Outcome of a situation or fatalism
The tarot at times will show the possible outcome of the
situation. In the past many readers would interpret this as irreversible, but
is it always the case? Moving away from the traditional or prediction style
reading to a more coaching style, still we have to deal with the fact that
certain tarot derived information is or looks de facto.
In a previous article I described the scenario of a
fatalistic tarot reader vs the contemporary reader who is actually a tarot
coach. I explained the various stand points and how the reader is presenting
the information of the situation that the client is in.
Many tarot spreads have certain card positions that describe
the possible outcome. So, if you isolate this position, are we talking about a
certain outcome or something that will happen no matter what? From a modern
coaching point of view this is not always the case, and I will explain right
away why.
Firstly, if we hold the belief that all events are predetermined
and therefore inevitable, what is really happening is that we have a submissive
attitude to events. This is a result of a fatalistic point of view to the subjugation
of all events or actions to fate or destiny, which is associated with the consequent
attitude of resignation in the face of future events most likely are thought to
be inevitable.
Exactly this attitude is what needs to be changed. In
reality we do have a choice, and a self-conscious tarot reader will present to
you a mutable future which is directly affected by the way you react, respond
to the present information model, or is equally affected by your lack of action,
and will lead you to the outcome that is described by the reader!
The more able we are to shed notions of fatalism and predeterminism,
in other words the preconceived ideas that we have about all events of history,
past, present and future, that have been already decided by some external force,
the more capable we are to have different, altered outcomes.
In simple terms, x events in the past have brought the y current events and with possible z results. In this equation z is directed by your choices especially when you reflect on the x and y variables. Many would agree that the universe of tarot is a dynamic system whose apparently random states of disorder are actually governed by underlying patterns.

chaotic behaviour
animation by catslash
"An animation of a double-rod pendulum at an intermediate energy showing chaotic behavior. Starting the pendulum from a slightly different initial condition would result in a vastly different trajectory. The double-rod pendulum is one of the simplest dynamical systems with chaotic solutions.", from Wikipedia
This is actually the definition of chaos theory, initially a
branch of mathematics, but I feel it can be applied to tarot. Tarot is a system
of 78 cards, shuffled at random, yet a spread has a specific pattern. Even if
we use the same spread millions of times, the card sequence will produce a
slight variation of the 78 fixed cards, this is an apparent randomness influenced by the ability of the reader to produce a logical and consistent
scenario.
In this scenario you are the leading actor! And in many cases,
you would like to edit the script, change the locations and or other co-stars according
to your level of consciousness …