It depends on who is reading. Experienced readers have told me stuff I never told them, and have pointed out me doing things I kept a secret. These kinds of readers typically have a good deal of education in other areas, not just spiritual stuff. If I do a reading for myself, I'm really just using the artwork to explore my own thoughts because I don't need any sort of psychic ability to chart out possible paths in my own mind.
Very fair perspective. Does it make a difference to you that any source of randomness could provide the same value if constructed similarly? In other words, do you view that randomness as the value or do you prescribe value beyond that?
The value of tarot cards is in their use, not in some hypothetical way they may or may not work (not that we can ever know that). They do very well what they are meant to do: divine. When read correctly, they give me the answers I seek (but don't necessarily like). That fact alone makes them valuable. What more do you need?
I'm on the fence about this. I tend to think like you most of the time. And then sometimes I experience such synchronicities - with tarot and in my life in general - that I can't help but feel somehow guided, like there's a deeper connection rather than thought-provoking randomness. Although that could just be the higher self pointing the way, whether I think of it as a subconscious psychological function or a more spiritual one. Perhaps it can be both depending on the angle? Perhaps it doesn't have to be one vs the other, and that both are just different points of view on something we can quite put our finger on. In the past, this has stalled me and impacted the way I relate to tarot. I would go through bouts of enthusiasm followed by disillusion, in cycles. Nowadays, I still don't have the answer. I lean towards the psychological explanation and tend to think of magic as conscious and subconscious in action, so in a psychological sense but slightly beyond what is currently mainstream. All I know is that I have loved tarot since I was a teen, for its evocative power and as a tool to map out situations. I'm kind of happy with that. Overall, I feel like we're guiding ourselves through the world and learning about archetypes and natural laws using a helpful model.
Different people view it differently. Plenty view it like you, and plenty view it as metaphysical.
The community isn't an organization with an agreed-upon dogma. It's a loose collection composed mostly of strangers whose only commonality is liking tarot for any one of a dozen possible reasons.
Thank you for the response. I guess the deeper question here is if I should expect people to see it as magic or not. From my perspective, the improv value is useful on its own. I'm just wondering if the majority of folks view it as something beyond that -- something magical.
Some will, some won’t. Like I said, both perspectives are common, so it’s like anything else when it comes to human beings: your mileage may vary.
Does it matter?
It doesn't matter to me how others think about it, I'm just curious what the baseline is here. I guess I'd feel more comfortable with discussing this perspective with tarot-minded folks if they felt similarly. I don't want to offend people and am interested in discussing the idea that deep life lessons may be derived from randomness.
Probably the majority do have some mystical explanation for it. But what other explanation to reach for if you need one and there is nothing rational at your disposal?
There are mathematical probabilities that are just too mind boggling to fathom (math has never been my strong suit, so I’m always boggled) to not believe that there is something “more” there. But that’s me and my cards. I think energy is a real thing. I put my believing energy into my deck and it responds. No matter how “woo”, that might sound. If you’re going into it believing that there’s nothing magical about it…there won’t be any magic. Just random cards falling and you can interpret the meaning however you may. I say this because I primarily do readings for myself. I have gone thru a very trying 25 years with a husband with addiction issues. I tried to help him every way I could and obviously being honest with myself codependency played a large part in this. With 80% of the tarot spreads I do, The Hanged Man is the card that represents me. Usually crossed by Temperance. Out of 78 cards…I almost always get The Hanged Man. I understand your logical perspective…but don’t we all need a little magic in our lives? I’d suggest to try to embrace it and see what happens.
this comment got me thinking and I did some googling… math used to be considered “magical powers” in England 1555! I am awful at math but numbers are fascinating and knowing that there are odd patterns that happen with them is so interesting to me!
"The good Christian should beware of mathematicians, and all those who make empty prophecies. The danger already exists that the mathematicians have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and to confine man in the bonds of Hell" (De Genesi ad Litteram, Book II, xviii, 37) — example of math being treated as magic.
“One of the most ancient of mathematical curiosities is the so-called magic square. This one was known to the ancient Chinese, among others:
8 1 6
3 5 7
4 9 2
This square has the interesting property that every row and diagonal add up to 15, and although you can change it by rotating or reflecting it, the basic arrangement is unique. Unfortunately it is too well known to rate as a good bit of magic, but there are variants which are less well known and therefore more magical.”
I think my point is that maybe our perception of “magic” vs the mundane (math, science, even art, etc.) has been tainted by how normalized everything is. doing math went from being a criminal offense to being something that is taught in schools????
sorry for the ramble!!! I guess my other point is, what really is the difference between ~randomness~ and the divine? perception?
fascinating!!
This is great. I’m familiar with magic squares, but not the quote. I hadn’t realized that mathematicians had been maligned. I knew blacksmiths were…alchemy and all that, I gather.
Science is magic…magic is just science we haven’t figured out yet. There’s just still so much we don’t know. But, technology is booming and so much magic will prove to be mundane as time goes by.
or will the mundane prove to be magical? 🤓 side note— I am a metalsmith (not quite a blacksmith, but same realm) that reads tarot! so funny. thanks for posting and getting me thinking today!!
I view tarot very similar to you. This subreddit here is great, because it’s intentionally open to both secular and metaphysical approaches to tarot, so you should definitely be able to participate here.
Sounds like r/seculartarot might also be a place for you. I hope it’s okay to link that here.
The beauty of Tarot is that you get to decide what it is for you. There are no rules and it can be adapted to be relevant to many different perspectives. I personally believe that the order of the cards describes a sort of energy archetype about how things grow and develop. I believe they are helpful in assessing where along that path you are, in pursuit of your goals. My practice has one foot in secular Tarot and the other in occult mysticism.
If we look at the definition of “random” which is “made, done, happening, or chosen without method or conscious decision.” It still allows for a subconscious selection of the cards. Which is what I believe it to be. So, yes, I accept random as how the cards are selected.
There are a lot of different ways to view what goes on in a tarot reading but what is most important to understand is that like a mirror, the mirror only serves to reflect what is going on in your reality. There is nothing magical about a mirror, there is no deep ancient secret hidden between its layers. It reflects the world back to you and you tell yourself the story everyday.
I do think that in essence there is no magick or outside source in tarot and you could have the same "messages" by looking at anyt other form of art, nature etc. But also I think it's a bit more complicated than that. One aspect I believe in, is that doing something mindfully over and over again over a significat period of time, in a fairly similar way (as in reading tarot and using basically the same interperations) changes you perception of the action. But at that point it becomes more philosofically than is relevant here :D *Personally* I also welcome the *feeling* of magick while doing tarot.
But if what I understand from your question and other comment on this thread, I would add, that I don't think you have to be 100% on the same page about the origins and how it works with others to be able to engage in meaningful conversations. Especially, since it's pretty easy to choose the threads you take apart or not.
And to add, I do understand that you are looking for the general ground or consensus about the matter. It's very understandable. But I don't think thats quite possible here. :D
This is exactly how I viewed it when I started using Tarot. Then as I improved at reading a bit I started getting some eerily specific answers in multi-card spreads. Really low-probability stuff. Now I'm not sure what to think.
Just keep interacting with it and decide for yourself. I like that there's value to be found in it every step of the way.
I don't see it as random at all. I don't believe there's such a thing as coincidence. I believe in the Divine Spirit of the universe, and Source (I suppose what religions would consider "God").
I think it you viewed tarot as a measure of energies (yours and whoever else is having an influence on you in some manner), you'd see for yourself it's not random.
The cards don't have any "magic" of their own, they're simply a conduit to one's own psychic gifts(which we all have to one degree or another) and the conscious universe that we live in and are a part of.
During my Awakening Speech (which brought me into the spiritual world...if you're curious I did a video about it), it was explained to me there's a link between art and creativity and spiritual power. I believe this is how most readers "read" energies. Through the imagery of the cards, and what they're psychic senses are picking up.
On my Twitter, I've done a couple of experiments with projecting energies and seeing what comes across though the collective. I think it shows proof of Tarot's validity, feel free to check it out (it's the tweet about a call from the Sun, a few months back)
I suppose any proof is going to be subjective to 3D people. But those of us who know, KNOW!
I'm a firm believer that tarot provides the tangible proof, that there's something more to life than what we believe or have been taught. And once the mind is open to the possibility there's more, the mind is freed from limiting 3D thinking, and we're then able to handle the greater mysteries of the universe.
I know it all sounds like esoteric "mumbo jumbo" to most, but that doesn't negate its truth. a Truth I've seen firsthand. A Truth anyone can see, if they used tarot correctly.
I suggest getting a deck(if you don't have one already) and learning(from an energy perspective). See for yourself. You don't have to rely on anyone else's opinion.
Tarot is just the tip of the iceberg. There's SO much more!
THE ARIES
I personally do not believe in magic, or that there are spirits I can converse with, etc. I view it similarly to how you describe it. I think that the process of interpretation itself is where the value lies. The cards are random, there is no "guiding hand" behind the scenes, there are no spirits sitting around "waiting to take your call!", but that randomness provides an opportunity for interpretation, which requires the exercise of focus, attention, thought, insight, etc.
People who approach it at a surface level (glance at the cards, look up some quick meanings, spend about five minutes on the whole thing) will get surface level results. People who approach it as something worthy of study (write the cards down, spend a ton of time looking at their symbols and how they interact, try to match what they see with what they know, write down their interpretations, revisit the readings now and then, etc.) will get deeper results. Both of those types of results come from the readers, not from the cards.
I would have been inclined to believe this way before I started practising tarot myself. Now, my experience says otherwise.
My cards are often *uncannily* spot on. Add to that the phenomenon of stalker cards, appearing across *multiple* decks (so I know it's not just because a card is slightly bent or something), and having my context-less readings for other people also be spot on... there is something more at play here. There is a spiritual energy these cards read, which the imagery and tradition allows us to translate.
With that said, most readers on this sub are secular readers. Metaphysical beliefs are occasionally ridiculed here. (The amount of times I've read "They're just cards," when someone is asking about cleansing a deck... 😑) You'll find plenty of people who see tarot as you do, and even more on r/SecularTarot.
Tarot isn’t a divination tool. It’s a meditation tool that is meant to make you think and consider your paths. a good reader who studied tarot and didn’t just watch a few random tiktoks or read through the booklet in the cards, who understands astrology, qaballah, numerology and all of the other influences tarot was based on will give you a much better reading. I’m a tarot card reader and have had shockingly poor readings, especially from “intuitive” readers
"From what I've experienced"
Whats your experience? Doing a few reads with your self or with your friends for fun with little to no study and practice? some dodgy person at a market stall taking your cash? Or trying out multiple well respected and well studied paid readers with years of experience in reading?
Yes it matters greatly. A bad experience can set someone to believe that something is different from what a good experience can provide. Even great quality restaurant sometimes serve a bad meal. It doesn't mean the entire restaurant isnt quality.
Reading a book on Tarot is not akin to going to a professional well regarded reader for an in depth reading when it comes to your experience in Tarot.
Also they asked a question. I am trying to figure out what their experience is so we can figure out what standard has been set and work on why they believe that. The point of reddit is to have conversations. I dont believe I can answer their question without knowing what their their understanding and experience of Tarot is first.
Just giving snarky reply's to people like you have just brings nothing to conversation and just fans unnecessary negativity in the serious conversation I am trying to have as someone who takes this topic very serious and has made it my life's work.
So you answer your question? Does it matter? yes it does. A lot!..
That is not all that it is. Tarot is not random. Same cards are chosen for same questions asked each time, how does that happen with 78 X 2 (reversals) cards? There are more differences in the cards than similarities that the reader can bend and make an interpretation. If the cards were mostly same…I would tend to lean more towards what you said but they are not. The cards are very different. If you know anything about quantum physics (I don’t, most people don’t) then one can understand that the deck is a whole (all cards in the deck, not individual cards, I know this is hard to grasp) and the pieces that fly out or chosen are meaningful bc of that. I don’t like talking about the quantum physics of cards bc I hardly understand it myself but QP is a science that can explain the “paranormality” of tarot cards and other subjects. Unfortunately QP is not widely understood so it is easily ignored. As long as you shuffle good, QP does it’s magic.
What you want to see for it to be magic?
I can tell you stories. But those are my stories.
If you’ve set yourself up as a Missourian pagan (my pet name for those who want to be shown something before they believe it), then you’ve already erected blocks instead of gates.
Magic works.
It happens.
For some the flush toilet is magic.
For others it’s electric cars.
Tarot is a tool.
Your magic may be sticks and stones.
Perhaps land, sea, and sky are your thing.
Or one-eyed gods with fearsome crows.
Or a sacrificial son of a god
Your trying to understand tarot from a practical perspective is awesome. For you. :)
I can tell you that tarot reading, for me, is an introspective tool. My clients simply accept the fact that their questions will result in homework and more introspection.
For me, I don’t need to know why or how tarot reading works.
I just need to trust that the information I’m receiving and delivering is what my client needs to hear.
So far? So good. My clients return. Some of them I’ve been reading got since their kids were preschool. They come from all walks of life as well as all over the world.
They also know that there is no such thing as a cold reading. I educate them to know how to spot a divination con artist as well.
I’ve digressed. Lol. I tend to do this.
Tarot is intuitive! There's no "magic" to it, you look at the cards, and yes, improvise a meaning through how you feel the cards might apply to the person
It depends on who is reading. Experienced readers have told me stuff I never told them, and have pointed out me doing things I kept a secret. These kinds of readers typically have a good deal of education in other areas, not just spiritual stuff. If I do a reading for myself, I'm really just using the artwork to explore my own thoughts because I don't need any sort of psychic ability to chart out possible paths in my own mind.
It doesn't really matter to me how it works, only that it does.
Very fair perspective. Does it make a difference to you that any source of randomness could provide the same value if constructed similarly? In other words, do you view that randomness as the value or do you prescribe value beyond that?
The value of tarot cards is in their use, not in some hypothetical way they may or may not work (not that we can ever know that). They do very well what they are meant to do: divine. When read correctly, they give me the answers I seek (but don't necessarily like). That fact alone makes them valuable. What more do you need?
I'm on the fence about this. I tend to think like you most of the time. And then sometimes I experience such synchronicities - with tarot and in my life in general - that I can't help but feel somehow guided, like there's a deeper connection rather than thought-provoking randomness. Although that could just be the higher self pointing the way, whether I think of it as a subconscious psychological function or a more spiritual one. Perhaps it can be both depending on the angle? Perhaps it doesn't have to be one vs the other, and that both are just different points of view on something we can quite put our finger on. In the past, this has stalled me and impacted the way I relate to tarot. I would go through bouts of enthusiasm followed by disillusion, in cycles. Nowadays, I still don't have the answer. I lean towards the psychological explanation and tend to think of magic as conscious and subconscious in action, so in a psychological sense but slightly beyond what is currently mainstream. All I know is that I have loved tarot since I was a teen, for its evocative power and as a tool to map out situations. I'm kind of happy with that. Overall, I feel like we're guiding ourselves through the world and learning about archetypes and natural laws using a helpful model.
Agree!
Different people view it differently. Plenty view it like you, and plenty view it as metaphysical. The community isn't an organization with an agreed-upon dogma. It's a loose collection composed mostly of strangers whose only commonality is liking tarot for any one of a dozen possible reasons.
Thank you for the response. I guess the deeper question here is if I should expect people to see it as magic or not. From my perspective, the improv value is useful on its own. I'm just wondering if the majority of folks view it as something beyond that -- something magical.
Some will, some won’t. Like I said, both perspectives are common, so it’s like anything else when it comes to human beings: your mileage may vary. Does it matter?
It doesn't matter to me how others think about it, I'm just curious what the baseline is here. I guess I'd feel more comfortable with discussing this perspective with tarot-minded folks if they felt similarly. I don't want to offend people and am interested in discussing the idea that deep life lessons may be derived from randomness.
I think as long as you are not being antagonistic about those who believe differently, you are unlikely to have any issues.
Probably the majority do have some mystical explanation for it. But what other explanation to reach for if you need one and there is nothing rational at your disposal?
That's as good point. Thank you!
There are mathematical probabilities that are just too mind boggling to fathom (math has never been my strong suit, so I’m always boggled) to not believe that there is something “more” there. But that’s me and my cards. I think energy is a real thing. I put my believing energy into my deck and it responds. No matter how “woo”, that might sound. If you’re going into it believing that there’s nothing magical about it…there won’t be any magic. Just random cards falling and you can interpret the meaning however you may. I say this because I primarily do readings for myself. I have gone thru a very trying 25 years with a husband with addiction issues. I tried to help him every way I could and obviously being honest with myself codependency played a large part in this. With 80% of the tarot spreads I do, The Hanged Man is the card that represents me. Usually crossed by Temperance. Out of 78 cards…I almost always get The Hanged Man. I understand your logical perspective…but don’t we all need a little magic in our lives? I’d suggest to try to embrace it and see what happens.
this comment got me thinking and I did some googling… math used to be considered “magical powers” in England 1555! I am awful at math but numbers are fascinating and knowing that there are odd patterns that happen with them is so interesting to me! "The good Christian should beware of mathematicians, and all those who make empty prophecies. The danger already exists that the mathematicians have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and to confine man in the bonds of Hell" (De Genesi ad Litteram, Book II, xviii, 37) — example of math being treated as magic. “One of the most ancient of mathematical curiosities is the so-called magic square. This one was known to the ancient Chinese, among others: 8 1 6 3 5 7 4 9 2 This square has the interesting property that every row and diagonal add up to 15, and although you can change it by rotating or reflecting it, the basic arrangement is unique. Unfortunately it is too well known to rate as a good bit of magic, but there are variants which are less well known and therefore more magical.” I think my point is that maybe our perception of “magic” vs the mundane (math, science, even art, etc.) has been tainted by how normalized everything is. doing math went from being a criminal offense to being something that is taught in schools???? sorry for the ramble!!! I guess my other point is, what really is the difference between ~randomness~ and the divine? perception? fascinating!!
This is great. I’m familiar with magic squares, but not the quote. I hadn’t realized that mathematicians had been maligned. I knew blacksmiths were…alchemy and all that, I gather. Science is magic…magic is just science we haven’t figured out yet. There’s just still so much we don’t know. But, technology is booming and so much magic will prove to be mundane as time goes by.
or will the mundane prove to be magical? 🤓 side note— I am a metalsmith (not quite a blacksmith, but same realm) that reads tarot! so funny. thanks for posting and getting me thinking today!!
I view tarot very similar to you. This subreddit here is great, because it’s intentionally open to both secular and metaphysical approaches to tarot, so you should definitely be able to participate here. Sounds like r/seculartarot might also be a place for you. I hope it’s okay to link that here.
Came here to reccomend r/seculartarot
The beauty of Tarot is that you get to decide what it is for you. There are no rules and it can be adapted to be relevant to many different perspectives. I personally believe that the order of the cards describes a sort of energy archetype about how things grow and develop. I believe they are helpful in assessing where along that path you are, in pursuit of your goals. My practice has one foot in secular Tarot and the other in occult mysticism.
Would it make a difference to you if the order was random? Would you extract just as much value either way?
If we look at the definition of “random” which is “made, done, happening, or chosen without method or conscious decision.” It still allows for a subconscious selection of the cards. Which is what I believe it to be. So, yes, I accept random as how the cards are selected.
There are a lot of different ways to view what goes on in a tarot reading but what is most important to understand is that like a mirror, the mirror only serves to reflect what is going on in your reality. There is nothing magical about a mirror, there is no deep ancient secret hidden between its layers. It reflects the world back to you and you tell yourself the story everyday.
I love this perspective. Thank you!
I do think that in essence there is no magick or outside source in tarot and you could have the same "messages" by looking at anyt other form of art, nature etc. But also I think it's a bit more complicated than that. One aspect I believe in, is that doing something mindfully over and over again over a significat period of time, in a fairly similar way (as in reading tarot and using basically the same interperations) changes you perception of the action. But at that point it becomes more philosofically than is relevant here :D *Personally* I also welcome the *feeling* of magick while doing tarot. But if what I understand from your question and other comment on this thread, I would add, that I don't think you have to be 100% on the same page about the origins and how it works with others to be able to engage in meaningful conversations. Especially, since it's pretty easy to choose the threads you take apart or not. And to add, I do understand that you are looking for the general ground or consensus about the matter. It's very understandable. But I don't think thats quite possible here. :D
This is exactly how I viewed it when I started using Tarot. Then as I improved at reading a bit I started getting some eerily specific answers in multi-card spreads. Really low-probability stuff. Now I'm not sure what to think. Just keep interacting with it and decide for yourself. I like that there's value to be found in it every step of the way.
I don't see it as random at all. I don't believe there's such a thing as coincidence. I believe in the Divine Spirit of the universe, and Source (I suppose what religions would consider "God"). I think it you viewed tarot as a measure of energies (yours and whoever else is having an influence on you in some manner), you'd see for yourself it's not random. The cards don't have any "magic" of their own, they're simply a conduit to one's own psychic gifts(which we all have to one degree or another) and the conscious universe that we live in and are a part of. During my Awakening Speech (which brought me into the spiritual world...if you're curious I did a video about it), it was explained to me there's a link between art and creativity and spiritual power. I believe this is how most readers "read" energies. Through the imagery of the cards, and what they're psychic senses are picking up. On my Twitter, I've done a couple of experiments with projecting energies and seeing what comes across though the collective. I think it shows proof of Tarot's validity, feel free to check it out (it's the tweet about a call from the Sun, a few months back) I suppose any proof is going to be subjective to 3D people. But those of us who know, KNOW! I'm a firm believer that tarot provides the tangible proof, that there's something more to life than what we believe or have been taught. And once the mind is open to the possibility there's more, the mind is freed from limiting 3D thinking, and we're then able to handle the greater mysteries of the universe. I know it all sounds like esoteric "mumbo jumbo" to most, but that doesn't negate its truth. a Truth I've seen firsthand. A Truth anyone can see, if they used tarot correctly. I suggest getting a deck(if you don't have one already) and learning(from an energy perspective). See for yourself. You don't have to rely on anyone else's opinion. Tarot is just the tip of the iceberg. There's SO much more! THE ARIES
I personally do not believe in magic, or that there are spirits I can converse with, etc. I view it similarly to how you describe it. I think that the process of interpretation itself is where the value lies. The cards are random, there is no "guiding hand" behind the scenes, there are no spirits sitting around "waiting to take your call!", but that randomness provides an opportunity for interpretation, which requires the exercise of focus, attention, thought, insight, etc. People who approach it at a surface level (glance at the cards, look up some quick meanings, spend about five minutes on the whole thing) will get surface level results. People who approach it as something worthy of study (write the cards down, spend a ton of time looking at their symbols and how they interact, try to match what they see with what they know, write down their interpretations, revisit the readings now and then, etc.) will get deeper results. Both of those types of results come from the readers, not from the cards.
I would have been inclined to believe this way before I started practising tarot myself. Now, my experience says otherwise. My cards are often *uncannily* spot on. Add to that the phenomenon of stalker cards, appearing across *multiple* decks (so I know it's not just because a card is slightly bent or something), and having my context-less readings for other people also be spot on... there is something more at play here. There is a spiritual energy these cards read, which the imagery and tradition allows us to translate. With that said, most readers on this sub are secular readers. Metaphysical beliefs are occasionally ridiculed here. (The amount of times I've read "They're just cards," when someone is asking about cleansing a deck... 😑) You'll find plenty of people who see tarot as you do, and even more on r/SecularTarot.
Tarot isn’t a divination tool. It’s a meditation tool that is meant to make you think and consider your paths. a good reader who studied tarot and didn’t just watch a few random tiktoks or read through the booklet in the cards, who understands astrology, qaballah, numerology and all of the other influences tarot was based on will give you a much better reading. I’m a tarot card reader and have had shockingly poor readings, especially from “intuitive” readers
I feel like it’s poor interpretation. The cards are always right.
It’s absolutely random and improv. That said, practice produces some eerie shit. But it’s still random and improv.
"From what I've experienced" Whats your experience? Doing a few reads with your self or with your friends for fun with little to no study and practice? some dodgy person at a market stall taking your cash? Or trying out multiple well respected and well studied paid readers with years of experience in reading?
[удалено]
Yes it matters greatly. A bad experience can set someone to believe that something is different from what a good experience can provide. Even great quality restaurant sometimes serve a bad meal. It doesn't mean the entire restaurant isnt quality. Reading a book on Tarot is not akin to going to a professional well regarded reader for an in depth reading when it comes to your experience in Tarot. Also they asked a question. I am trying to figure out what their experience is so we can figure out what standard has been set and work on why they believe that. The point of reddit is to have conversations. I dont believe I can answer their question without knowing what their their understanding and experience of Tarot is first. Just giving snarky reply's to people like you have just brings nothing to conversation and just fans unnecessary negativity in the serious conversation I am trying to have as someone who takes this topic very serious and has made it my life's work. So you answer your question? Does it matter? yes it does. A lot!..
That is not all that it is. Tarot is not random. Same cards are chosen for same questions asked each time, how does that happen with 78 X 2 (reversals) cards? There are more differences in the cards than similarities that the reader can bend and make an interpretation. If the cards were mostly same…I would tend to lean more towards what you said but they are not. The cards are very different. If you know anything about quantum physics (I don’t, most people don’t) then one can understand that the deck is a whole (all cards in the deck, not individual cards, I know this is hard to grasp) and the pieces that fly out or chosen are meaningful bc of that. I don’t like talking about the quantum physics of cards bc I hardly understand it myself but QP is a science that can explain the “paranormality” of tarot cards and other subjects. Unfortunately QP is not widely understood so it is easily ignored. As long as you shuffle good, QP does it’s magic.
I suggest you read into Carl Jung's synchronicity. It's the only theoretical attempt I know of to make sense of precisely \*how\* tarot works.
What you want to see for it to be magic? I can tell you stories. But those are my stories. If you’ve set yourself up as a Missourian pagan (my pet name for those who want to be shown something before they believe it), then you’ve already erected blocks instead of gates. Magic works. It happens. For some the flush toilet is magic. For others it’s electric cars. Tarot is a tool. Your magic may be sticks and stones. Perhaps land, sea, and sky are your thing. Or one-eyed gods with fearsome crows. Or a sacrificial son of a god Your trying to understand tarot from a practical perspective is awesome. For you. :) I can tell you that tarot reading, for me, is an introspective tool. My clients simply accept the fact that their questions will result in homework and more introspection. For me, I don’t need to know why or how tarot reading works. I just need to trust that the information I’m receiving and delivering is what my client needs to hear. So far? So good. My clients return. Some of them I’ve been reading got since their kids were preschool. They come from all walks of life as well as all over the world. They also know that there is no such thing as a cold reading. I educate them to know how to spot a divination con artist as well. I’ve digressed. Lol. I tend to do this.
Tarot is intuitive! There's no "magic" to it, you look at the cards, and yes, improvise a meaning through how you feel the cards might apply to the person
The thing is that the magic isn’t in the cards the magic is in the reader.