The cards don’t lie

UNO is so much more fun than this game.

Imagine flipping a card and discovering that you’re allegedly scheduled to die in six months. Yikes. Truly tragic—especially because, well, you asked the question! Now you've got the "Death" card glaring back at you, and suddenly you’re hyper-aware of aches and pains you swear weren’t there a minute ago. But hang on, take a breath. Your interpretation? It’s a bit off. You’re not destined for doom; you’re actually on the verge of ending a soul-sucking cycle that’s had you thinking that death might actually be the upgrade. Better, right?

That’s the beauty of tarot—it’s less about predicting doom and gloom, and more about giving you a story to interpret on your own. In this game of fate, you’re the one holding the cards. So interpret wisely; your future might just depend on it.

Is there an instruction manual for this? Seriously, even UNO has one.

Congratulations! You've just signed up to receive your soul’s darkest secrets delivered on 78 shiny, slightly worn cards. The least I can do is tell you what you’ve gotten into. Tarot reading is a practice that’s been around for ages, dating back to its usage around the 1440s with the most common set of cards being the Rider-Waite tarot deck. These cards intentionally have drawings on them that are meant to be easily interpreted with their respective imagery. The process of a reading is relatively simple- you ask a specific question to the deck and either shuffle the cards until a few come flying out, or spread them then pick out whichever cards you’d like. Each card is meant to convey a message that helps answer the reader's question.

The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck, first published in 1909. Centred is the lovers card- a portrait of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

What does this card even mean? Is my turn being skipped? Do I have to plus 2?

Tarot decks are usually split into two sections: major and minor arcana cards. Major arcana cards are kind of like the main characters of the deck. Some familiar names in this category would be, “The Fool” or “The Emperor”. If you draw one of these, it's a near equivalent of the universe grabbing you by the shoulders and telling you to get it together. They are a big deal, and are the most forward in delivering a message to you in a reading.

Minor arcana cards are divided into suits such as Wands, Swords, Pentacles and Cups. Each suit has a theme, and drawing one of them can relate to the message that is meant to be relayed in a less severe way. They represent life’s less treacherous dramas, and cumulatively create a story to tell in accordance with the question being asked. For example, if you’re enquiring on love and pull the 2 of Cups, you might as well book that wedding reception hall because you’ve found your soulmate! I can’t say the same for the 3 of Swords though….you may want to consider confronting your partner about possible infidelity. Oops.

These symbolisms can often mean many things. Tarot cards offer a smorgasbord of potential emotional breakdowns—uh, I mean, insights. Each card is packed with symbolic meaning, and the standard deck covers pretty much everything from “You’re in love.” to “You’re probably going to hate lunch later today.” Flip the ‘Tower’ card, and it’ll tell you something is about to collapse in a terribly destructive and chaotic way.  Not a great feeling, especially if you’re already one bad day away from a breakdown. But that’s the fun, isn’t it? Sometimes you just need a deck of cards to tell you everything’s going wrong to confirm what you already suspected.

What’s the forfeit if I lose this round?

However, it is for this exact reason that tarot reading can lead to some genuine overthinking. Studies in psychology actually show that tarot readings often work because of something called the Barnum effect—our tendency to see personal relevance in vague statements. So, if you’ve ever felt that tarot “knew” exactly what was going on in your life, it’s less about psychic powers and more about human psychology. It may not always be the case that a reading is ‘accurate’ per se, but rather the idea that you may be fitting bits of your own personal life into a reading in the pursuit of some sort of answer.

Using tarot as a crutch can also become a problem that people who consult the cards might suffer from. Needing an answer or remedy to fill a gaping void left by uncertainty and emptiness is not uncommon—except that is a behaviour more commonly seen in addicts. Preventive measures can definitely be taken in this case, such as learning to be comfortable in the discomfort of not knowing. If fate was meant to be an open book, we would all be millionaires. Understanding that sometimes you are better off being unsure of the future rather than absorbing information you were not ready to receive will definitely be more useful than a mid-reading breakdown.

Wait, UNO cards look really boring compared to these.

On a much lighter note unrelated to addiction and the dark foreshadowing of events that may or may not happen, tarot can be extremely fun too! Over time, its pictorial significance has taken a turn, with different decks being created to showcase artist creativity. The symbolisms generally tend to be similar to the Rider-Waite deck with a twist of some sort. Honing artist creativity in alliance with spirituality is exactly one of the reasons tarot was made; for expression.

The tattoo tarot deck created by Megamunden, a tattoo artist

Is this the part where I yell, “UNO game!”?

The point is that tarot is not meant to be a fortune telling tool of some sort that will depict the future and tell you if you’re doomed, but rather a method of divination that can and will force you to confront things about yourself that you may not have previously considered. Asking about love for example, may lead you to discover that you are in fact in need of more attention to yourself rather than a relationship. Maybe it’ll tell you to let go of what’s been holding you back: bad habits, self-doubt, or that ridiculous plan you have to get back with an ex who wants absolutely nothing to do with you. Remember this though, never ask a question you do not truly want the answer to. Denial is far more petrifying than a card that tells you an old lover is “The Devil”.

So, the next time you're tempted to ask the cards if you’re doomed to die alone, maybe skip the drama and ask if you're ready to change for a new shot at companionship. (And let’s face it: whichever answer you get, it’s probably time to look into therapy).