On the subject of Tarot:
Tarot as far as the major arcana go do not tell fortunes. They themselves do not answer questions to which you cannot answer yourself. They merely guide you toward the answers you seek by establishing points of introspection and clarity.
Example:
Say you are having a problem in a relationship. You consult the deck and draw the Devil. This urges you to reflect on your material values. Is the rift between you caused by something wanted but not needed? Are you forcing yourself or one another to accept material objects as a way of life (ergo, might the ball and chain that is your PS4 be weighing down your ability to progress in the relationship and in life?) The addiction to material objects can be escaped at will, but you can just as easily bind yourself again. It all comes down to the choices you make.
The deck didn't tell you the answer. It merely provided the stepping stone that helped you reach your own conclusion.
Another interesting concept it Eastern vs. Western fortune telling.
In Eastern fortune telling, oracles speak in riddles. They either see a fate clearly or in bits and pieces but they do not dare tell the querant directly. This is because they have a concept that a person's fate changes with every decision they make. When you reveal a fate, it becomes set in stone. Every action they may make will ultimately lead to that inescapable future. Thatis why they always speak in proverb, riddle, and ambiguity.
In Western fortune telling, oracles have no issue giving straight answers. But you'll recall Oedipus Rex did everything he could to avoid killing his father and marrying his mother. No matter what he did, ultimately his fate was sealed the moment the oracle revealed it.
If an AST gives fortunes, the danger of sealing fate seems like it still exists. When we ICly go through the motions of divination and directly reveal fate to another character, it becomes entirely likely; consciously or not, that the RPer behind that character will be sent down a track toward their character coming to that fate. It becomes the responsibility of a good and noble AST to leave specifics up to the other RPer. Unless they ask you ahead of time for a specific fate.
Tarot as far as the major arcana go do not tell fortunes. They themselves do not answer questions to which you cannot answer yourself. They merely guide you toward the answers you seek by establishing points of introspection and clarity.
Example:
Say you are having a problem in a relationship. You consult the deck and draw the Devil. This urges you to reflect on your material values. Is the rift between you caused by something wanted but not needed? Are you forcing yourself or one another to accept material objects as a way of life (ergo, might the ball and chain that is your PS4 be weighing down your ability to progress in the relationship and in life?) The addiction to material objects can be escaped at will, but you can just as easily bind yourself again. It all comes down to the choices you make.
The deck didn't tell you the answer. It merely provided the stepping stone that helped you reach your own conclusion.
Another interesting concept it Eastern vs. Western fortune telling.
In Eastern fortune telling, oracles speak in riddles. They either see a fate clearly or in bits and pieces but they do not dare tell the querant directly. This is because they have a concept that a person's fate changes with every decision they make. When you reveal a fate, it becomes set in stone. Every action they may make will ultimately lead to that inescapable future. Thatis why they always speak in proverb, riddle, and ambiguity.
In Western fortune telling, oracles have no issue giving straight answers. But you'll recall Oedipus Rex did everything he could to avoid killing his father and marrying his mother. No matter what he did, ultimately his fate was sealed the moment the oracle revealed it.
If an AST gives fortunes, the danger of sealing fate seems like it still exists. When we ICly go through the motions of divination and directly reveal fate to another character, it becomes entirely likely; consciously or not, that the RPer behind that character will be sent down a track toward their character coming to that fate. It becomes the responsibility of a good and noble AST to leave specifics up to the other RPer. Unless they ask you ahead of time for a specific fate.
