Cult of Tarot Forum

Something I was thinking about today was how learning and reading Tarot cards might have an impact on someone's life & perspectives. So do you think it has had an effect on your life? Has it changed your perspectives/approaches on life in any way, or helped you become more intuitive in other areas? Something else? Or have you noticed no effect at all? I created a poll but I'd love to hear your stories too (I hope it's okay to do that. I'm not sure if my poll questions could be better though...).

I've only begun working with Tarot again recently so I don't know if I can say it has. I have noticed that nature seems more vibrant to me though. Not sure why that would be - could be because I've been looking at decks with lovely nature imagery for the earth/disc cards and so that is uppermost in my mind.

This is a really interesting question. And harder to answer than I thought. It's hard to find the words. But I'll try.

I'd have to say that Tarot has given me a healthy and productive way to communicate with myself. Starting with forming a question, I look at a situation in my life and think toward bringing it to a point, to a clear question. Before Tarot, I'm not so sure I always had such a clear view on things. Reading the cards also helps me to organise my thoughts, giving them direction.

I think in general it has made me a more careful thinker.

Many years ago I was going through some difficult times and I took up keeping a journal. One of the first things I realised was that I was not in the habit of really thinking things through all the way to the end of a sentence. Writing in a journal, I had to finish the sentence I was working on before starting the next one, and I realised how much my thoughts tended to jump to the next thing all the time. It really took an effort to just slow down and finish a thought completely, to write it down before going to the next one.

Tarot is an extension of that for me. A further way to get clarity in my thinking and understanding.

Yes, introspection is definitely a word that resonates. The effect is rather like meditation where once we start to learn seriously, whether we are aware or not, the ancient symbols in the cards begin to impress on the subconscious and give us messages, like introducing us to writers and books we should read, or other esoteric interests like Hatha yoga, numerology, gnostics etc, even pushing one toward a career or the love of your life. Or the more unsubtle repeating of a certain card as a warning, or enlightening us to a situation or something. Some might say it's just coincidence, maybe, but it's more likely the Grid of Jung's collective consciousnesses and the awareness of synchronicity. But whatever, the cards have helped me no end through life.

I started to move away from societies moral code (as i saw it as odd.... a little strange, led by what the majority think, and a mass of hypocrisy) and as i was made more aware by the influx of myself, then i started to be stand by my own moral law, each to their own i believe. not that i'm some bastion of morality, far far from it, more an ambassador of myself to myself...if that makes sense

And it's also the people you meet on your tarot journey, whether in real life (whom we are attracted each-to-each like magnets,whether young,old, whatever creed, class or gender there is a connection) or on the internet. The tarot people i interact with on-line fascinate me. I like how a "person" can have such an affect on you and can teach you so much, not just with tarot but about yourself and psychology and the esoteric, and yet you'll never know anything about them-- where they come from, what they do, how old they are, let alone what they look like -- I love the Mysterious anonymity of it all.
It was like the legendary Thirteen of Aeclectic fame. She was an absolute bank of Tarot knowledge, and she'd literally make a tarot readers day/week/month if she agreed with them. She was revered like a tarot goddess on that site, but she was so powerful that people darn't disagree with her. However, whether you liked her methods or not, her wisdom was amazing. I spent months trying to get my head around the meaning of Two of Swords, i read everything there was to read, stared at the card, but nope nothing -- Thirteen described it in two sentences to me; when i fell asleep that night and i awoke the next day, i somehow understood it, and my relationship with the card has gone from strength to strength. That's some uncanny power. I swear she was some kind of tarot Avatar, and when Aeclectic closed down, they took the microchip out of her head and shoved in a cupboard somewhere where she resides to this day.

Anyway, getting from the point.

And yes nature seems to unfurl for the person, the colours, the appreciation, etc, I guess that's the start of enlightenment

One can either stay at that teenage crush stage we all go through at the beginning, picking does "he/she like me" cards over and over, or one could go on the quest with tarot and reach some kind of spiritual nirvana, or become a mystic like our Hermit. Just the knowledge of this is very empowering. And the quest will never end!

I learned more about myself and other people. I'm no longer very worried about the future and I became more intuitive too.

This is a great idea for a poll! I voted for the 2nd option. It has changed my outlook on life. In actuality it has changed my outlook on death. As I approach my 'later years' I have to think about the inevitable and I am comforted by the Death card. I suppose it is the ultimate change. It will happen but I think after a few more years in the tarot community, I'll even be able to handle it better than now!