Learn to listen to the cards.

Each card opens up a room with information.

Let the card speak to you personally.

The tarot is not about foretelling the future but understanding the energies surrounding you so that you can make better choices that are in tune with the energy moving in and around you.

Getting to know the cards

  1. Choose a deck.
    1. There are many decks. I prefer the Rider-Waite deck because its symbolism feels neutral and universal.
  2. Separate the deck into suits and major arcana.
    1. There are 78 cards, divided into Major and Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana are named and represent archetypes in the human journey. The Minor Arcana are divided into four suits —Cups, a water element that focuses on emotional matters, especially of the heart; Wands, a fire element that focuses on affairs in the world and work; Swords, an air element that focuses on thinking and intellectual pursuits, and Pentacles, an earth element that focuses on resources, talents, and money. The Major Arcana are numbered from Ace to Ten with four Court cards — Page, Knight, Queen, and King. The Major Arcana are numbered from 0 to 22.
  1. Choose a card you are drawn to. Take some time to study the card.
    1. What part of the image strikes you first? Why?
    2. What feelings does the card evoke?
    3. Do you feel a positive or negative feeling or both? Why?
    4. Are there any symbols that you notice that make you curious?
    5. What does the number of the card mean to you?
    6. Does it remind you of a past event?
    7. What colors are predominant? How do they make you feel?
    8. What does the card say to you? Make up a story about the card’s message.
    9. Write your reactions in a journal and continue as you make your way through familiarizing yourself with the other cards. You may want to go through one suit at a time and then embark on the Major Arcana.
    10. Once you have found your own reactions, you might want to look up on the Internet to see what others say about the card. You will find a wide variety of interpretations. Find the ones that feel most in tune with your responses. 

 

There is no right or wrong way to read tarot cards. As you get to know the cards and your reactions, you will find your own way. Trust yourself.