This is a true story about a reading for a client wanting to know if she'd ever meet her knight and shinny armour: the image below is what I saw and read to a client:
Earlier this year, I read for a young woman. The cards were undeniably clear: she would meet a genuinely wonderful, kind, emotionally available, and successful partner – a true Knight of Cups energy – "The ONE." A truly significant, positive life partner was entering her orbit. Fast forward a few months, and she excitedly tells me she met someone. "Is this him?" she asked, practically bouncing with impatience and hope.
My internal reaction was an immediate, resounding, "OF COURSE NOT!" Because the man I saw in the cards was a vibrant, emotionally intelligent individual, not the emotionally stunted, financially dependent, and utterly lazy individual she was describing. She was trying to shoehorn this man, who clearly didn't match the energetic signature, into a prediction because she was impatient.
I told her, "Honey, the man I saw was a Knight of Cups: someone emotionally rich, genuinely kind, and ready for a deep connection. What you met was a lazy ass-horse Knight of Coins: a dude whose horse won't move, who only sits there doing nothing, and who, by your own admission, refuses to drive anywhere, leaving you to chauffeur him around."
This, my friends, is not Tarot guidance; this is a catastrophic failure of personal accountability, masked by the "Tarot-Made-Me-Do-It" defense. Stop Being Impatient!!!
The Blame Game: Why Your Tarot Cards Are Not Your Scapegoat
Let’s be honest: are you just looking for a mystical scapegoat for your own impulsive, self-destructive tendencies? Did the cards really tell you to break up with your stable, albeit boring, partner for a hot yoga instructor with questionable finances and commitment issues? Or did they simply show you a "new beginning" card, and your desperate brain filled in the rest with "impulsive, reckless leap into the unknown with minimal foresight"?
This "Tarot-Made-Me-Do-It" defense is not just a convenient dodge; it’s a profound misrepresentation of what Tarot cards actually do. They don't issue commands or make decisions for you. The vibrant, active, and kind energy of "The One" I saw for that young woman was a potential, a high-probability energetic alignment, not a pre-ordained destiny you could just slap onto the first available random person who demanded a ride.
The cards are a map, not a driver. They show you the path to the treasure, complete with warnings about dragons and pitfalls, but they don't force you to pick up the shovel, nor do they guarantee the first random person you meet is the treasure. You, the querent, are the driver, the adventurer, the one with the shovel, and the ultimate responsibility.
Your Desperation, Not Tarot's Decree: That "insight" you thought you got from a Tarot relationship reading was actually your own desperation, your impatience, your loneliness, or your subconscious desire to make something happen, overriding any actual message the cards were trying to convey. It's the same energy as when you thought the Tarot lied to you. No, you just lied to yourself, and then you doubled down on that lie by giving away your time, energy, and gas money to someone who clearly wasn't "it," just because you were trying to force a narrative.
This is the "Fit" Fallacy in action: you ignore discrepancies, you overlook glaring red flags, and you twist every minor detail to match your desired outcome, rather than accepting the truth of the situation. This isn't Tarot for love life; it's Tarot for delusion.
The Consequences of the "Tarot-Made-Me-Do-It" Mindset
This mindset leads to a multitude of self-sabotaging behaviors:
Bad Relationships (and Lingering Heartache): You settle for less, rationalize monumental red flags, and delay finding genuine happiness because you're too busy trying to jam unsuitable partners into your "The One" prediction. The cards showed you a loving future, but you settled for a disappointing present with a Knight of Pentacles who won't even move.
Financial Disasters: You make impulsive, ill-advised investments based on a vague "wealth coming" reading, ignoring all common sense and professional advice.
Career Stagnation: You jump ship from a stable, albeit uninspiring, job based on a misinterpreted "new beginnings" card, only to find yourself jobless and adrift.
Lost Trust in Tarot (and Yourself): You blame the cards, making you less open to actual Tarot guidance in the future. You lose faith in the tool because you refused to take responsibility for your own interpretations and actions. This is the definition of unhealthy Tarot use.
For the Tarot readers out there, if you're listening to a client tell you this kind of nonsense, it's your job to be the reality check. To gently (or not so gently) remind them that the cards are not an excuse for poor judgment. You are not a spiritual enabler; you are a guide towards responsible Tarot use.
Stop Blaming the Cards (and Start Owning Your Choices)
The Tarot cards don't make you do anything. They simply reflect the energies at play, illuminate your path, highlight obstacles, and reveal potentials. They don't have magic strings attached to your limbs or a remote control for your brain. They are not to blame for your bad decisions.
It’s time to stop the Tarot blame. Own your choices. Own your impulsivity. Own your desperation. It's only when you stop blaming the cards for your bad decisions that you can actually start using them for their intended, profound purpose: personal growth, self-reflection, and genuine empowerment.
So, next time you make a questionable life choice, don't tell me "the Tarot made me do it." Tell me you made a choice. Because the cards are done with your excuses, and frankly, so am I.