Justice represents acting according to ethical principles, taking responsibility for your actions and understanding that every action has a consequence. Being just and fair is important not only for tarot readers, but for all of us.
Talking about ethics in tarot reading is a delicate subject and the opinions on what is considered appropriate to say and do within a reading vary a lot. It’s not my intention to impose rules on anyone, but I would like to clarify my personal position on this subject.
Rachel Pollack, one of tarot’s foremost masters, wrote that when she reads for someone, she “takes responsibility for directing that person in a positive direction.”
I agree with her. Even if the cards are difficult, it is possible to extract good advice from them and somehow help to shed light on the person’s path, so that their choices can be the most appropriate, within a given context.
Some other important guidelines I take into consideration:
1️⃣ The future is not set in stone, and anyone can change the projected outcome of the cards, with a change of their present mindset and behavior. This must be clear to the querent.
2️⃣ Only the querent can make a decision, not the tarot reader nor the cards. Each one is responsible for his or her choices.
3️⃣ I avoid talking about 4 subjects: death, disease, disaster and divorce (the so-called “4Ds”), themes also avoided by many other readers, such as Mary K. Greer (see link in bio: “What Every Newbie Tarot Reader Should Know”).
Personally, I see no benefit in talking about these matters, other than cast a shadow of fear and anxiety in the querent’s mind. I believe that it is possible to convey all the necessary message shown by the cards, without making the querent (more) worried or anxious.
⚠️ If you are receiving a tarot reading, my suggestion is: whatever your position, clarify in advance what your expectations are. If you don’t want to know about more sensitive subjects, let the reader know. It’s a right you have.
🌞 As a general rule, remember:
The tarot should be used to illuminate the paths, not to cast shadows on them.
📕 Most ethical principles related to the tarot are very well explained in the following documents:
✅ Tarot Code of Ethics, written in Barcelona in 2013 by Mariló Casals School (in Spanish):
✅ Code of the American Tarot Association:
https://www.ata-tarot.com/images/members/ethicaltarot4.pdf
✅Code of the International Tarot Foundation:
https://www.internationaltarotfoundation.com/our-mission-AIM
✨
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