By Georgia Hensley

We are in the midst of a resurgence. With social media exposure at an all time high, the introduction, popularization and obsolescence of trends are cycling faster than ever. This is not only true for aesthetic currents, but for spiritual practices as well. The popular app Tik Tok is hugely responsible for the mass reintroduction to potential esoteric applications of physical objects such as crystals, herbs and even playing cards into daily life.

Esotericism describes the practice of pursuing obscure and special knowledge. It has acted as the foundation for many religions: the Buddha’s enlightenment or Christ’s connection with the divine. More recently has this pursuance become more common amongst individuals seeking their own forms of spirituality.

Tarot cards were first popularized in America in the early 20th century, but peaked in the 1970s during the experimental ‘hippie’ era. People educated themselves on the secret meanings behind each of the cards, and some even began to capitalize on it. Labelling themselves as psychics or professional readers, these people are accredited with the expansion of tarot into everyday life. 

So what is tarot?

Cartomancy is a form of divination, or the seeking of divine knowledge, through the use of a deck of cards. While there are many different forms of cartomancy, tarot is perhaps the most well-known. A tarot deck consists of 56 minor arcana cards which are comparable to a standard deck of playing cards. Divided into four suits— cups, swords, wands, and pentacles— each card in the minor arcana holds a specific meaning that helps to reveal things about the reader’s situation. On top of this, there are an extra 22 major arcana cards whose messages are believed to be more emphatic and urgent. A few well known cards within the major arcana are The Lovers, The Fool, and The Wheel of Fortune.

Tarot reading has the ability to be highly personalized, allowing people to apply their own beliefs to the practice. Some readers may consider tarot a magical practice— a manipulation of energy to reveal highly specific truths or fortunes. For others, it is simply a way of discovery. Oftentimes, we are able to relate the meanings of the cards we pull to our innermost thoughts and feelings making tarot a more interpretative practice rather than a magical one. For all, the cards act as a tool for bringing feelings and ideas that may have previously been suppressed to the surface. 

Though many cards in a tarot deck hold optimistic messages, there are also some that offer important lessons.

“I have several favorite cards. Some for the sheer joy of when they show up, such as The Sun, The Lovers, and The High Priestess,” said Mellita Mallohan, a spiritual instructor at Zen From Within in Morgantown, WV. “And my other favorites are the ones that may seem scary when you first see them in a reading, such as Death, Judgement, or The Devil. “

The latter cards are responsible for many of the occult connotations that tarot has adapted. Many devout followers of established religions like Christianity consider the use of tarot cards to be sacrilegious. They hold the belief that neutral divination, the pursuance of divine knowledge without any religious ties, to be spiritually dangerous. Let’s be honest, the cards can be intimidating.

However, drawing the death card does not mean you are going to die. It instead signifies a need for closure and informs the reader that to find peace they may need to address their situation head-on rather than continue to avoid it.

Though many may think these cards have direct ties to satanic practices, they are truly just a physical, neutral deck of cards. They originated in 15th century Europe as playing cards and only began being used as an esoteric tool around the 18th century. They are less related to the occult than they are to self-discovery.

Just as people ask for acceptance of their race, sexuality and religion, it is important to be open and accepting of introspective practices such as tarot. By eliminating the stigma surrounding it, more people can be introduced to this incredibly grounding tool.

For those looking to get started on their own tarot journey, Mallohan has a few words of advice:

“Have fun, explore, and don’t take it too seriously. Buy a deck and get familiar with it before buying more & more decks. Treat this new deck as a new friend. Get to know them. Get to understand them. And then once you have a great relationship, add another new friend to your circle in the form of another deck.”