“You must be gifted your first deck.”
What?! Years into self-study and practice, I was confronted with this “rule” from a respected reader. You’d think my years of experience would let me just shrug it off. Nope.
Instead, this turned-out-to-be common saying made me question myself. Not the myth; myself. Did I start the journey wrong? Can I still be gifted a deck? Am I a fraud?!
There's no truth whatsoever to this silly saying. The exact origin of the myth is unknown. Perhaps it was started in efforts to differentiate between authentic readers and frauds. Maybe it’s just gatekeeping. Afterall, like all myths about the cards, it served the purpose of keeping people from exploring Tarot.
Tarot Myths Keep You in the Dark
It’s not just the myths spread within the Tarot community that keep people away. Many myths about Tarot are nonsense and ensure people have no desire to go anywhere near the cards. “Tarot is evil.” “It predicts a fixed future.” “If you touch a deck, you’ll be damned forever.” These aren’t well-intentioned guidance; they’re scare tactics. They keep curious seekers away and fearful.
Let’s pull back the curtain on the most common myths I encounter and free you from the rules that never really existed.
The Debunked Myths You Can Ignore
Myth #1 – One Fixed Meaning
“I’ll never be able to memorize 78 card meanings!” There may be 78 cards in a traditional Tarot deck, but there are way more than 78 meanings among them! Each card represents a particular theme or aspect of human life. The exact meaning of each is tricky to work out because of the complexity of context.
For example, the Death card doesn’t represent someone dying. Rather, it can mean a major transformation, the need to see the beauty in a loss, the end of a challenge or lifestyle, or even a need to acknowledge the grief of others.
Yes, learning the Tarot can be intimidating at first. But memorizing exact meanings of cards is missing the intuitive part of the practice. Tarot is a tool, not laws set in stone.
Myth #2 – Only Psychics Learn Tarot
If there’s any truth to this myth, it’s that we’re all psychic in some capacity and to some degree. So, basically, anyone can learn Tarot! For those who have notable psychic or spiritual giftedness, Tarot is a common tool they use to tap into those skills. However, psychic skills and spiritual gifts aren’t dependent on such tools. The only true requirement for learning Tarot is curiosity, not a pre-existing psychic gift.
Myth #3 – Cards are "Good" or "Bad"
Whether the card is “good” or “bad” depends on the context of the card and personal perspectives. A card isn’t inherently one or the other.
For example, the Tower card is often met with a long sigh or a “gut-punch” feeling. However, this reaction is a trained one. The Tower certainly requires us to pay attention to it. It’s representing something that can’t be ignored. But that something can be a godsend. Think of a time in your life when it felt like the sky was falling and the ground was giving way beneath your feet. Did you live? What was born out of that experience? Did you get to rebuild something even better? Even stronger? That is the gift of the Tower.
Myth #4 – Reversed Cards are Negative
Just as a card can’t be “good” or “bad”, the way the card appears (upright vs. upside down) doesn’t signify positive or negative meanings. Some interpret reversals as there being some sort of challenge to the card. Others see it as an opposite meaning. But most importantly:
Not all readers use reversals. We recognize all possibilities represented in a card no matter how it shows up.
Myth #5 – Cursed Decks
This one is probably as old as Tarot. Like the myths of Tarot being evil or used by evil, the idea that Tarot decks are inherently cursed or haunted is just false. This was yet another scare tactic to keep people away from both exploring Tarot for themselves and associating with people who read Tarot. Where there is prejudice, discrimination will follow.
Myth #6 – Must Shuffle One Way
Again, just no. I’d been happily reading Tarot for well over a decade before anyone told me I needed to stop riffle shuffling my cards. I shuffle Tarot cards this way because that’s how I learned to shuffle playing cards. I didn’t even consider that there could be other ways to do it!
By the time I was critiqued, I had, of course, been exposed to a host of different ways of shuffling. These certainly come in handy when dealing with tiny oracle card decks of only 20 or 30 cards. But my Tarot decks just don’t feel properly shuffled without that riffle! How can I be expected to trust that the next reading I give is accurate if it doesn’t feel–to me–that the deck is shuffled right?
Shuffle your cards the way that makes sense for you. You may find you shuffle differently depending on the size or cardstock of the decks. Or you may be committed to only using decks you can shuffle your way. Tarot is your tool. Do you.
Myth #7 - Rigid Rituals Required
Smoke cleansing, crystals, candles, ten‑minute meditations, tea ceremonies, special prayers—none are universal mandates.
Although most professional readers will swear by a particular set of rituals prior to readings, no two readers have the exact same rituals. Whether you’re reading Tarot just for yourself or for others, professionally or not, you aren’t limited to the rituals you have. Do what feels right for you to activate the mindset you need to feel in the moment and present for the reading. Experiment with it until you find what works for you and change it when you feel a need. The only real ritual is the one that connects you to your intuition.
The heart of Tarot isn't found in rigid rules or fearing 'bad' cards. It’s time to let go of the stereotypes and think for yourself. Tarot’s reality is found in the conversation it sparks—with yourself, your intuition, and your own boundless potential. Forget the myths. Your practice is yours to create.
Ready to experience Tarot without the myths? My readings focus on clarity, empowerment, and practical insight—no gatekeeping, no fear, just guidance. Book an Empowered Tarot Session to see what Tarot is truly about.
In Light & Love, Evylyn Rose
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