Tarot Austin

Reading People

The UT community embraces Tarot

By William Bass

Published May 11, 2011

"Nothing is true. Everything is permissible,” a maxim supposedly decreed by the Medievel Islamic heretic Hassan I Sabbath, rings loud and true in our times. Culture, beliefs, and information are shuffled rapidly, leaving one the opportunity to play the cards however he may choose. There is no better example of this than the modern embrace of Tarot.

(Credit: Julie Patterson)

Originally merely a parlor game, Tarot would later don the occult garb that we are now so familiar with in the nineteenth century. Modern day tarot decks are filled with esoteric symbols and motifs. The cards are dealt in a specific fashion, and a reader (or the subject himself) constructs a narrative for the subject’s life around the cards that have been shown.

One of Tarot’s assets is its universality. No matter what one’s station in life might be at a particular moment, there always seems to be something that can be gleaned from a reading.

“Since each card has its own meaning, I can relate that meaning to something in my life, whether that’s other people, behaviors, emotions, events, etc.,” says American Studies and rhetoric senior Rebecca Caldwell.

Indeed, the magnetism of Tarot isn’t lost amidst our secularism.

“I think that the sort of abstract ideals and symbolism of Tarot is really powerful; the messages and archetypal experiences have a certain magnetism to them,” states Undergraduate Writing Center administrative assistant Michelle Solberg.

Likewise, a lot of the modern-day users of Tarot don’t seem to invest so much metaphysics into the cards, choosing to approach the art with a sceptical yet curious eye.

“I don’t believe in cartomancy. I just think forms of divination are really interesting,” adds Caldwell. “In general, I see reading Tarot as an exercise in synthesis: readings are subjective to own reader’s interpretation.”

At the same time, while ascribing too much value into the cards can be intellectually and emotionally detrimental, Caldwell and other 21st-century Tarot practitioners are equally wary of taking an overly rational position on the occult.

“A lot people don’t get it; they’re blinded by relentless rationality. Rationality is healthy, but it must be balanced,” notes Caldwell. “You’re not supposed to get an objective reading from Tarot cards. The cards don’t promise that – it’s not a scientific survey.”

Moreover, most have taken a sort of middle way in approaching the matter – neither dismissing the practice nor connecting one too many dots. Instead of serving as some sort of occult telephone, Tarot seems to be framed in a pragmatic, almost psychological, way.

“For me, I find it really grounding, focusing my attention on areas of my life that I might have overlooked – where I am and what is going on with my life,” adds Solberg. “It is an opportunity to reflect on where I am.”

Indeed, after experiencing a Tarot reading, one gets the sense that the cards’ universal symbolism might just spark our unconscious in a particular way, allowing one to organize and reflect on often ignored unconscious information.

“It kind of parallels the process of psychotherapy – bringing you awareness to an ignored area of the mind,” adds Solberg.

Nevertheless, not all the magic and mystery has been forgotten, just ignored. Tarot offers people the opportunity to turn away from the infinite distractions of the modern world and experience the synchronicity and meaning that we are just too busy to notice.

“While there is a certain mystery to Tarot, I think that people might project a lot of magic into it, because we never have opportunities for these kind of experiences in our lives,” notes Solberg. “When someone gets a reading, it can feel like a great unveiling of sorts.”

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A deck of Tarot cards can be purchased at BookPeople or a number of different occult bookstores in Austin. In addition, said stores carry a number of books on the subject matter. For those looking for readers or subjects, Meetup.com has a number of groups for those interested in sharing and deepening their practice of Tarot with others.


http://uweeklyaustin.com/article/reading-people-1957/