Tarot cards are many things. A cure for depression isn’t one of them.

Depression is many things, but sadness isn’t one of them. Tarot cards are also many things, but a cure for depression isn’t one of them.

A well-meaning Toronto Star article suggests the ancient practice of building up stories around certain cards and using them to interpret meaning in someone’s life is one way to get past the depression that hangs over many people struggling with the isolation and hopelessness that comes along with the pandemic.

“Just because depression can’t be eradicated doesn’t mean that we should admit defeat,” writes a tarot card reader named Wing. “Metaphorically speaking, sadness is an illness of the heart, and the heart is a muscle. Therefore, we can train it to be stronger. Just as our bodies can heal themselves, so can our hearts. We just need to figure out how to confront and tame our pain.”

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She’s right to suggest medication that treats depression and anxiety are not a cure. But ask anyone who swallows a handful of pills each morning if the drugs make their lives a bit easier, and the answer will be a resounding “Yes.”

It’s not in their heads. These drugs are prescribed because they’ve been proven to work in clinical studies. There’s a huge difference between depression and sadness, and dismissing medication’s effects simply because they don’t cure a condition doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Ask any diabetic whether their insulin is less valuable because their disease is stalled rather than cured.

But back to the cards. One person’s faith is another person’s nonsense. Anything that provides comfort to those struggling isn’t anything to dismiss lightly.

What Wing is talking about when she advocates for the tarot as a means of mental recovery is mindfulness. This term is overused but has been around for as long as humans have felt bad about this year’s mammoth hunting season’s quality. The best definition I’ve come across comes from the Ladybird Book of Mindfulness, which says mindfulness is “the skill of thinking you’re doing something while you are doing nothing.”

In her book The Art of Rest: How To Find Respite In The Modern Age, researcher Claudia Hammond lists mindfulness as the 10th most relaxing activity in the world, right behind watching television (reading came in first). This isn’t her opinion — it comes from a happiness study that asked 18,000 how they managed to unwind and take on the world from a more relaxed perspective.

That’s because it forces us to be in the moment and outside of the daily distractions that can lead to stress and anxiety. Tarot card reading is similar in that it takes someone outside of their daily lives and gives them time to think about where they are in life and where they’d like to go.

Meditation and contemplation seem to work well for all kinds of people, particularly those who are severely depressed. These are the sort of people who tend to go over things in their heads over and over and worry about things beyond their control. Mindfulness has turned into a multibillion industry, complete with apps and weekend getaways. But that doesn’t mean it’s an established cure for anything.

There is little research to back up a lot of the hype. Research has been done suggests that mindfulness does help some people — but only the type of people who are likely to put in the time and enjoy mindfulness. In other words, it’s no blanket solution for the world’s problems.

“Some studies have found that people with lower baseline mindfulness benefited more from a mindfulness course,” Hammond writes. “Others have shown the opposite. So until more research is done, the only real way to find out whether mindfulness is for you is to have a go.”

So if the tarot speaks to you, then off you go. Wing certainly believes it’s something that can solve many problems, research or no research.

“The key to recovery is time, faith, and determination,” she writes in the column. “A forest fire may seem like a tragic event. During these times, we must remember that nature never destroys without purpose. With time, new flora will grow over nutrient-rich ashes. Like nature, we must learn to salvage what we can and focus on rebuilding. Use this as an opportunity to consciously restart your life.”

That all sounds great. But depression isn’t sadness. Suicide is among the leading causes of death among 15–24 year-olds, and the risk continues into middle age for those suffering from depression and a host of other mental illnesses.

So, by all means, look to the cards for inspiration and hope. But don’t forget to take your medicine, because your life could depend on it.