So you want to learn to read Tarot cards?
Here are my Top 11 Tarot Tips for beginners to help You read cards with confidence.
It’s easy to get lost in the complex esoteric systems that represent the Tarot, but attempting to learn all of these systems at once will quickly overwhelm you.
Instead, make a promise to yourself to keep things simple. Stick with simple spreads, meanings, and techniques. When you keep it simple, your confidence will soar.
I started researching the Tarot cards by reading dozens of Tarot books and memorizing the meanings. Not at all helpful! Not only did I forget the meanings of the cards, but I also had no personal or intuitive connection with them.
But when I began to relate to the Tarot cards on a personal level, my intuitive insights took off!
Look for personal examples of Tarot cards in your daily life. Which of the following cards best describes your day today? Which of the following cards represents your best friend? Make it your own.
The Celtic Cross Tarot spread is included in almost every Tarot beginner book. It’s a lovely spread, but with only 10 cards, it’s not the best place to start for a Tarot beginner.
Use simple 1-3 card Tarot spreads instead. You’ll be surprised at how much information you can gather from even a single card reading.
Drawing a card a day is the best way to learn Tarot and develop a personal connection with it.
Every day, ask the Tarot, “What energy do I need to focus on today?” and then actively manifest that energy throughout the day.
Alternatively, ask the Tarot, “What might I encounter today?” At the end of the day, compare what happened during the day to what you know about the Tarot card you drew.
Your ‘bank’ of personal Tarot experiences will grow and grow over time.
Looking at the image of a Tarot card is one of the simplest ways to understand what it means. What is going on? What is causing this? What is the story’s moral?
Then, connect it to your current situation. What can the card’s story tell you about your life right now? What new lessons can you pick up?
The best part about this technique is that no meanings must be memorized! You can simply go with what you see in the card’s image each time.
I know, it’s much easier said than done! In fact, most Tarot beginners struggle to understand how and when to listen to their intuition.
My recommendation? Set the books aside and simply absorb the energy of the Tarot card in front of you. It makes no difference if you connect with a different meaning of the card than what the books suggest. You are connecting with your intuitive reading of the card, which is often far more powerful than regurgitating book meanings!
Ignore anyone who tells you that you can’t read Tarot cards for yourself. Use the tarot as a powerful tool for personal development and self-discovery. In fact, when you first begin reading Tarot, you are your best client!
Make time each day to do a quick Tarot reading for yourself. You’ll discover more about the Tarot and yourself.
Don’t rush! If you try to memorize everything all at once, you will retain nothing and, worse, become discouraged.
The Tarot learning experience should be enjoyable and enlightening, not frustrating. Take it gradually.
Begin by memorizing 2-3 keywords for each card. Then, write something about it.
If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me about the ‘rules’ of Tarot, I’d be a very wealthy woman!
“Can I buy my own Tarot cards, or do I have to accept them as a gift?”
“Am I permitted to read with only the Major Arcana?”
“Should I allow someone else to handle my cards?”
Do you know what the first Tarot rule is? There are no guidelines! You can safely disregard all those “shoulds” and “musts” as long as you read Tarot ethically!
One of the most beneficial exercises a Tarot beginner can do is to ask oneself, “How does Tarot work?”
By reflecting on this question and developing your own response, you’ll have a much better understanding of what the Tarot means to you and how to use this tool to its full potential.
Now, the answer will vary from reader to reader – and that’s perfectly fine! You might think of the Tarot as a divinatory tool, a coaching tool, or a fun way to impress your friends.
Once you’ve decided, write it down, say it aloud, or post it on your blog. Determine what it means to you personally. That is what is most important.
One of the most common mistakes that Tarot beginners make when reading Tarot for themselves is asking the same question over and over again, hoping for a better answer each time. Or they do a reading when they are overly emotional or closed off to receiving accurate information.
Instead, use the Tarot with caution. When you have an open mind and an open heart, you can draw on the cards. Respect the cards (and yourself), and allow yourself enough time and space to truly accept the wisdom they have to offer.
