are oracle & tarot cards psuedo or divine guidance?
Disclaimer: This is an article based in open-minded, curiosity with the utmost respect for all religions & practices. I find this topic particularly fascinating and therefore felt it deserved an article exploring its background and implications. :)
A common thread that runs throughout every form of religion or spirituality is the innate human desire to feel understood and find an anchor in an all-knowing higher power. For many devout followers subscribed to a certain theology, their experience is often paired with inexplicable, transcendent signs that point you in a particular direction or answer a question on you know you’ve been contemplating. Oracle and tarot cards are a more direct approach to getting answers from an organic, mystical source, shuffling cards and letting the “chosen” ones jump out — or following certain spreads that assign unique meanings to different cards in certain placements, such as your past, present, and future, as an example.
Furthermore, this practice is paradoxically more straightforward yet also more ambiguous than a meaningful conversation with someone or strange “coincidence” that feels like a direct nudge from whatever higher power you seek guidance from. Oracle cards are more customizable as a user experience, lending to different themes ranging from angels (more favorable for those of a Christian background) to earthy ones centered around nature. This offers a more user-centered experience as you can choose a spread that speaks to you and perhaps has cards that can lend more guidance towards your life in particular, but tarot cards, however, are a foregone mode of communication to the divine that have been in existence since the 1400s, with commonly known meanings that are less open to interpretation and more clear on their meanings. But the questions skeptics pose is much like the questions Christians & other popular religions are peppered with on the daily: is there proof of this communication with the divine that extends beyond something of an intuitive nature?
An important distinction between tarot cards & oracle cards is that tarot carts have an ancient system of iconic cards with meanings open to slightly less interpretation than oracle cards, which are much more flexible in their illustrations, meanings and messages. Along with this, because of the set meanings belonging to the cards in a tarot deck, mastering the practice takes time and precision, whereas oracle cards are easier to pick up and use without any prior knowledge, since they rely more on personal inference and energy. However, they’re both tools used to offer clarity and insight on situations that may otherwise remain ambiguous or indiscernible. Tarot cards & oracle cards alike are favored by those who practice divination, broad spirituality, witchcraft, and others (though some traditional religions reject the idea of divination as it is seen as an offense rather than a mode of communication to their higher power.)
It’s a common joke on TikTok about how frustrating the random tarot card readings are that can pop up randomly on your For You page with no hashtags. Often centered around situationships, they feature a creator sharing how much they miss you and how they’ll reach out soon — but only if you interact with the video three times by commenting, liking and sharing. This is marketing tactic can spill over onto creators more invested in organic, spiritual/psychic content that extends beyond that of just relationship advice. One of my personal favorite people in that sector is Antphrodite, a primarily YouTube-based pop culture psychic who also makes pick-a-card readings with different themes, ranging from careers to love. Despite obviously having to have some exclusive content & engagement encouragement to make a living, his content is refreshing and eerily resonates every time. His interpretations of his spreads are concise and clear, with the attitude of a lifelong best friend who is willing to speak frankly to set you free from toxic situationships or jobs that no longer serve you. Along with this, he also provides insight on trending controversies & stories and gives a spiritual/psychic glimpse into the minds and souls of your favorite celebrities.
The accuracies within his readings are enough to raise the brows of even the most skeptical, but since they’re not 1-on-1 and cater to a more broad audience, there’s bound to be things that don’t resonate with everyone (or may resonate later down the line that you’re not even consciously aware of yet.) The same goes to TikTok readings, with hooks in the intros following the typical line of: “If this reading popped up on your For You page, you were meant to see it! I didn’t put any hashtags for a reason. It was meant to find you!” As with any belief system, when we subscribe to a certain one, we’re more likely to find truth and resonation with things that align with that faith. For those who are spiritual and believe in these readings & the power of the universe, coincidences seldom exist and energy is a powerful thing, with messages embedding themselves into seemingly mundane parts of our lives. Do you experience this, or find it to be an age-old example of confirmation bias?
