
AI Tarot Reading: How Modern Tech Is Transforming Ancient Divination for Creators
When it comes to creative inspiration, sometimes the most magical pairings happen between the ancient and the cutting-edge. As someone who's spent two decades dabbling in tarot reading while simultaneously struggling to finish my novels, I've discovered something unexpected: AI tarot reading makes for an excellent creative companion! This transformative approach combines the wisdom of traditional divination with the analytical power of artificial intelligence.
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For years, I've pulled weekly cards and studied their meanings, attended in-person classes, collected binders of notes, and even created Post-it cheat sheets for suits and numerology. Still, something was missing—that ability to confidently interpret multiple cards in relation to each other and tell the story they're revealing.
Enter AI. After experiencing how AI has helped jumpstart my novel writing process, I wondered: could it also help with tarot? So I opened up Claude 3.7 and asked for guidance with tarot spreads. The results were revelatory.
Using my Modern Witch Tarot Deck, I pulled cards according to the AI's instructions for various spreads. After each card pull, I'd offer my interpretation through voice typing (my preferred method of AI interaction), then the AI would provide feedback and deeper insights.
What surprised me most? My interpretations were largely correct! I knew more than I gave myself credit for, but the AI helped me:
- Access deeper card meanings I hadn't grasped
- Connect cards in meaningful ways
- Build confidence through immediate feedback
- Experience real-time coaching that books and courses hadn't provided
The Power of AI Tarot Reading: Why It Works So Well
What makes AI particularly suitable for tarot learning? Several things:
- Real-time coaching: Unlike static books or courses, AI provides immediate feedback tailored to your specific cards and interpretations.
- Knowledge base: Tarot has fixed symbolic meanings that AI systems have thoroughly learned. The fool will always represent the beginning of a journey, not winning the lottery—and AI excels at maintaining this structured knowledge while helping you apply it.
- Confidence building: For beginners, reading tarot can be intimidating. AI offers a judgment-free space to practice interpretations and receive gentle guidance.
- Collaborative experience: Working with AI on tarot readings creates a dialogue that feels interactive and engaging—like having a patient teacher available 24/7.
However, I always include prompts like "please challenge my assumptions" and "give me constructive feedback" to ensure I'm not just receiving validation but actually growing my skills.
How to Conduct Your Own AI Tarot Session
Setting up your first AI tarot reading session is straightforward. Most modern AI platforms like Claude, ChatGPT, or specialized tarot apps can facilitate these readings. The key is being specific in your prompts and approaching the reading with an open mind. Unlike traditional computerized readings that simply display card meanings, AI tarot reading creates a dynamic, personalized interpretation that evolves through your conversation.
Want to try AI tarot reading yourself? Here's a prompt template based on what worked for me:
Hey! I'm learning tarot and would like to go through a few spreads with you. I'd like to offer my initial interpretation, and then I'd like you to give me further insights and interpretations, teaching me along the process. I'm interested in [mention your life stage or specific interests] so I would like my questions, spreads, and results to be appropriate to that. Please ask any questions about my preferences—I'm looking to engage, have fun, and learn, so please be encouraging in your responses and ask for clarification as needed. I have my tarot card deck in front me. Optional: I previously did a [specific type] reading and quite liked it, so anything similar would be preferable.]
During your session:
- Be specific about which cards you draw and their positions
- Share your interpretations first before getting AI feedback
- Ask questions about card combinations you find confusing
- Request clarification on symbols or elements that catch your eye
- Don't hesitate to guide the conversation if the AI provides too much information at once
- Remember that customization is key—tailor the experience to your learning style
The beauty of AI tarot reading is that it adapts to you, not the other way around!
Physical Decks vs. Digital Options
Now here's where my AI collaborator and I have different perspectives (which makes for a richer conversation!):
My Old-School Take:
I'm firmly in the physical deck camp. There's something irreplaceable about shuffling actual cards, feeling their weight, and physically arranging them in a spread. If you don't have a deck, I'd recommend printing one at home or even creating a system with regular playing cards before turning to fully digital options. The tactile nature of tarot is, for me, part of its magic.
AI's Digital-Age Perspective:
While physical decks offer a traditional experience, digital tarot options can be excellent starting points for beginners or those who want convenience. Some recommended digital options include:
- Lotus Tarot: 6 different free reading options.
- Labyrinthos: Offers beautiful digital decks with learning tools built in
- Golden Thread Tarot: A minimalist app with intuitive card meanings
- Galaxy Tarot: Comprehensive readings with detailed interpretations
These apps can complement AI guidance, especially when you're just beginning to learn card meanings or don't have a physical deck handy.
Tarot, AI, and Novel Writing: A Creative Powerhouse
As a novelist, I've discovered tarot and AI make a phenomenal combination for creative development. Here are some ways to use this pairing for your writing:
Character Development
Draw cards to represent characters or aspects of their personalities. Ask your AI assistant to help interpret how these cards might manifest as character traits, flaws, desires, or fears. This adds complexity and archetypal resonance to your cast.
Plot Generation
Feeling stuck? Pull a three-card spread for past-present-future of your story situation and ask AI to help brainstorm plot developments based on the cards' meanings.
World Building
In my current feminist Space Opera, I've assigned different tarot cards to represent planetary systems and civilizations. Check out my novel page for more details on this project. The Two of Cups, for example, rules the Aqua Lunens (my protagonist's race), informing their culture, values, and history.
This approach gives each setting a distinct identity while maintaining thematic cohesion across your fictional universe. The AI can help you explore implications of each card's energy for your world's politics, geography, culture, and more.
AI Tarot Reading vs. Traditional Methods: What's Different?
AI tarot reading differs from traditional methods in several important ways. While human readers bring intuition developed over years of practice, AI brings comprehensive knowledge of card meanings and relationships without the potential for human bias. Traditional readings might cost anywhere from $30-200 per session, while AI readings are generally available through subscription services you might already have.
However, AI tarot reading lacks the energetic connection some readers believe is essential to accurate divination. It can't physically handle your cards or sense your energy. This is why I recommend a hybrid approach: use physical cards that you shuffle and select, then consult AI for interpretation assistance and learning.
Finding What Works for You
Whether you prefer my old-school physical cards approach or are intrigued by the AI-recommended digital options, the most important thing is finding a system that resonates with you. Tarot reading—with or without AI assistance—should feel intuitive and meaningful.
If you're interested in exploring more AI tools for creative projects, check out my AI toolkit where I share all my favorite resources for writing, brainstorming, and creative development.
The Magic Is in the Collaboration
What I've learned through this journey is that neither tarot nor AI is meant to replace human intuition—they're tools to enhance it. The real magic happens in the conversation between you, the cards, and the AI guidance.
In the end, tarot is about storytelling, and isn't that what we novelists do best? With AI as our patient coach and tarot as our symbolic language, we can access deeper creative wells and bring richer characters and worlds to life.
Have you tried using AI for tarot readings or other creative practices? I'd love to hear about your experiences in the comments!
This blog post was created through a collaborative conversation between Max and an AI assistant, demonstrating exactly the kind of creative partnership it describes. The AI contributed digital tarot recommendations and helped organize Max's experiences into this structured format, while Max provided all personal experiences, tarot insights, and creative applications.