When someone enters your home, do they know?

[Guest Night Shade]

https://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=218060

by TT&M's own @Annabelle

 

Quote

So, when someone enters your home, would they know from just looking around that you are a tarot reader or collector?

Would they have to come further inside than just your front room / living room before they encountered any tarot decks or books? Or are your tarot decks and materials obviously in sight as soon as they set foot in the door?

Or -- would a stranger be able to come in, sit and talk, walk around a bit, etc. and never see evidence of your interest in tarot? Would they not know unless you told them?

My own answer to the question: They wouldn't know just from looking inside the front door (i.e. the pizza delivery person wouldn't know). But if they step in, my tarot room is immediately to their left.

Now, if my tarot room doors were shut and they went into the living area instead, there's no direct evidence there except that I usually have a few tarot decks beside my comfy chair. They'd have to be paying attention to details to know the decks were there, in other words. 

If for some oddball reason they came in the front door and ran right up the stairs . . . well, they'd never know. There's one deck in a basket beside the bed, but otherwise the upstairs holds no evidence that a tarot-ist lives in the house.

 

 

[Guest Night Shade]

If anyone looked closely when they entered my home, they might see a couple of tarot boxes that I'm using to store other things, but that's about it.  If they wandered into my bedroom, they would see tarot all over the place!  Decks I'm working with and tarot books, not to mention books on astrology, dream interpretation, and witchcraft.  Plus my collection of crystals scattered all over the room.  I don't want to hide my tarot practice and other interests, but I also don't want to advertise it to just anyone who might stop by.  Unfortunately, you never know how someone might react. 

[Emilija]

I don't think they would know by the front door or by coming in the living room. Most of my tarot are in a spare room relegated as a library, and the decks that I'm using are on my night stand in my bedroom. I share the trailer with a non-tarotist, so I keep it confined mostly to my personal spaces. The only exception is when I'm doing a practice reading for anyone here on TT&M. I like to clean off the counter in the kitchen and use that for reading. I usually pack it all up and put everything back in my room after all is done, though.

[McFaire]

If they were observant, they would notice a few things. People I socialize with are laid back anyway, musicians, artists, writers, ex-hippies, tree-huggers, etc.

[Arabella]

My tarot/crystal room doubles as the home theatre but we only use it as that once a fortnight, if that. So most of the time my tarot stuff is out laying around as is my jewellery making stuff. If someone were to walk in then there would be no doubt they'd know. But today I'm expecting a visit from an old work colleague who has a Emmett and Reiki/Healing Crystal practice and funnily enough I have tidied my tarot stuff away as I have no idea of her perceptions on that. I have found some of my more artsy/hippyish friends are quite narrow minded on tarot. You never seem to know and I don't want to have to defend myself just because they are the ones who are unenlightened 😉 

[fire cat pickles]

Yes, my card collection is in a glass cabinet right by the front door. It's the first thing you see when you walk in! (Rachel Pollack's Salvador Dali's Tarot book is eye level.) It's one of those paradoxical, "nerdy" things about me, I suppose. 

[DownUnderNZer]

Even some of my family does not know, but then they are in different countries.

 

If anyone entered my home - those kinds of things are put away only because I don't want to be put in the situation of having to read if I do not choose to do so.

[Little Fang]

They'd only know if they went upstairs and into my office.  The rest of the house is pretty typical!  My family knows all about it though.

But once in my office, you first see my bookshelf with my shrine on it, which is somewhat in your face.  Underneath I have a lot of bagged decks.  I suppose if it were somebody into Ipsy, they'd just assume I just collect the bags on my shelf.  But often I have a deck out on my desk.

[Raggydoll]

I have my books in the bedroom and all my decks, tools etc is in a locked sideboard in the living room. Not because I’m afraid people will tell, but because I have tiny children who loves to borrow and hide stuff 😁 My kids do get to view my decks under supervision (they especially like the nature/animal themed ones.) They also get to explore certain crystals (mainly the less fragile, tumbled ones). Most of my friends and family know of my interests and of my special gifts. They generally think it’s cool. I don’t often do card readings for relatives but they do come to me for psychic consultations here and there. Our neighbors plus hubbys colleagues generally don’t know, mostly because it hasn’t come up. 

[Flaxen]

The majority of my decks and tarot books are in a cupboard. No one would know they are there unless they looked in the cupboard for some reason. 

I have a selection of deck in the cabinet which has the TV on top. If you were observant, you could see those through the glass panel. There is usually a deck or two on the kitchen table but I tend to tidy these away when visitors come round. 

[Guest libra]

I've got a tarot spread on my kitchen table right now, which is the first room you enter in my odd little suite. My bedroom has a pentagram drapery over the bed, and the next room over is an entire altar space.  Plus it smells like herbs and incense, and there are herb bundles drying on the ceiling and crystals and candles everywhere. Yeah, you know you've entered the home of a witch as soon as you step through the door. 

[Eva4]

No, and they better not. I'm in America. The chances of being accepted are still minimal. Now, if you entered my room, you can clearly see the decks sitting on the bookshelf, and the alter (paraphernalia) by my window. Unfortunately, I still hide the more telling witchery before letting certain people enter.

Edited May 10, 2019 by Eva4

[McFaire]

1 hour ago, Eva4 said:

...I still hide the more telling witchery before letting certain people enter.

 

1 hour ago, libra said:

...you know you've entered the home of a witch as soon as you step through the door. 

 

Do you think people generally feel differently about tarot than wicca? In terms of visitors to the house and what you keep to private areas? Maybe I'm going off topic but both are being discussed above.

[Lee3]

A little off topic but something to share , apart from the odd statue and various unusual items in immediate view when entering my home people would assume an unusual taste but nothing too direct , tarot wise as I only have a few decks no one would probably know. Image wise I wouldn’t be seen as anything more than your average guy with average interests but this year as Im a little more known in my quiet village I thought I would add a bit of my own character to my Christmas decor seeing as the village were all putting on quite nice displays , it wasnt mentioned , and I think it went down ok but it’s the most open I’ve ever been about my otherwise private practice   Maybe I’m mellowing with age .

[DanielJUK]

I once saw the same question asked in a LGBTQ forum I sometimes browse, people can get worried letting people into their homes to repair and do maintenance or just guests when maybe they are too openly *out* in their homes. I think it's interesting it's the same issue, divination (I feel anyway) and spirituality are a part of our personality and lives. In our own homes we can express our personalities however we want! Everyone has weird and kooky things in their homes believe me!

 

But also we have to feel safe, there are places in the world where it could be problematic in future if someone noticed it in your home. So it's a personal decision if you feel you want to express it. But I do still believe that your home is where you can express your personality and interests! How many people have giant Buddha's in their home and have no interest in studying Buddhism and are not Buddhists 😂 We should express ourselves if we can!

 

But then there are hardly any signs openly about me, due to space most of my decks and anything associated are in cupboards and drawers! I long for the day when I have a tarot room or shed or a place where it's all in one place and I can leave readings to work on out on a table! 🙂

 

@Lee3 that is so cute! As we get older I think we care less about what other people think 🙂 Your village houses are so cute! Every time I go around the UK and little tiny villages, there are always subtle public signs of celtic / pagan / wiccan beliefs depending on where you are. Like a Green Man bronze face on a building. Or in the New Forest there is a Witches Shop in the middle of a village out of the blue. I love that about the UK 🙂

 

[Raggydoll]

4 hours ago, McFaire said:

 

 

Do you think people generally feel differently about tarot than wicca? In terms of visitors to the house and what you keep to private areas? Maybe I'm going off topic but both are being discussed above.

My personal experience is that people are generally much more neutral with the topic of tarot than witchcraft (not just Wicca, any type of magical practice). So it is often less risky to share that side, but that witchcraft is more provocative in many ways 

[McFaire]

5 hours ago, Raggydoll said:

My personal experience is that people are generally much more neutral with the topic of tarot than witchcraft (not just Wicca, any type of magical practice). So it is often less risky to share that side, but that witchcraft is more provocative in many ways 

Me too. I think it's because tarot and christianity are not mutually exclusive per se; tarot is often used in a non-religious context and can be used in a christian context.

 

Here in the US, I don't feel wary of people knowing of my interest in tarot. But being openly non-christian in the US is another matter. I think it's more dangerous to be gay or muslim, of color or jewish though, than to be pagan here.

 

 

 

 

[HermitWriter]

If you enter my living room? No. In the office you'd be able to guess by perusing my shelves closely. I usually have a deck on my dining room table because space is wonderful. And the room where I keep all my decks and other stuff is pretty obviously tarot-oriented. I try not to sweat it too much. I'll put the decks and altar items away if we have overnight guests, but no way am I re-shelving all those freakin' books!

[Bookworm]

You wouldn't know unless you went upstairs and looked in a dresser in our office/yoga room. I don't really think anyone who comes over would care, but I don't know anyone else IRL who's into tarot so I'd rather not get into it.

[Jewel]

By entering the house no, but I have 3 book shelves in the office filled with Tarot and Oracle decks and books so would be hard to miss if you glance at a bookshelf.  I just keep them all there to not lose them not because I am trying to hide them.  If I am working with a deck or book in the living room and someone rang the doorbell I would not try to hide it no matter who it was.  My home, my hobby 😜

[Eva4]

13 hours ago, Eva4 said:

No, and they better not. I'm in America. The chances of being accepted are still minimal. Now, if you entered my room, you can clearly see the decks sitting on the bookshelf, and the alter (paraphernalia) by my window. Unfortunately, I still hide the more telling witchery before letting certain people enter.

 

13 hours ago, Eva4 said:

No, and they better not. I'm in America. The chances of being accepted are still minimal. Now, if you entered my room, you can clearly see the decks sitting on the bookshelf, and the alter (paraphernalia) by my window. Unfortunately, I still hide the more telling witchery before letting certain people enter.

 

@McFaire - With the close-minded people I've come across, it's all the same to them... cards and witchcraft. Mostly it's the older generation but there are still devout Christians of any age, younger than me. I just don't bring it up.

Edited May 10, 2019 by Eva4

[ilweran]

I have a bookcase full of tarot decks in the living room, though if you just came in and sat down I suppose you could miss them.

 

You'd have to be completely uninterested in glancing around the room though.

[McFaire]

57 minutes ago, Eva4 said:

 

 

@McFaire - With the close-minded people I've come across, it's all the same to them... cards and witchcraft. Mostly it's the older generation but there are still devout Christians of any age, younger than me. I just don't bring it up.

I tend to forget how frightened people are. They really think that satan is going to jump out of the cards and drag them to hell!

[Grandma]

When people enter my house they definitely know how important tarot is to me.  I have an 18 foot long wall of floor-to-almost-ceiling bookshelves full of pictures, memorabilia, rabbit figurines - I've been collecting rabbits for 50 years - and all sorts of collectibles and interesting items.  The first two units, which make up one third of the total, hold my tarot decks, many in their original boxes, and many other decorative boxes packed with smaller decks.  People invariably comment and the comments are invariably interested and curious.  I never miss the chance to explain what tarot means to me and I have never encountered a single negative response.  I guess I'm just lucky to know different kinds of people than some of you do!  Of course my lifestyle is such that not all that many people visit me so maybe I instinctively know who to let in.

[Wanderer]

Given that I only have two decks (one's in a cupboard, one in an ornate wooden box on a shelf) they'd have to go snooping to find me out! 😁

 

They'd probably be distracted by other things, as well - the bookcase of Chinese philosophy and poetry, the harp, the spinning wheel, and if they walked in the wrong front door, the general feeling that they'd stumbled into a Nineteenth Century naturalist's library, laboratory and museum. So no, people generally don't have much of a clue when they visit for the first time. Or the tenth, for that matter. Even the crystal ball is part of a geology display.