Using AI for a Tarot or I Ching Reading: Questions Worth Asking

Give the system a checkable record

Include the question and relevant facts. For Tarot, provide the deck, card and orientation. For the I Ching, provide the casting method, six results from bottom to top, hexagram number and changing positions.

If the system generated the draw or cast, ask how it did so. Do not assume a displayed number proves that a particular random procedure occurred. A manual record provides a separate point of comparison.

This article is a general checking guide. It does not claim that any particular source display, casting control or journal feature is available in DuoSages.

Ask which parts come from a source

A useful request is: ‘Name the author, translation or deck guide. Separate the source's description from the interpretation you are adding.’ Follow the reference and check the passage. A book title alone is insufficient.

For a card, compare the pictured details with the actual deck. For a hexagram, confirm the figure and each line position. If the reference is missing or the answer changes sources without explanation, use a source that can be inspected.

Test a plausible-sounding explanation

In a hypothetical example, an AI response to a shared-studio question says a reversed card means a collaborator is secretly obstructing the project. The user can ask: ‘Which detail supports that claim, and what alternative fits the known facts without assigning a hidden motive?’

The answer may reveal that the claim was an invented application rather than a sourced definition. It can then be removed. A proposed question about unclear responsibilities may be retained if it fits the actual arrangement.

Asking for an alternative does not prove the first or second account. It helps reveal how much the explanation depends on assumptions.

Check calculations outside the explanation

For an I Ching change, switch only the marked lines and use a trusted lookup for the resulting figure. The changing-lines guide shows Hexagram 1 with its bottom line changing to Hexagram 44. A response that changes an unmarked line has made a structural error.

For Tarot, verify the card name and orientation before discussing the meaning. If the system describes a different image, return to the actual card. Correct references should come before a more elaborate interpretation.

An AI discussion can help produce a practical follow-up: ‘Who is responsible for closing the studio after each session?’ The people using the space can answer it. The system cannot supply their agreement in advance.

Keep the source, proposed connection and factual check in the notes. The useful result is a clearer question or an examinable idea, with enough information to correct the explanation when it is wrong.