I agree with the idea that the Tarot can show future "tendencies". If somebody is continously making wrong decissions or mixing with the wrong people, it's not hard to predict that he/she will continue to do so unless there is a change of attitude and so on...However, I've heard of tarot readers that give specific dates in the future in which certain events will happen but, how can we truly know if it was the cards or the predisposition the reader has after being read his/her future?

Tricky, tricky...

x.o.x

It would be quite interesting to know how many of those dates have proven to be accurate, like what percentage of them come true from a certain reader. If a certain reader gets a high rate of hits, then hey, keep paying that chap, it's certainly worth it.

I have never felt confident enough to give dates, but things tend to happen quite shortly after the reading, at least the short term cards. Do we really need a specific date? Are our agendas so busy we must try to fit in destiny among our other appointments?  

I don't see how cards could give specific dates.  Open mindedly I suppose a card-reader with a psychic element maybe able to predict dates intuitively, but I simply don't see this as a function of the tarot.

I also don't see how the cards can be used to predict the future without some element of the present, I mean the question surely involves some issue in the present.  Eg if it is a question regarding lovelife, the querent surely has some issue regarding their current situation, whether it be being single, or a troubled relationship.  The question usually revolves around some issue in the present for which guidance is required (from my PoV not a definitive answer - the future is subject to the element of choice).

Thats my opinion anyhow.

Tarot cards and/or spreads usually tackle the present too.
Look at any spread and the Present is always there to give the basis of the past and the future.

Dates can most definitely predicted, if the reader has had enough experience, but few will travel that road, being experienced, we know better not to do that, there are numerous systems of predicting time periods or maybe getting back to general, maybe, prediction. I have predicted specific days, from when the reading was done, but not months down the line, and was 100% correct.

I've posted some theories on Google docs: these are the links;

Tarot suits--
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AZyuZlzfve9GZGd0a3I2MzlfM2YycHNrNWZn&hl=en

Major Arcanum
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AZyuZlzfve9GZGd0a3I2MzlfMWNkdG4zcWM1&hl=en

You'll see that the cards are allocated in regard the degrees, about ten degrees- one degree is one day.

Blessed be