Does Tarot Have to be Serious?

You're probably already guessing where I'm going with this post judging by the photo to the left.

What I love most about tarot is it's skill at probing into deep issues, but that doesn't mean that I'm all frowns and furrowed brows when I turn over the cards. (Though I do think that would lend me some imposing gravitas!)

I think that approaching readings with excessive seriousness dampens the cards' insightful power. It's like putting a concrete box over a budding garden. Wanting to seem serious over letting the cards speak for themselves can cut off the conversation before its even started.

Tarot can be intimidating, especially when you're just starting out. It carries a lot of esoteric history that can be tough to navigate, not to mention the many myths surrounding the cards. (Can we just all agree that nobody has to be gifted their first tarot deck? Talk about limiting!) 

If our idea of tarot starts with a fortune teller's parlor, shrouded with mystery and draped tapestries, it can be scary to look at tarot as a more casual and fun tool. Will we be cursed? Will we anger the cards? (Short, definitive answer: no.) I'd like to stress that tarot is a tool - its power comes from us. How we approach it, how we practice it, and how we interact with it. 

Sure, if we approach tarot with... how to put it? douchey?... energy it's no good. But I think the idea of starting with respectful intentions leaves plenty of room for all types of experiences and that includes the fun ones, too.

I've read tarot for breakups, I've also read tarot when deciding what to cook for a dinner party. Each was enriching and illuminating. (Fun fact: the card I got for the dinner party question was the three of swords and I immediately burst out laughing. I have the terrible habit of taking on overly ambitious cooking projects and then melting into a frazzled puddle halfway through a three tiered cake. Thanks for seeing me, tarot - I'm working on it.)

My main point here is to have fun with tarot readings! Let your curiosity and creativity guide you. As someone with a tendency to do big, spiritually probing readings for myself, opening up to quicker, lighthearted readings has greatly helped me understand another side to the cards. Laugh during your readings if you feel the urge, explore the light side of things along with the dark, and don't forget to ask the cards for low-stakes advice as well as guidance during tough times.