Tarot and Ikigai: Using Tarot to Find the Intersection of Your Life's Meaning

The Perfect Combination of Ikigai and Tarot

Ikigai (生き甲斐) is a Japanese philosophical concept—a person's 'reason for being,' which exists at the intersection of four circles: What you love, What you are good at, What the world needs, and What you can be paid for.

The role of Tarot in the exploration of Ikigai is to help you honestly explore each circle—especially those areas where you haven't fully recognized yourself, such as 'what you truly love' (not what you think you should love) and 'what you are truly good at' (not what you modestly deny).

Ikigai Tarot Spread (8 Cards)

**Circle One: What You Love (2 cards)**: Card 1: What is the core energy of what you truly love?; Card 2: Have you suppressed certain passions, and why?

**Circle Two: What You Are Good At (2 cards)**: Card 3: What are your natural talents and strengths? (You might think 'it's no big deal,' but it's difficult for others); Card 4: What abilities have you not yet fully developed?

**Circle Three: What the World Needs (2 cards)**: Card 5: How does your existence serve the greater good?; Card 6: Who are the people you can best help, and what problems can you solve?

**Circle Four: What You Can Be Paid For (1 card)** + **Central Intersection (1 card)**: Card 7: How can your talents create value in the real world?; Card 8 (Center): Your Ikigai—the core direction of your life's meaning. **Interpretation Advice**: Card 8 (the central card) may not give you a specific 'career' answer. It is more likely to be an energy theme (e.g., 'healing,' 'teaching,' 'creating,' 'establishing order'). Starting from this theme, you can explore various ways of living and working to embody it.