Over the years, tarot has gained widespread recognition as a valuable tool for introspection and personal growth.
Each card has a distinctive symbolism and meaning that can be interpreted to provide helpful insights into various aspects of your life.
For me personally as a writer and creative, I can say that tarot has been a valuable source of inspiration for my work.
It’s what has gotten me into the idea of starting this website in the first place!
The images on the cards spark new ideas, provide prompts for writing and can even help me overcome writer’s block.
So therefore I decided to create this blog post to explain how you too can use tarot as a fantastic and unique tool to unlock your own artistic potential.
Whether you are a writer, painter, musician or simply someone who wants to express themselves creatively, incorporating tarot into your practice can help you tap into your intuition, explore new ideas and deepen your understanding of yourself and the world around you.
So, let’s dive right into the world of tarot and creativity!
Table of Contents
Tarot Basics
Before we delve deeper into how tarot can be used for creative purposes, let’s go over some basic information about tarot to get a clear image of what we’re working with.
A Tarot deck consists of 78 cards and is divided into two parts: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana.
The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards that represent major life events and themes such as The Fool, The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor and so on.
The Minor Arcana consists of 56 cards grouped into four suits: Swords, Cups, Wands and Pentacles.
Each suit represents different aspects of life and the human experience.
The Swords
The Swords are known to symbolize the mind, intellect and communication.
They generally represent logic, analysis and decision-making.
The Cups
Cups cards symbolize emotions, feelings and relationships.
They are known to mainly focus on the subjects of love, joy and emotional fulfillment.
The Wands
The Wands suit symbolizes creativity, passion and energy.
The Wands cards represent inspiration, ambition and achievement.
The Pentacles
Pentacles symbolize material aspects of life such as money and possessions.
They represent a strong sense of abundance, prosperity and manifestation.
Now that we have gone over the compact basics of tarot, let’s explore how you can use it for creative purposes.
Let’s go over some ways in which you can incorporate tarot into your own artistic practice!
Using Tarot For Creative Purposes
Tarot can be used in a variety of ways to inspire and guide your creative process.
Here are a few powerful examples to inspire you:
Using Tarot To Spark Creativity
You can draw a random card from the deck and use it as a starting point for your creative work.
The image on the card can be interpreted in a multitude of ways and can serve as a prompt to jumpstart your imagination.
For example, if you happen to draw the Empress card, you can use it as inspiration to create a painting or write a story about a powerful, nurturing figure.
Using Tarot For Character Development
You can also use the tarot cards to develop characters in your writing, painting or other art projects.
Pulling cards that represent different personality traits can help you create more fully developed and interesting characters.
Using Tarot To Explore Themes
You can also use the tarot cards to explore specific themes or emotions that you want to express in your creative work.
For example, if you are working on a piece about love and relationships, you can draw cards to represent different stages of a relationship or specific aspects of love (such as trust, passion or heartbreak) to gain valuable insights and a unique perspective.
Using Tarot For Creative Problem Solving
When faced with a creative block or problem, you can turn to the tarot for guidance.
Drawing a card that represents the issue can offer a new perspective or solution that you might not have considered before.
Using Tarot For Self-Reflection
You can use the tarot cards as a tool for self-reflection and personal growth.
Pulling a card to represent aspects of yourself or a situation you are dealing with can help you gain insights and clarity about your thoughts and emotions.
Incorporating tarot into your creative practice can be a powerful tool for unlocking your artistic potential and gaining deep insights about yourself and your work.
By using the tarot cards to spark creativity, develop characters, explore themes, solve problems and engage in self-reflection, you can deepen your understanding of your own creative process and unlock new levels of expression.
Tarot is a versatile and accessible tool that can be used by anyone, regardless of their experience with the cards.
Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned tarot reader, incorporating tarot into your creative practice can be a valuable way to tap into your intuition and unlock your artistic potential.
So grab your tarot deck, start shuffling those cards and see where they take you on your creative journey!
Developing Your Own Tarot-Inspired Creative Process
Identifying Personal Themes And Symbols
To develop your own tarot-inspired creative process, you can start by identifying personal themes and symbols that resonate with you.
This can be done by studying the tarot cards and noting which ones you feel drawn to or which ones evoke certain emotions or memories for you.
This can help you develop a personal symbolism and vocabulary to use in your creative work.
Creating Your Own Tarot Spreads
You can also create your own tarot spreads that are specifically tailored to your creative process.
For example, you can create a spread for character development or for exploring different aspects of a theme.
By creating your own spreads, you can personalize your tarot practice to best serve your creative needs.
Creating A Tarot Themed Mood Board
Another way to incorporate tarot into your creative process is to create a tarot-themed mood board.
This can be done by selecting images and colors from the tarot cards that resonate with you and using them as inspiration for your creative work.
For example, if you are a writer, you can create a mood board that includes images from the tarot that represent the themes and emotions you want to explore in your writing.
This can serve as a visual reminder and a source of inspiration for your project.
Using Tarot In Group Or Collaborative Projects
A very unique and exciting way is to use tarot in group or collaborative projects.
By drawing cards as a group and discussing the interpretations, you can gain new perspectives and insights that can enrich your collaborative work and deepen your bond.
Tarot can be used as a refreshing tool for team-building exercises or for exploring group dynamics.
I know I would have been pleasantly surprised if a trainer incorporated tarot into a team-building exercise instead of those boring icebreakers we all secretly despise (it can’t be just me?).
Tarot And Artistic Confidence
Tarot is an awesome tool to help you build artistic confidence.
Creative work can often be a vulnerable and personal process.
Tarot can provide reassurance and guidance by offering a new perspective on your work.
For example, if you are struggling with self-doubt about your creative skills, drawing a card that represents your strengths and potential can remind you of your talents and abilities and may just give you that motivating push you need to keep creating with confidence.
Similarly, drawing a card that represents self-expression and authenticity can remind you to trust your instincts and create from an honest place.
Incorporating tarot into your creative practice can also help you develop a deeper sense of trust in the creative process itself.
Tarot can remind you that creativity is not a linear or straightforward process, but rather a multifaceted and intuitive one that requires patience and exploration.
By using tarot to tap into your intuition and creativity, you can develop a more playful and curious approach to your work, which can help you overcome creative blocks and build your confidence as an artist.
When it comes to deepening your artistic intuition, using tarot can be a powerful tool to unlock your creativity and gain insights about yourself and your work.
Whether you are a beginner or experienced tarot reader, incorporating tarot into your creative practice can help you tap into your intuition and unlock your artistic potential.
Recommended Tarot Decks For Artistic Inspiration
Even though all tarot decks can be considered a true piece of art in my personal opinion, certain decks may resonate more with your specific creative practice.
Here are the decks that I can confidently recommend for artistic inspiration and getting those creative juices flowing!
The Wild Unknown Tarot Deck
The Wild Unknown tarot deck features beautiful and intricate animal illustrations that will definitely inspire your inner creativity.
It is also known for its intuitive imagery, making it easy to use for both beginners and experienced readers.
The Modern Witch Tarot
The Modern Witch tarot deck offers a modern twist on traditional tarot imagery, featuring bold and colorful illustrations that can be inspiring for artists who want to experiment with new color palettes and styles.
I use this deck a lot when drawing inspiration for my own creative projects.
I absolutely love all the cards and can find something unique in them each time I decide to use this deck!
The Fountain Tarot
The Fountain tarot deck features dreamy and ethereal imagery that can serve as a source of inspiration for writers, musicians and visual artists alike.
It also features diverse and inclusive representations of people, which can be helpful for character development in creative writing.
Of course, these are just a few examples of tarot decks that can be inspiring for artistic purposes.
There are countless other decks out there with unique and stunning imagery that can serve as a source of inspiration for creatives.
It is crucial to choose a deck that resonates with you personally and matches your creative aesthetic in order to get the most out of it.
Other Questions You May Have
What Tarot Card Represents Creativity?
The Tarot card that represents creativity may vary depending on personal interpretation and the deck being used.
However, cards that are generally often associated with creativity include The Empress, The Magician, The Star, The Sun and The Ace of Wands.
These cards symbolize themes such as inspiration, manifestation, imagination and creative energy.
Is Tarot An Art Form?
While tarot itself may not be considered an art form (yet), its use in creative practices such as writing, painting, and music can certainly be seen as forms of artistic expression.
The images on the cards can serve as inspiration and prompts for creating new works of art.
The process of interpreting the cards and gaining insights through them can be viewed as a form of creative expression in and of itself.
I personally feel like each tarot card is an art work in its own right, with intricate and detailed illustrations that can be appreciated for their beauty and symbolism.
It is actually a dream of mine to create my own deck someday, as I feel it would be a labor of love and a creative endeavor in itself.
I have a lot of ideas I’d love to bring to life!
Can Tarot Help With Writer’s Block?
I can personally confirm that tarot can be a helpful tool for overcoming writer’s block.
By drawing a card and meditating on its symbolism, you can gain insights and inspiration that can help you break through your creative slump.
Tarot can help you explore your own thoughts and emotions, which can be a source of inspiration for your writing.
Final Thoughts
Incorporating tarot into your creative practice can offer a variety of benefits, from sparking inspiration to developing deep insights about your art and yourself.
By using tarot for character development, exploring themes, solving creative problems, engaging in self-reflection and building artistic confidence, you can unlock your potential and take your creative work to new heights.
Whether you are an experienced tarot reader or just starting out, there are many resources and communities available to support you in using tarot for artistic inspiration.
On my website you can find tarot card meanings, tarot spreads and other helpful tools that can help you incorporate tarot into your creative practice.
So go ahead and explore all that tarot has to offer for your creative growth and see where it takes you on your journey!