Clearing the Table on the Tarot

Managing Tarot Misperceptions

I was a writer long before the tarot showed up in my life. Decades before a selection of tarot cards appeared in a vision while noodling over ideas for a new novel (the same one I offer as a gift for being a Substack subscriber), my only perception of the tarot was what Hollywood had fed me.

And that was nothing but unsavory, sensationalized garbage.

Although tarot is more mainstream today, and folks like me are using the cards in a multitude of creative ways, Tinsel Town is still churning out those same ol’ boring, antiquated narratives. Take the newest movie, Tarot, for example (or don’t, because it was awful). The messaging around the tool is repetitive: don’t work with a found deck; the Death card is, like, literal; and whatever you do, don’t use the cards with your friends.

Exaggerated eye-roll.

As you well know, writers seek storytelling inspiration everywhere and in everything. While planning and drafting my own novels, I find that I’m most inspired by being in nature, traveling, reading, watching movies, people-watching, and working with tarot cards.

In this article, I will clear the table on the tarot. I’ll share factual points about the cards, attempting to debunk misaligned, preconceived notions and misconceptions about this inspiring tool. Don’t take Hollywood’s word on the cards; you can decide for yourself whether to add them to your list of inspirational tools.

What is tarot?

The tarot is a set of 78 paper cards that contain two sections, the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana is 22 cards that present “Big Picture” constructs within the human experience, while the Minor Arcana includes four suits - Cups, Pentacles, Swords, and Wands - of 56 cards (14 pip cards and Court cards in each suit) that represent day-to-day ideas relatable to all. Collectively and individually, these cards contain infinite story possibilities.

Each tarot card is a work of art.

Tarot illustrations were/are typically designed with common, religious, numerological, and astrological symbolism. Although illustrations vary from deck to deck, when I write, I prefer to work with artist and author Pamela Colman “Pixie” Smith’s traditional imagery (1909), and decks inspired by her art. My new deck, Mystic Storyteller Tarot, is an example of cards inspired by Pixie’s work.

The tarot has many uses.

The cards can be used for self-exploration, journaling, wellness, creative inspiration, storytelling, games, divination, cartomancy, manifestation work, and other practices.

Because tarot cards are inanimate, paper cards, the intent with which they are used is most important. For example, my intention when using tarot cards is to learn more about myself and to work through common writerly concerns such as plot hole-filling and writer’s block.

The tarot is a comprehensive representation of universal archetypes.

According to psychologist Carl Jung*, an archetype is a collectively inherited subconscious idea, pattern of thought, or image universally spanning the collective consciousness. If you are a fiction writer, then you most likely know many an archetype: the hero or heroine, the warrior, the trickster, the queen, the mother, the father, the teacher, the lover, and so on.

The tarot is full of archetypes, especially in the Major Arcana and the Minor’s Court cards.

What the tarot is NOT...

The tarot is not evil, “of the devil,” and tarot cards are not blasphemous. People can be those things and set those intentions, not paper cards.

In paraphrasing an analogy that Theresa Reed, The Tarot Lady, uses to explain this concept, a person can use a hammer to hang a picture on the wall or to bludgeon someone to death. Similarly, the tarot can be used for good intentions or for darker means. To be clear, I only use the cards for good practices—to inspire art and writing, healing and wellness—and in my teachings you will only find constructive offerings.

There is nothing wrong with using a hammer to hang a painting, and there is nothing to be afraid of when using tarot card illustrations to ignite the smoldering desire of storytelling.

Here’s how to get started…

If you’ve never used the cards and are curious about how they might aid your own writer experience, start with the easiest way to learn to use the cards: Tarot 1-2-3. Click here to visit my newest page on my website where you will find free instruction.

And here’s how you can get my book and deck…

Next, please follow my BackerKit campaign so you can be the first to get your hands on a copy of my new book and deck. Your future stories will thank you… and so will I!

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References

*Jung, C. G., & Hull, R. (1981, August 1). The Archetypes and The Collective Unconscious (Collected Works of C.G. Jung Vol.9 Part 1) (Collected Works of C.G. Jung, 48) (2nd ed.). Princeton University Press.

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About Mandy

Amanda "Mandy" Hughes is an author and instructional designer who uses the tarot to inspire storytelling. Her book Mystic Storyteller: A Writer’s Guide to Using the Tarot for Creative Inspiration is coming to La Panthère Studio summer 2024. She also writes fiction under pen names A. Lee Hughes and Mandy Lee. Mandy lives in Georgia with her husband and four sons, two of whom are furrier than the others (but not by much). Visit her website at www.haintbluecreative.com and follow her on Instagram @HaintBlueCreative.