My relationship with Tarot.

For me personally Tarot is a tool that I am guided to use in my daily life, for personal growth, spirituality, motivation, self development and to help others with the same.  It is a means of looking at a problem or question, looking at the various options and outcomes, to gain fresh insight  and to make the best choices at that time.  The cards are also useful as a focus for intentional thinking and action, a prompter or a champion, an energy to focus on for inspiration or motivation.

With regards to the history and origins, these in my opinion are valuable so that you gain an understanding of the path the Tarot has taken, the input of various societies, belief systems, life experiences, symbology and so on.  The awareness and understanding of this will enrich your relationship with Tarot however I do believe that it's more important to form a bond with the cards as themselves when you feel drawn to them in the first instance.  Enjoy the process of discovery, the beginnings of the love affair because how you feel about your journey of discovery for yourself is more important that having read up on the history first, there is plenty of time for that later on.  For now enjoy and savour the new.

There is much speculation and argument about the facts of origin, how old it actually is, who used it first,  religious viewpoints, paranoia and so forth.  Some may say you should know what you're getting into first, I say that you should go with your gut instinct and if you work with positivity and light then the other negative mumbo jumbo has no place.  Every tool has its good and bad uses, it's not the tool, it's the intention of the user.  With regards to whether working with the Tarot fits in with your religion and it's beliefs on divination being unacceptable, the use of Tarot as a tool of self awareness and life guidance would not be in opposition to this.

I love that the Tarot exists, i'm thankful for the path it has taken to be in existence and all those who brought it through to being.  I honour it's history and appreciate the viewpoints and religious beliefs but I don't allow this to affect my personal relationship with and use of it.

As i've said in an earlier post, since childhood I have loved the whole process of shuffling, handling cards and laying them out to play a game or make patterns with them.  I find the process calming and thought provoking.  This combined with the imagery of the Tarot takes things to a new level in meditation/quiet reflection and intuition for me.  I enjoy the ritual of thinking about the day ahead, thinking of how I can approach a problem or a thought and then drawing a card, thinking what i'd like to achieve and how I can be a better person this day.

Wishing you a wonderful day.