Let Fate Decide

When the path forward is unclear, let the cards speak.

Based on the let-fate-decide plugin by theexpensiveexperience, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Quick Start

1. Run the drawing script:

   python3 {baseDir}/scripts/draw_cards.py
   

2. The script outputs JSON with 4 drawn cards, each with a file path relative to {baseDir}/

3. Read each card's meaning file to understand the draw

4. Interpret the spread using the guide at {baseDir}/references/INTERPRETATION_GUIDE.md

5. Apply the interpretation to the task at hand

When to Use

• Vague prompts: The user's request is ambiguous and multiple valid approaches exist
• Explicit invocations: "I'm feeling lucky", "let fate decide", "dealer's choice", "surprise me", "whatever you think"
• Yu-Gi-Oh energy: "Heart of the cards", "I believe in the heart of the cards", "you've activated my trap card", "it's time to duel"
• Nonchalant delegation: The user expresses indifference about the approach
• Redraw requests: "Try again" or "draw again" when no actual system changes occurred (draw new cards)
• Tie-breaking: When you genuinely cannot decide between equally valid approaches

When NOT to Use

• The user has given clear, specific instructions
• The task has a single obvious correct approach
• Safety-critical decisions (security, data integrity, production deployments)
• The user explicitly asks NOT to use Tarot

How It Works

The Draw

The script uses os.urandom() for cryptographic randomness:

1. Builds a standard 78-card Tarot deck (22 Major Arcana + 56 Minor Arcana)
2. Performs a Fisher-Yates shuffle using rejection sampling (no modulo bias)
3. Draws 4 cards from the top
4. Each card independently has a 50% chance of being reversed

The Spread

The 4 card positions represent:

• Position 1 — The Context: What is the situation really about?
• Position 2 — The Challenge: What obstacle or tension exists?
• Position 3 — The Guidance: What approach should be taken?
• Position 4 — The Outcome: Where does this path lead?

Card Files

Each card's meaning is in its own markdown file under {baseDir}/cards/:

• cards/major/ — 22 Major Arcana (archetypal forces)
• cards/wands/ — 14 Wands (creativity, action, will)
• cards/cups/ — 14 Cups (emotion, intuition, relationships)
• cards/swords/ — 14 Swords (intellect, conflict, truth)
• cards/pentacles/ — 14 Pentacles (material, practical, craft)

Interpretation

After drawing, read each card's file and synthesize meaning. See {baseDir}/references/INTERPRETATION_GUIDE.md for the full interpretation workflow.

Key rules:

• Reversed cards invert or complicate the upright meaning
• Major Arcana cards carry more weight than Minor Arcana
• The spread tells a story across all 4 positions; don't interpret cards in isolation
• Map abstract meanings to concrete technical decisions

Error Handling

• Script fails: Report the error to the user and skip the reading. Do not invent cards.
• Card file not found: Interpret the card from its name and suit alone; continue the reading.
• Never fake entropy: If the script cannot run, do not simulate a draw. Tell the user the draw failed.

Rationalizations to Reject

• "The cards said to, so I must" → Cards inform direction, they don't override safety or correctness
• "This reading justifies my pre-existing preference" → Be honest if the reading challenges your instinct
• "I'll keep drawing until I get what I want" → One draw per decision point; accept the reading