Shamanic Card Reading And Its Relationship To Tarot
While there aren’t many similarities between tarot and shamanic card readings at first glance, they do share a common belief system. From channeling spirit guides to helping us walk on the path towards enlightenment, there are many aspects that make shamanism different yet linked to tarot.
Shamanism is a term used to describe spiritual communication with a shaman or ‘one who knows’. Tarot card reading refers to the process of picking cards by a psychic with the help of spirits. While shamanism originated in North Asia and Siberia before thousands of centuries, Tarot card reading began in the 18th century.
Read on to find out the five differences that govern the similarities between shamanic and tarot card reading.
Differences vs Similarities
When it comes to shamanism, a shaman will be the one to communicate with spirits. With tarot cards, the spirits are invoked when the cards are read.
Cosmology
Tarot cards consist of four suits, numbered cards, court cards, and arcana cards. In theory, the entire universe exists within the tarot deck with every card representing a place, person, or event. Major arcana cards refer to big secrets while the minors cards refer to the small secrets.
On the other hand, shamanism structures the universe into three different worlds: upper, middle, and lower. On top of it, shamanism also differentiates ordinary reality from non-ordinary reality. In essence, the shamanic journey aims to connect the upper world with the lower or middle worlds and vice-versa.
While each defines the cosmos differently, they both bring forth a structured way to define our conscious experiences.
Divine Answers
One of the earliest reasons tarot cards were used was to find the meanings and answers to all of life’s burning questions.
Shamanistic journeys are defined as the ritualistic actions taken to find answers offered by a shaman via communication with spirits. When a shaman reads a card, the spirits of his ancestors and native Gods appear.
Conversely, tarot involves psychics picking cards to answer a question asked with the help of spiritual energies. Both are different, yet similar types of journeys.
Unlike a love reading online, both tarot card readings and shamanic journeys can be conducted for someone else or on behalf of someone else.
Reading Approach
There are two things that affect a tarot reading or shamanic journey: the skill of the practitioner and the will/clarity of the diviner. The main difference between the two is that tarot cards can be used to answer several questions in one spread. This is unlike shamanic journeys which are often in search of one divine answer. Additionally, you can do multiple tarot sessions in under-30-minutes, unlike shamanic journeys.
Similarly, just as tarot cards use animal and symbolic cards, shamanism also taps into animal, symbolic, and perceptual knowledge to define the structure of the cosmos.
While tarot readings are often quicker than a shamanic journey, the differing approaches bring insightful results whichever reading you decide to choose.
The Reader's Influence
Another little-known difference regarding the similarity of tarot cards and shamanism is how the psychic or shaman interprets the cards and experiences.
While there are clear-cut meanings to every card in tarot, the way it’s defined differs from practitioner-to-practitioner as it's mixed with subjective interpretations. The same is true for shamanism too. When communicating spiritual messages, their own interpretations can superimpose, haze, or blur the actual experience with other memories.
Simply put, psychic card readers and shamans don’t define the meanings or journey experiences, but rather interpret them. This is mostly because it’s not their own personal experience.
Intention
Based on the intention of the practitioner, different spirit communication can surface during a love reading or journey. The basic intention of a psychic or shaman is to help. Most practitioners convey the experience and the information that’s discovered after the session is over.
While shamans set the intention for the session or ceremony before beginning it, a tarot deck can be used for setting intentions. You can manifest goals and affirmations with a deck of cards.
A shaman is governed by three elements: intent, control over emotions, and the skills they acquired. Setting your intention for the journey is crucial to the success of your experience as it helps direct the journey.
Conclusion
When you begin to break down the differences between shamanism and tarot card readings, both have the same essence but with a different structure regarding the cosmos. The way of seeking answers and the approaches used to communicate with the spirits as well as the setting of the intentions do indeed differ. However, both will bring you to the same destination.
From shamanic readings to traditional tarot card readings, see how you can get started with cartomancy readings today.