Unlocking the Subconscious with Tarot Cards

By now, we have all stumbled upon videos on TikTok and Instagram that, with creepy music and persuasive voices, show a deck of tarot cards and assure us that the reading they are about to do is for us. Usually, these videos appear at two o'clock in the morning, when we are alone in bed, but fear not, for the cards promise their imminent repentance and prompt return! Although it might be tempting to believe otherwise, tarot is actually a complex and deeply introspective art. I started reading tarot cards a year ago now and it has been a continuous journey for me that has helped me to embark on a true journey of inner knowledge, discovering a world much more related to spirituality than to magic.

But first of all, what are tarot cards? They are a deck of 78 playing cards, originating from Italy in the 15th century. The 78 cards are divided into 56 traditional cards known as Minor Arcana and 22 cards representing human, animal, or mythological figures known as Major Arcana. While initially the tarot was only used as a playing card, in the late eighteenth century, French scholar and esotericist Antoine Court de Gébelin published two volumes in his work Le Monde Primitif. He claimed that the symbolic imagery of the Major Arcana originated from the ancient Egyptian Book of Thoth, and that they were encoded in this way by ancient Egyptian priests to be passed down under the innocuous image of playing cards.

To this day, the 22 Major Arcana are considered archetypes that symbolically illustrate the evolutionary journey of the human being from birth to full self-realisation through spiritual enlightenment. Each card therefore speaks to the subconscious and represents an inner or outer state in which we may be trapped, towards which we tend, or by which we are hindered. The sun will indicate clarity and joy, death change, lovers' unity and grace, and so on.

The psychoanalyst Carl Gustav Jung defined tarot cards as a combination of archetypal ideas, capable of mingling with the flows of the unconscious and thus able, through an intuitive method, to understand the present flow of life and possibly even predict future events. In fact, through their communication with the unconscious, these archetypes are able to bring to surface the most hidden feelings of those who request the reading and lead them to a heartfelt and profound reflection. Tarot is not the magical divination tool portrayed in the media; rather it’s a powerful resource for gaining clarity about ourselves and the world around us.

First and foremost, the good tarot reader must be an empathetic person who can provide reassurance even during the most negative readings. One must always remember while doing these readings that the person in front of you is asking for an opinion on their life and future — no light matters — often distressed and in need of kind guidance and reassurance. When reading tarot for someone, treat them as you would a close friend seeking advice, avoiding the temptation of exaggerated gestures or sensationalism.

Keep in mind, tarot cards should always respond to a question posed by a person directly, in a focused and private setting. Indeed, during a tarot reading, a special bond is established between the fortune-teller and the person asking the question, which cannot be replaced by apps or collective readings (hence the invalidity of the videos you find online). This is why I find the tarot readings that appear on social media absolutely immoral, as they pivot on insecurities and moments of difficulty, such as a romantic break-up, to gain views and interactions, promising solutions that are as easy as they are false and generic.

Tarot cards are an extraordinary tool for reflection and inner research, which have little to do with the macabre and cursed occult that the media seem to suggest. In my experience, tarot has offered moments of fun with friends, trusted guidance, and deep introspection. So what are you waiting for? Buy your tarot deck, it's the season of the witch!

Illustration by Amelia Freeden