Wednesday, January 15, 2025

The Ethics of Using Tarot Cards: An Evolving Perspective

The Ethics of Using Tarot Cards: An Evolving Perspective

The world of Tarot has become embedded in Pagan culture. The recent use of Tarot imagery in the "Agatha All Along" television series is evidence that Tarot is also fairly well known in popular culture. In its long history, Tarot has evolved from common playing cards, to fortune telling, to an esoteric system, to a tool for personal exploration and self-reflection. It is complex to navigate the ethical implications surrounding Tarot practice, particularly regarding cultural appropriation, representation, and the responsibility that comes with utilizing these cards.


Images from the Visconti-Sforza Deck

A Brief History of Tarot

For the purposes of this essay, Tarot Cards are a deck of paper cards with images and usually numbers. The cards are typically divided into four suits and usually include a third category of cards that feature 'important' ideas/archetypes/concepts/principles/allegory. Tarot cards, as distinct from playing cards, are used for personal growth, religious instruction, or divination.

Ideas and Cards:

  • A Parade from Beggar to Lady Godiva: While some scholars suggest connections between medieval pageants and early Tarot imagery, there's no strong historical evidence directly linking them. The idea of pageant participants representing concepts that later became tarot archetypes is more of a speculative theory. Perhaps it belongs among theories of collective unconscious and persistent archetypes.
  • Asia: After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe was fractured into small communities, but Asia was thriving and had invented paper. The first paper cards with suits and numbers emerged in Korea. This technology and the use of cards for games made its way to Italy.
  • Focus on Playing Cards: Historical evidence strongly suggests that Tarot evolved from Renaissance playing cards.
  • History is Written by the Victors: Oral history and ideas are ephemeral, viewed through the cloudy dim glass of time. Our written history does not always reflect our lived experience. We do not (yet?) know where the ideas and images in Tarot came from, but we can stay open-minded.

Renaissance Italy and the Sforza Deck:

  • Tarocchi: The earliest known tarot decks emerged in 15th-century Italy, primarily for playing card games like Tarocchi. We do not know what influences formed the choice of symbols used in those cards.
  • Sforza Deck: The Visconti-Sforza deck is a famous and well-preserved example of these early Italian tarot decks. It provides valuable insights into the artistic and symbolic styles of the time.   

Roma/Romani Influence:

19th and 20th-Century Occultism:

  • Significant Impact: This period saw a resurgence of interest in Tarot, particularly among occultists and mystics.
  • Development of Esoteric Meanings: Occultists like Aleister Crowley and Arthur Edward Waite developed elaborate systems of symbolism and esoteric meanings for tarot cards, significantly influencing modern interpretations.
  • The Rider-Waite-Smith Deck: This deck, designed by Pamela Colman Smith under the guidance of Arthur Edward Waite, became highly influential and popularized many of the modern interpretations of Tarot symbolism.

Thoth Deck cc4.0

On the other hand, Tarot is merely a smaller subset of a larger tradition of cartomancy, and 'visio-divina' practiced all over the world. In Middle School, I learned cartomancy from a Malaysian woman. Srisamorn Souffer used a traditional Las Vegas poker deck. Perhaps cartomancy from another lineage fits better for you than Tarot.

Cultural Appropriation vs. Cultural Exchange


Cultural appropriation occurs when a member of a privileged group adopts elements from a marginalized culture without understanding or respecting the original context or significance. Examples in popular culture include wearing culturally significant clothing as a costume or utilizing sacred objects for aesthetic purposes. In the context of Tarot, this might manifest in commercialized decks that strip away significant cultural meaning or reduce complex traditions to mere aesthetics.

Conversely, cultural exchange involves mutual respect and acknowledgment between cultures, fostering understanding and collaboration. Engaging with Tarot ethically calls for due diligence, and honoring the origins and meanings behind the practice, images, and symbols used in Tarot practice.

Key to conversations about appropriation is the question of relative power. Just like humor turns into bullying when it punches down, exchange becomes appropriation when the direction of the borrow is from more marginalized to less marginalized.

I think of appropriation as on a continuum from theft to borrowing. Here are four types of cultural borrowing/appropriation:

Theft of Sacred Practices:

  • Description: This involves the outright appropriation of sacred or religious practices from marginalized communities by dominant groups. This includes practices like burning white sage, sweat lodges, the Sun Dance, and certain Yoruba songs and drum rhythms. These practices are often considered "closed," meaning they are not meant to be practiced outside the originating community. There is no evidence that tarot card reading has ever been considered a religious practice, nor tarot cards religious artifacts, by a marginalized culture. If any culture has a claim to Tarot as a religious artifact, it would be Neo-Paganism and Hermeticism. However, specific symbols, like the Kabbala tree of life as a tarot spread can be appropriation of mystical Jewish religious symbolism and certain practices related to fortune-telling are a part of closed Romani culture.
  • What to Do:
    • Respect the cultural significance and religious importance of these practices.
    • Seek to understand the potential harm caused by appropriating sacred rituals.
    • Learn about and build relationships with members of the originating community to gain deeper understanding and seek guidance.

Appropriation for Entertainment or Exoticism:

  • Description: This involves the use of cultural elements for entertainment, fashion, or personal gain without understanding or respecting their cultural significance. Examples include wearing "native dress" to a Halloween party, persons without ties to a dreadlock-wearing culture adopting dreadlocks, dressing like a "g****" to do tarot readings, or using cultural symbols as mere fashion trends.
  • What to Do:
    • Avoid the trivialization and commodification of cultural elements.
    • Recognize the potential for perpetuating harmful stereotypes and fetishizing other cultures.
    • Educate yourself about the cultural context and history of the practice and elements being used.

Exploitation of Cultural Practices for Profit:

  • Description: This occurs when individuals from privileged groups capitalize on cultural practices that are traditionally used for economic survival by marginalized communities. Examples include the mass production and sale of dreamcatchers, the commercialization of sweat lodges by non-Indigenous self-made 'gurus', offering high-dollar corporate teambuilding workshops utilizing djembes (without including any acknowledgment of the originating culture) and, arguably, reading Tarot for profit by non-Roma.
  • What To Do:
    • Recognize the potential for economic exploitation of marginalized communities.
    • Prioritize the well-being and economic stability of the originating community.
    • Support businesses and artisans within the originating community.

Borrowing, but Harming Relationship:

  • Description: This involves the use of cultural elements in ways that are insensitive, despite there being no explicit evidence of exploitation. For example, a person in a position of power wearing clothing from another culture may unintentionally signal that appropriation is OK. Also, participating in unstructured drum circles using the West African Djembe without knowledge of West Africa or Djembe music or referring to a meaningful trance journey as a "shamanic journey" without any knowledge or relationship to the Saami culture. 
  • What To Do:
    • Recognize the potential for unintended harm or misrepresentation.
    • Be mindful of the power dynamics and how one's actions might be perceived.
    • Prioritize cultural sensitivity, respecting the feelings and perspectives of others.

Important Note: These categories are not always distinct, nor are they comprehensive. There can be overlap between them.

By carefully considering these different levels of cultural appropriation, you can strive to engage with other cultures respectfully and ethically. Remember also, that there is no "perfect" path. Expect to fall short or over-compensate and frequently fail. What is important is not that you do this perfectly, but that you make a good-faith effort, with the willingness to learn and change.

Depth of Representation in the Cards

We've been talking about practices. What about the cards themselves? While Tarot has roots in European traditions, a growing recognition of human diversity has influenced its evolution. Many contemporary decks draw inspiration from various sources, incorporating aesthetics and themes from different traditions.

I was fortunate to encounter Tarot during a period of significant change and innovation. Many creators were developing decks that reflected a broader range of human experiences. These decks featured people of all genders, abilities, races, and body types. They featured desert, forest, coastal, and jungle landscapes, moving beyond the traditional Eurocentric imagery. They also explored themes beyond the confines of Medieval or Renaissance Europe, offering interpretations relevant to contemporary life.

However, this evolution raises important questions about cultural appropriation, especially when incorporating imagery from various cultures into “tarot” cards. For example, "Medicine Cards", a popular 1980s 'oracle' deck incorporating "spirit animals" drew criticism for inappropriately borrowing from Native American religious traditions and integrating them into a cartomancy context without proper understanding, relationship, or respect. Other examples are "The Ukiyoe Tarot Deck" (there is no tradition of "tarot" in Japan, and the deck was designed and commissioned by a Westerner, using a mishmash of Japanese, Buddhist, and Western imagery and archetypes) or the Book of Thoth (the deck that Aleister Crowley designed and Lady Frieda Harris drew, appropriates images from Jewish, Egyptian, Japanese, and other religious traditions.)

Some decks, like the Wildwood Tarot, emphasize connections with nature and use pre-Christian, Northern European imagery, providing a more intimate and inclusive representation than the classic Rider-Waite based decks. A fun variation (for instance the Tarot of the Cloisters or Oracle of the Dreamtime) offers a round design. This opens up nuanced, rather than polarized, interpretations. Other decks use photographs or art sourced from the community in which they arose. These are relatable and accessible, moving beyond deeply studied esoteric symbols. For instance: The Patella Tarot.

I urge Tarot practitioners to remain vigilant against tokenism, where representation exists without genuine inclusivity, relationship, or understanding. The creation of decks, and choices about which deck to use, are best when well-researched with explicit credit for the influences and intentions behind the images. This fosters a deeper connection and respect for diverse experiences.
Tarot of the Cloisters (Rider Waite-Smith imagery)

Responsibility in Practice

If you are not just reading cards for yourself, you have a responsibility to the querent (a querent is a person seeking a reading). Tarot readers and practitioners are ethically mandated to approach the cards with intention and mindfulness. Consent culture calls us to focus on the querent rather than some external authority of official meaning. Many well-inf
ormed practitioners utilize the Jungian approach to Tarot, emphasizing personal exploration and unconscious imagery rather than strict adherence to traditional symbol meanings and interpretations. For example, I draw from my studies of archetypes and the collective unconscious to enrich image interpretations.

I also use the practice of "Visio-Divina" - a term I derived from the practice of Lectio-Divina. This allows images to speak for themselves, similar to a Rorschach inkblot. Using Visio-Divina, I do not interpret the symbols on the cards based on a set of instructions. I work with the images, my 45 years of engagement with the images and other people's interpretations, the querent, and the querent's responses to the images. This operates much like dreamwork.

I found that a "tarot" deck of playfully anthropomorphized animals going about their days lends itself to this approach. There are MANY ways one can work with cards and with a person seeking guidance or insight. This is good news for those who wish to find new, ethical, ways to interact with the gift that is cartomancy. 


Tarot Caravan on Brighton Pier, UK CC2.0

Building Relationships and Contributing Positively

One of the most effective ways to ethically engage with Tarot is to foster relationships with the communities from which its imagery and practices are drawn. Developing an understanding of cultural contexts, seeking input from marginalized voices, and contributing positively to cultural conversations can help mitigate appropriation issues.

For many practices, including Tarot, relationship-building can manifest through respectful engagement, learning, and giving back to the communities involved. This may involve sourcing decks from creators who embody the cultures represented, or supporting local artisans and educators.


What are my action items? Is It Ethical to Use Tarot? Let's Explore:

  1. Know the Historical-Cultural Context:

    • What is the historical context of tarot?
      • Where did it originate?
      • How has it evolved over time?
      • Are there any documented instances of cultural appropriation or misuse throughout its history?
    • What is your relationship to the cultures where tarot originated?
      • Do you have any ancestral ties or personal connections to these cultures?
      • If not, how do you approach using tarot in a respectful and culturally sensitive manner?
      • Are there other forms of cartomancy that resonate more for you, after you've done your research?

  2. Accessibility & Equity:

    • Is tarot a closed practice?
      • Are there any barriers to access (financial, cultural, etc.) that you should be aware of?
      • How can you make your tarot practice more inclusive and accessible to others?
    • Are you potentially taking food out of someone's mouth by offering tarot readings professionally?
      • How can you ensure your practice is sustainable and ethical in terms of livelihood?

  3. Ethical Considerations in Practice:

    • How do you ensure the ethical use of tarot in your readings?
      • Informed consent: Do you clearly communicate the nature of your readings and obtain consent from your clients?
      • Confidentiality: How do you maintain client confidentiality and protect their privacy?
      • Power dynamics: Are you aware of and addressing potential power imbalances in the reader-client relationship?
      • Avoiding exploitation: How do you ensure that your tarot readings are not used to manipulate or exploit others?

  4. Personal Reflection:

    • What are your intentions for using tarot?
      • Are you using it for personal growth, self-reflection, or to help others?
    • How do you ground yourself and center yourself before and after a reading?
    • How do you ensure your own biases and beliefs are not unduly influencing the reading?

  5. Impact on Others:

    • Are there any relationships that might be harmed or soured because of your choice to use tarot cards?
      • How will you navigate potential conflicts or disagreements that may arise?
      • Imagine (or better yet, actually have) a respectful, humble, conversation with someone who you believe has a significant cultural relationship with Tarot.

  6. Care for Yourself:

    • Do emotions show up as you contemplate these questions? Does it feel like a lot of work? Are you feeling ashamed that you may have missed the mark or fearful that you may have to give up something precious to you?
      • How will you care for your real fear, grief, frustration, or other unwanted emotions, honoring your whole self, so that your choices can be wholehearted and clear?

By thoughtfully exploring these questions, you can develop a deeper understanding of the ethical implications of using Tarot and cultivate a more mindful and respectful practice.

Remember: This is an ongoing process of learning and reflection. There are no easy answers, and the ethical considerations surrounding Tarot will continue to evolve as our understanding of its history, culture, and impact grows. With compassion, we can fail forward!

Utilizing Tarot cards can be a profound, enlightening experience when approached with care, respect, and awareness of the broader social and cultural implications. By engaging with the Tarot through a lens of ethics and responsibility, practitioners can navigate the complexities of cultural appropriation and representation. This work will enrich your practice while honoring the traditions and communities that contributed to Tarot's evolution. In a rapidly changing world, Tarot offers a unique opportunity for introspection and dialogue—let's make sure we approach it with integrity.
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Footnotes/further reading

  1. Tarot History: 

    Patrick Maille, The Cards: The Evolution and Power of Tarot (Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2020).


    ;      "A Wicked Pack of Cards: The Origins of Occult Tarot" by Ronald Decker, Thierry Depaulis, and Michael Dummett (St. Martin's Press, 1996); Emily E. Auger, The Religion of Tarot: From Enthusiastic Pioneers to Contemporary Consumers (St. John’s, NL: Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2019).; Jewitches, “The Jewish History of Tarot,” Jewitches Blog, 2021, available online.
  2. Paganism and Tarot: Emily E. Auger, The Religion of Tarot: From Enthusiastic Pioneers to Contemporary Consumers (Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 2004). ; Joanne Pearson, Richard H. Roberts, and Geoffrey Samuel, eds., Nature Religion Today: Paganism in the Modern World (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1998). ; Michael F. Strmiska, ed., Modern Paganism in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives (Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2005).
  3. Jungian Psychology: Carl Jung, The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious (Princeton University Press, 1969); Sallie Nichols, Jung and Tarot: An Archetypal Journey (San Francisco: Weiser Books, 1980).
  4. Sforza Deck Scholarship: "The Visconti-Sforza Deck: A Study in Fifteenth-Century Italian Art" by Michael Dummett.
  5. Roma History and Culture: “Romani Studies: Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society” Published by Liverpool University Press. Biannual. Available in print and online through academic databases such as JSTOR, Project MUSE, and others.
  6. Hermeticism or Occultism: "The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Interpretation" by Stuart R. Kaplan (Llewellyn Publications, 1978), "Tarot and the Hermetic Tradition" by Donald Tyson (Llewellyn Publications, 2001)
  7. Rider-Waite-Smith: "The Pictorial Key to the Tarot" by Arthur Edward Waite (1910)
  8. Aleister Crowley: "Magick in Theory and Practice" by Aleister Crowley (1929)
  9. The Rider-Waite-Smith Deck: Maria Luisa P. de Freitas, The Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Deck: A Study in Icon and Iconography and Iconology According to Art History Theories and Jungian Archetypes (Unpublished Thesis, Academia.edu, accessed January 14, 2025), https://www.academia.edu/52509363; Emily E. Auger, Symbolism within the Tarot and Comparative Visual Analysis (Unpublished Thesis, University of Minnesota Conservancy, accessed January 14, 2025), https://conservancy.umn.edu. ; The Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot: A Tool for Spiritual Advancement and… (Unpublished Work, University of St. Thomas Research Online, accessed January 14, 2025), https://researchonline.stthomas.edu.
  10. Books on Cartomancy: Emily E. Auger, Cartomancy and Tarot in Film: 1940–2010 (Bristol, UK: Intellect Books, 2016). ; Patrick Maille, The Cards: The Evolution and Power of Tarot (Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2021).; Ã‰mile Grillot de Givry, Cartomancy and the Tarot (Kessinger Publishing, 2007). ; Michael Dummett, The Game of Tarot: From Ferrara to Salt Lake City (London: Duckworth, 1980). ; Gertrude Moakley, The Tarot Cards Painted by Bonifacio Bembo for the Visconti-Sforza Family: An Iconographic and Historical Study (New York: New York Public Library, 1966).
  11. Cultural Appropriation Scholarship: Liz Bucar, Stealing My Religion: Not Just Any Cultural Appropriation (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2022). This book delves into the ethical complexities of adopting religious practices and symbols across cultures, emphasizing the nuanced nature of such appropriations. ; “Appropriation as a Perspective and Topic in the Study of Religion and Spirituality,” Approaching Religion, thematic issue, 2020. This thematic issue explores various expressions of appropriation in religious and spiritual contexts, offering a nuanced perspective on the subject. ; “Cultural Appropriation in Modern Pagan Religions: Discourse and Praxis,” Journal of Modern Pagan Studies, vol. 5, no. 2, 2021. This paper examines how modern Pagan communities navigate the challenges of cultural appropriation, particularly concerning indigenous and traditional practices. ; “Stealing Their Culture and Religion? Uses (and Abuses?) of Cultural Appropriation,” Journal of Christian Mission and Theology, vol. 29, no. 3, 2017. This article addresses the negative experiences of non-Christians regarding Christian contextualization, shedding light on the complexities of religious appropriation.
  12. Ethics and Power: Campbell, A. G., Chin, J., & Voo, T. C. (2021). Principles of clinical ethics and their application to practice. Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine, 14, Article 3. Available from PubMed Central.

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