Tarot Fortune Divination daily. Really Relevant?

[Celtaur]

Ok so I see there are people on sites, like twitter, and they pull a card for that day and write about it as if it were a divination or fortune for those who read it.

I don't get this, it doesn't make sense to me. How can a person pulling a card and writing a few words about it as if it is relevant to the random person who reads it really be taken seriously?

"So and so" pulls a card, names the cards and says "You are going to ______ today", or something similar... you know what I mean. It just doesn't make sense to me that it can be taken seriously as having any real divinatory meaning for those who read it.

Now astrology I would say is different, it specifically reflects what's happening in the sky, relates it to a specific sign, so has more of a correlation to those who read it as being a divination. A random tarot card pulled and a few key words associated to that card... I would think it has more to say to the person who pulled the card and their day, than it does to others who may so happen read it. I've also seen applications of "Tarot Card of the Day" and I just don't get it. How does that card really have anything to do with everyone's day that has that application that propagates it to them?

[Haruth]

I was pretty much taught that more than twice a year isn't going to mean anything, so I have to vote no.

I suppose if one were pulling their own card, this might be more useful... but certainly the situation you outline seems rather pointless...

[Blank Rune]

I was pretty much taught that more than twice a year isn't going to mean anything, so I have to vote no.

I suppose if one were pulling their own card, this might be more useful... but certainly the situation you outline seems rather pointless...

I was taught the same...no more than once every six months. I seem to remember a similar thread asking a similar question...anyway the answer is the same this time.

[Celtaur]

Do you mean not to pull a card for yourself, or do you mean to not read divinations by others as "Card of the Day" no more than twice a year?

I sometimes pull a card on a daily basis as a meditation, or something to ponder throughout the day. If someone pulls a card for themselves specifically for that day, and not asking the same question, I don't see the harm in pulling one daily. It would be different if someone asked "Am I going to win the lottery today" every day and pulled a card, that would be ridiculous, but if someone pulled a card each day asking "What is significant that I could do well to pay attention to today?" for example, I think that's fine.

Where did you hear about the every 6 months thing? Why? Does that mean to not ask the same question more than once every 6 months or does it mean don't consult the tarot at all for any personal questions whatsoever except every 6 months max?

I just think taking the meaning of a card that someone else pulls and applying it for your day is kind of strange, and I really don't get why people tweet that.

[brifae]

Its good for people that are learning the cards

[Celtaur]

That's a really great point... I wasn't even considering that, just thinking about how it worked as an authentic divination. Thanks for the fresh perspective.

[RainFrances]

Hi Celtaur,

I'm kind of on the same page as you are. I mean...when I draw cards, I apply a specific thought or intent to the card I'm about to reveal. I usually have something in mind when I'm shuffling the cards, and unless the general population has the same thought or idea or question that I have, I don't see how it can relate to them personally. I look at the tarot as a tool for personal development. I pull a card every morning for myself, and sometimes do some more intense spreads each day, depending on what's on my mind. I'm very much into self-improvement and reflecting on how I can bring more joy, spirituality and positivity into my life, so for me, the daily cards have that meaning.

Over the years, I've read the "tarot of the day" sites too! I think what they did for me the most, was get me interested in the tarot, and also make me think about intent. Like, if the card said something to the effect of "strife at work today", then I had that on my mind and I made choices at work to make sure I didn't end up in a squabble or something. I never took it too literally though.

I use the Fairy Tale deck. It's a great tarot deck that uses fairy tales to describe each card, following the traditional meaning. It's a very meaningful deck to me, and I really can't see posting a card from my deck to give it meaning to the millions of people out there who may read my interpretation! But maybe it'll inspire them?

[Reader]

No... I don't know how anyone that would read the daily card could be effected other then the reader drawing it.

I sometimes do draw one card in the morning only if when I go to start my day I have that ,,, something weighing on my chest feeling... then I turn to the tarot to see what that one card might give me for the day, sometimes even followed up by asking the pendulum yes or no about the reading... if that's really what is on my mind without me knowing it..I think the cards can be influenced by the energy of the person that is shuffling the deck, which wouldn't be able to tell anyone else squat about what they might have on their mind since they didn't put any energy into the cards just because the reader doesn't know what they need to know from the cards or what their intent was.... so there for.... no.... that card can only be told for the reader and no one else....

[Haruth]

Do you mean not to pull a card for yourself, or do you mean to not read divinations by others as "Card of the Day" no more than twice a year?

No... The 6 month ban is more to do with carrying out a reading for oneself.

As others have indicated, I do think that there may be something to be gained pulling a single card for the day for yourself, and this may range from observing the unfolding day relative to the question in mind when the card was pulled. But relying on a third party to do so, just doesn't make sense to me. Certainly, as a learning tool "card of the day" suggested by Brifae, there is no harm in it - but I fail to see how the remote nature of such a pick can possibly be relied on for personal guidance purposes.

I sometimes pull a card on a daily basis as a meditation, or something to ponder throughout the day. If someone pulls a card for themselves specifically for that day, and not asking the same question, I don't see the harm in pulling one daily. It would be different if someone asked "Am I going to win the lottery today" every day and pulled a card, that would be ridiculous, but if someone pulled a card each day asking "What is significant that I could do well to pay attention to today?" for example, I think that's fine.

And I can see this being a useful way of developing a relationship with the cards: deepening existing empathy with the card pulled, by close observation of how the day develops in relation to the aspect to be considered - as indicated by the associations of the card chosen.

Excellent point: that the question needs to be different every time! It's part of the warning against doing / getting a reading more than twice a year.

The cards never lie... but asking the same question continuously will reveal different aspects, in each answer, which relate to various levels of effect that the subject of the question is having on the self. Deep study of the variation can be rewarding, as the layers are continually peeled away to reveal deeper and more esoteric truths about our personal reason for remaining so focussed on the one topic.

The danger in doing so, without taking care to appreciate the interconnectedness of the various readings on the question, is that we end up with a series of "unconnected" readings which involve the entire tarot deck before too long! Without the effort of truly, deeply, and honestly studying it, the subtlety of placement is lost, and the tarot is in danger of becoming meaningless, random nonsense... so, yes, best to avoid the same question too often, unless we are willing to do the work...

Where did you hear about the every 6 months thing? Why?

The rule comes from various sources. Crowley, Mayananda and Douglas (from memory) all caution against it. My teacher (rosicrucian tradition) was quite adamant.

In his mind, time was needed for the lesson to develop, the situation to resolve, and the universe to adjust to the new insight that had been gained from the reading. Too many readings for too many questions simply confuse the entire process... the universe moves on, but the self has not been allowed to assimilate anything in a sensible order; thus is in danger of remaining in the same state of confusion presented at the initial reading. Time is necessary! As is the order of things - the most pressing question needs to be the one addressed initially, resolved, and the next question formulated in the light of the new understanding developed through the resolution of the first.

Does that mean to not ask the same question more than once every 6 months or does it mean don't consult the tarot at all for any personal questions whatsoever except every 6 months max?

Yes. Unless the resolution comes sooner. But if the question is resolved... would we need to ask it again?

Second part of the question is covered above. But I'm not entirely strict with myself on this issue. The questions "between" shouldn't be too "heavy" (only MO) and for me anything I do between "major" sessions is directed towards learning more about the cards than learning about myself.

I just think taking the meaning of a card that someone else pulls and applying it for your day is kind of strange, and I really don't get why people tweet that.

...ego...?