Melissa, who works as a professional tarot reader in the UK, remembers an occasion where a participant picked the Justice card—a symbol typically linked to equilibrium, impartiality, and honesty. The man started weeping. In a hushed voice, he confessed that he had been unfaithful to his spouse.
He likely didn't discuss this with anyone before," Melissa said to Euronews Culture. "However, since there was a chance to speak with someone, that was when he felt compelled to share his secret.
Instances such as these have molded Melissa’s approach, highlighting a culture that remains captivated by mysticism as a means of liberation. Whether it's TikTok readings or alternative card sets, tarot has resurfaced as a contemporary instrument for self-reflection—the familiar symbols acting as echoes across history, reflecting rather than foretelling the future.
It employs ancient symbolic systems to assess what's happening in your life," explained Melissa. "To identify any obstacles and develop a plan or provide guidance.
However, well before tarot became an integral part of spiritual wellbeing, its beginnings — most of which still lie cloaked in secrecy — were actually quite mundane. The oldest documented sets emerged in 15th-century Italy, where they were intricately hand-painted and employed as gaming tools amongst the aristocracy.
“What we now know as the Major Arcana, which includes more symbolic cards like The Hanged Man, The Star and The World, [were] used as trump cards within different forms of play,” explained Phoebe Cripps, an associate curator at The Warburg Institute in London, which is displaying an exhibition on tarot’s ‘Origins & Afterlives’ until 30 April.
The Renaissance imagery of these early Milanese decks is core to tarot’s magic; a bridge between the past and present, religion and individualism. Within their ambiguity, different interpretations flourished: “The cards began to evolve, moving between places in Europe,” said Cripps. "After wars between Milan and France, soldiers brought them into France, particularly to Marseille, and developed their own form of them."
By the 18th century, tarot made its way to Paris and piqued the interest of two spiritually-minded clerics. The first, Antoine Court de Gébelin, claimed to have been inspired by a revelation suggesting that the cards originated from
Ancient Egypt
Encoded with the mysteries from an ancient manuscript called The Book of Thoth, this concept was later developed further by occultist Jean-Baptiste Alliette. He released manuals that recast tarot cards as instruments for fortune-telling, thereby establishing the groundwork for their spiritual resurgence.
Occult practitioners become intertwined with tarot, and tarot becomes entwined with them," explained Cripps. "And each time these cards are recreated, they adopt this Victorian, somewhat morally charged perspective.
The Rider-Waite Tarot deck revolutionized tarot for the 20th century—and solidified its ability to adapt through different eras. Created by illustrator Pamela Colman Smith under commission from Arthur Edward Waite of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (a secretive group focused on occult studies), this deck’s vivid symbolic artwork rendered tarot more captivating and user-friendly than ever before.
Arthur Edward Waite and Pamela Colman Smith were the pioneers who chose to illustrate the Minor Arcana," explained Melissa, her favorite being the Rider-Waite deck. "Before their work, we only saw numbered cards for cups, pentacles, wands, and swords without detailed imagery. Now each card presents complete scenes.
From decks centered on themes of feminism and queer identity, to the movie poster artwork inspired by Alice Rohrwacher's works,
La Chimera
Pop culture keeps reinventing tarot imagery to narrate fresh tales and mirror the evolving morals and concerns of contemporary existence.
In particular, younger generations are fueling this growth, as evidenced by over 13 million posts using the hashtag #tarot on TikTok, and a
2021 survey
indicating that 51 percent of Americans aged between 13 and 25 have participated in tarot readings or fortune-telling sessions. This underscores a wider cultural interest in astrology.
manifestation
, and various spiritual beliefs — not merely as ways to find emotional relief, but as nuanced acts of rebellion against social conventions.
In a world consumed by political upheaval, economic volatility, and pervasive doubt, there lies a feeling of mastery to be discovered outside conventional frameworks.
Tarot suggests that individuals desire to maintain an element of mystery within society and culture—a force that remains enigmatic and cannot be systematically arranged," explained Cripps. "There’s a form of rebellion inherent in this, intertwined with Tarot, and I believe that's why people are drawn to it.
Despite this, its widespread presence on social media platforms has raised increasing worries regarding the exploitation of individuals who may be susceptible. Some of these people might form detrimental attachments to tarot readings as an unreliable source of comfort and optimism.
Particularly on TikTok, the query I encounter most frequently during my readings is: 'Will my ex return? How do I win my ex back?'” stated Melissa. "I don’t address this directly; instead, I redirect it, focusing on understanding what’s happening in their current situation and assisting them to gain confidence in moving ahead.
Whether used as a source of aesthetic cool, artistic inspiration, political commentary or self-help, Melissa sees contemporary tarot as a playground for curiosity — the kind that utilises mysticism without relying on it.
"I would encourage anyone who's interested to pick up a tarot deck. It doesn't have to be one of the old school ones — it can be something that you relate to, like a Buffy the Vampire Slayer deck," she said. "It's just a way of exploring and connecting with yourself."
Throughout its centuries of evolution, one thing remains true: Tarot has always helped us make sense of the present. When the internal knots of life can’t be undone by logic, its cards give us space to dream, reflect and conjure meaning from what already exists. Perhaps this is where their real magic lies.
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