Views on the Future

[Toby Stimpson]

Hey all,

This is something I've been thinking about when it comes to my own tarot reading and the philosophy I take with it.

I've been wondering what other people's views are when it comes to what you are looking at when reading cards.

I have my own idea of what I am doing and how my cards work, but Id fascinated to see what other's see or think about it.

Whenever I sit down with someone, and so far I am pretty consistant with my spread form... I say my philosophy or idea about it. I believe that when I read the cards, I am not telling the future but a possible future connected with either this reality... or looking into a possible reality. I believe strongly in the idea of many alternative infinite realities. I also believe that our actions and our individual courses will allow us to shift which reality we go into.

And so I say to the person I'm reading for that what comes up in the future is not destined and fated, but more options for them to think about and also neutral elements like events or items that will shape their actions based upon the choices they find they have in situations. I really don't believe that there is one set future, and that kind of puzzles them until I explain my mindset more to them, because a future that is set down pat would be impossible to change and so I would think divination would be impossible.

I've been reading for about 6 years now... and I don't think Ill stop anytime soon, but Id be interested to know what your own feelings and ideas are surrounding divinition. What do you guys think??

[LisaT4P]

My philosophy coincides with yours. Things are subject to change and we always have free will.

Now, I do see some things as unavoidable. For instance, if your client has done everything in their power to set something in to motion before they come to you for a reading. Well... then the thing they started will most likely happen. BUT, it is still subject to change because of how they choose to deal with the situation once it actually occurs.

[Toby Stimpson]

My philosophy coincides with yours. Things are subject to change and we always have free will.

Now, I do see some things as unavoidable. For instance, if your client has done everything in their power to set something in to motion before they come to you for a reading. Well... then the thing they started will most likely happen. BUT, it is still subject to change because of how they choose to deal with the situation once it actually occurs.

Thats very true. I like to see it as a kind of web. If you happen to make a certain choice it'll lead you to another event which only has a certain number of options. This is what I tell people in session when something comes up... for example:

a couple of weeks ago, a reading brought up in the future that there was some sort of gathering, a family wedding, and that there were going to be a certain individual there who would positivly affect the girl's family life. I told her that because there was a card set into negetive in opposition to this person, that there would have to be a decision based on her approach to this individual. That if she made the choice to interact with this individual there were a set limited number of options that would either lead her away from the negetive card or towards it. It was definitly an interesting wake up call for her... but its like you said, its based on choice of how you approach it.

[Shatril]

Mine is similar, however, I really believe that what I am reading is the course that actions will take UNLESS we apply our free will to change it. I think of these things as what will happen if we do nothing. To change it we or someone else must apply free will to change the course; at which time the whole astmosphere changes, and the rest of the reading would be null and void.

I would see little reason for reading tarot if I thought there were multiple possibilities for the outcome, what reason would there be to have a view of a one in a million chances for an outcome. The tarot I belileve gives us the outcome, if we don't change anything. That means that we can actually apply our freewill and change it if we choose to.

:hugz: Shatril

[Zephyrstorm]

I agree with Lisa - I usually tell querents that the cards are showing one of the possibilities if nothing changes in terms of their own actions.

Sadly, some people want to use tarot as a crutch rather than a means to change their lives.

In the case of when they've put everything towards a certain goal, knowingly or not, I always try to get them to a realization that they can still control how they react to the event and what happens after that.

:)

[aranarose]

My view of the future in the cards is much like Shatril's, that they show the most likely course of events, provided all things go as they have been going, and everyone acts in their normal behavioral patterns. Most people rarely ever act outside of their normal patterns, and we have to actively choose to change things.

I also think that if there was nothing we could do about the future, that there would be no reason for us to see it. Sometimes we see the future because we can change it, other times so that we can prepare for it, but in either case, so that we are able to do something.

I think that's why death is so hard to see and predict. In many cases, there's no real way to prepare for death, no matter what we think. And I believe, at least in some cases, there's no real way to prevent death. It's going to happen no matter what, the only variables in death is the when and how.

I'm a determinist. I believe that everything in the past determines what will happen in the future. This means that it takes a huge amount of effort to change what is coming. And that's the purpose of seeing the future, so that if we want to change things, we can.

[Windsmith]

I don't view the Tarot as predictive. I view it as a tool for seeing inside ourselves. I don't believe that the future can be predicted, since it depends on too many factors that we can't know about. What the Tarot offers is a different way of seeing and approaching our problems and questions. That can lead us to turn onto a different path, and that affects our future, but we still can't see it. A new reading would show us a different picture of ourselves and our situation once we'd changed course, but it still wouldn't show us the future.

I swear, I'm not as gloomy as this post makes me sound!

[Pagan Warrior]

I have never truly believed in any sort of fortune telling. My views are that divination will simply give you enough insight to understand what could happen. I had a friend once come to me about a tarot reading that came true ... about finding the perfect man. She swore up and down the cards told her the future. I won't dispute that point because, quite frankly, to each their own. However, I posed the question "Are the cards really telling you the future, or did you perpetuate your own future because the cards gave you hope?"

[Shatril]

I have never truly believed in any sort of fortune telling. My views are that divination will simply give you enough insight to understand what could happen. I had a friend once come to me about a tarot reading that came true ... about finding the perfect man. She swore up and down the cards told her the future. I won't dispute that point because, quite frankly, to each their own. However, I posed the question "Are the cards really telling you the future, or did you perpetuate your own future because the cards gave you hope?"

You know you are probably right in all of your thoughts. Does it matter if the cards really predict the future or what if they do set the stage for us acting in ways that bring about what the cards said. Either way, the cards were right about the future were they not?

:hugz: Shatril

[Pagan Warrior]

You know you are probably right in all of your thoughts. Does it matter if the cards really predict the future or what if they do set the stage for us acting in ways that bring about what the cards said. Either way, the cards were right about the future were they not?

:hugz: Shatril

Well, this is were I will drill down a bit on my perspective. Personally (and this is just my own personal beliefs) the cards merely set the stage and it is at the discretion of the person whether or not to bring the reading to life. Perhaps I'm more of a "I drive my own destiny" sort of person but under that pretense the cards don't "predict" the future they guide you to a future and you are left to choose how to proceed.

[Shatril]

Well, this is were I will drill down a bit on my perspective. Personally (and this is just my own personal beliefs) the cards merely set the stage and it is at the discretion of the person whether or not to bring the reading to life. Perhaps I'm more of a "I drive my own destiny" sort of person but under that pretense the cards don't "predict" the future they guide you to a future and you are left to choose how to proceed.

You are a take charge person, and that is exactly how you would do that. I see where you are.

:hugz: Shatril