The Keeper's Path

I Didn’t Like My Tarot Reading
So I had my tarot read yesterday and was not at all happy with my reading. Not the tarot itself, but the reader of my cards. Maybe it’s just me, but it was a standard deck, and someone I don’t feel had enough training to be reading my tarot. I really like the person she is a very educated Wiccan and I find myself getting involved with her spiritually, but how do I nicely let her know I was not pleased with my tarot reading? And is there someone who can do a reading for me? My life is at a point I need some help. Thank you in advance.

Blessed be,

–P.C.

Hello P.C.,

I’m not sure what you mean by standard deck. The reader chooses and uses the deck they feel works best for them. The querent (you, in this case) does not. If your reader uses that deck, then that’s the deck. I think your displeasure at the choice of a “standard deck” is probably too picky on your part. The exception to this is if your reader chooses a deck that you find extremely upsetting or triggering for some reason. For example, there are decks that specifically use dark or morbid artistry. If you have a deep-seated discomfort around things of this nature, that’s not going to be a good deck for you to get a reading with.

I can understand being unsatisfied with a beginner, but if you know the person is not experienced, what are you expecting? Also, was the reading done for free or did you pay? If you paid, was it a fair price for a beginner to charge? If it was free, what are you complaining about? 🙂

Were you unhappy with what the cards said or were you unhappy with your reader?

Sometimes the cards don’t tell us what we want to hear. If that’s what happened then I suggest you take it for what it is and use it to your highest benefit. As for what to tell your reader, I think, “Thank you for reading my cards,” is fine. If you didn’t like her reading, don’t go to her again. If she asks for feedback, be honest and kind. Offer suggestions you think will help her to improve in the future. If you don’t know what to suggest, say that.

As for getting a reading from someone else, I would look for Occult/Spiritual/New Age stores in your area. They will often have readers available, either employees of the shop, or contact with local people who offer this service. It’s fair to ask for references and recommendations, but I recommend reading a book on tarot for yourself prior to going so that you have a balanced idea of what to expect. This is for your benefit so that you aren’t under disillusionment of what you think a reading should be like, and what it is actually like to have your cards read by a skilled reader. On average, $35 is a fair price for at least a 30-minute session. Individual readers will charge more or less, but if you’re getting a reading for $50 for 15-minutes, ask for references first.

Good luck and blessings in your endeavors!

I’m Interested In Learning Witchcraft, But What About the Devil?

I’m very interested in learning Witchcraft, but I’m having a really hard time getting a solid answer on one thing: Is Witchcraft connected to the Devil? Do Witches worship the Devil? This is really bothering me because I don’t know what I’m supposed to do or where to get the real answers. I’m not even talking about all the church stuff that says this. Witches don’t even have a straight answer because some say yes and some say no. Please help.

Connie

Hello Connie,

I understand where you’re coming from and I will try to help answer and clarify this to the best of my ability. This is a very complex question and goes much deeper than a simple “yes” or “no,” so please bear with me as we unpack it.

The reason there are conflicting answers to this question is because there isn’t a definitive answer. You can legitimately find source material on every side that will point you in a different direction.

The key thing to understanding how this works is to recognize the difference between something being Orthodoxic –having the right belief, and Orthopraxic–doing the right practice.

I have a post that goes into more specific detail on Orthopraxic vs. Orthodoxic here.

Witchcraft is more Orthopraxic. Christianity (and other monotheist religions that believe in a Devil) are more Orthodoxic. This means that for Witches, the practice is what matters, even more than the belief. This is why there are so many varied and accepted beliefs within Witchcraft as to who or what the gods are, how to work magic, and everything else. Because to Witches, it matters less that you follow a particular belief, and more that you actually DO Witchcraft. The beliefs are formed after you do the practice, because the beliefs come from your own experiences doing the practice.

Why do Witches believe in reincarnation or the existence of a spirit after death? Not because we are told we should believe. It’s because we do practices that work with communicating with our ancestors, our Beloved and Mighty Dead, because we see auras or practice astral projection… and so forth.

Even within specific Traditions of Witchcraft, it’s not really the beliefs that are passed down, it’s the practices. So long as you find truth to the system, and it works for you, you’re effectively operating within that ‘belief’ because you’re doing the ‘practice’ that goes with it.

So, to Witches who don’t believe in or work with a Devil, he doesn’t exist, because within the realm of that Witch’s practice, he’s simply not a part of it. Most of us either don’t believe in him, or don’t work with him, as he’s a concept of specific branches of monotheistic (One God) religions and not polytheistic (plural Gods) religions.

If a Witch or a group of Witches determines for themselves that a Devil is who or what they want to work with, that’s within their rights. Just as with any belief in a deity within Paganism, you’ll find people who think of him as a divine power or supernatural force, who think of him as a figurehead of human intelligence, or who think of him as a mythological being from different cultures and systems and take a more scholastic approach to him.

On the other side of things, if you are more of an Orthodoxic person, where you place your value on the beliefs of a system, (I’m sure there are some Witches out there somewhere that this applies to, but I don’t think I’ve met many in the more than three decades I’ve been doing this!) then you’re going to really struggle within any Pagan tradition because that’s just not how we operate. The dogmatic “You must believe THIS in order to be a real ___!” Just won’t fly over here, and when those who are inexperienced or ignorant enough try it, the rest of us will kindly boot them in the behind or wait for the gods to smack them with the all-knowing brick of ‘shut your fool mouth and listen!’

As for asking if Witchcraft is connected to the Devil, this sounds entirely rooted in the belief that there is only one God and everything else that’s not specifically of that one God, must be of the Devil. If that is what you’re concerned about, if you believe that, then it’s going to be how you view the world.

You might as well ask a Christian if they worship Zeus. Because to those who claim that the Devil disguises himself as other beings, but don’t accept it if someone tells them that Zeus is disguising himself as their god to deceive those within their religion, it sounds silly, doesn’t it?

Yeah, we think so too.

I don’t really have a simple answer for you. If your views are based in what you believe, this is something that will continue to be debated as long as there are people who want to know what a god is. You will never find an absolute answer to this beyond what you personally accept.

So, in summary. Is there a Devil in Witchcraft? Yes, if you put him there. No, if you do not. Either is 100 percent valid, depending on what you choose to practice or believe.