Tarot cards usually bring out the best and the worst in people. Many people ask whether tarot cards bring bad energy, but the real answer is that they are meant to encourage you to reflect and receive wisdom.
These cards and practices are tools for exploring and understanding thoughts, feelings, and situations—not the cause of bad energy. Whether tarot brings in negative energy or not mostly comes down to the intent and perspective of the person using the cards.
Learning about their roots and the meanings of their imagery can go a long way in dispelling myths and showcasing their worth as an introspective tool.
What Are Tarot Cards?
Tarot cards are a divination tool that consists of a deck of 78 cards, each one rich with an array of imagery, symbols, and meanings. They are divided into two main sections: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana.
The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards that represent major life themes and archetypes. At the same time, the Minor Arcana has 56 cards broken down into four suits, similar to a conventional deck of playing cards. Each suit corresponds to an element. Cups represent Water, Wands Fire, Swords Air, Pentacles Earth, representing different facets of our everyday experience.
How Tarot Cards Work
Tarot cards operate as reflection and self-discovery tools. Contrary to popular belief, they are not a tool for contacting spirits or telling the future in specific terms.
Tarot readings can be a useful guide to the current circumstances that surround us. They inspire people to gain a clearer picture of their present situation and feelings. This new arrangement becomes the foundation for any interpretations or spreads that follow. This layout encourages you to read it from the perspective of your own experiences and emotions.
If you feel you’re at a standstill with your creativity, pulling the Ace of Wands can indicate that fresh ideas are on the way. This card challenges you to pursue new concepts and venture into the unknown.
Tarot cards are simply mirrors, reflecting back the energies and concerns that are already within you. They’re not telling your future, they’re allowing you to dig deep into yourself. Countless people swear by them for understanding themselves, their motivations, and even helping them sort out tricky life choices.
Common Misconceptions About Tarot
One of the biggest myths surrounding tarot cards is that they have evil energy or that they attract evil. This idea is usually based on what we’ve seen in cinema or lore that ties tarot with the evil eye or dark magic.
In reality, tarot cards are neutral tools, similar to a journal or self-help book. Their energy is totally up to how you work with them. Others think tarot readings are set in stone. This is false—in fact, tarot offers guidance, not guarantees.
For instance, drawing the Tower card, viewed as a portent of upheaval, doesn’t mean catastrophe is a foregone conclusion. Rather, it could point to a need to evolve or adapt in times of crisis. This flexibility is what makes tarot such a supportive tool for navigating life’s uncertainties.
Purpose of Tarot Readings
Tarot readings serve many purposes, but the main purpose is to encourage deeper self-awareness and clarity. Many individuals use tarot to connect with their higher self, uncover hidden thoughts, or gain inspiration for creative projects like writing or art.
For example, a writer dealing with a block in their creativity could use tarot to help ignite new plotlines or motifs. These cards can assist you in purifying and shielding your energy.
Some users even ritualistically cleanse their cards with sage, crystals, or other supernatural techniques to make sure they never carry any bad juju. This practice goes a long way to debunking the myth that tarot is about fortune telling and outside influences versus personal empowerment.
Long term, frequent readings will help develop an attitude of mindfulness and foster a greater understanding of the self. Studies show that more than 20% of tarot users rely on it for making informed decisions and understanding themselves better, highlighting its practical, everyday value.
Do Tarot Cards Bring Bad Energy?
Myths About Tarot and Negativity
Tarot cards are largely misunderstood, and this confusion is sometimes stacked on top by myth and folklore. Some believe that Tarot cards are evil and therefore bring bad energy into your life or summon bad forces. This perception usually comes from the depictions on certain cards, such as the Tower, Death, or the Devil.
Over the years, I’ve watched a million people freak out when these cards show up in a reading. The reality is that these cards are not evil. They personify things in life like change, transformation or hard times, which are all part of the human experience.
For example, the Death card almost never means physical death. Rather, it represents the end of something and the beginning of something new, like relocating to another city or starting a new job.
Myth #2 – Tarot cards can magically dictate your future
This is another misconception. This isn’t true. Tarot is more productive when thought of as a tool for self-reflection and insight, instead of a mystical energy that controls your life.
99% of the time, people know what the energies or circumstances the cards are showing are already. The cards are just a tool to help give you clarity or confirmation of what you already know, but haven’t yet allowed yourself to admit.
Can Tarot Influence Your Life Negatively?
The real problem with Tarot isn’t that there’s bad energy coming from the cards, it’s how people choose to process their readings. The way people respond to these interpretations can have far-reaching effects.
It’s really just a misunderstanding of the cards that might be bringing your bad energy. Taking them too seriously is a recipe for terrible decision making too. I’ve seen people radically overhaul their lives after just one reading.
They weren’t using it as a game, they truly believed that it could show them their final fate. Tarot is not intended to make concrete predictions like who you’re going to marry or how many children you’ll have. It’s less a crystal ball and more a navigational tool to understand the energies or situations you are dealing with now.
Readings taken too seriously can cause quite a bit of stress, particularly when you have cards that look scary right out of the gate. This is why knowing the context and symbolism is so important.
Regular cleansing practices, like you would with the Himalayan salt mentioned above, will keep the deck clear. They put up guards against any negative or residual energy, for more clear and balanced readings.
Imagery and Symbolism Concerns
The symbols and imagery on Tarot cards can be overwhelming, particularly for those just beginning their journey into Tarot. Cards such as the Tower or Devil have so much cultural and personal conditioning that goes with them.
This frequently leads users to misunderstand their actual energies. These symbols are meant to inspire fear but rather to inspire contemplation and self-reflection. For example, the Devil card usually has more to do with our own self-imposed restrictions or toxic behaviors and addictions than it does with anything demonic.
Owning multiple decks can soothe the jitters associated with certain imagery, too. I currently own five decks but would often compare the same card’s meaning across them to find new things to learn.
This method can uncover a deeper, more accessible viewpoint that helps the symbolism seem less overwhelming and more inviting. In my experience, learning how to interpret these symbols takes fear and breeds empowerment.
This change guides you to focus on what’s important—the insights they can deliver—not how they look.
Risks Associated With Tarot Cards
Emotional Dependence on Tarot Readings
Tarot readings can subtly influence how we make decisions and perceive our future. When someone begins to rely on these readings too heavily, they might start shaping their life around the cards instead of their instincts or logic. For example, maybe you do a reading and it tells you a career change is on the horizon.
Others might be tempted to drop out of the workforce on a whim, convinced that destiny has already made their decision for them. They bypass entertaining their alternatives or receiving counsel from experts. This type of reliance can result in high-risk, spur-of-the-moment decisions that don’t serve future objectives.
Emotional reliance on tarot readings can ensnare people. They tend to feel very trapped as they are always looking for answers from the cards. It’s like requiring an external pat on the back, which poses a danger to your own development.
With over-reliance, fun guidance can quickly turn into an oppressive control.
Misinterpretation of Tarot Messages
Tarot cards have a lot of symbolism behind them, but deciphering that symbolism isn’t cut and dry. A single card, such as “The Tower,” which depicts destruction and upheaval, can cause undue panic if interpreted incorrectly. Others may view it as a potential catastrophe.
They don’t understand that it might simply be a game-changing opportunity that we can control. Without that clarity, those messages may not only be confusing, but potentially harmful. A layperson without the appropriate experience may completely read the wrong message from a spread.
This might cause a person to make life plans for an upcoming significant event that will never occur. This can create unnecessary stress or hasty action. In addition to the outside influence, misinterpretation can happen even when reading for yourself too, since our own biases can obscure our ability to interpret cards for ourselves.
This is why it’s important to approach tarot with an open mind and an open, healthy dose of skepticism.
Fear of Negative Predictions
Some tarot cards, such as “Death,” “The Devil,” or “The Tower,” are known for scaring people. These cards are not necessarily bad and can indicate change, struggle, or movement that is intimidating. For someone not versed in tarot, the mere sight of these cards may induce feelings of anxiety or even doom.
Tarot is also particularly uncomfortable when the negative prediction is fixed to a concrete event. For example, if a tarot card reading is predicting a breakup or job loss, the person might be left feeling helpless or too cautious.
When this fear persists and affects everyday life, people tend to focus on protecting against what they see as the negative, new thing rather than pursuing the positive, new opportunity. This is why it’s important to keep in mind that tarot shows us potentials, not promises.
Spiritual or Energetic Risks
The practice of using tarot cards is a great way to create space for personal introspection, but it does come with risks. One common concern among practitioners is that tarot can leave people open to bad energy or psychic attack, especially if they’re not properly guarded.
For instance, a light-hearted reading without grounding techniques could result in a participant feeling drained or emotionally exposed. To avoid these risks, consider meditating, or simply focusing on your breath for five to ten minutes.
These basic practices should go a long way toward establishing that protective barrier. Finding trusted readers who value ethics above all else is key. The risk… Unfortunately, tarot can also be misused in ways that manipulate or unduly influence someone, primarily when the reader has ulterior motives.
This points to the necessity of discernment in how one interacts with the practice.
How to Protect Yourself When Using Tarot
Tarot cards can be a wonderful tool for self-reflection and insight. Treat your readings with a sense of protection and awareness, and you’ll have the most rewarding experience. Protecting yourself energetically and mentally helps to create a safe space for diving deep into these cards. Here are some basics to get you started.
1. Set Clear Intentions Before Reading
Before you start any tarot reading, you should take some time to set intentions. This starts with making an intentional choice about how you plan to use the cards and what you want to get out of the experience. For example, you may come to the reading wanting clarity on a decision, or you may want to use a reading to get insight on your personal growth.
When you set clear intentions, the reading is more focused. This clear understanding will ensure that you aren’t put off by the intimidating wealth of symbolism in the cards.
Whether you’re using tarot for magic, divination, or guidance, energy cleansing is a good habit to help you focus on a reading. Tarot practices such as White Light Wrapping can protect you from outside dark or negative energies. Think of it like forming a protective shield around yourself, cocooning yourself in light, so that you feel peaceful and secure.
Holding or placing protective stones such as Black Tourmaline or Amethyst around you can help create an even stronger energetic barrier. These stones are well regarded for their ability to repel negative energy and discourage a toxic, unwelcoming environment.
2. Avoid Obsessive Use of Tarot Cards
Though tarot can be illuminating, overusing it can cause mental exhaustion or worry you into paralysis with negative forecasts. It’s very easy to slip into a cycle of card-drawing over and over for peace of mind, particularly during periods of high anxieties. This practice ultimately muddles your discernment and leads to more confusion instead of clarity.
To make a better, more balanced plan of action, book your readings out in advance on a set schedule. Otherwise, read the cards only when you’re inspired to read them. For example, you could plan a quiet Sunday afternoon, once a month, to spend time with your deck.
Grounding yourself prior to these sessions is equally important. Take at least five minutes to meditate or just take deep, calming breaths to ground yourself and your energy. This keeps each reading with a sense of purpose and intention instead of turning the practice into a compulsive behavior.
3. Maintain a Balanced Perspective
Keeping in mind that tarot is meant to be a guiding tool, not a final answer, is important. The symbols represented on the cards often provide you with many possible interpretations, which means there’s never any one “right” way to view them.
View tarot as a tool for self-reflection, exploration, and inspiration. When you do that, you allow the reading to be a much more positive and open-ended experience. Just because you pull a card like The Tower doesn’t automatically mean catastrophe is around the corner.
Rather, it can be a sign that it’s an opportunity to restore or welcome transformation. Approach with curiosity and self-awareness. In this manner, you can leverage the cards to guide you towards positive personal growth, rather than falling victim to fear-based readings.
4. Seek Guidance From Experienced Readers
If you’re new to tarot or feel unsure about interpreting the cards, connecting with an experienced reader can provide clarity and reassurance. Experienced readers usually have a solid grasp of cards’ meanings and can provide unique insights into your situation. This isn’t about giving up the reins—it’s learning from someone who’s mastered their art.
Connect with other tarot readers! Join a local tarot group or an online community! It’s a fun and informal way to share experiences and questions. These spaces will allow you to develop the confidence to read the cards on your own while feeling supported along the way.
Learning from others helps you develop an approach to tarot that is true to your own values and goals.
Cleansing and Maintaining Tarot Decks
Why Cleansing Is Important
Cleansing your tarot deck is an important aspect of keeping a good energetic vibe to your readings. Once you start using tarot cards, they’re constantly absorbing energy from the world around them. They absorb the energy of the people involved, including your own energy.
With time, this accumulation can interfere with the clarity and accuracy of the readings. Think of it like clearing the steam from a bathroom mirror to see your reflection more clearly. Regularly cleansing your deck can ensure that it is always attuned to your intentions.
If you recently had a draining experience, such as a reading on deep emotional troubles, your deck can pick up some of that energy too. That leftover energy can really throw off your next reading. This residual energy can affect readings in a not-so-subtle way, and sometimes it’s not easy to receive an unclouded message.
By cleansing the deck, you are virtually “resetting” it, giving every reading the opportunity to begin with a blank slate. If a hundred tarot readers were polled, eighty of them would say they regularly cleanse their decks to ensure their effectiveness. It goes to show how powerful this practice really is among the tarot community.
Steps to Cleanse Your Tarot Deck
There are many ways you can choose to cleanse your tarot cards. Select the one that best fits your needs and available tools! One of the most popular methods is charging in moonlight. If you have a full moon, you can put your deck on a windowsill or outside.
This will allow it to soak in the soft, healing energy of the moon. Many readers love using this method because the moon is naturally connected to intuition and energy cycles. An alternative is to place your deck in direct sunlight for a few minutes. This approach is great if you like the invigorating, cleansing qualities of sunlight.
Many readers use crystals like Selenite or Smokey Quartz. You can leave these crystals on or around the deck to help clear any leftover negativity. Knocking on the deck three times with your dominant hand is another easy but impactful way to do this. The number three is considered magical by many.
Knocking can really help to deepen the feeling of being connected to the process. If you want extra physical protection, keep the deck in a silk cloth or a wooden box made just for tarot cards. This protects it from outside energies when you’re not actively using it.
How Often to Cleanse Your Deck
There’s no definitive answer to this, but a good rule of thumb is to cleanse your deck any time it feels “off.” Be sure to do it after an especially intense reading. If you use your deck frequently, you may want to establish a routine cleansing practice.
I find cleansing it once a month during the full moon to be very effective. If your deck has been exposed to any bad vibes, do something about it. If other people have worked with it and not understood its importance, then it’s time to clear it as well.
Conclusion
Tarot cards are not inherently bad or evil. They are what you make of them and reflect the intention and mindset of the person using them. When you approach tarot with respect and care, you can make it a meaningful and positive experience. The risks usually stem from misinterpreting their intention or failing to establish firm limits.
Just a few simple precautions can go a long way. Cleanse your deck after each use, store it in an appropriate space, and approach the deck with good intentions. These habits help to keep your practice rooted and down to earth. Things we’ll explore Tarot is really a tool — it’s not a source of bad energy.
If you’re intrigued and want to learn more about tarot, go for it, but go in with an open mind and an open heart. With knowledge and mindfulness, it can be a rewarding and insightful journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are tarot cards used for?
Tarot cards are not evil, scary, or summoning, they are tools for self-reflection, guidance, and understanding. They can assist people in unpacking their thoughts, feelings, and their situations. Most don’t use them to predict the future, but instead for personal growth or spiritual insight.
Do tarot cards attract bad energy?
The answer to this question is no, tarot cards themselves don’t bring bad energy. They’re not evil—they’re neutral tools. It depends on how they’re being used, the energy that’s coming from the practitioner and intention. You really feel that with tarot. The cards themselves aren’t the bad energy.
Can tarot readings be harmful?
Without care, tarot readings can become frightening and heavy. Misinterpretations or using tarot to seek constant reassurance will lead to anxiety. Note: always consult a professional for any significant mental health issues, rather than looking to tarot alone.
How can I protect my energy while using tarot cards?
Develop clear intentions going into a reading, build a calming environment, and ground yourself. Some people carry crystals with them or say a prayer to keep that good energy. Listen to your own intuition, and if it just feels weird, process shouldn’t go further.
Should I cleanse my tarot cards?
It is beneficial to cleanse tarot cards to keep them neutral and free from any residual energy. Cleanse your crystals by smudging, zapping, sprinkling, or bathing. Consider smudging them with sage, laying them in the moonlight, or cleansing them with sound from a bell or singing bowl.
Are tarot cards associated with any religion?
Are tarot cards religious? They are spiritual tools that people of all faiths, or no faith at all, use. Their intention can be broad and flexible to suit anyone’s spiritual or personal practice.
Can beginners use tarot cards safely?
Are tarot cards dangerous for beginners? Learn the basics, start with a clear intention, and use them with reverence. Give yourself space to learn what they mean and don’t be afraid to ask for direction from trusted sources.
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