Confronting The “Bad” Cards

The topic of "scary" or "bad" Tarot cards has been widely covered on books, blogs, Instagram posts, TikToks, and even in movies and tv shows. If you're reading this, you know how it goes: any type of content we come upon that deals with this subject either takes the fear-mongering approach or the "let's love & light the fuck out of these cards". It's all been said, written, recorded. Yawn.

I am morally ambivalent because in my 45 years on this planet I've rarely come upon a subject or event that can be unanimously be ruled either "good" or "bad". I feel the same way about each and every one of the 78 cards of the Tarot deck. This approach may sound very punk or woke but you would be shocked if I told you how many people I've made uncomfortable when I tell them that life is not black and white, and it gets increasingly gray as we age. Most of us are terrified at the prospect of not being able to discern in a definitive, permanent way what is right versus what is wrong. It's all about context, timing, and perspective. Every horrible thing fits within this chaotic, divine Universe. It's there for a reason even if we don't like or approve of how it manifests. The determining factor is usually whether something or someone affects us, and how. What is good for us, what feels pleasurable to us, may be someone else's worst nightmare. Do we even think about this when we're enjoying the first bite of a juicy steak, or when we get that new job we so coveted? Few of us do. It's just uncomfortable, and for most it's downright scary. None of us want to think of ourselves as a "bad" person, which is human and understandable.

So - instead of trying to find the upside of the most maligned and feared Tarot cards, what if we just run with the shadows that they expose? These dark corners might surround us, or they might exist within us. Maybe the very point of these ominous cards is to unsettle us and, through that discomfort, compel us to address the annoying and 'shameful' truths that dwell within us. This may not be ideal if we happen to be going through a really low or terrible time, when our mental health is at its most volatile and fragile. However, if we feel up to the task, and if we know that our minds and spirits can stomach those bitter, or even disgusting, discoveries: shouldn't we try it? This exercise is better performed in a safe space, either in solitude or with trusted companions or guides. I would suggest that you create the best environment for you during such an exercise: perhaps you will want to close, or open, your curtains and windows; maybe you'll crave a sweet, comforting drink, or benefit from a particular fragrance that makes you feel both secure and emboldened. However and whenever you want to start your bleak Tarot journaling, make sure that your mind and body and spirit are up to the task before you begin. This is not an easy activity and it demands self-knowledge, a strong backbone, and at the very least a good support network of individuals that you can discuss your findings with, if you feel like that works best for you. Alternatively, if you're anything like us lone wolves, you will benefit more from this experience if you do it once a month, and leave ample gaps of time during which you can reflect on your findings, so that you can better digest the lessons learned. The ultimate purpose of this approach is not to dwell in the negatives, but to get intimately acquainted with every shade of darkness within you and to know how to best employ it throughout the rest of your life.

The following are the cards that are most frequently shunned, maligned, and feared. These cards are the ones we'll concentrate on. Every other week I will be blogging in detail about the process I use to journal about each one of these cards, and I will provide a short list of questions or prompts to really delve into their respective shadow aspects. Those posts will only be available to my Patreon supporters. Come back to this post for direct links to each one of those future Patreon posts - they will also be available to purchase individually.

- JUSTICE

- THE HANGED MAN

- DEATH

- THE DEVIL

- THE TOWER

- THE MOON

- JUDGMENT

- FIVE / SEVEN / NINE OF WANDS

- FOUR / FIVE OF CUPS

- THREE / SEVEN / EIGHT / NINE / TEN OF SWORDS

- FIVE OF PENTACLES