The End of the Tarot Influencer

 

Since the end of 2025 and into 2026, I’ve noticed a quiet shift: people are pulling away from tarot influencers on social media and gravitating instead toward tarot readers whose primary role is actually reading tarot—not creating content.

I’ve noticed it personally. I’m unfollowing tarot-fluencers focused on performative activism, meticulously curated photo grids, and reels churned out every few minutes to appease the algorithm. What once felt aspirational now feels hollow.

There’s a growing hunger for honest, for rawness, for what’s real. People want in-the-moment photos instead of perfectly staged setups. They want practitioners showing up on camera without a pound of makeup, without a persona, without the performance.

People are also abandoning therapy-speak tarot. It’s no longer about the “higher self.” It’s about surviving this one life we actually have. More people want guidance on navigating a tense holiday gathering with estranged family than abstract discussions about how their higher self contributes to systemic change. This isn’t a rejection of social awareness. It’s a rejection of spirituality that floats above real life instead of helping us live it.

Spirituality became a lifestyle brand, and now tarot influencers and content creators are losing followers. Many cashed in through get-rich-quick schemes: courses that don’t solve problems, or $1,000 “life coaching” sessions that amount to flipping cards and tying a bow around real-world issues without engaging them honestly.

Algorithm performance began replacing presence. Daily “collective” pulls. Perfect altars staged for likes, clicks, and validation. But spirituality isn’t commercial. It doesn’t care how many views your deck review gets or how many saves your reel receives. Spirituality requires presence, not performance.

What is emerging are tarot practitioners who aren’t afraid to say, “I don’t know.” Readers who are humble enough to admit they’re human. Readers who understand that certainty isn’t wisdom—it’s often avoidance.

Another trend I see is tarot readers who practice what they preach. They embody the work. And I’ll be honest, I’ve struggled with this myself. These practitioners are doing real inner work—not just shadow work. They’re going to doctor’s appointments, showing up to vote in local elections, trying to make healthier choices in imperfect ways (yes, even adding spinach to a McDonald’s cheeseburger). They’re constantly examining themselves. They are their own harshest critics. As @planetretrograde noted, we’re saying goodbye to the inauthentic guru.

It’s no longer cute to ignore your tarot cards. It’s no longer cute to collect indie decks that never get used. It’s no longer cute to call yourself an “activist witch” while never engaging in real-world civic life or showing up beyond a screen.

We are moving toward a spirituality that survives real life—not the 5D, not escapism. Less woo-woo and delusion, more authenticity. We don’t rely on astrology to excuse our behavior or tarot to dictate our future. Instead, we use these tools to time our actions wisely, to navigate career changes, and to deepen relationships with aging parents. Tarot doesn’t replace intuition. It confirms what we already know.

I am not a guru. I am not a savior. I am a human being who practices tarot from the ground. I am a human being who is spiritual—not a spiritual being pretending to transcend humanity. And we are collectively shifting toward that truth.

Humanity isn’t something to escape. It’s something to be cherished, worked with, and embraced.

What trends are you noticing within the tarot and spiritual communities in 2026? Are you tired of content creator tarot readers too? I want to hear it!