Three Tarot Myths

There’s a lot of misinformation about Tarot and Divination out there. People say the strangest things — including telling me I’m doing the Devil’s work. If they only knew, I believe in the same God they do.

Here’s the fact though: Some of what you hear about Tarot? Myths.

1. You have to be gifted your first deck

   False. This one has been floating around for a while, but there’s no real historical proof that it was ever a “rule.” In fact, when tarot first started being used for divination, people either bought their own decks or made them.

   
   

   1. So where did this idea come from? A couple of places, most likely. Back in the day, decks weren’t mass-produced like they are now. They were rare, sometimes expensive, and often passed down like treasures. Over time, that practice may have morphed into the belief that your first deck had to be gifted.

      
      

   2. Another angle is good old-fashioned gatekeeping. If you tell people they can’t start until someone else “initiates” them with a deck, you automatically limit who gets to read the cards. This shows up in other spiritual traditions too—like certain forms of shamanism, where you aren’t considered truly “chosen” unless another shaman approaches you first. It creates an aura of exclusivity and mystery, but it’s not the only way to walk the path.

   
   

   Bottom line: if a deck calls to you, buy it. Choosing a deck that resonates with you is often the first step in building a real connection with the cards. Don’t wait around for permission to start your journey. I didn't.

   
   

2. Tarot Conjures the Devil

   False. Tarot began as a card game in 15th-century Italy, right at the end of the Middle Ages. This was a time when art, symbolism, and free thought were on the rise — the perfect setting for a tool like tarot to evolve.

   
   

   1. Religious fear. The Christian Church had a long history of opposing divination and healing outside its authority. Practices like tarot were seen as dangerous because they suggested access to hidden knowledge apart from God. The fear was that people could be led into heresy or away from the Church’s teachings — and the Devil card became an easy scapegoat.

      
      

   2. Right, the Devil card itself didn’t help. When the Major Arcana were created, one of the cards was “The Devil.” Like all tarot symbolism, it’s metaphorical — representing temptation, illusions, and being chained by unhealthy attachments. But to a Church already suspicious of fortune-telling, the imagery of horns, fire, and chains looked like proof of evil

      
      

   Bottom line: Tarot doesn’t conjure evil. It’s not about demons or spirits — it’s a mirror, helping you see where you may be stuck and need adjustments.

   
   

3. You have to memorize EVERY card

   This is nonsense. Over time and with practice you will naturally learn every card. But to begin and read for yourself or others does not require a vast in depth knowledge from the get.

   
   

   1. Use the guidebooks, the pamphlets, the internet. They are all there for a reason. Even seasoned readers still reference them, and it doesn’t make you any less intuitive.

      
      

   2. Look at the IMAGERY. This is a big one. The Rider–Waite deck, one of the most widely used today, and my favorite, is packed with symbolism. Every card tells a story through numbers, colors, and imagery. The details are there to spark your intuition — you can read the “feel” of a card without memorizing a dictionary definition.

      
      

   Bottom line: Tarot is a language, and you don’t learn a language overnight. Start with the basics, let the images speak to you, and the meanings will naturally become second nature with practice.

There are plenty of Tarot myths out there — I’m sure I haven’t heard them all. But these three are some of the biggest I see floating around time and again. If you feel called to get a deck, get a deck. If something inside you says it’s not right, then don’t. Trust your intuition above all else — that’s the most important guide you’ll ever have on your journey.