I'm going to keep this as brief as possible- it's an in depth subject and most Pagans at least know someone who reads Tarot or has experienced visions and/or a 'greater intuition'. Oracles have been connected to Paganism for centuries, it needs to be stressed that it is not an absolute part of the religion and some people who are prone to any mental imbalance should not use these as they can increase anxiety or depression- a 'trusted' reader would carefully weigh the situation, making sure that the reading was appropriate to the individual as well as respectful. It is my personal tradition to read the cards once or twice a year because I find it to be useful for looking over my life and deciding what I could move towards next.
Clairvoyancy means 'clear seeing' and is the ability to 'see' mentally (as in a dream) or symbolically (eg. omens) information that cannot be seen in one of the more understood physical ways- like reading a newspaper. The key to this is that a clairvoyant is actually accurate. There are other forms of gaining information- such as clairaudience (clear hearing) and what we could call 'psychic versions' of all of the senses- but I'll stick to the one which is most relevant here.
This ability is sometimes triggered by a near death experience or trauma (because it shocks the brain into thinking differently) and it is commonly associated with Oracle reading, Tarot and general fortune telling. What people don't explain is that any kind of Oracle is more important as a counsellor and should behave as such, showing respect to the customer, if it's a paid service or not.
Oracle reading, however it is done, is mainly the study of patterns. We name the patterns beforehand. It works better if the same system is used, which means that old systems like the classic Tarot and the Norse Runes are still trusted and popular today. It looks crazy to many people that shaking a few rune stones or picking some cards could have any meaning, but it is not the card or rune itself that has the power, it is the energy and patterns of the moment, of the situation which is important and the reader/Oracle needs to recognise what these are. This is usually done subconsciously, which is why readings can sometimes be accurate, while other times they seem to be a scam. Remember there are people who charge the earth for a fake product, and remember that all of these related practices are considered legally to be 'entertainment'.
I've encountered more men than women who read Tarot, but women seem more likely to have the pretty cards and men more likely to use a deck of playing cards or a traditional set.
If a person thinks it's all rubbish, they probably won't respond to counselling either because the whole point of the Oracle is to get the sitter to think about their problem and come up with a viable solution.
The classic Tarot has three kinds of card, with different cards within those groups. the Key cards are the Major Arcana recognised within the media, such as The Magician or The Death card. There is one thing about the cards and runes that fascinates those of us who use them; there is an eerie, supernatural like accuracy about them, with regular coincidences. I was once reading a deck with someone else in the room who was using a different deck and another person on the phone with theirs. We all pulled the same cards, the friend on the phone drew first and did not know what we had pulled out in front of each other. Those of us who can 'take it with a pinch of salt' and benefit from useful advice are more able to handle this kind of thing. These practices unlock the subconscious mind, which can release obstacles or drag more problems into the light.
Some Basic Rules for anything Oracle/Tarot based;
-remember that most of the information is symbolic
-do not use if there is a possibility of mental illness/negative reaction within the reader or sitter
-the sitter (the one the reading is for) can take it literally, so be careful as to what is said. Everyone I've known who wanted a reading or counselling was in a vulnerable state, after stress/trauma or a death.
-make sure the experience is as happy and positive as it can be
-practice 'grounding' so everyone is in a down to earth, practical state afterwards, especially the reader.
Reading with a deck of cards;
Shuffle the deck.
Focus on a question, problem or theme and imagine the cards being connected to a possible answer or good advice.
Split the deck or spread it accross a table; one card may be all that is needed.
A typical brief reading is to pick a random card from the deck to represent the overall theme, then a card to represent each person involved or three cards to symbolise past, present and future.
The clubs represent fire/creativity
The diamonds symbolise money and physical/material things
The hearts represent water/emotions
The spades symbolise air/conversation/conflict
Numbers 1-10 have different meanings but as a rule the Ace is the beginning, the five/six/seven can be the crossroads, a venture can get through or fail here.. and the later numbers suggest completion. The Royal cards represent people.
Kings; male/father
Queens; female/mother
other; younger people
The tarot has similar meanings with the addition of the Key cards which are said to mean milestones in life that cannot be avoided. In Tarot, a reversed (upside down) card can mean a delay, the opposite to the upright meaning or it can mean the card is more intense, so more positive or negative depending on the cards meaning. There are various traditional meanings attributed to the cards and if anything they are a great ice-breaker when getting to know someone.
The variety of human experience expressed within this method of counseling is varied enough to have some kind of meaning to everyone, but as I said earlier it can be full of spooky coincidences.
Images found via search engine Ecosia.
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