Can a Free Tarot Reading Be Accurate?

Free tarot readings are readily available. They may be automated, randomly generated digital selections, or you might find a tarot reader offering short free readings from their site in the hope you will come back for a longer, paid reading. But can a free tarot reading be accurate? How much stock can you put in a preformatted response? How much effort is the reader putting into their free readings?

Automated Digital Free Readings

There’s no denying these automated readings can be fun. They are so non-specific and general that no-one ever gets a message that truly reflects their situation. Yet most of us will be able to relate to it in one way or another. It’s is possible of course to shoehorn the interpretation into meaning something more significant. And perhaps it does. Who can say otherwise?

Example Digital Free Tarot Reading

Jacob is regretting that he ended his relationship with his girlfriend, Sanya. He would like to get back with her but is unsure how she feels about him now. Jacob thinks a tarot reading might help him come to a decision about whether to approach her or not. He doesn’t feel ready for any kind of financial outlay, so he searches online until he finds a likely site offering free tarot readings.

The software instructs him to think about his question. He comes up with “Is Sanya still interested in me as a potential partner?” The algorithm then directs him to click on a random card from the deck on the page. He clicks. The card does a little dance, whooshes around the screen and finally turns over. He gets the Moon from the Rider Waite deck.

The reading is a brief three paragraph interpretation of the Moon card. There’s there is a minor inaccuracy in the description of the card which suggests that the body of water in the image is the ocean. It isn’t. Nevertheless, the message is a positive one for Jacob. It tells him that ‘if he’s crushing on a cutie it’s time to approach them and make your feelings clear.’ It also mentions that he needs to ‘channel his courage and not be afraid to speak up.’

Jacob is, excuse the pun, over the moon. He feels that the message is totally on point. His idea that he and his ex should get back together are confirmed. He is determined to get back in touch and let her know his feelings. Of course, the reading did not quite address his question about Sanya’s feelings about him, but maybe that’s not important. Jacob is inspired to take some positive action. We shall hope that he isn’t disappointed.

In a real life reading, the Moon would advise caution and for Jacob to pick his way carefully. In other words, not to rush into anything just yet as there may be underlying energies at work–Sanya might be trying to work out some issues of her own. So it seems that the automated reading projects a very upbeat and positive message that might not quite be in line with the actual card’s meaning. So, would we describe that as accurate? If it resonates with the seeker, and gives them guidance, then we probably could.

Free Tarot Readings from a Real Person

Quite rare to find, but they are out there. The first thing to know is that you probably won’t hear back immediately. Most readers will expect you to leave your question as a comment and they will reply to you in due course. This puts a lot of people off because, in our instant gratification world, we want it when we want it. Which is right now.

If you are willing to wait, and to return to the site once you have received notification, your patience could be rewarded. While it’s true that some readers rely on potted, pre-written interpretations, some will take the time and trouble to do a proper reading. With real cards. And your answer will be for you, and you only.

Factors That Affect Accuracy

Of course whether it’s accurate depends on the reader’s abilities. The seeker will have to be the judge of it. As with all readings there are certain factors which underpin it:

• The question and how it is phrased. Make sure your reader knows exactly what it is you want to know.
• Your situation. Don’t hesitate in sharing a few details. Readers don’t want all the ins and outs, but it’s helpful to know where the seeker is in their situation. Here’s an example of a well formulated situation and question:

I am currently in a relationship. We have been together for three years but I am concerned that we’re stuck. We seem to have slipped into a rut. Can the cards advise if I should move on?

That’s all a good reader needs to elicit an accurate tarot reading.

• The cards are vague or seem to avoid the question. This happens. Sometimes they tell the seeker what they need to know, not what they asked. The reader must be honest and do their best to give you a useful interpretation anyway. As the cards themselves are never wrong, there’s probably an important message there that you should heed.
• The reader’s psychic and intuitive abilities. Some readers are psychic and others (most) are not. However, a good reader will have worked on developing their intuition. Some will be not be terribly intuitive but will rely on the ‘book meaning’. And that’s OK, they may still be learning the cards (we’re all still learning), and practicing by doing free readings. Go with it.
• Bias. All readers have a personal bias. They will have feelings about the question because it’s simply human nature to do so. Also, the deck they are using matters, and the creator of that deck may also have some bias towards a certain belief system or doctrine.

So… Can a Free Tarot Reading be Accurate?

We come back to our question: can a free tarot reading be accurate? I guess there’s only one way to find out. Let’s shuffle and pull a card…

Judgement. I guess the tarot does have a sense of humor. Judgement tells us that you will really have to be the judge of that. Review and evaluate your free reading, taking into account the factors detailed above.

Meanwhile, if you want some instant gratification, you can get a free reading right here at Lunar Cafe.