Tarot and Card Reading in Glastonbury

Abstract. This paper discusses and compares the use of Tarot and oracle cards in the town of Glastonbury (England), which is a focal point for New Age practitioners. The article is based on fieldwork conducted by the author in 2021. First, the article examines the general differences between the two types of cards and their history. Second, it describes the specific types of decks that can be found in Glastonbury, how they are presented in local shop displays, and how Glastonbury practitioners conduct different types of readings. Finally, the article presents and analyzes a number of interview materials which focus on how practitioners themselves see the requirements for working with different types of cards and how they see their relationship with related ideas such as spirits, having psychic powers, and psychic intuition. The author notes that oracle cards are generally considered to be more flexible and more positive and cheerful than Tarot cards, as well as far more varied in their symbolism.