Tapping into the Unconscious: Using Tarot as a Tool for Self-Exploration and Growth

When most people think of tarot, they picture fortune-tellers, dramatic crystal balls, and predictions about the future. Yet, beneath this pop-cultural reputation lies a profound psychological tool — one that can serve as a mirror for your inner world. Over the last century, psychological thought, particularly within the Jungian framework, has paved a path toward understanding that human beings are guided by deep internal narratives, archetypes, and symbols. Tarot, in this light, can serve as a map of the psyche, offering a means to navigate inner landscapes that are often hidden from conscious view. For those drawn to symbolic tools, tarot can provide a structured way to explore personal themes and introspection.

As a psychologist, I value tarot for the ways it encourages introspection and offers a space to explore feelings and thoughts that are not always readily accessible to our conscious minds. Tarot can be a meaningful way to reconnect with dormant parts of yourself, discover fresh perspectives, and foster genuine psychological growth.

Archetypes: A Universal Symbolic Language

Before diving into the tarot’s rich imagery, it is essential to understand the conceptual frameworks that make it such a potent tool. Over a century ago, Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung revolutionized our understanding of the human psyche by introducing the concept of the collective unconscious—a reservoir of archetypal images and universal patterns shared by all humanity. In his view, our individual experience is interwoven with these universal narratives, shaping the way we perceive both ourselves and the world.

Modern thinkers have expanded on Jung’s insights. For instance, Gary Clark’s work in evolutionary analytical psychology introduces the concept of the “archetypal brain.” Rather than focusing solely on evolutionary processes, Clark emphasizes how our cognitive structures connect us to our ancestral wisdom. From this perspective, the architecture of our mind is imbued with symbolic legacies passed down through generations, enabling us to tap into timeless narratives and universal symbols. In this light, the rich imagery of tarot is a reflection of our intrinsic ability to access and resonate with the wisdom of our forebears.

In tarot, archetypal figures like The High Priestess or The Emperor resonate across time and culture, embodying themes such as inner wisdom, authority, and responsibility. Working with these archetypes can help place personal struggles in a broader context, fostering self-awareness and self-compassion. For example, recognizing feelings of isolation as part of the larger, timeless narrative of the Hermit can normalize these challenges, reducing shame and inspiring personal growth.

Tarot as a Portal to the Imaginal Realm

Tarot is composed of 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana that represent universal life themes, our inner realms, and significant life lessons, while the 56 Minor Arcana more often reflect day-to-day events, emotions, and challenges. The Major Arcana unfolds as a rich narrative known as the Fool’s Journey—a symbolic hero’s journey through the stages of life. This journey begins with the Fool, who represents innocence, spontaneity, and the courage to venture into the unknown. As the Fool steps off the cliff, he embarks on a path of self-discovery, encountering a series of archetypal figures and challenges along the way.

Each card marks a significant milestone: the Magician introduces the power of intention and resourcefulness, while the High Priestess invites you to trust your inner wisdom. Cards like the Emperor and the Empress embody structure and nurturing, and figures such as the Hermit and Justice prompt introspection and balance. Ultimately, the journey culminates with transformative cards like Death and The World, which signify endings that pave the way for new beginnings and a more integrated self.

In essence, the Fool’s Journey mirrors our own inner quest—a timeless narrative of growth, transformation, and the continual unfolding of our inner world. Because these symbols are so universal, they have a unique way of speaking to the deep layers of our minds.

When you draw a tarot card or look at a spread (an arrangement of cards), you’re not being told a fixed, external truth. Rather, you’re opening a doorway to your own unconscious. This is similar to psychological projective tests like the Rorschach inkblots. The imagery in the cards can spark personal memories, feelings, or insights that might otherwise remain out of reach. In this sense, tarot can act as a symbolic mirror, offering a structured way to explore inner narratives and personal meaning.

The Role of Intuition in Therapeutic Tarot

Central to tarot’s power is developing greater intuition — that swift, subconscious process where your brain weaves together experience, emotional tone, and subtle cues. In therapy, we often talk about trusting your “felt sense” of a situation rather than relying solely on rational analysis. Tarot engages this felt sense by immersing you in imagery and narrative. 

Over time, this can cultivate a healthier relationship with one’s inner guidance. You might find yourself able to make decisions that feel more authentic or recognize emotional states that previously eluded conscious notice. Just as a seasoned tarot reader sees The Fool not just as “card zero” but as a call to embrace possibility and renewal, you may begin to read your own emotional landscape with greater nuance and depth beyond the use of the cards.

Carl Jung’s Active Imagination Process

Jung introduced a technique called Active Imagination in which you intentionally engage with the symbols, images, and characters that surface from your unconscious mind. Rather than tightly controlling your thoughts, you enter a gentle, almost dream-like state while awake, allowing the unconscious to speak. While Jung never explicitly linked tarot with Active Imagination, their compatibility is evident: the archetypal imagery in tarot provides a structured set of symbols that some individuals find useful for engaging in intuitive self-exploration.

Where Active Imagination encourages one to “lower the mental level” and explore unconscious imagery, tarot provides a visual prompt, a doorway, and a symbolic landscape to enter. Each card offers a narrative: a situation, a character, or a feeling that can lead us into dialogue with our hidden parts.

Integrating Tarot with Active Imagination: A Four-Step Approach

Below is one structured way to use tarot as part of an inner exploration practice, inspired by Jung’s Active Imagination:

Step 1: Lower the Mental Level

Begin by grounding yourself. Take a few calming breaths, allow muscle tension to release, and imagine your busy, everyday mind gently sinking — as if the sun were setting below the horizon. Jung called this the abaissement du niveau mental, or “lowering the mental level.” This sets a tone of receptivity where intuition and imagination have room to speak. In this relaxed state, intuition and the unconscious find space to speak.

Step 2: Enter the Imaginal Realm Through a Card

Select a tarot card that resonates with you. This can be a card drawn at random or one that you feel “pulls” you in. Look at the image closely. Notice the figures, the setting, the colors, the emotions it evokes. Now imagine stepping into the card: let the scene unfold like a waking dream.

The Major Arcana often serve as potent gateways because their archetypal nature readily stirs the unconscious. For instance, The Hermit may invite one into a landscape of solitude, wisdom, and introspection; The Lovers may lead to explorations of relationship patterns and values; The Tower may confront the psyche with upheaval and release.

The characters in the card can speak, offer guidance, argue, or ask questions. Scenes can unfold spontaneously. If nothing happens, that’s okay. Gentle prompting or dialogue can help: “Hermit, what can you show me about my current search for meaning?” “Lovers, how can I learn about my conflicting desires?”

The key is to remain open, allowing the story to unfold without forcing a narrative. The conscious mind often tries to control the scene, but remain receptive. This step is about making contact with the unconscious through imagery and symbol, trusting that the psyche knows what needs to surface.

Step 3: Create the Artifact

Once this imaginal episode feels complete, capture the experience immediately. You might write down the conversation, sketch an image, paint, or record a voice note. The purpose isn’t perfection but preservation of your raw impressions, emotions, and insights. Jung emphasized that making a creative “artifact” helps anchor the material in consciousness, so you can revisit and reflect on it later.

Step 4: Amplify and Explore the Symbols

Now that you have your artifact, take time to amplify the symbols and themes that emerged. Ask yourself:

• What personal memories or associations arise when I think of this symbol?

• Are there cultural or mythological references that resonate with this image?

• Does this remind me of a recurring dream or a pattern in my life?

This step is not about judgment or forcing a single interpretation. It’s about curiosity to uncover deeper connections to you – such as your current life challenges, unmet needs, or sources of resilience you had previously overlooked.

Practical Applications: A Few Examples

1. Managing Anxiety
   If your inner world feels dominated by worry, you might draw a card like the Nine of Swords, which depicts nightmares and anxiety. By entering that card’s imagery, you might discover long-held fears or negative beliefs. In therapy, you can then use cognitive-behavioral techniques to challenge these thoughts, pairing symbolic insight with practical skill-building.

2. Navigating Life Transitions
   If you’re making a difficult career choice, you might pull The Lovers (suggesting choice and alignment) or The Two of Wands (evaluating new possibilities). Active Imagination with these cards can help you clarify what truly matters to you, fostering decisions that align with your authentic self.

3. Exploring Relationship Patterns
   If you keep drawing Court Cards (e.g., King or Queen of Swords), you might reflect on the role of authority or conflict in your life. Engaging with these images might prompt you to examine how you communicate and set boundaries with others, unveiling new ways to relate more effectively.

Finding Wholeness

Ultimately,  tarot is a tool — a symbolic gateway that invites deeper conversations with yourself. Jung believed that by consciously engaging with the images and archetypes that live in our collective unconscious, we can reclaim lost or hidden aspects of our psyche. This process, which Jung called individuation, is about moving toward wholeness. Like a map guiding you through uncharted terrain, tarot can offer direction, spark intuition, and uncover hidden truths.

If you are curious to explore tarot in your own journey:

• Choose a Deck: Many people start with a Rider-Waite-Smith deck because of the vast resources available. Pick a deck whose imagery resonates with you.

• Create a Sacred Space: Store your cards in a meaningful place, engage in brief meditation, or simply hold the deck in a quiet moment to “tune in.”

• Keep a Journal: Jot down your card draws, personal reflections, and any associations or dreams that follow. Patterns may emerge over time.

• Experiment: Try daily card pulls, or work more intentionally with a specific spread related to a current concern. Remember, there are no “right” or “wrong” ways to explore.

The Placebo Effect and Tarot as a Therapeutic Ally

Skeptics might label tarot insights as mere “apophenia” — the inclination to see patterns in random data — or as a “placebo effect” rooted in belief. From a psychological standpoint, these critiques don’t invalidate tarot. In fact, they highlight why tarot can be an effective tool for self-reflection. The act of seeing meaning in the cards’ imagery simply facilitates the surfacing of insights, memories, or feelings you already carry within you. You are effectively using patterns and symbols to reveal your own wisdom. It’s no different from journaling, mind-mapping, or dream analysis as ways to clarify your inner truths.

In this sense, tarot can act as a catalyst for self-exploration. Whether it’s pure placebo or not is less important than how it encourages you to look inward, connect with intuition, and engage with symbolic language. The therapeutic value lies in your subjective experience and the meaning you derive.

Conclusion: Bridging Inner and Outer Worlds

Embracing tarot in a therapeutic context isn’t about superstition or fortune-telling, it is an optional and client led tool for personal reflection. It’s an invitation to listen more deeply to what your unconscious mind may be communicating. Whether you view tarot as a purely psychological tool, a spiritual practice, or a blend of both, it can awaken inner resources, encourage creativity, and spark meaningful dialogue with parts of yourself you rarely see.  

Ultimately, it is you who unlocks insights, heals wounds, and chooses new paths. Tarot merely provides the symbolic language that helps bring buried truths to light. Through curiosity, compassion, and a willingness to engage your imagination, tarot can become a dependable ally on your path toward greater self-understanding, authenticity, and wholeness.

As a therapist, I recognize that healing is not one-size-fits-all. Some individuals find meaning in evidence-based therapy alone, while others find that integrating spiritual, symbolic, and ancestral perspectives creates a deeper, more holistic path toward self-understanding.

If tarot resonates with you, we can explore its insights together—not as a replacement for therapy, but as an additional lens through which to understand your story, your healing, and your connection to the greater whole.

*A Note on Using Tarot Responsibly 

As a provisional psychologist, I emphasize that tarot is not a replacement for therapy or a method of predicting the future. It’s a projective technique that can complement professional counseling by bringing up themes and personal associations that might not surface through talk alone.

Additionally, I adhere to the College of Alberta Psychologists' ethical standards, ensuring that psychological services remain evidence-based. Tarot is not a psychological intervention or diagnostic tool, but rather an optional personal reflection tool that some individuals may find meaningful.

• Safety and Grounding: Engaging the unconscious can stir deep emotions. If distress arises, take a break, do grounding exercises, or seek support from a therapist.

• Transparency: Tarot works best when approached as a creative and symbolic tool for insight. It is not about magical solutions or external “powers.”

• Integration: Reflecting on your tarot experiences with a therapist can be immensely helpful. Linking your tarot insights to evidence-based strategies, such as cognitive restructuring or mindfulness, can reinforce meaningful change in everyday life.

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