How to Ask a
Question of the Tarot
Garbage In, Garbage Out
There is a well-known saying in computer science: garbage in, garbage out. The same holds true when asking questions of the tarot. A thoughtful, open-ended question is a prerequisite for obtaining a useful reading from the cards. In this chapter, we will look at various ways to phrase questions, some of which are productive and others of which are likely to result in ambiguous or less than helpful readings.
The Oracle at Delphi
Long before the tarot existed, the people of the Mediterranean sought guidance from the Oracle at Delphi. Generals of armies and heads of state would not take major decisions without first consulting the Oracle, Apollo’s representative on Earth. In ancient Greece, the god Apollo had the power to foresee the future, an ability he bestowed upon the priestess of the temple at Delphi.
Dignitaries and common people alike would flock to the sanctuary at Delphi and pay large sums of money for an audience with Apollo’s priestess. After collecting her fee, the oracle would enter the inner chamber of the temple, sit on a tripod, and inhale the mind-altering fumes that rose from a chasm in the earth. Soon thereafter she would fall into a trance (today we would say she was tripping) and begin to utter comments that were unintelligible to the human mind. Presumably these utterances described visions of the future, channeled directly from the mind of Apollo. Fortunately the priests in attendance were able to translate the oracle’s mutterings into everyday language, but there was always a catch.
The mind of a god behaves in ways beyond human understanding. To the human mind the prophecies at Delphi appeared ambiguous, full of double meanings and capable of contradictory interpretation. Nonetheless, the Oracle at Delphi gained a reputation for 100 percent accuracy. If an army general inquired about an impending battle, the Oracle might respond: “A great general will emerge triumphant.” The military leader would then depart, muster his resources, plan a strategy, and enter the fray confident that a great general was assured victory. The Oracle, however, did not specify which great general would win the battle.
A skeptic might conclude that the Delphic Oracle was simply a con artist who extracted money from gullible clients in return for little of value. A more sophisticated critic might regard this story as proof of the wisdom of Apollo, a god who knew that providing an unambiguous vision of the future would prevent his devotees from assuming responsibility for their actions, rendering them unable to grow spiritually as they chose their own destinies.
The Wisdom of Modern Physics
Our view of the nature of reality has changed dramatically since the time of the Delphic Oracle. Modern physics talks about subatomic realms and multiple universes. The scientific method implies that our theories about reality are provisional; they are likely to change as we grow in experience and garner additional knowledge.
The noted physicist Werner Heisenberg once said (italics mine): “What we observe is not nature itself but nature exposed to our method of questioning … asking questions about nature in the language that we possess and trying to get an answer from experiment by the means that are at our disposal.” 21 If we consider the tarot in light of Heisenberg’s statement, reading the cards is our method of questioning, and the answer we receive depends on the language that we possess and the means that are at our disposal. Let’s look at these three ingredients of inquiry described by Heisenberg.
1) The Method of Questioning
Both practical and intangible factors go into our method of questioning. Obviously, we need a tarot deck to shuffle and mix thoroughly to randomize the sequence of cards. We cut the deck and lay out a number of cards in a predetermined pattern. Next we attempt to interpret the cards and their interrelationships to arrive at a divinatory insight. An essential intangible component consists of asking our question with the sincere expectation of receiving an answer from the cards. If the querent and the reader lack sincerity in their intention to obtain a helpful response, tarot divination will turn into a mere parlor game. Sincerity of intention is essential. Garbage in, garbage out. It’s not nice to fool with Mother Nature.
2) The Language We Possess
Tarot readers possess the language of symbolism. The language of tarot is rooted in the symbols of mythology, dreams, biblical stories, religion, poetry, literature, music, depth psychology, personal experience, the collective unconscious, and various esoteric traditions (astrology, Kabbalah, numerology, alchemy, ceremonial magic, etc.). Arthur E. Waite, the intellectual father of the Waite-Smith deck, commented that “the true Tarot is symbolism; it speaks no other language and offers no other signs.” 22 In this sense, questioning by means of the tarot differs from the questioning done by science, which relies on the language of mathematics to make its inquiries. The bulk of this text is devoted to exploring the symbolic language of tarot.
3) The Means at Our Disposal
The means at our disposal consist of sincerity of intention, a deck of tarot cards, a quiet meditative environment, and an understanding of the archetypal symbolism underlying mythology, literature, psychology, and the world’s religions. The capacity of human beings to utilize symbols to give meaning to their lives is what distinguishes the human animal from other species. In short, the tarot connects us with that part of our minds which makes us truly human.
What Kinds of Questions are Best and Least Suited to the Tarot?
Not long ago I attended a weekend workshop by Rachel Pollack, whose 1980 book 78 Degrees of Wisdom, A Psychological Approach to the Tarot was highly influential in changing the way tarot is practiced in the English-speaking world. At one point during the conference, Rachel commented that she and Mary K. Greer are credited with “rescuing tarot from fortune-telling” in the 1980s. Prior to that time, the use of the tarot focused primarily on telling the future.
During tarot’s fortune-telling days, clients used to ask yes-no questions (Will I pass the exam?), seek to have the cards make decisions for them (Should I take the job with Edsel?), inquire about the exact timing of events (When will I get married?), spy on other people (Is my girlfriend/boyfriend cheating on me?), find out specifically what the future has in store (What will be the name of my future spouse?), or ask for medical, legal, or investment advice (Is stock in Apple Computer worth buying?). Nowadays such questions are better asked of a dedicated fortune-telling deck such as the Petit Lenormand.
Tarot, on the other hand, has evolved to become a tool to tap into one’s intuition, understand one’s motivations, gain insight, and brainstorm. The modern focus on the use of the tarot has changed from fortune-telling to gaining perspective, clarifying issues, and taking responsibility for one’s life. The older fortune-telling aspects of tarot do not fit well with the current approach of empowering clients to make informed decisions. In fact, the majority of modern tarot readers prefer not to be viewed as fortune tellers.
From a modern perspective, the most useful questions are open-ended inquiries that help a client to flesh out a situation and lead to fresh insights into the issues involved in making a decision. The cards act as tools that enable us (the reader and the querent) to tap into our intuition and access our inner wisdom. We, and not the cards, provide the answers. To paraphrase President John F. Kennedy, a fortune-telling focus asks “what will the future do for me?” whereas a modern focus on empowerment asks “what can I do to affect my future?”
Productive tarot questions might be worded as follows:
- • What do I need to know about this situation to make a wise decision?
- • Are there any issues I should pay special attention to? What might I be ignoring?
- • What can I do in this situation to increase the chances of a favorable outcome?
- • How might I be working against my own best interests?
- • What role do I play in what is happening?
- • What is the best strategy if I wish to accomplish such and such, and what is best for me to avoid?
- • How can I improve my chances in this situation? What would be a good next step?
- • What obstacles do I need to confront to achieve my goals?
- • What do I most need to know about this situation? What am I not seeing clearly?
- • What can I learn from this situation or from my past mistakes?
- • Help me to understand my motivations so that I can see my way more clearly.
- • If I follow this particular path, how is the situation likely to evolve?
- • For general readings: what issues do I need to focus on in my life at this time?