Why are Tarot cards considered the language of the subconscious?

Hey there, that's a great question, and it's one many people have when they first get into Tarot. I've been playing Tarot for many years, so let me try to explain it from my perspective; it might make more sense.

You can think of it this way: there are two people living in your mind. One is your 'conscious mind,' which is the awake you. It's responsible for thinking, reasoning, and communicating through language. For example, as you're reading these words right now, your conscious mind is at work. The other is your 'subconscious mind,' which resides deeper in your brain, like a mysterious warehouse manager. It stores all your memories, emotions, intuitions, and desires, but it has one quirk – it doesn't speak plain language.

Your subconscious mind doesn't communicate with you using logical sentence structures like 'because... therefore...'. Its language is images, feelings, dreams, and instinctive bodily reactions. For instance, have you ever met someone for the first time and inexplicably disliked them? Or walked into a place and suddenly felt a pang of anxiety? These are very likely your subconscious sending you signals, but it won't directly tell you 'this person's energy doesn't align with yours' or 'this place is dangerous.' It will only give you a 'feeling.'

Alright, now let's talk about Tarot cards.

Tarot cards are precisely a 'picture book' written in the language of the subconscious.

Each card is an image, filled with various symbolic representations. For example, Swords represent thoughts and conflict, Cups represent emotions and relationships, the Sun represents light and success, and the Tower represents sudden change and upheaval. These symbols aren't arbitrarily invented; they are 'archetypes' that have been distilled through centuries of human culture. Just as people worldwide associate a 'heart shape' with love and a 'skull' with death, these images can bypass your logical brain and directly knock on the door of your subconscious.

So, the process of a Tarot reading actually goes like this:

1. You ask a question (using the language of your conscious mind): For example, 'Should I change jobs?'
2. You draw a card (receiving an image from your subconscious): You randomly draw a card, for instance, 'The Fool.'
3. Your subconscious is 'awakened' by the image and begins to 'speak': When you see the young person on 'The Fool' card, standing at the edge of a cliff, fearless and ready to embark on a new journey, your subconscious might be stirred. It won't tell you 'you should change jobs,' but rather project a feeling: 'Ah, isn't this the kind of adventure and freedom I deeply crave? My current job is too dull.' Or, if deep down you're filled with fear about the future, what you see might be that cliff: 'It's too dangerous! I'm not ready, one wrong step and it's all over!'

See? The same card will reflect different feelings based on what's truly stored in your subconscious. Tarot cards themselves don't give you answers; they act like a mirror, clearly showing you the thoughts, fears, or desires that already exist in your subconscious but that you haven't consciously recognized. They 'translate' those vague feelings into concrete images, allowing you to 'understand' your inner self.

So, calling it the 'language of the subconscious' is because it uses images and symbols to build a bridge, allowing your speaking 'conscious mind' to sit down and have a good chat with your 'subconscious mind' that only 'feels.' Rather than 'predicting the future,' it's more of a profound 'self-exploration,' helping you understand your present self so you can make better choices for your future.

Hi, that's a great question, and one many people have. I'll try to explain it in an easy-to-understand way.

You can imagine your "subconscious" as "another you" living inside your heart. This "you" doesn't speak the languages we normally use, like Chinese or English. Its language is images, feelings, dreams, and intuition.

Many times, you might feel something is off, or you're conflicted about something, but you just can't articulate what it is. This is because your conscious mind (the "you" that can think and speak) and your subconscious (the "you" that only feels and sees images) aren't communicating effectively.

Tarot cards are like a translator or a bridge between these two "yous."

You see, each Tarot card is an image, filled with various symbols and scenes (like kings, towers, stars, lovers). These images aren't drawn randomly; they represent fundamental situations and emotions that humans have experienced for thousands of years, such as power, sudden change, hope, choice, and so on.

When you draw a card with a question in mind, you are actually asking your subconscious. Then, the card you draw is like your subconscious picking out the image that best represents its current view or feeling from a pile of pictures, and holding it up to you, saying: "Hey, this is how I feel right now, just like this picture!"

For example, you ask about your career prospects and draw "The Hermit" card. The card shows an old man carrying a lamp, walking alone in the darkness. When you see this, you might have a sudden "aha!" moment and realize: "Oh, deep down, I'm not really looking for a promotion or a raise. I feel lonely right now and need to be alone to think carefully about what I truly want, and I need a light to illuminate my path forward."

You see, this idea of "needing some quiet time alone" might have been hidden in your heart for a long time, but you never realized it. "The Hermit" card, with its image, "spoke" this vague feeling, allowing you to instantly understand yourself.

So, Tarot cards aren't some mysterious force telling you the future. They are more like a tool that, through images – the "language of the subconscious" – helps you have a deep conversation with your inner self, allowing you to better understand your true thoughts and feelings.