Whether you think of Tarot as being fortune telling cards, playing cards, or the “devil’s picture book”, there’s no doubt that Tarot has had a significant influence in many lives over the past few hundred years. But what about today’s world?

I find myself sitting here and thinking about this question in a context perhaps different from the norm. At first, tempted to delve into the history of Tarot and its varied symbolism, I find myself more interested in its contemporary practical purpose. I find myself more interested in the use that Tarot is put to today. For those interested in more about the history of Tarot, the world is littered with books on the subject.

For me, Tarot is a medium by which information is channelled. To this extent, Tarot has a similar purpose to many other mediums including Runes, Crystals, Pendulums and many more. To put it a little more precisely, Tarot (and any other tool similarly used) is a tool. Tarot is not the messenger, just the tool through which the message is offered. The Tarot reader is the channel and the Tarot, how a message or information is channelled.

Tarot is a school blackboard. The Tarot reader is the student. The teacher represents the source of the lesson (information being offered). It’s very important to realise at this point that the Querant (person asking the question) is accepting information from the student in this context, instead of making direct contact with the teacher themselves. The student (Tarot reader) is as vulnerable as every other human on the planet and working through their own learning curves, just like you.

So, who is the teacher? I hear you ask. I can only offer my own take on this based on my experience as a student. Think of it like a chain of supply, with the querant at one end, Source at the other and a few “middle folks” in between. Here’s how I see it:

Querant – Reader – Higher Selves (of both) – Passed loved ones – Spirit Guide (s) / Angel (s) – Source, then reverse route back to Querant.

In other words, as we are all One, all answers ultimately come from Source itself. However, as I hope you can see, there are a myriad of “filter mechanisms” through which all answers travel on their way back to the querant. The answer received, therefore, can never be complete and perfect. Instead, we get hints, suggestions, guidance. We don’t get lots of specifics or perfect answers.

Free Will also plays a very important part in this. We have all been born with Free Will. In Universal Law, to infringe upon the Free Will of another is to invite Karma. Because of this, information received and imparted to a querant must respect the Free Will of all.

In 2019 (the time of writing) there are still as many different opinions about Tarot as there ever was. Many still subscribe to archaic religious doctrines that condemn any use of divination tools, or those purported to summon Spirit, such as Ouija for example.

Many others have developed an affinity with such things and use Tarot regularly as a tool in their search of answers to some of life’s big questions. They use such tools to help themselves and others, with the intuitive guidance that knowledge of Tarot can offer. It will come as no surprise then, that I am one of the latter.

While Tarot is sometimes thought to be part of “New Age”, it’s much older. The New Age movement is also not new and, while it began during the 1970s, was heavily influenced by New Thought, which has its roots in the 19th century. Tarot, on the other hand, is much older and is said to date back to the 15th century.

But, while Tarot is very old, it’s still “new” to the modern world. Every new generation brings a fresh perspective on the old. In today’s world, Tarot is still extremely popular and is becoming more so, as more minds open to the possibilities. One of the great things about being alive in the 21st century is being able to witness the opening of so many minds to new, and old ideas.

While Tarot isn’t a part of New Age, it nonetheless has some close modern links. Many New Age practitioners also use divination tools as part of their regular practice. Tarot also has many associations with modern Wicca and is a favourite tool for Witches and other pagan practitioners worldwide. Visit any holistic fayre that’s local to wherever you are and there will almost certainly be at least one Tarot reader there, probably more.

Tarot then has a rich and varied cultural background. With such a wide sphere of influence, Tarot has successfully integrated itself into modern culture. Today, Tarot provides droves of people from diverse cultural and Spiritual backgrounds worldwide, with a treasure trove of historical and modern culture rich in symbolism and meaning.

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