Tarot cards. So pretty. So shiny. So omniscient. So…..addicting.
Addicting? Yes, very addicting.
All mystic enthusiasts know of tarot cards and their purpose, it's the main reason most of us have at least one deck somewhere in our room. We all pull out our little deck for a little advice when we are feeling lost, anxious, curious, or just to give a friend a reading. However, how often can you pull out your deck for help before it becomes an addiction?
I’m not a doctor, but one way to spot an addiction before you consult an actual doctor is through personal and friendly observation of habits that may be controlling a person’s life. According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, an addiction is, “ a compulsive, chronic, physiological or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, behavior, or activity having harmful physical, psychological, or social effects..” . What that means in this context is that if you notice you are pulling out your tarot deck for almost every little thing (ex: “what dress should I wear today?” “Will I arrive at the party on time?”) in situations where you don’t need them or have absolute control over, then you may be experiencing a form of tarot addiction.
Obviously( and hopefully), you’ll never reach the stage of addiction where you need to go to an actual doctor, but it is important to be aware of overusing the tarot to the point where it is more detrimental than beneficial.
My reason for bringing this topic up is because I’ve been there and I know of a few others who have been too. After a while it starts to control you rather than help you and that’s when it gets scary. You start to get anxious about doing anything before consulting your cards, you begin to carry your cards everywhere for answers to little questions that don’t need the tarot, and worst of all, if the cards don’t look the way you want you’ll put your life on hold over a simple reading. Rather than giving answers to what your future may hold, it starts to dictate every move you make, to the point where you can’t even imagine doing anything without consulting it first. It starts to dictate your life in a way where you end up with no choice but to put your cards away and make decisions blindly. And to those experiencing the addiction, moving ahead without mystic guidance is scary, but you will not regret it.
That being said, let's focus on ways to get rid of this addiction if you are on the cusp of one or currently experiencing it.
Put the cards down
Putting the cards down is the first way to get rid of the addiction. Just put them down and walk away. Even if it is a super important question, just leave them alone. Better to go in without expectations than to get upset when it doesn’t come out the way you want.
Don’t ask a question you know the answer to
If the question is something very simple like “ Why is my dryer broken?” When it’s very clear that the last person who used it doesn’t know anything about dryers and broke it, why would you even bother asking the question? The proof is all right there. There's no need to waste time asking the question if the answer is right in front of you.
Don’t ask “yes” or “no” questions
If it’s a question that can be answered with a simple “yes” or ”no”, you’re better off using a pendulum. The tarot doesn’t always give straight forward answers so a straightforward question isn’t meant for a deck of 78 cards where you have to use symbolism and intuition to figure out the answer.
Let yourself be open to not always knowing the answer
Using the tarot to answer all your questions isn’t always helpful, even if it is a legitimate question. Sometimes it’s better not to know the outcome, especially if it’s disappointing. It’s better to save yourself the stress of knowing what is coming rather than taking life as it comes. If we were meant to know everything, we would’ve all been born with an incredible sixth sense that’s actually taken seriously. But we aren't. So sometimes it’s better to just take life as it comes, and put the deck down.
So, to conclude, I just want to say that I hope you all enjoyed my article. Hopefully this post will give you ideas on how to spot a tarot addiction in yourself or friends, and how to lessen the use if you find yourself addicted. There's nothing wrong with using the tarot on a daily basis, but sometimes you have to evaluate whether this is addictive use of serious use.
Notes:
- This article has not been thoroughly proofread for any grammar or spelling errors
- Source for the definition: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/addiction