Tarot as a Therapeutic Tool

There are a variety of well-known tools to help with your mental health. Things like journaling, exercise, exploring nature, and breathwork. But what about lesser-known ways? For example…tarot reading.

Did I scare you away?

Certainly tarot reading isn’t for everyone. But for some, this can be a tool which contributes to improved mental health through intentional reflection upon life themes, circumstances, and the self.

It certainly has been for me.

I’ve tried many interventions for my mental health. I love a good nature walk (in the fall, of course, because those sweaty-summer days just aren’t my jam). I have a handful of go-to grounding-techniques, and I find a nice meditation session to be refreshing. These things feel great for my body, but I wanted a way to sort through thoughts as well. I tried journaling, a well-known and often well-loved tool. But when I sat down with pen and paper, my hand couldn’t keep up with my thoughts. And then I invented an imaginary audience, thinking that “someday someone will find this journal and read all about my (obviously incredibly interesting) life.” Journaling suddenly became about being perceived, rather than about introspection. Okay, okay, not the best tool for me.

Then, one day I sat with my tarot deck. I realized that the deep reflection I was doing through the cards was exactly what I had intended for journaling to be. I was truly sitting with myself, processing my emotions, and evaluating my thoughts on situations and about myself. I felt a sense of freedom with my cards. I felt a sense of relief. There is comfort that can come from processing and deepening our exploration of self.

What is Tarot?

There are a myriad of books and resources detailing what tarot is and how it can be interpreted. But this is a blog post, not a novel, so here’s a quick Tarot 101:

Tarot decks are composed of 78 cards, including the Major Arcana (22 cards) and Minor Arcana (56 cards). The Major Arcana reflects overarching themes that are encountered in life. The cards range from The Fool (0) to The World (XXI) and explore the depths of the journey through life. These are big-picture ideas. Meanwhile, the cards in the Minor Arcana speak more to situations, specific events, emotions, thoughts, and people. Within the Minor Arcana there are four suits: wands, cups, swords, and pentacles. Respectively, these suits symbolize action (fire), emotion (water), thoughts (air), and physicality (earth). Each suit contains cards from Ace to 10 and Court Cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King). The Court Cards represent specific people or components of the querent's identity and personality, while Ace-10 highlight a journey, including moments or situations that compose this journey.

Based in Archetypes

Tarot cards utilize archetype-based symbolism. Archetypes are recurrent symbols, themes, or motifs that represent universal patterns of experience and behaviors. They are often found in stories, including literature, films, mythology, and more. Archetypes already have an established place within therapy. For example, Jungian therapy, developed by Carl Jung, utilizes archetype work as a healing component. Common Jungian archetypes include The Shadow, The Persona, The Hero, and The Sage. The Shadow represents the unconscious, in the same way The Moon (XVIII) tarot card can. While The Hierophant (V) and The Hermit (IX) cards reflect similar themes as The Sage, which include seeking truth and understanding, being introspective, and desiring knowledge of the world. Within Jungian therapy, archetypes can resonate in a way which deepens an individual’s understanding of their experiences and themselves, contributing to improved mental health.

Using Tarot to Compliment Therapy

Tarot isn’t about telling the future, nor is it a replacement for therapy. However, you may find tarot to be a beneficial tool that aids in your therapeutic journey. It can serve as a metaphor for situations and inner experiences; often, the use of metaphors provides a more concrete way of examining a non-tangible experience. Perhaps for you, reflecting on the meanings of a tarot spread will also prove illuminating of your own experiences. What might that look like?

Use tarot to:

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Connect with inner self
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Self-reflect
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Problem solve
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Aid in finding clarity
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Contemplate changes
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Examine beliefs
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For some, exploring the images on tarot cards can bring about clarity. It provides a way to explore something visually and intuitively, allowing people to move beyond simply verbalizing. This may be an empowering way for you to become curious about yourself.

What to look for while interpreting:

Take in your first impression

What do you notice about the cards? What do you notice about yourself and how you feel taking in the cards?

Explore Imagery

Do you notice any specific colors, symbols, or motifs standing out to you? Are you drawn to any specific card? Alternately, are you repelled by any of the images?

Identify Cards

Is your spread mostly major or minor arcana cards? Do you have any court cards?

Explore suits and elements

Within the minor arcana cards, are there any patterns around the suits? For example, are your cards mostly pentacles, which represent the element of earth? Or are they swords, indicating air? What do these patterns (or lack of patterns) mean to you?

Explore numbers

Numbers can help us understand where we are in the journey. Do you have several cards that are lower numbers, like The Fool (0) or The Magician (1), or minor cards such as the Ace? These can represent that we are still in the beginning of this journey. What other patterns do you notice?

Interested in using tarot as a therapeutic tool? Feel free to explore and see what comes up. Remember, tarot is not a replacement for therapy, but can be used for personal insight. As a bonus, you can also bring up your readings with your therapist! Processing together can aid in deeper insight.

MEET THE AUTHOR: RAE BUCHANAN

Rae Buchanan (she/her) is a counseling intern at Space Between Counseling Services working under the supervision of Diana Harden. She is deeply curious about the stories we hold within and values an empathetic, person-centered approach to counseling. Rae is LGBTQIA+ affirming and dedicated to working with artists of all kinds. With a background rich in the performing arts, she is aware of the specific mental and emotional trauma and struggles that are often associated with creative work. Rae also specializes in working with university students, University Students, ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Life and Career Transitions.

Rae is currently accepting new clients. Interested in working with Rae Contact Niina Bacha to schedule your therapeutic fit call today support@spacebetweencounselingservices.com or call 443-240-5207

TO KNOW MORE ABOUT RAE BUCHANAN CHECK THE LINK BELOW

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