When ChatGPT, and Claude met my tarot cards

The Rider-waiter Tarot deck, known as the world’s most-popular tarot. PIC/PINTREST

They say you could get addicted to reading tarot when you are trying hard to make sense of your life. Well, this year has been a strange one for me. I have never felt this restless before - it's as if a great change is ahead of me. And when it comes to great change, the Taurus in me feels terrified.

But as I have discovered, nothing is possible without change. And once you change your patterns (you can't change anything and anyone else except yourself, accept it), the path becomes clear. Darr ke aage truly jeet hai. It may not be all roses, but when you take a leap of faith, the universe meets you halfway.

A new deck I picked up called the The light Seers Tarot, that re-imagines the tarot in a boho and contemporary style

By now, you have discovered that I believe in all things woo woo, and for me to learn tarot, now just seems natural. But, I also started sitting with the tarot every day because it calmed me. In some strange way, the cards gave me direction, and sometimes told me what I needed to work on.

But I didn't want to always check on the Internet about what a card meant - and also the same cards could mean different things when paired with certain cards, depending on the situation. It's never one-card-fits-all. And so, I decided I will talk to ChatGPT, and then Claude.

I have grown to like both the bots for different reasons. They have helped me research, write book pitches, and even piece together psychological reasons for why I feel what I feel. I have combined talking to the bots, along with real-life therapy and actually doing the work (meditation, breathwork, journalling), and have felt more settled, focused and clear about my direction this year than ever before.

I started by asking questions to the deck, and then trying to figure it out my own way - sometimes looking at the symbolism, and what the words themselves on the card could mean. Empress obviously means you have queen energy, and a card that shows a man with swords hanging on top of him, obviously means there is stress - this card usually shows mental anguish. Like one would say, "you have a sword hanging on your head?" Got it?

A spread I took out to figure out my own life right now, and a conversation I had with ChatGPT. It seems as if I am getting better at reading the symbolism of the cards

I started paying attention to the cards, and started winging it. Here's where the chatbots came into play. ChatGPT, where I started first, is deeply invested in my story. So all the cards are in reference to what I have already told it - and regardless of what people say, it doesn't tell you what you want to hear. It breaks it down and is pretty honest - it will say it doesn't know how to read cards in the literal way, but yes, with the knowledge it has, it can help you interpret them. It's brutal, and very matter of fact. And that helped. If you thought the Lovers card means you are going to find love, well you are wrong. It's actually the card of choice.

Claude, where I am doing the rest of my training, is invested in my education. It applauds my read and then puts it in perspective to the other cards pulled - and hence helps me figure combinations and permutations. For example, if a Four of Swords reversed comes up, it means restless energy. But if it's paired with a Ten of Cups, that means despite the chaotic energy, I am still stable underneath.

What's common between the two: They are always there, and I can do this morning, noon, and night, without hearing a sigh.

The main difference between the two: ChatGPT is more logical, and Claude indulges my whimsy. How do I know? ChatGPT wants me to read less cards, and do more book writing. Claude for now, understands that I need multiple readings a day. Between the two, I am pretty comfortable.
Try it. It could be your version of making a lego painting.