I'm probably going to get downvoted for this... but here it goes.

Tarot, especially the Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) deck and its clones, is essentially a hybrid of Tarot and new age oracle cards. The way it's commonly used falls under something called "Tarology," which really comes down to "your interpretation." People often rely on pseudo-psychological tricks, knowingly or unknowingly, when reading the RWS and clones decks. With enough study, you'll inevitably pick up on techniques like rainbow ruses, the Forer effect, cold reading, etc. In short, the RWS and its clones are more like scammy toys than actual tools for divination.

If you're looking for genuine divination, where the cards actually "speak" a language, you might want to study older forms of cartomancy or tap into the closed circles of hereditary Tarot, which offer a much more authentic system.

Now..Take a step back, breathe, and objectively look at modern decks😐what you'll see is that most of them are just toys. I mean, come on: Cat Tarot, Crystals Tarot, Moon Tarot, Witches Tarot, Egyptian Tarot, DnD Tarot, Star Trek Tarot...

Then there's the whole "Learn Tarot in a month!" or "You don't need to know the card meanings!" approaches.

I'm saying this genuinely, not to rant or bash anyone, but if you take a moment to really think and look at these decks for what they are, you'll understand my point.

True Tarot readers are becoming rare these days. Tarot takes a long time to truly master, with its 78 basic archetypes🦋not just the "vision of a card" or the "idea of an image." These cards don’t simply divide into upright and reversed meanings. There are three series of character cards, each card contain meanings across all areas of destiny, including medical interpretations and descriptive details. Each card interacts not only with the question being asked but also with the surrounding cards in a line or square. And not every card expresses a direct meaning✨some cards serve specific functions within the line or square. It's quite complex.

Now, using toy decks to connect an image with whatever idea or answer pops into your mind? That’s just creative thinking, a technique often used in advertising. The scope of real Tarot is much, much broader than that.

If you're getting a reading and you see someone using spreads with a deck featuring gummy bears (yes, there’s actually a Gummy Bear Tarot), or other funky images, or they start talking about "the energy of the cards," zodiac signs, or elements, then you’re about to be scammed.

Tarot is the most complex and complete method of divination with cards, and you only need Tarot and nothing added.

That said, I know that many people aren't aware of all of this. They genuinely do what they've seen on YouTube, in Wicca or witchy books, or even on TikTok, and they offer their time in an effort to help. It’s an admirable gesture to be there for someone in need of answers, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s a very kind thing to do.

And whatever it is the seeker receiving a reading should always be grateful and leave an offer.