“What does the Universe want me to know?” is a good question to ask when you have time and resources to devote to a spiritual practice. “How can I pay the bills next month?” is a better question to ask when you are staring at an empty bank account.

You do not have to believe in lofty powers for Tarot to be useful. While it can be helpful for spiritual guidance, it is remarkably useful for the mundane questions. Oracles can sit on high and proclaim warnings and prophecies, but good ol’ fashioned fortune telling has its roots in the mundane questions of life: who will I marry? Will my children be healthy? How can I earn a living? These are the questions that vex the greater populace, and these are solid questions that need solid answers.

We shouldn’t elevate the tarot to the lofty planes of angels and sages, we should keep to its roots: playing cards – a wholly mundane and practical antecedent. There is more dignity in these roots than I think we allow for. It permits them to be playful in a way Divining for Kings would never allow (let’s take a moment to appreciate that we, modern readers, don’t have to worry about losing our heads should The Tower show up for a client.)

There’s a common question I hear beginners ask a lot, “can I buy a tarot deck? I was told you must be given one.” Well, I stole my first deck and we’ve been besties for over twenty years now, so I’m going to give a resounding: Gracious yes, you can buy that deck you’ve been eyeing!  Folks were gambling with these cards in the beginning, your deck is not going to be upset with a little commerce.

So ask about your love life, ask about your business, ask about how to deal with the narcissistic manager you’ve been stuck with and how to sabotage his job so you and your coworkers can breathe a sigh of relief together. They won’t mind, I promise. They may even come up with an amazing plan for that manager.