problems, and is not designed to make decisions for you or tell you what to do.

Snapshots of your life ...

A Tarot reading is like a snapshot of what your life looks like at the time of the reading. The cards tune into your energy - the person asking the question - to give you a picture of unseen influences, patterns of behaviour, obstacles, and strengths. A reading can give you an idea of where you are now, where you've come from, where you want to be, and how to get there.

While the Tarot gives suggested actions to take and a likely outcome if you take them, it does not predict the future. The future is not a static or unchangeable thing. You make choices and decisions each moment of your life, whether or not you are conscious of them. The gift of free will allows each person the ability to create the future he or she wants. With the insight gained through a Tarot reading, you will be better equipped to make decisions and take action that is in line with your best interests, growth and development.

Whenever a Tarot reading contains a future or outcome card, it should be understood to be a projected or likely result if all aspects of your life remain as they are at the time of the reading. If you continue to think, act, feel, and see things the same way, the result will likely be what the outcome card reveals. But change just one factor, adjust just one viewpoint, walk down a different path, and the outcome and your future can change.

The Tarot helps you to take responsibility for the life you have helped to create. It offers guidance and empowerment to make the changes you want to make. A reading invites you to take an honest look at your situation, and can give you key information that will help you create the life and future of your choosing.

Crossroads or choice points in life are where we grow, and the Tarot will not take that experience away from you. While advice is given, no one should make important decisions or take big steps in life based only on a reading.

The Future is in Your Hands ...

A Tarot reading is no substitute for competent medical, legal, financial, or psychiatric care. A reading cannot provide you with diagnosis, treatment, or answers about serious money or psychological problems. However, as a companion to services from the appropriate professional, a reading can help you gain a deeper understanding of the problem. Sometimes a conflict or block in life is so severe that it must be solved with a professional immediately, before you are ready to look at deeper issues. Yet the insight gained in a Tarot reading can reveal the tendencies and patterns within that led to the impasse.