ORACLE CARDS FOR SKEPTICS

MY MOTHER GAVE me my first deck of tarot cards as a confirmation gift when I was fourteen. While my sister and I were raised Catholic, my mother encouraged us to keep the door open for spirituality in other forms. I’d shown an interest in tarot as well as in goddesses (Lilith was my favorite—it was the late 1990s and Lilith was everyone’s favorite), so when she found a goddess-themed tarot deck, it couldn’t have been more perfect.

A few years later, when I turned seventeen, I received a Sacred Circle deck, which is based on Celtic Paganism and features the elements and the turning of the seasons. That was my go-to deck for the next fifteen years, until a reading a friend did for me with the Wild Unknown tarot deck introduced me to a new favorite. I also have a deck of angel- themed oracle cards my mother gave me at some point when I was in college.

I’m not a tarot master—it’s just an interest. Sure, I’ve spent way more time than I should admit nerding out on the various spreads and the suits and the minor and major arcana and definitely have certain cards I feel especially connected to, but I’ve never looked at tarot or oracle cards as straight-up future-telling.

What I find the cards useful for is looking at something in a way you might not have otherwise considered. In my opinion, rather than the seemingly arbitrary meaning of the card itself, the thing that tells you what you need to know is your reaction to it. This can be so helpful for digging out of an overthink-hole by getting clarity on what your gut is telling you to do, so you can move forward with a plan to help you deal with what’s been wigging you out. For example, if you’ve been wondering about whether to look for a new job and you pull the Death card, which signifies endings and change, pay attention to the emotional response the card elicits. If your reaction is, “Phew—I feel like I have permission to walk away and look for a new job,” or “Oh no—I’m not ready for this to end,” that tells you a lot.

Sometimes I notice patterns where I’ll draw a certain card over and over no matter how many times I shuffle the deck. For example, a card that I joke has followed me for years is the High Priestess, which is always a good reminder to trust my intuition and to set aside time to tune into it. The Nine and Ten of Cups have helped me through many an impostor syndrome slump or new relationship insecurity spiral, as they symbolize feelings of happiness and love and a sense that everything is falling into place and that it’s okay to enjoy the moment. And while no one ever wants to see the Death card in their hand, it’s a good reality check that endings are a natural part of life and to make room for new things, so even when it’s challenging, it’s still a necessary part of the big picture.

If you’ve never used tarot or oracle cards before, there really aren’t any rules as to what the “best” option is. In general, I would just encourage choosing something that speaks to you. If this were 2003, I’d tell you to go to the New Age section of your local bookstore, but since you may not have a local bookstore anymore, check out what’s popular on your favorite online retailer and see what resonates with you. Asking a friend or asking for recs “for a friend” on social media are other great ways to get suggestions.

My favorite way to use oracle cards is to take out my deck as I’m doing my morning journaling. It takes only about five minutes, but it’s a ritual that helps me get into the groove of the day ahead. As I start to shuffle the cards, I ask, “What should I keep in mind today?” First, I see whether a certain card jumps or falls out at me. I also like to draw a card from the deck—no art to this, just shuffle and feel for the right card—asking, “What do I need to know?” Sometimes, I’ll look at what I draw and laugh in the spirit of “tell me something I don’t know,” and sometimes, it won’t make sense until much later in the day. If you prefer, you might draw a card in the evening and take a few minutes to reflect on the day with that message in mind.

Of course, you also have the option of being like, “Yeah, this is bullshit.”