Can you read Tarot without Cards?

Can you read Tarot without Cards?

There are discussions that pop up from time to time on social media sites where people debate the idea that tarot readings can be done using electronic devices rather than cards.

Some people feel that the cards are required for a reading, since the energies of the Seeker and the Practitioner* will help determine the cards that come up,  and if there are no cards to handle the energy transfer cannot happen.
Others feel that the various Tarot apps are great for personal readings or a "card of the day" guidance, but not something they would ever use for readings for other people.
Some folks seem to believe that the Tarot apps are great learning tools that we can use when we don't have cards with us (???).

My take on this is a combination of all three views.  The energies of the Seeker and the Practitioner are definitely a part of any reading, but physical contact with the cards is not necessary for the Seeker.  Readings by email, Skype and phone are common, and few people seem to question the validity of these methods.  I did a lot of email readings for the Free Reading Network and with a little meditation and reflection on the cards I drew, I managed to get a lot of responses telling me how accurate I was.

There are Facebook Groups that offer reading exchanges so people can practice their skills,  and a myriad of websites that offer readings for a fee.  In all of these cases, the physical presence of the Seeker is not required, and no one seems to question that.  The Seeker is present in the reading even if they are not physically with the Practitioner. If the Seeker can be part of a reading without being physically present, then the idea that the cards can be part of a reading without them being physically present is not too far fetched.

Several theories of the ways the Universe works suggest that everything is connected on some level, and communication is possible among seemingly distinct entities with no obvious contact,  This communication speaks to us through symbols that we each need to interpret.  That is what the Tarot cards show us - symbols that we interpret based on the layout of the cards, the question and our own intuition. If the specific symbols are shown to us because of the connection between the Seeker and the Practitioner, and they are valid without the Seeker's presence, then the display of the symbols does not rely on physical cards to be present in the reading. And if the symbols are produced through a device that uses images of the Tarot cards, they should be just as valid for interpretation as physical cards are,

Having said all that, I rarely use the Tarot apps I have for reading other people.  The ritual of shuffling the cards and laying them out provides a way for me to focus on what is about to come and accept the message I will get from the cards. Most people have an expectation of how a reading is supposed to proceed, in style if not in substance. Shuffling the deck and placing the cards out on the  table is part of a reading as far as many people are concerned, and that shared experience helps the parties to connect with each other on some level. (That connection will play a part in the reading, for good or for bad.)

If the reading is not in person, then the method of the reading changes. E-mail,  Skype and phone calls each require a different approach.  Email isn't as immediate as real-time communication, so there is some time to concentrate on the cards and how to phrase what you will write. Talking with someone  on the phone requires some back and forth discussion, and video conferencing is almost the same as in person.  But even though the details change for different reading mediums, the same basics apply as they would in a face-to-face reading.

As far as using Tarot apps for personal learning and practice readings, the apps offer several functions that make this a great way to do this. Not all apps have all the same functions, but most will provide a card of the day, built in spreads and options on how to choose the cards from the virtual deck.  I have several that I check each day. I have one app on my phone, and I get a 3 card "spread" on my tablet each day with the "card of the day" widgets from 3 different Tarot apps. And if you are on the train or bus you can spend some time with your virtual cards and save the spread for later!

Using an app to do a reading for another person is a personal choice, and I believe it should be discussed with the Seeker beforehand.  At the same time, I do not see any reason not to use the apps as just another tool in the way that  the cards are drawn other than personal prejudice or preference. If I were in a situation where someone wanted a reading and the only thing  keeping that from happening was access to a deck, I would not hesitate to suggest using the apps on my phone or tablet.

There are many Tarot apps that can be found for smart phones and tablets. Over the course of the next several posts I will be sharing my experience with the ones I have tried and those I use regularly.  In the mean time please feel free to add your thoughts and suggestions for apps below!





* I use the terms Seeker and Practitioner in place of Querant and Reader  after reading Benebell Wen's "Holistic Tarot".  The explanation she has is much better than anything I can articulate, and you owe it to your self to get a copy of this book!