List of tarot myths

[fire cat pickles]

4 hours ago, Raggydoll said:

I do believe I have heard of it, but it was a long time ago. I can't remember where that person was from. 

It does seem more plausible now then. It was easily replaceable. I just emailed (or called, I can't remember) USG and got a replacement. I'm friends with them on FB, I guess I could just contact them, but I don't see the point. I just wanted to throw this myth out there since it is pretty interesting. Thank you for replying.

[Decan]

Interesting thread.

So, a few things I heard that weren’t mentioned yet:

-You mustn’t keep your reading deck in a metal box.

-You mustn’t read cards if there is someone in the room who doesn’t believe in cards.

-You should read cards only with dim light.

-Your deck mustn’t be touched by someone else (but I think this one was mentioned above in the thread).

Edited July 16, 2021 by Decan

[Guest]

"You mustn’t read cards if there is someone in the room who doesn’t believe in cards."

 

That's an interesting one.  Desite the emphasis supplied by the "mustn't" part, at some level I'd say it is good advice, depending on who was using the deck.  it could be interpreted as manipulative of an audience, or pointlessly superior, but also potentially protective of the reader - a reminder that not everyone is open to the kind of thinking tarot requires.  I guess it would depend on the context and tone when it was used.  If the reader was self conscious, for example, or not very secure in themselves, the prescense of someone they knew to be critical could distract them from experiencing the reading fully.  There's no reason a usually insecure person couldn't read tarot effectively when alone in a comfortable room, but it'd also be easy to make it impossible for them to use tarot if a hostile person was hanging around.

[katrinka]

I love reading for people who don't believe in the cards, just to see their cognitive dissonance when I'm right. 😁

[katrinka]

"Neither the reader nor the sitter are permitted to cross their legs when the cards are consulted."

https://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=69494

 

[Decan]

In the same vein, I remembered these two:

-You never, never must read for the Queen of Spades! This means to never read for a woman who constantly creates problems around (home wrecker, slanderous woman and so on).

 

-Your querent must always be sitting in front of you (not sideways).

 

ETA: I remember something about a cat but I'm unsure: like if the cat gets on the reading table, don't read!

Likely the idea behind that must be that there is something wrong or false regarding the reading/querent, a kind of obstacle or possibly a warning. As well an excuse if the fortune teller is lazy for a particular day ("My cat got on my reading table, I can't read today, no way!" lol). 😁

Edited July 18, 2021 by Decan

[fire cat pickles]

I don't think I've heard "you must cross the fortune teller's palm with silver" one...

 

And "don't store your tarot deck in the same bag/box/room/cabinet(etc.) as another".

 

Has anyone mentioned the "your first deck has to be gifted" one yet? I wonder how may shops get ripped off because of this one?

[Raggydoll]

This has probably already been mentioned, but when I was a newbie reader I remember hearing both “You must never let anyone touch your deck” as well as “You must make sure the querent touches the cards, otherwise their energy won’t be in the reading”. That was in the 90s. I also heard the “always store your deck in a black silk (or was it velvet?) bag”. I can’t remember if someone back then said that your first deck had to be gifted to you, but I have heard that one many times in later years. I don’t pay attention to any of it, as I think it’s all utter nonsense 😄

[gregory]

You must never read when menstruating.... (I have a vague recollection of not doing it when pregnant, too...)

[nord_drache]

2 hours ago, fire cat pickles said:

I don't think I've heard "you must cross the fortune teller's palm with silver" one...

 

I think I've heard two explanations for this one . . .

The first basically relates to the idea that if the client pays for it they will be taking the reading more seriously (and I think silver = any money). There may have been something else linked with it along with the client setting the fee so it was both "free offering" and the client sets how much they value the reading.

The second I think related to silver's ability to negate evil influences.

 

Both I think relate back to a time of different values . . .

 

Jim

 

[nord_drache]

8 hours ago, Decan said:

ETA: I remember something about a cat but I'm unsure: like if the cat gets on the reading table, don't read!

Likely the idea behind that must be that there is something wrong or false regarding the reading/querent, a kind of obstacle or possibly a warning. As well an excuse if the fortune teller is lazy for a particular day ("My cat got on my reading table, I can't read today, no way!" lol). 😁

I laugh at this one because I think there was a thread about either cats / animals and people relating how their cat has helped do a reading by mucking into it . . . 😆

[Raggydoll]

10 minutes ago, gregory said:

You must never read when menstruating.... (I have a vague recollection of not doing it when pregnant, too...)

Ha! That’s a new one (to me) 😄

[gregory]

I didn't pay much attention. I was WAY past all that when I took up reading

[Decan]

I think that there are REALLY many of them. Some can be related to common sense, others to superstitions (and a mix of the two).

Concerning the myth about the cat on the reading table, it's a little odd because in many older decks there is a card that depicts a cat (or a fox in Lenormand) and which means "Falseness"; so a real cat on the reading table it's somehow like to pull the card of the cat, but literally.

I guess no one found a real fox (or a snake) on the reading table! 🤪

 

Regarding the myth of the storage in a metal box (forbidden!) this could refer to the time when there was no stainless-steel box because oxidation can damage the cards of course! But the myth refers more to "energies" that would be blocked by metal, these things.

 

18 hours ago, Raggydoll said:

This has probably already been mentioned, but when I was a newbie reader I remember hearing both “You must never let anyone touch your deck” as well as “You must make sure the querent touches the cards, otherwise their energy won’t be in the reading”.

I also remember the myth that the querent must touch the cards to be in a reading (and as well that no one else must touch the deck! Logical 🤔 )

Or maybe the myth about that is: "do like you want!" 😁

 

Another one!

You must be dressed in a very comfortable way (no tight clothing) and in natural fiber, preferably linen.

Edited July 19, 2021 by Decan

[Raggydoll]

46 minutes ago, Decan said:

Another one!

You must be dressed in a very comfortable way (no tight clothing) and in natural fiber, preferably linen.

😁 I do love loose linen dresses, but I wear leggings with them, so I am not sure if that neutralizes the threat/benefit ? 🤪 Also, are we allowed to wear underwear...? Because loose underwear..  😂 I feel I need to know so I can finally be a proper tarot reader 🤓

[Raggydoll]

12 hours ago, gregory said:

I didn't pay much attention. I was WAY past all that when I took up reading

 

 

[Decan]

18 minutes ago, Raggydoll said:

😁 I do love loose linen dresses, but I wear leggings with them, so I am not sure if that neutralizes the threat/benefit ? 🤪 Also, are we allowed to wear underwear...? Because loose underwear..  😂 I feel I need to know so I can finally be a proper tarot reader 🤓

Hmm... I afraid that you're on a wrong path with your leggings; there is a sort of neutralizing the benefit of wearing linen... take care!

The myths are there so that we can all improve ourselves, about underwears too 🤣

Edited July 19, 2021 by Decan

[katrinka]

[Decan]

15 minutes ago, katrinka said:

It's likely what the myth refers to... Real fortune tellers underwears! (well, for men it would be large boxer-shorts in linen of course)

But it looks synthetic material here, I would say this but in linen (or 100% cotton maybe)

Edited July 19, 2021 by Decan

[stephanelli]

1 hour ago, Raggydoll said:

😁 I do love loose linen dresses, but I wear leggings with them, so I am not sure if that neutralizes the threat/benefit ? 🤪 Also, are we allowed to wear underwear...? Because loose underwear..  😂 I feel I need to know so I can finally be a proper tarot reader 🤓

Just make sure it's all natural fibres and I'm sure you'll be fine 😆

[katrinka]

Yes, the gif selection is sadly lacking in natural fibers!

 

Or maybe some 1920's step-ins, which were basically womens' boxers with a bit of decoration.

[katrinka]

I could actually be persuaded to wear those.
Not with leggings, though. Too much bunching up.

 

[stephanelli]

They look like they're be very comfy under a full skirt!

[katrinka]

Someone should make them up in cotton with prints featuring cards and crystal balls and open an Etsy store:
"FORTUNETELLER UNDERWEAR"

[Decan]

I'm sure they would sell! 😁

Or a project like that on kickstarter, it will be eccentric, and often what it is sells well.

Edited July 19, 2021 by Decan