How Oracle & Tarot Readings Can Benefit You

Believe it or not, we all have things the universe is trying to tell us, but unfortunately, so many of us have been programmed to block out our intuition that we will never get them. Tarot helps to open up this portal between you, and your subconscious to help. The cards incorporate things like astrology, Kabbala, numerology, ancient history, and symbols, and it deeply rooted in a connective system.

I always get asked, are crystals real? Prodded on the various religions and systems I believe in and my answer is always the same… If you believe in anything it is real. Once it’s real to you, the associated beliefs with it are real and the power is real. Tarot is no different… except, it’s also based on historical facts, so, there’s that.

Tarot is a system of archetypes, a picture-book of the human condition, reflecting our states of mind and stages of life. People have consulted with the cards for more than 600 years, successfully receiving religious instruction, spiritual insight, self-knowledge, and divining the future. The ancient symbols we see on the cards are designed to stimulate our intuition, connecting us with our higher selves or our divine or spiritual aspect.

Regular tarot practice has many personal benefits, including the following: 

• Increased self-awareness: Tarot gives you space to focus on yourself.
• Enhanced creativity:  A tarot reading can offer a different perspective on a problem and innovative ways forward.
• Better-honed intuition and psychic ability: Tarot helps you see probable future events and influences.
• Connection to the universe: The ability to empower others to find their spiritual path.

The way people have read tarot has evolved over centuries, but many believe them to be a tool for divination or looking into the unknown or simply to help you better understand the world around you.  The relationship between tarot and psychology actually goes back decades. It was studied by well-known psychoanalyst Carl Jung, who considered tarot cards a tool for accessing the subconscious, and is one of the main reasons I resonate with them so well. Carl Jung was my driving force to get my Psychology Degree. But you don’t have to have a background in psychology, or even be super familiar with tarot, to benefit from therapeutic card readings.

I think that there is so much space within tarot to find meaningful strategies that go beyond the card reading, just the awareness of this methodology can open you up to practice acceptance without judgment. One of the most beneficial aspects of tarot card reading for mental health is the development of the ritual. Much like meditation, the practice of reading tarot can help with mindfulness and bringing attention to yourself in the present moment, if you find it hard to meditate by yourself, using the cards can help you take time to calm and contemplate.

Oracle cards are a tool that can be used for introspection or, depending on your approach, divination. But unlike traditional tarot decks, which come in packs of 78, oracle decks can include any number of cards. What’s more, while tarot cards include a Major Arcana and a Minor Arcana arranged into suits, oracle decks don’t follow this structure. There are no rules, and the possibilities are endless.

I see Oracle cards as the main meal and Tarot cards as the ingredients. You wouldn’t have more than one main meal (it’s very filling), but you could certainly have lots of ingredients.

Energetically, Oracle cards hold a lot of ‘big’ energy. They give insight into the greater sense of what is going on, but Tarot cards can provide more detailed interpretations.

I love using Tarot and Oracle cards together. Here are two of my favorite ways to use them together:
1. At the start of a reading, draw an Oracle card to understand the general theme or feeling that is influencing the situation. What’s the surrounding energy? Then, do the Tarot reading with multiple cards to get the full picture. Also, look for the Oracle card’s theme in the Tarot reading – you’ll often find the Tarot cards explain in more detail what’s going on.