Starting is free. A free account gives you an API key and access to the starter public decks, which is enough for a full session. Higher draw limits and Premium decks are paid.

AI for self-reflection with metaphor cards

Q: Is this like tarot?

No. Metaphor cards do not predict anything. There is no fixed meaning per card. A card is an open image you react to; the point is your own associations, not a forecast.

Q: Do I need to install anything?

It depends on your assistant. Some connect to the card source in one click; others need a short config block or an API key. The for-ai page has the steps for each assistant.

Q: Which AI should I use?

Any assistant that can connect to the card source works: Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, n8n, and others. Use the one you already have.

Q: Is this a replacement for therapy?

No. A card session is a light reflective practice, not medical or psychological treatment. If you are in crisis, reach a local helpline: 8-800-2000-122 in Russia, 988 in the US, or findahelpline.com elsewhere.

Your AI assistant draws a real metaphor card and walks you through it with open questions. It is a calm way to think a question through, look at a decision, or just see what comes up, without anyone telling you what the card means.

Start free See the 3-step setup

What this is

Metaphoric association cards are open images: a bridge, a doorway, two figures under one umbrella. There is no fixed meaning. You look at a card and notice what it stirs up for you. People have used them in coaching and therapy for years.

Here you pair them with the AI assistant you already use. You connect your account to makcards.online, and the assistant can draw a real card and run a short reflection session: it shows you the card, describes it, and asks open questions. The thinking is yours. The card and the questions just give it a shape.

How it helps

Three simple techniques. Everyday examples, no fortune-telling.

A question to a card

You are putting off a hard conversation. The assistant draws one card, you look at it together, and it asks what you notice first and how it connects to the conversation you are avoiding.

Past, present, future

A friendship has cooled and you are not sure why. Three cards, one for how it was, one for now, one for a possible direction (not a prediction), and a question on each.

Two sides

You cannot decide whether to change jobs. Two cards, one for staying and one for leaving. The assistant asks what each side wants and what it is afraid of.

What it looks like

You: I keep putting off telling my manager I am overloaded.

Assistant: Let's draw one card for that. This one shows a narrow bridge over water, with fog on the far side. What do you notice first?

You: The fog. I cannot see what is on the other side.

Assistant: What would make the far side feel a little less foggy before you cross?

The assistant does not interpret the card for you. It asks; you answer. That is the whole practice.

Set up in 3 steps

1
Register for free.
Create a free account at makcards.online. You get an API key and access to the starter public decks, which is enough for a full session.
2
Connect your AI, any way that fits it.
One-click for ChatGPT and Claude.ai, a short config block for Cursor or n8n, or an API key for anything else. The for-ai page has the exact steps per assistant.
3
Add the skill and start.
Download the skill (ZIP). In Claude, upload it under Settings, Skills, Upload. In ChatGPT, Cursor, or another assistant, open the file agent-instructions.md from the ZIP and paste it into the assistant's instructions. Step-by-step per assistant is on the for-ai page. Then ask your assistant to draw a card.

You need two things: a free account (for the key and the decks) and an assistant you have connected. Both are quick, and the for-ai page links every step.

Which AI it works with

Any assistant that can connect to the card source. Use the one you already have.

Claude (Desktop and Code) ChatGPT Cursor n8n Custom agents

Honest about what this is

Metaphor cards are a reflection tool. They are not predictions, not a diagnosis, and not a replacement for therapy. A card that seems to fit is you recognising something you already carry, not the card knowing anything.

If you are going through a crisis, a card session is not the right help. Reach a local line now: 8-800-2000-122 (Russia), 988 (US), or findahelpline.com for other regions, and consider talking to a professional.

FAQ

Can I use ChatGPT for self-reflection?

Yes. With a card source connected, your assistant draws a real metaphor card and facilitates with open questions instead of free-associating. The card gives the conversation something concrete to start from.

Is this like tarot?

No. Metaphor cards do not predict anything and have no fixed meaning per card. A card is an open image you react to. The point is your own associations, not a forecast.

Is it free?

Starting is free. A free account gives you an API key and the starter public decks, enough for a full session. Higher draw limits and Premium decks are paid.

Do I need to install anything?

It depends on your assistant. Some connect in one click; others need a short config block or an API key. The for-ai page has the steps for each one.

Which AI should I use?

Any assistant that can connect to the card source: Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, n8n, and others. Use the one you already have.

Is this a replacement for therapy?

No. A card session is a light reflective practice, not treatment. If you are in crisis, reach a local helpline: 8-800-2000-122 (Russia), 988 (US), or findahelpline.com elsewhere.

Ready to try it?

Start free

Prefer to work with the cards by hand, in the browser? See self-reflection in the app. Want the technical setup, APIs, and the skill itself? See for AI agents.