according to<\/a> Pew Research Center, alternative beliefs are popular among even evangelical Christians.<\/p>\n Reed agreed that the stigma of reading tarot is dying down, making it easier for readers of all faiths or none to practice: “Today you’ll see people from all belief systems using tarot.”<\/p>\n
Reed believes that the most recent surge is specifically being led by young Black tarot readers and those in the LGBTQ community. “That’s a good thing. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome. We’ve been waiting for you,” Reed said.<\/p>\n
Whatever its source, the trend has likely been intensified by the pandemic. “I believe due to social media growing and (now) all of us being quarantined, the word on tarot has spread quickly,” said Cargle, who said she reads for friends as well as herself.<\/p>\n
Barbara Moore, an acquisitions editor at Llewellyn Worldwide, one of the leading publishers and distributors of decks, agreed that there is a noticeable upswing in interest. Moore said that Llewellyn is now publishing six new decks per year, which is double from a few years back. “We are (specifically) seeing a demand for more diversity in tarot decks,” she said.<\/p>\n
“While the pandemic has definitely been a major factor for the current surge, there are other forces at play,” explained Moore, including digital media and self-publishing.<\/p>\n
“Independent venues and crowdfunding have opened up a whole new world of tarot and oracles. Because these options are not under the same sales requirements as a traditional publisher, it is a way for more specialized, unique, or experimental decks to come to life,” she said.<\/p>\n
The Simplicity Tarot, an inclusive deck created by New York City-based reader and spiritualist Emilie Muñiz, was crowdfunded and was so popular that she created a second “Red Rose” edition. Muñiz has since contracted with U.S. Game Systems for mass printing.<\/p>\n
A related form of divination called oracle decks has also been gaining popularity, specifically with younger readers. Moore explained that oracles are a good resource for people looking for daily comfort without having to spend time memorizing tarot’s esoteric system. They are particularly attractive to young people just beginning a spiritual journey, she added.<\/p>\n
The growing interest in both types of decks has forced an Atlanta-based metaphysical store, Phoenix and Dragon, to completely rearrange its space. The tarot display, which now holds well over 128 decks and 60 kits, was moved to a larger room near the store’s front.<\/p>\n
Owner Candace Apple said, “The surge in sales is definitely fueled by the 18- to 25-year-olds searching for their spiritual path and answers to the challenges they are facing in an uncertain world.”<\/p>\n
Although her most popular deck is still the century-old Rider-Waite-Smith, Apple said, “The popular new aesthetics (in deck theme and art) reflect more forward movement than nostalgia of the past.”<\/p>\n
Like Cargle, Apple names social media as the main factor behind the surge. “My book and deck buyer, Preston, scans the related TikTok posts to determine the strength in the newly introduced decks.”<\/p>\n
Platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram are the most common places for young readers to discuss and share their practice. All three are visually oriented and therefore conducive to tarot.<\/p>\n
For all of social media’s power, however, tarot’s pull still has much to do with its aesthetic, which has expanded over the centuries from traditional esoteric depictions to Manga and pop culture. Even in its most modern form, tarot still holds its fundamental imaginative power. Cargle began reading with Vanessa Decort’s Sun and Moon Tarot deck, which was a gift from her mother. But she has since moved to Tarot of the Divine, attracted by the art of creator Yoshi Yoshitani, which, Cargle said, helps her to intuit what the cards are saying.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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