Tarot, Magic or Witchcraft?

To newcomers, some Tarot cards might appear intimidating at first glance. This initial fear stems from unfamiliarity and a sense of lacking control. However, it’s important to remember that fear itself is dangerous, not the Tarot. The Tarot represents the complete spectrum of the human condition—the good and the bad, the light and the dark. Rather than fearing these darker aspects of human nature, we should strive to understand them. The Tarot is essentially a storybook about life, encompassing both the magnificence of human achievement and the shadow sides we all possess.

Tarot is neither gypsy magic nor witchcraft. It is philosophy.

Throughout history, Tarot has sometimes been mischaracterized as something demonic. These fears, however, are entirely unfounded. Tarot cards themselves are incapable of being good or evil—they are simply playing cards. Only humans possess the capacity for moral choice between good and evil.

Regarding how and why Tarot works, several theories exist. One prominent explanation involves the Jungian principle of synchronicity. While we typically understand events as connected through cause and effect (the causality principle), psychologist Carl Gustav Jung proposed an alternative explanation around 1930. When two or more events appear related but cannot be explained by cause and effect alone, synchronicity offers an explanation. This theory addresses coincidences—related or similar events occurring simultaneously—that have no direct causal relationship yet are too improbable to be mere chance.