Most people’s first impression of tarot looks a little like this: a psychic tucked into a dim corner behind velvet drapes, hunched over a crystal ball. She claims she can see your future in it.
Pop culture has us convinced tarot is mostly for predictions, but I’ll let you in on a secret: tarot is a mirror. It’s a tool that helps you access your inner world through archetypal imagery. Used intentionally, it can help you release years of emotional baggage. If you’ve never tried it, a free tarot reading is an easy place to start.
I’ve been a professional tarot reader for four years. When I first started, it was late winter of 2021 in Chicago. Lockdown was still in full swing. I’d just been laid off from my service industry job, and I was hunkering down until it was safe to work again. I was also sharing a one-bedroom apartment with an ex, and our relationship was pretty toxic.
Desperate for space, autonomy, and a way back to myself, I started seeking out readers. One in particular, Hannah Sparrow, saw me building a business with the cards before I’d ever started one. That same day, I ordered a classic Rider-Waite deck and dove in.
I integrated the cards into my journaling and asked question after question. What began as curiosity quickly spiraled into a spiritual awakening.
For the first time in my life, I’d found a tool that let me connect to myself and to Spirit like never before. I filled journals with readings for myself for months. Eventually, I gained the confidence to leave my ex and move back home for a fresh start.
Without the cards, it’s hard to say how long that would have taken me on my own. They affirmed everything I was already feeling. They gave me the push I needed to make a change.
When you’re willing to look within, tarot rewards you. It’s the perfect tool for seeing what you need to release.
Part of why the cards are so powerful is that their images speak to something primal we all recognize. They take us through the Fool’s journey: the path we all walk through life and the lessons we learn along the way.
Their imagery resonates with us broadly on purpose. Once you start unpacking the full complexity of each card, that’s when things get interesting.
The most powerful way to access the wisdom of tarot—which is really your own inner wisdom—is by asking the right questions. The cards aren’t there to make every decision for you. They’re there to show you what might be happening underneath the surface.
Even the tarot cards that look scary at first aren’t necessarily predicting disaster. Often, they’re pointing toward an ending, fear, change, or a pattern that needs your attention.
Sometimes the most useful tarot questions aren’t about what will happen. They’re about why you’re feeling stuck in the first place.
If you’re torn between two paths, pull a card for each one. One might give you the 8 of Pentacles, which can represent commitment, consistency, and hard work. The other might reveal the 8 of Swords, a card tied to anxiety and limiting beliefs. Looking at those cards together can help you understand your reaction to each choice without asking the deck to decide for you.
From there, go one layer deeper. You might ask, “Why am I afraid to choose the path I know is best for me?” Say you draw the Six of Cups, which can represent the inner child, alongside the Hierophant, a card connected to tradition and spiritual doctrine.
Suddenly, the real issue may look different. Maybe you’re carrying beliefs from childhood about being “good,” following a certain path, or keeping the people you love happy, even when those expectations no longer fit you.
Seeing that pattern gives you something tangible to work with. From there, you can start setting boundaries and making choices that feel more aligned with the life you actually want.
I always recommend journaling as a way to get to know the cards—and yourself—better.
Having something tangible to return to and reflect on helps the lessons stick long term. Journaling with your cards also slows you down, giving you time to digest the imagery and form personal associations with their meanings.
You don’t need an elaborate spread to do this, either. A single-card tarot draw gives you one image to sit with, explore, and write about without overcomplicating the message.
The cards reveal what you’re feeling, and the writing helps you process it. They’re the perfect pair.
Tarot can also help you understand why certain relationships, crushes, or situationships are so difficult to let go of.
If you find yourself drawn to someone you can’t find consistency with, get curious about what that person represents within you. What are you actually holding onto?
Let’s say you meet a cute guy at a bar while you’re traveling. He’s charming, you’re instantly into him, and within ten minutes you find out he’s about to leave the country for several months. Obviously, the timing is terrible. You follow each other on Instagram anyway.
Then he leaves, and somehow the connection gets even stronger. You’re texting late into the night, talking about everything, and falling into that delicious little fantasy where distance doesn’t seem like a real problem yet.
Until it does.
His replies start slowing down. He’s off having adventures and meeting new people, while you’re staring at your phone wondering what changed. Eventually, he basically disappears.
After the initial spiral, you decide to ask your cards why you got so attached in the first place. You pull the 3 of Wands, the 8 of Wands, and The Fool.
Travel. Fast-moving energy. Adventure. A leap into the unknown.
Oh.
Maybe it wasn’t just him. Maybe he woke up a part of you that’s been dying to get out, see the world, take a risk, and live a little more freely.
Now the heartbreak has something to teach you. You can stop making the whole story about the person who left and start asking what the experience revealed about the life you actually want.
We all carry emotional baggage. It’s our job to see what we’re carrying, where it came from, and how it’s showing up in our daily lives and relationships.
Tarot helps you see more clearly by simplifying a complicated situation into images and definitions. Sometimes, we just need a little help articulating what we’re feeling. If you’re not sure where to start, looking at how your zodiac sign handles pain can offer another way to recognize the coping patterns you tend to fall into when you’re hurting.
Tarot can also be incredibly powerful for peeking into the subconscious. Our actions are often automatic, but they can stem from experiences we’ve long forgotten. Asking the right questions is one key to healing this way. So is being willing to take accountability for your own healing.
The next time you’re feeling heavy or confused, sit with your cards and get honest about what lies within. Pull one to three cards for each question below and journal about what comes up.
Breathe through the tension, and trust that you’re ready to let go.