AUTHOR’S NOTE: There is no concept more widely endorsed in the divination community than that of peppering (aka empowering) a sitter with encouragement during the conduct of a tarot reading. We don’t merely want to hand our clients relevant information about their future circumstances, we attempt to make them feel like they are (or will soon be) in control of their fate even though they walked in the door with zero confidence in their ability to cope. While the whole idea is a bit too pat with its exaggerated “manifestation” hype (I guess calling it creative visualization wasn’t trendy enough), it is a reasonable working hypothesis.

I just came across several observations in The Kybalion supporting my own assumption that the tarot operates under the influence of “subconscious induction” that flows from the seeker into the cards during the shuffle. While its esoteric physics don’t exactly align with Dean Radin’s recent scientific experiments in psionics, they’re in the ballpark. I will quote the pertinent passages:

“The Hermetic Teachings (instruct) that all manifestation of thought, emotion, reason, will or desire, or any mental state or condition, are accompanied by vibrations, a portion of which are thrown off and which tend to affect the minds of other persons by induction.”

“By a knowledge of the Principle of Vibration, as applied to mental phenomena, one may polarize his mind at any degree he wishes, thus gaining a perfect control over his mental states, moods, etc. In the same way he may affect the mind of others, producing the desired mental states in them.”

“When it is understood that mental induction is possible (and) that mental states may be produced by ‘induction’ from others, then we can readily see how a certain rate of vibration, or polarization of a certain mental state, may be communicated to another person, and his polarity in that class of mental states changed.” (For example, from negative to positive; I can hear Eric Idle singing “Always look on the bright side of life.” Also the tub of Parkay margarine muttering “Butter” in the old commercials to deceive prospective buyers).

The authors described it as the principle behind telepathy or mental suggestion. I think of it as “attunement” between two minds, and in the case of a tarot reading it is facilitated by the agency of the cards. If the reader maintains a high degree of optimism that even the most discouraging cards can be turned to the seeker’s advantage, this mindset can be leveraged in ways that guide the individual toward an awakening of self-determination. I don’t see it as “empowerment” for the purpose of “taking the reins” so much as alignment with universal forces that are symbolized by the cards pulled for the reading. They are the “engine of destiny” and the reader is the conductor, while the seeker is urged to take over the throttle.

But The Kybalion also insists that any such fortunate changes will be a matter of elevated degree within a linear progression and not a “make-over” or transmutation of inherent nature into something entirely different. (The train can’t switch tracks without a switchman in the form of a new paradigm, it can only go faster.) If querents were deficient in a certain quality before the reading, the mental stimulus it provides can empower them to gain enrichment in that quality but it won’t enable them to turn it into a completely unrelated reward. A lack of reciprocation in love won’t be assuaged by pursuing an overabundance of wealth but it might attract feigned affection from those who are only interested in achieving financial security.

Although I don’t intentionally avoid the opportunity, as a professional diviner I don’t feel strongly that I must be a “booster” of my clients’ peace of mind. My role is to open their eyes and arm them with self-knowledge; their job is to bring it to bear on their problems. There is a certain amount of “call it as a see it” in all of my commentary, with no false signals that are intended to convey either enthusiastic cheerleading or ominous doom-saying. The mental induction comes full circle, originating in the seeker’s subconscious awareness, passing into the cards and being filtered through the reader’s trained sensibilities, then returning to the seeker as targeted insights. It’s an elegant system when done right.