Some software programs can be very helpful for software readings. As always, they are only as good as the people who do the programming. But consider some things that good online tarot card readings can help with:
1. Select decks: Computers can store an unlimited number of different kinds of software decks, so questioners and readers can make their choice.
2. Provide meanings: While most human readers stick to one or two basic interpretations, computers can store the meanings of symbols and patterns from many different sources.
3. Spot patterns: It is possible that software can find patterns in a range of symbols much faster than a human can.
Of course, what computers cannot really do is provide intuitive interpretations. When questioners use this software on their own, they will have to provide the interpretations. It is just that they will have more prompts and help provided by the software. In some cases, it is up to the reader to pick and choose how she will interpret her reading. In other cases, the software is simply a tool used by experienced readers.
There is nothing inherently bad about using tarot software. While computers cannot totally replace the talents of good tarot card readers, they can help readers provide more variety in interpretations, the style of tarot decks, and other options. They are also good for people who just want a quick self-reading without having to go out and select a deck, figure out how to store it, and then learn the basic meanings of all of the cards. They can become an introduction to tarot for people who are interested in beginning the study of this method of divination.
It is really easy to experiment with different spreads and decks when the change just requires the click of a button. However, most people who start experimenting with tarot software end up ordering their own decks and reference books. In this way, tarot software is very helpful because it helps generate interest in tarot, and that helps keep this art alive in the physical world too!
Some of these new web-based tarot services offer the option of a hybrid service. While it is possible to ask questions of the tarot, often for free, only using the assistance of the machine, there is also another option. For a small fee, the questioner can send her question to a human over the Internet. Experienced readers will use the question and any background that the questioner supplies, information from the computer, and his or her own talent to provide a more detailed reading. These hybrid readings give questioners a lot of advantages. It is possible for them to ask their readings at any time without having to travel to find an experienced reader. Because readers are able to serve their subjects from all over the world, they don’t have to charge high fees to pay the overhead on an office.
If tarot software helps make readings more accessible to all kinds of people, they are a positive development. Anyway, there is no consensus about online tarot readers among tarot practitioners. Some will say they are awful and misleading, and there is no way that a computer can ever replace the talent of a talented reader. Others will say they are very useful tools that have helped readers use their talents to help a lot more people. Like so many things about the occult arts, the right answer is always open to interpretation.
