The Dangers of "Predictive" Tarot and a More Empowering Way to Use It

There’s been a wave—some would call it a movement—of spiritual seekers turning to tarot for clarity, comfort, and confirmation. And in many ways, that’s a beautiful thing. Tarot is a profound tool. When used with care, it can help uncover what’s hidden, clarify what’s unclear, and reflect back what we may be avoiding. But somewhere along the way, the purpose of tarot got distorted. And now, what was once a mirror is being sold as a crystal ball.

Scroll through YouTube or TikTok and you’ll see it. Title after title promising “He’s coming back,” “She regrets leaving,” “You’re about to receive a windfall,” or “This is what they’re secretly thinking.” And to the untrained eye—or the emotionally vulnerable heart—it can feel like divine guidance. It can feel like fate itself is speaking through the screen.

But is it?

Or are we being pulled into something that’s less about spiritual clarity and more about emotional addiction?

Tarot Was Never Meant to Predict Your Future

At its core, tarot isn’t about telling you what will happen. It’s about helping you understand what’s happening right now. The 78 cards represent a symbolic journey—what’s known in spiritual traditions as “The Fool’s Journey.” From innocence to awakening, from confusion to wisdom, each card reflects an inner landscape. It’s not a fortune-telling device. It’s a mirror of your present energy, beliefs, fears, desires, and choices.

A skilled reader isn’t reading your future—they’re reading your energy. They’re interpreting what’s active in your life right now and gently offering guidance for how to move forward. The purpose is never to rob you of your free will. It’s to support your free will by bringing unconscious patterns into the light.

What’s Really Going On in Those Clickbait Readings

When tarot is used responsibly, it invites self-reflection. But many of the popular videos online are designed to do the opposite. They prey on uncertainty. They feed fantasy. They stir emotional attachment. They make bold, specific claims designed to pull you back for the next video and the next.

• “They’re obsessed with you but afraid to say it”
• “Your money blessing is coming by Friday”
• “This betrayal will shock you”

These aren’t reflections. They’re predictions—and often, very personal ones delivered in a collective format. It feels like the reader is speaking directly to you, but they don’t know you. They don’t know your choices, your growth, your environment, or your path. It’s not intuition—it’s emotional bait.

And the real danger is not that the prediction is wrong. The danger is that you begin to align with it.

Energy Follows Focus

If someone tells you to expect a betrayal, your nervous system begins bracing for it. You become suspicious. You scan your relationships for signs. You shift your behavior to match the fear. And sometimes, without realizing it, you co-create the very outcome you were trying to avoid.

On the flip side, if someone promises abundance by a certain date, you might start spending with that expectation. Or waiting passively instead of taking aligned action. And when the windfall doesn’t arrive, you feel confused, frustrated, maybe even spiritually abandoned.

Take a moment and ask yourself:

Have I ever made a decision—or shifted my energy—based on something a reader told me would happen? And did that experience help me grow, or leave me feeling more disconnected from myself?

This is not about blame. This is about awareness. Because not all harm is loud. Some harm is subtle, dressed up as insight.

The Difference Between Prediction and Guidance

A true guide doesn’t need to tell you what’s going to happen. A true guide helps you understand your own power to shape what happens next.

A good reader will stay focused on the present. They’ll reflect your energy with honesty and care. They’ll show you what might be blocking you, where your intuition is trying to get through, and what internal shifts could lead to external breakthroughs. They won’t tell you what someone else is thinking. They’ll help you understand what you are feeling, and why.

Tarot, when used correctly, brings you back to yourself—not further away.

A More Empowering Way to Use Tarot

So how do you use tarot in a way that nourishes your path instead of hijacking it?

You begin by changing the questions you ask.

Instead of “Will this person come back?” ask,
What is this connection here to teach me?
Instead of “When will the money come?” ask,
What energy do I need to embody to align with financial flow?
Instead of “What’s going to happen next?” ask,
What is my current energy creating? And what shifts would support a better outcome?

Empowering tarot isn’t about getting answers—it’s about getting insight.
It’s not about prediction—it’s about participation.
It’s a co-creative process between your intuition, your awareness, and your willingness to take aligned action.

If you’re reading for yourself, approach it like a sacred check-in. Light a candle. Ask intentional questions. Write down what comes up. Notice the patterns that appear over time. Reflect, don’t obsess.

If you’re receiving a reading from someone else, pay attention to how you feel during and after. Do you feel grounded, seen, and empowered—or anxious, hooked, and dependent? A good reading should leave you with clarity, not confusion. With agency, not fear.

The cards were never meant to tell you what’s going to happen. They were meant to help you see what’s already happening within you—and what’s possible if you choose to grow through it.

Pause for a Moment and Ask Yourself: Have I been using tarot to connect more deeply with my truth, or to escape the discomfort of not knowing what comes next?