Why does tarot matter?

Why do we even need tarot and can it make a difference?

When so much of the world is suffering, it can feel almost frivolous to be using a practice like tarot cards; a shallow past-time in the grand scheme of things. I have felt a deep sense of guilt for sitting in the comfort of my warm bed, journaling for an hour with hot tea, when millions of people on our planet are facing such immense hardship.

So does tarot matter in todays world? And can we use it to make a difference?

From the outside, or by those not in the know, tarot can be stereotyped and stigmatised as a new-age, fluffy, woo-woo card trick, used by witches, hippies and gypsies in dark caravans. But it is SO MUCH MORE than that (and if you’re here reading this, my hope is you already know that!)

Tarot has a deep, rich history and lineage, dating back hundreds of years, and put very simply, it depicts every aspect and archetype of our entire human experience. In summary, it can be an incredibly powerful tool for personal change and growth.

My life has most certainly become fuller and deeper because of it. My cards have provided me with an entryway into my own psyche and have helped me uncover and heal countless inner turmoils, including postpartum depression and heartbreak. It has aided me on becoming the best version of myself I can be (right now) by guiding me towards what I need to know and see.

By using tools and practices such as, but not limited to, tarot we become more whole as humans. We know ourselves better. We heal. We learn. We grow. We expand. And the result of this? We show up to our lives, and the world, differently.
When we put the work in with ourselves, we increase our capacity to give more… because we have more to give. When we take the time to top up our own inner wellsprings, the overspill is then available to flow into the cups of others who may need it.

Over the past several years, the self-care ‘trend’ has been so loud that I feel it’s now deafened us. We see hashtag self love so often that we’ve become immune to its core essence. But the message remains the same; when we take good, quality, intentional care of ourselves… we are then able to take better care of those around us and our environment. This has been one of the most important lessons motherhood has taught me. I know I can show up as a profoundly better mother when I am rested, fed and filled up by my practices.

So this leads me to my point; tarot matters because we can use it to fill our reserves, to explore and know ourselves more deeply, to slow our racing minds, to process difficult emotions, to shine a light on what may be lurking in the shadows yet effects our daily life, to get to know ourselves again after periods of disconnection, to navigate tough periods and times of change… the list could literally never end.

Tarot is so important because it reveals to us what we need, in the moment we need it. And when we have what we need, the worlds gets to witness the most whole, true, expansive version of who we are. And my goodness, does the world need that right now.

How can tarot, just some laminated pieces of card, make a difference? On its own, it can’t. But you can. You are the light this world needs and you cannot give or help when you are empty and depleted. If you are feeling called to act and make changes, do this from a place of wholeness, because the world needs, and deserves, you at your fullest and most potent.

*If we are able to pull our cards in a safe, warm environment, then we exist in a place of privilege. This is fact worth noting and being humbled by. In this post, I am in no way bypassing or disregarding the horrendous violence that is taking place in our world right now. I have felt so helpless lately and this post won’t change that, but I also do not want to stay silent any longer. How can we heal the world? By first healing ourselves. This might feel small and insignificant, but we will never know the ripple effect we have on the lives of those around us when we show up fully.