Core Ethical Principles
The golden rule of tarot ethics: Do no harm. Tarot should empower, not frighten or control.
- • For readers: Give guidance, not commands
- • For querents: Use tarot to inform decisions, not replace them
- • Never: Predict death, diagnose illness, or give legal/financial advice
- • Always: Respect free will and personal responsibility
Why Ethics Matter in Tarot
Tarot readings involve vulnerability. People seek guidance during uncertain times, which makes them susceptible to manipulation or harm if ethics aren't maintained.
✓ Ethical Tarot Empowers People To:
- • Gain new perspectives
- • Explore options thoughtfully
- • Trust their own judgment
- • Take responsible action
- • Develop self-awareness
✗ Unethical Tarot Can:
- • Create fear and anxiety
- • Manipulate decisions
- • Foster dependence
- • Provide dangerous "advice"
- • Violate privacy
Bottom line: Tarot is a tool for reflection, not a replacement for professional help, personal agency, or critical thinking.
Ethics for Tarot Readers
If you read tarot for others (professionally or casually), these principles guide responsible practice:
1. Obtain Consent
Never read for someone without their permission.
- • Don't do readings "about" people who didn't ask
- • Respect if someone declines a reading
- • Ask before sharing reading results with others
2. Maintain Confidentiality
Keep readings private.
- • Don't share what someone asked about
- • Don't gossip about clients' readings
- • Secure any written records
3. Empower, Don't Control
Frame readings as guidance, not commands.
❌ Don't Say:
- "You must leave your job"
- "You're destined to marry them"
- "This will definitely happen"
✓ Do Say:
- "The cards suggest considering..."
- "This path might lead to..."
- "You have the power to choose..."
4. Know Your Limits
Recognize when to refer to professionals.
- • Mental health issues → therapist or counselor
- • Legal questions → lawyer
- • Medical concerns → doctor
- • Financial planning → financial advisor
- • Abuse situations → appropriate authorities or support services
5. Be Honest and Transparent
Don't claim powers you don't have.
- • Be upfront about your experience level
- • Explain your reading style and approach
- • Clear pricing (no hidden fees)
- • Acknowledge when you're uncertain about a card
6. Never Exploit Fear
Don't use tarot to manipulate or scare.
- • No "curse removal" for extra payment
- • No doomsday predictions
- • No creating dependency ("You need weekly readings")
- • No claiming only you can help them
7. Respect Free Will
The future isn't fixed. People have choices.
- • Present readings as possibilities, not certainties
- • Emphasize personal agency
- • Support clients in making their own decisions
Ethics for Querents (People Getting Readings)
If you're receiving tarot readings, you also have ethical responsibilities:
Take Responsibility for Your Choices
Tarot provides perspective, but you make your own decisions. Don't blame a reading if things don't work out—you always have free will.
Don't Use Tarot to Invade Others' Privacy
Avoid readings like "What is [person] thinking about me?" or "Is [person] cheating?" This violates their privacy. Focus on your role and actions.
Don't Develop Dependency
If you find yourself unable to make any decision without tarot, take a break. Healthy tarot use supplements your judgment, not replaces it.
Respect the Reader's Time and Effort
If you're paying for a reading, understand the value. Don't demand free work or constant follow-ups. Treat readers professionally.
Don't "Shop" for Preferred Answers
Getting multiple readings on the same question hoping for different answers defeats the purpose. If you got a reading, sit with it before seeking another opinion.
What Not to Ask Tarot
Some questions are unethical, dangerous, or beyond tarot's scope. Avoid these:
⚠️ Never Ask About Death
- ❌ "When will I/someone die?"
- ❌ "Is someone I know going to die?"
- ❌ "Will this illness be fatal?"
Why: Unethical, anxiety-inducing, and tarot can't predict death. These questions cause harm.
⚠️ Never Ask for Medical Diagnosis
- ❌ "Do I have [medical condition]?"
- ❌ "Should I take this medication?"
- ❌ "Will this treatment work?"
Why: Tarot isn't qualified for medical advice. Always see a doctor for health concerns.
⚠️ Avoid Questions About Others Without Consent
- ⚠️ "What is [person] thinking about me?"
- ⚠️ "Is [person] being unfaithful?"
- ⚠️ "Does [person] love me?"
Better alternative: Reframe to focus on you: "How can I communicate better in this relationship?" or "What do I need to know about this connection?"
⚠️ Don't Ask Legal or Financial Specifics
- ⚠️ "Should I invest in [specific stock]?"
- ⚠️ "Will I win this lawsuit?"
- ⚠️ "What lottery numbers should I pick?"
Why: These require professional advice. Tarot can explore your relationship with money or decision-making approach, but not predict markets or trials.
⚠️ Avoid Obsessive Repeat Questions
- ⚠️ Asking the same question daily
- ⚠️ Re-reading until you get a "good" answer
- ⚠️ Checking on the same situation constantly
Why: This indicates anxiety or dependence. Get a reading, reflect on it, give the situation time to unfold.
✓ Good Questions Focus On:
- • Your own actions and choices
- • Understanding situations from new angles
- • Personal growth and self-awareness
- • "How can I..." rather than "Will this..."
- • Exploring options and consequences
Professional Standards for Tarot Readers
If you're offering tarot readings professionally (for payment), these standards apply:
1. Clear, Honest Pricing
- • List prices upfront—no surprise charges
- • Explain what's included in each service tier
- • No pressure to buy "curse removals" or expensive extras
- • Offer refunds if advertised services aren't delivered
2. Qualified Disclaimers
- • State that readings are for entertainment/guidance
- • Clarify you're not a therapist, doctor, or lawyer
- • Note that outcomes aren't guaranteed
- • Remind clients of their own agency
3. Age-Appropriate Practice
- • Don't read for minors without parental consent
- • Be especially gentle with young/vulnerable clients
- • Avoid frightening imagery or language with children
4. Continuous Learning
- • Keep developing your tarot knowledge
- • Study ethics and counseling basics
- • Learn to recognize when clients need professional help
- • Stay updated on best practices
5. Professional Boundaries
- • Maintain reader-client boundaries
- • Don't exploit clients emotionally or financially
- • End sessions at agreed time
- • Don't pursue personal relationships with vulnerable clients
PullTarot's Ethical Approach
At PullTarot, we're committed to ethical, responsible tarot practice:
What We Do:
- ✓Provide guidance, not commands
- ✓Emphasize personal agency and choice
- ✓Offer clear, honest pricing with free options
- ✓Maintain privacy (no tracking of questions)
- ✓Present balanced interpretations
- ✓Encourage critical thinking
- ✓Provide educational resources
What We Don't Do:
- ✗Make doom predictions or scare tactics
- ✗Claim to predict fixed futures
- ✗Offer "curse removal" or exploitative services
- ✗Share or sell your data
- ✗Pressure users to upgrade
- ✗Enable unhealthy dependency
- ✗Give medical, legal, or financial advice
Our Philosophy: Tarot should empower you to think more clearly, not tell you what to do. We provide tools for reflection, not answers you can't find within yourself.
Red Flags: Unethical Tarot Practices to Avoid
Whether seeking readings or evaluating your own practice, watch for these warning signs:
🚩 "You have a curse/negative energy that only I can remove for $$$"
Classic scam. No ethical reader will claim you're cursed and demand payment to fix it. This is manipulation.
🚩 Predicting death or severe tragedy
Unethical and anxiety-inducing. Death card ≠ literal death. No reader should predict when someone will die.
🚩 Creating dependency
"You need to come back weekly" or "Don't make any decisions without consulting me first." Healthy readers encourage independence.
🚩 Guaranteed outcomes
"This will definitely happen." No one can guarantee the future. Ethical readers present possibilities, not certainties.
🚩 Hidden fees or pressure tactics
"Limited time offer!" or revealing prices only after starting. Ethical services have transparent pricing.
🚩 Claiming exclusive power
"I'm the only one who can help you" or "Other readers are fake." Ethical readers respect that tarot is accessible to anyone.
🚩 Violating privacy
Sharing client readings publicly (without anonymization/consent) or gossiping about clients.
✓ Signs of Ethical Readers:
- • Transparent about methods and limitations
- • Empower you to make your own choices
- • Respect boundaries and privacy
- • Acknowledge when they don't know something
- • Clear, fair pricing with no hidden fees
- • Refer you to professionals when appropriate
- • Make you feel informed, not scared
The Bottom Line on Tarot Ethics
For readers: Your role is to guide, not control. Empower people to think clearly and choose wisely. Never exploit vulnerability.
For querents: Use tarot as one tool among many. You have free will, personal responsibility, and the power to choose your path.
For everyone: Approach tarot with respect, critical thinking, and ethical awareness. When used responsibly, it's a valuable tool for reflection and growth.
Experience Ethical Tarot with PullTarot
Try our free readings built on principles of empowerment, honesty, and respect for your autonomy.