Is Tarot Witchcraft

Before picking up a tarot deck for yourself, you may have heard tarot cards in reference to other practices, such as witchcraft. 

Throughout history, mankind has named practices or rituals that veer away from traditional beliefs, religions, or science as witchcraft or other ostracized systems.

For the in-the-know, Tarot Readings and spells are quite different from each other. While there are plenty of witches who espouse Tarot in their practice, there is no explicit link between the two.

But that doesn't stop people from associating these two practices with each other, often with a negative connotation. Even in 2022, Tarot cards still get stigmatized on their own. Then, some take it a step further to say Tarot is witchcraft, and witchcraft is inherently bad (both untrue).

So, where did all these associations between Tarot and witches come from?

Follow along to find out what witchcraft is and why it gets mixed up with Tarot reading.

What Is Witchcraft?

In simple terms, modern witchcraft is the process of manipulating energy to produce the desired outcome.

You may be familiar with the terms black magic or white magic, and these are aspects of witchcraft that correlate to specific desires and intentions.

Those who associate tarot with witchcraft often consider the cards to be a form of black magic.

They tend to argue that Tarot cards are used to tap into some mysterious nonspecific "dark energy" to seek insights. While mystery await those who venture into the magickal world of Tarot or witchcraft, they will certainly not find these bad spirits through Tarot cards.

Even though there is no basis behind these claims, it's still a common phenomenon. In witchcraft, a witch will use tools to help harness the energy needed for their desires.

They may use the moon, perform rituals, create altars dedicated to certain Gods and Deities, and cast spells. Witchcraft is a lifestyle that bleeds into every aspect of one's life.

Fortunately, witchcraft can actually be used to great ends. For example, even Tom Brady's wife Gisele performs rituals to help him in games!

Some witches cast time-tested love spells with easy-to-follow explanations that can be found in informative books for modern magickal practitioners, such as the Modern Witchcraft Spell Book. Others take a more free-form approach to the art and get inventive with their methods.

While the tarot is an important tool for many, it's not as much of a lifestyle or belief system as witchcraft. 

Religious Views on Witchcraft

In many religions throughout history, witchcraft or people that have practiced mysticism in some form have been regarded as "evil."

The reason for this is that witchcraft operates by accessing energy or power either within oneself (your Intuition) or from external influences (your Spirit guides) that are distinct from traditional religious icons.

It seems that anything unknown, esoteric, or occult has been regarded as witchcraft in order to prevent followers of these religions from exploring these practices or learning about their true meaning.

Some may even argue that tools such as tarot or witchcraft have been discarded by the church because they teach you how to utilize your own inner power and intuition and tap into an understanding within yourself.

These systems are much different than traditional religion, which rely heavily on accessing information and truth solely from the church or an external source. 

Do You Have to Have the Power to Read Tarot?

Another reason tarot has been associated with witchcraft is that many believe you must possess a mystical or psychic power in order to read the cards.

When in reality, all it takes is buying a deck, a tarot book, and taking a class or course to get started.

Tarot is magical but it doesn't contain supernatural powers. While it's true that some professional readers may have psychic abilities, most tarot readers simply learn to develop their intuition and inner guidance through reading the cards.

Anyone who has a desire for knowledge, insight, and clarity can find the truth using Tarot; the only thing that's needed is intention.

A modern book on tarot can help teach you tarot fundamentals in a practical way that allows you to understand just how these amazing cards help provide you with the answers you seek. 

Tarot Origins

The History of Tarot cards is long and convoluted, but when they originated in the early 1400s and initially had no esoteric or spiritual meaning behind the cards.

The tarot was intended to be for entertainment purposes, much like a card game played today using a standard deck of cards.

Instead of having the Major and Minor Arcana, the original tarot decks had pip and triumph cards.

Throughout the following centuries, tarot developed into different forms of games and eventually became a staple in the esoteric, occult, and alchemical communities.

Once people began including esoteric content within tarot cards, they realized they were a powerful form of divination.

The Rider Waite tarot deck is the most popular deck within the community, and many decks on the market today are modeled after this edition.

The classic RWS imagery lends itself to insightful tarot readings, but divination can be done in a variety of ways. There is no forced method that requires specific Major Arcana and Minor Arcana cards. In fact, some diviners can use regular playing cards!

You can see many influences in these cards, from astrology, nature, christianity, alchemy, and animal symbolism.

All of these components, and more, create the contents of most tarot decks used today, which doesn't necessarily make them a product of witchcraft.

There are decks on the market that are based on witchcraft and paganism, but these are niche decks that aren't part of the norm. 

So, Is Reading Tarot Cards Witchcraft?

Now that you've made it this far, it's safe to say you probably know the answer to this question.

No! Tarot isn't witchcraft.

The cards are embedded with esoteric symbols, common iconology, and images used to evoke certain emotional responses.

The card meanings depict common themes and lessons that every person on this earth will experience some time in their lives.

Tarot is a practical, insightful, intuitive practice that allows you to tap into your intuition by guiding you through certain universal truths that shine a light on the answers that you seek.

All of the answers we desire are deep inside of us, and tarot helps draw them out through the use of their beautiful art and card meanings.

Reading tarot is a powerful way to tap into hidden knowledge and read the current energies within your life. 

You can even create your own card meanings based on how each card makes you feel and what you intuitively pick up on while observing them.

You can be a tarot reader without practicing witchcraft, be a witch without practicing tarot, and for more fun--you can be both! 

If you're looking for answers in life but concerned about tarot's correlation to witchcraft, rest assured that there is no true connection between the two.

The magic behind tarot comes from within, and becoming a skilled reader can only be done through education and a commitment to the practice.

Tarot is for everyone and anyone looking to strengthen their intuition and tap into their innate ability to understand the inner workings of their life and the universe at large.