Can the Tarot help with change?
Can the Tarot help with change?
One of my favourite authors is Italo Calvino (this book and this book in particular), and one of his quirkier books is The Castle of Crossed Destinies. He uses the Tarot pack as a way of structuring and telling the story.
It’s using the Tarot the way I use it … which is as stimulus and play, a come-at-it-sideways prompt to help me think differently and see my situation anew.
I pulled three cards randomly from my pack. Let’s see what wisdom they bring.
The Hermit
How to read the card (I asked claude.ai)
Inner wisdom and solitude — Withdrawing from external noise to seek deeper truth and understanding. Time alone for reflection, meditation, or contemplation.
Spiritual illumination — The lantern the Hermit carries symbolizes enlightenment gained through introspection. You've discovered something valuable through your journey and can now light the way for others.
Patience and stillness — Slowing down, taking your time, being deliberate. Understanding that some things can't be rushed and wisdom requires space to emerge.
Here’s what I want to ask you:
What truth about this change have you been avoiding by staying busy? What would you discover if you gave yourself real space to step back and reflect before pushing forward?"
The Four of Cups (reversed ie upside down)
How to read the card:
Coming out of apathy or stagnation — You're emerging from a period of boredom, dissatisfaction, or emotional withdrawal. There's a renewed interest in life and opportunities around you.
Letting go of negativity — Moving past self-absorption, pessimism, or dwelling on past disappointments. You're becoming more open and receptive.
Re-engagement — Reconnecting with people, projects, or experiences after a period of isolation or indifference.
Here’s what I want to ask you:
Where in your change project are you moving (or could you move) from 'selling' to genuinely listening. What new possibilities might emerge when you stop trying to convince people and start being curious about their perspectives?
The King of Wands
How to read the card:
Action and decisiveness — Not just dreaming but making things happen. Takes initiative, moves quickly, and isn't paralyzed by uncertainty or overthinking.
Entrepreneurial energy — The archetype of the founder, innovator, or trailblazer. Comfortable with risk and excited by new ventures or challenges.
Maturity of fire element — Unlike the impulsive Page or Knight of Wands, the King has learned to channel creative energy strategically. Bold but not reckless, confident but experienced.
Here’s what I want to ask you:
If you were leading this change as the most authentic, courageous version of yourself rather than the version you think the organization expects, what would you do differently starting tomorrow?
And put them all together…
Here’s the story Claude tells me:
True change mastery doesn't start with strategy or stakeholder management — it starts with going inward first. The Hermit suggests you need to step back from the noise, pressure, and expectations to reconnect with what you actually know to be true about this transformation. This isn't procrastination; it's essential groundwork.
From that place of clarity, the Four of Cups Reversed marks your reemergence — but transformed. You're no longer leading from obligation, burnout, or trying to prove something. You're seeing opportunities and allies you'd missed, letting go of past disappointments or resistance that had you stuck, and genuinely re-engaging with curiosity rather than force.
This sets the stage for the King of Wands — but notice: this isn't the leader you were trying to be before the Hermit phase. This is leadership from authentic fire, grounded in inner wisdom rather than external expectations.
Honestly, that worked out pretty well for three random cards drawn from a pack and a tradition I don’t at all claim to understand.
The bigger invitation, I think, is to realize that stimulus and encouragement and provocation can be found in many places. In some ways, it’s about knowing you can bring a question to it (“what will this … meal/movie/conversation/walk/Tarot pack/etc … tell me about modern change mastery?) and staying curious to what’s revealed.
