If you went to a social gathering and told everyone there loudly and proudly that you are a tarot reader, you're guaranteed to hear a whole lot of opinions and misconceptions. Many of these stems from negative stereotypes and religious rhetoric that have endured even in an age when most of us have supercomputers in our pockets. Some of these myths are even perpetuated within the tarot community among readers, just to make things even more confusing. Use common sense and fact-check assumptions or opinions if something is off or doesn't sit right.

Here are some of the most common misconceptions you'll hear about tarot and the truth about the cards.

Myth: You can't buy your tarot deck; it has to be gifted to you.
This myth is one of the most enduring, and it's likely an old wives' tale. It's so very false because you are the best person to buy a tarot deck you love to work with. It can be very frustrating if you struggle to connect to the imagery and symbols in the deck you have been gifted. Whatever you work with should inspire you. You must be happy with the aesthetic quality of the cards, so that they speak to you and you can deliver their messages and access their wisdom. So, go ahead: buy your first, second, and third deck.

Myth: Tarot is evil, linked to dark magic and possession.
This misconception is rooted in religious beliefs and cemented further by old popular culture depictions of the tarot and those who read the cards. This perception is changing, but not fast enough. The tarot deck shows light and dark, and the cards have challenging aspects and cards that are shrouded in taboo, but that is the way of life and nature. Sometimes, life is exhilarating and full of promise; other times, we struggle to get by. As the deck is designed to reflect life's journey, it's going to show its myriad experiences. No tool is inherently evil. Tarot is a neutral tool and reflects the intentions and attitudes of its user.

There will always be a small group of people—usually those who've never had a conversation with a modern tarot reader—who think tarot cards themselves have magical powers or spirits attached to them. They are simply cards; the so-called magic is in their interpretation and how the individual reader works with them. Some decks are designed for ceremonial magic, and there are alchemical symbols and titles on many tarot cards, but that doesn't mean they're nefarious. People will fear what they don’t understand, and the tarot, its design, and its use are in this category more often than not.

Myth: You can't read tarot for friends and family.
There is no secret list of who you can and can't read the cards for; you're not Santa Claus. If your friends and family are open to receiving tarot readings, they make wonderful querents for practicing your tarot reading skills. As you grow, you may become more cautious about reading tarot for people close to you. You're likely going to be biased because you know way too much about what is going on in their lives. It can also be hard to be the bearer of bad news or the truth pill that's hard to swallow. At that stage, you may refer your friends or family to other readers.

Myth: You have to be psychic to read the tarot.
While some psychics use tarot cards, anyone can learn to read them and give impactful readings. How you interpret and work with the tarot will be personal. Not all tarot readers are psychic, though some are. Most, if not all, people who work with tarot cards will find that their intuitive gifts and abilities grow, but that doesn't mean there is a requirement to be a top-level psychic to be a reader.

Myth: When you draw the Death card, you're going to die.
If this were the case, people would be dropping like flies at every tarot event, metaphysical store, and fair. The Death card gets a bad rap, but the card usually symbolizes transformation, change, or the end of a phase, not literal death. Death is not always physical. Although there have been times in my decades of reading the cards where the Death card has translated into physical death, it's been very rare and there was a known illness or Be prepared; often when people find out that you're learning to read the tarot, they'll want a reading. If you choose to do these readings, be aware of your limits; you don't have to do a reading for anyone you don't feel ready for or comfortable with knowledge of the person's end of life coming. Death is part of life, but this card isn't the omen of doom that you may've been led to believe.

Myth: Reading tarot for yourself will only give you inaccurate readings.
If you read the cards for yourself, it will come down to personal preference. Some readers believe you can't or shouldn't read tarot for yourself because you're too invested in the reading outcomes to interpret the cards effectively. However, many find self-reading to be a valuable practice for personal insight. You'll know if you check in with yourself if you're too close to a situation and would benefit from having someone else read the cards for you. Daily card draws and readings for perspective and reflection are valuable practices for learning the card meanings and gaining insight into your life and how you can improve your relationships and situations.

Myth: Tarot reading predictions are set in stone.
Predictive readings do not offer an unchangeable future. They usually reflect potential outcomes based on current circumstances and can change with decisions and actions.

Myth: Tarot Readers can be 100 percent accurate.
Any tarot reader who says they're 100 percent accurate is full of it. No matter how many years they've been reading the cards, no one's accuracy is 100 percent, especially with predictive tarot readings. That's ego talking, just in my experience.

Myth: Tarot is connected to specific religions or occult practices.
Some believe tarot is intrinsically connected to certain religions or occult practices, but this is untrue. Tarot started out as a card game and has developed into a versatile tool that transcends specific religious or occult affiliations. Depending on the user's beliefs and intentions, it can be used within various spiritual contexts or entirely secularly.

Myth: Tarot is only accurate when done by professionals.
There are opinions that only professional tarot readers can provide accurate readings. In truth, anyone can learn to read tarot cards effectively. Accuracy in tarot readings often depends more on the reader's ability to interpret the cards and the querent's openness to the process.

Myth: Certain tarot cards always predict bad outcomes.
Besides the Death card, cards such as the Tower and the Devil often get bad reputations for always predicting doom or negative events. The reality is that these cards can have a wide range of meanings, including positive aspects like liberation, transformation, or the shedding of old patterns.

In summary, the tarot is a card system that can be used for various readings. It can also be a powerful aid in magic and ritual. However, the tarot cannot and will not predict a fixed and fated future. People have free will, their choices affect the outcomes in their lives, and things can change from moment to moment.

You'll inevitably encounter a friend, coworker, or even family member who disapproves of your interest in the tarot and may hold one of the myths about the tarot as fact. There is not much you can do to convince someone with deep-rooted beliefs to change their minds, even when armed with facts and proof. The best thing you can do is educate yourself and reveal to the people in your life, when you feel ready, that you're becoming an exceptional tarot reader.

Excerpted from Become an Exceptional Tarot Reader by Ethony Dawn.