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I wonder if there is some benefit from the clients interpretation of the reading, even though the reading itself is nonsense. In the same way someone can flip a coin to help you make a decision, and you realise from your gut reaction what you actually wanted to do all along, but weren't consciously aware of
I used to work in a shop that could easily be described as "New Age" and it has a tarot reader there. Having looked at the history of tarot but being a complete sceptic, I asked for a reading one time to see for myself how they go.
Afterwards I asked her "it's a light therapy session, isn't it?" She responded "mostly."
That's pretty much what it is, cheap, basic therapy to help you sort through your thoughts, and shares some similarities with CBT. I'd still recommend therapy if you need it, but I don't mind people going to a tarot reader if that's what helps them. But I still think the mysticism side of it can be a problem for a variety of reasons.
Yeah, that's really all it is. It gets much more questionable and problematic when it's things like people claiming to channel dead loved ones.
Oh, 100 percent. There's much healthier ways to deal with that kind of grief.
One of my wife's former coworkers said she needed to stop looking into astrology, so I think some people definitely can get into it too much and worry too much about predictions, but on the whole I don't think astrology (specifically) is problematic as a whole.
But it is interesting that it does cause some people to discriminate against others based on their birthdays lol.
Even at its most harmless, astrology normalizes magical thinking and leaves the door open for more predatory things. Not that big a leap to alternative healing and psychics and other conmen persuading the naive away from legitimate help.
Yup that's exactly what pissed off Houdini so much that he ended his friendship with Arthur Conan Doyle.
I talk to my dead dad in my dreams (nothing deep--I usually say "hey, aren't you dead?" And he says "yep!" And then we discuss board games or dogs) and while it's comforting for me to maintain that connection to my memory of him, I'd be so absolutely pissed if some stranger tried to horn in on and pollute my memory of my dad.
Tarot is also a great way of reflection and introspection by giving external prompts which allow a jumping off point for story creation and reframing. Lot of creative processes recommend this external semi-random prompt because it changes you from your normal thoughts. This allows you to think about what happened or what you want to happen and gives a story and a new perspective. Humans are naturally story tellers and pattern seekers and this taps into that. This reframing is a evidence based therapeutic technique that works.
Also if it makes you feel better in your own head that means it works. Everything is based on our mental state so what is difference
yeah and don't forget the placebo effect
"today's gonna be a good day for you"
this is definitely the answer, and i don't get why people are so aggressive about shitting on people who just want a bit of fake mysticism in their lives. literally not hurting anyone to look at the stars and feel stuff
Until they charge $300 for a three hour reading, without disclosing the price or the time beforehand. And refer to all women as "goddesses". And ask for tastes of four different types of wine before getting the same thing they always get.