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The Tarot is a deck of 78 cards that have been used for centuries to connect with one’s intuition, offer guidance, and unveil hidden knowledge.
Today, the cards are used by many people as a tool for self-discovery and personal growth, gaining insight into past or present situations, and even revealing the potential of the future.
By helping you tap into energies and bring unconscious information to the conscious, it is especially useful if you’re looking for ways to sharpen your intuition, connect with your spirit guides, or understand yourself (and others) on a deeper level.
If you are new to the tarot, the process of reading the cards can seem overwhelming. However, with a little practice, you will be able to learn how to read for yourself or for others with ease. This article will help you get started with the basics of tarot reading and card meanings so that you can have fun using them as soon as possible!
Keep reading to find out more about tarot cards, their history, common meanings, how to do a basic tarot reading, tricks to reading reversals, and some useful tips on how to learn + read tarot cards successfully.
A Brief History of the Tarot
To this day, the origins and history of the Tarot are shrouded in mystery and remain unknown, or speculative, at best.
The earliest deck of playing cards is said to have originated as far back as the Tang Dynasty, 618 Ad to 907 AD. [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playing_card
Considered by many to be the predecessors of Tarot cards, legends say that the emperor’s concubines would entertain themselves by diving fortunes with these cards.
Around this same time in history, Korean shamans were in the Korean peninsula shooting divinatory arrows made of bamboo and feathers. Believed to reveal secret knowledge and provide insight into the future, the shamans would shoot and interpret these arrows.
Later on, in the sixth century, the shamanic arrows were reinterpreted into silk cards with eight suits: antelopes, crows, fish, horses, men, pheasants, rabbits, and stars. Similar playing cards were created in Egypt during the Mamluk empire and consisted of four suits (cups, coins, polo sticks, and swords).
Then, around 1440, during the Italian Renaissance, Tarot cards in the form that is familiar to us today – seventy-eight cards divided into the Major and Minor Arcana – surfaced. Or, at least, this is the earliest record of it known to modern historians.
The Tarot as we know it today was originally called “Tarocchi” in Italy and was particularly popular among the wealthy class. Playing cards were mostly banned by the church at the time, however, an exception was made for the tarot.
In contrast to playing cards used by the lower classes, tarot cards were considered to be a moral, refined, aristocratic, and intellectual pursuit.
However, sometime in the late 1700s, the belief that the tarot is a doorway into the world of the supernatural and occult began to grow. In the 1800s, many people were shunned for believing such things and Tarot cards were deemed to be particularly immoral to use.
However, in the latter half of the 18th century, French occultist Jean-Baptiste Alliette popularized the use of tarot cards as a method of divination and fortune-telling. At the time he also invented the modern deck of tarot cards we use today and published the first known guide to divinatory tarot reading. [2]https://bicyclecards.com/article/a-brief-history-of-tarot-cards/#:~:text=While%20some%20people%20dabbled%2C%20the,his%20own%20deck%20alongside%20it.
Nowadays, Tarot has become much more accepted by society. For some, Tarot is a spiritual practice. For others, the Tarot is more of a natural tool used as a means of personal guidance and counseling.
How to Begin Your Tarot Journey
Before we move on to actual card meanings and how to do a tarot reading, we need to cover the basics first! In this section, we will go over a quick overview of how to start your tarot journey, including obtaining your first tarot deck and how to care for your cards.
Your First Tarot Deck
To start learning and reading tarot yourself, you’ll need to obtain a tarot deck.
Now, a lot of books and witches on TikTok will say that it is best to get your Tarot cards as a gift from someone close to you.
For some, it just seems all the more natural to receive them as a gift, knowing that someone has entrusted you with the cards. It can feel a lot more like they have been handed to you, not only as a gift from that person but also a gift from Fate, the Universe, or whatever you believe that life force to be.
For others, however, it is perfectly okay to go out and buy your own tarot deck! While being gifted a deck is nice, don’t fall for the myth that you must be gifted your cards in order to read tarot.
Personally, I think buying your own deck can be even better than being gifted one because you can check out the deck’s style yourself and intuitively choose which one you feel most drawn to and comfortable with.
There are many different kinds of tarot decks available. While the illustrations between decks can differ greatly, there is a general similarity between the decks in their meanings and interpretations. Most tarot decks are based on the Rider Waite-Smith tarot deck.
The Rider Waite-Smith tarot deck is the most popular deck to date for both beginning and advanced readers of the Tarot. The images are simple and clear to intuitively understand, which makes it a fantastic deck to begin learning the Tarot.
Whichever deck you choose for your first deck, I recommend that it be rich in imagery. Tarot decks with minimal or simplistic designs may be aesthetic, but they usually don’t stimulate your intuitive senses as much. Decks that are full of detail, color, and symbolism will give your intuition more to work with (especially if you are predominantly clairvoyant).
Some other beginner-friendly tarot decks:
Care & Storage of Your Tarot Deck
Okay, so we have a deck of Tarot cards, now what?
You have probably heard that you shouldn’t let anyone touch your cards or that they should be covered and stored in a specific way (e.g. in a silk cloth, a special bag or box, etc.).
This is all purely personal preference.
If you believe your cards are linked to your energy through contact, then having other people touch your cards may cause interference with readings. However, if you don’t believe this, then others touching your cards may not be an issue for you! The same goes for choosing how to cover or store your deck.
While covering or storing your deck somewhere special isn’t necessary, it can help protect your cards against various threats from the outside world: dirt, food, pets, kids, and the list goes on! Keeping your cards in a designated case and area will help keep your cards protected from getting dirty or potentially ruined.
Popular options for storing your cards are silk or velvet cloths/bags and wooden boxes. Personally, I decided to wrap mine in an ancestor’s black & golden silk scarf to preserve its sacredness and positive, protective energies.
If you want to store your cards in a bag, you can choose any color according to its spiritual associations and personal meaning to you.
Some suggested colors and their meanings are:
- White – Purity, Power, Protection
- Pink or Red – Love, Relationships, Vitality
- Yellow or Gold – Money, Success, Enlightenment
- Grey – Intellect, Education, Balance
- Purple – Status, Wisdom, Mystery
- Blue – Inner Peace, Freedom, Spiritual Development
- Green – Health, Rebirth, Growth
- Brown – Strength, Stability, Protection
- Black – Introspection, Power, Protection
To keep your cards clean and to vibrationally enhance your readings, you may also wish to use colored silk or velvet cloth to lay out your cards whenever doing a reading. Different colored fabrics may be used for different types of readings.
Here are some of our favorite tarot bags & cases from Amazon:
In addition to choosing a cover for your cards, it is good practice to choose a safe place to store them when they’re not in use.
In my bedroom, I have a special altar set up which has all my candles, rose petals, incense, bells, etc. laid out in a safe, high-vibrational space. I personally choose to store my cards on my altar when they’re not in use; I also conduct many of my readings in this space as well.
When storing your tarot cards, you may want to set up a little altar or area like this, or you can even dedicate an entire room as a sacred space for working with the Tarot. On the other hand, if you don’t have the space, you can place your cards in a special drawer, box, or anywhere that feels good to you.
The idea is that you want your cards stored in a safe and energetically sound place – you don’t want to keep your cards in places that may physically damage your cards or attract negative and stressful energies.
Learning the Tarot
Once you have your deck, it’s time to actually start learning the tarot!
First, let me say that the Tarot is not ‘instant’ – and it can definitely be a lot to take in in your first couple of years of learning about it!
When learning to read the tarot, you’ll need patience, time, and positive energy. If you ever find yourself getting grumpy with your cards, it may be time to walk away and return later when your energy has rejuvenated itself.
While there is no one right way to learn to read tarot cards, there are some basic principles that you can follow to get started.
To begin, it can be helpful to take some time to familiarize yourself with the imagery and energy of your cards. Most tarot decks come with a unique guidebook with card meanings for that specific deck, so if yours came with one, make sure to check it out!
There is an abundance of resources available including books, online guides (like this one), and videos explaining what the tarot is and how to learn tarot.
While blogs and videos can be great sources for learning, I would suggest investing in a couple of books on the Tarot and the meanings of the cards, as this will help you gain numerous perspectives and the most in-depth information on each card that you likely won’t find anywhere else.
Here are some of our favorite beginner’s Tarot books you can snag at Amazon:
It’s especially important to remember when reading others’ analyses of the cards that some interpretations will differ greatly while others agree wholeheartedly.
Ultimately, it is your choice to decide how a card should be interpreted in your readings. The meanings of a card will be related to the nature of the question and/or its position in whatever spread you happen to be using.
A SIMPLE EXERCISE FOR LEARNING TAROT
So, assuming you’ve gathered your preferred resources and have read over them, you may be wanting to learn each card in more detail.
Aside from educating yourself from multiple perspectives and resources about the tarot, I suggest pulling a card every morning (or every night).
Before you read up on all of the different interpretations of that card, allow yourself to really take in the card’s imagery and symbolism –
How does it make you feel?
What comes to mind when you observe the card?
What does it mean to you?
This exercise will help activate your intuition and connect you to the card.
Once you’ve done this, take some time to read different interpretations of your chosen card. Then, summarize these into your own version of its meaning and write it in a Tarot journal.
A Tarot journal is a personal journal where you can write your own notes about each tarot card, readings you’ve done, and spreads you like to use or have created yourself. It is basically a personal collection of all things Tarot which helps you to study and develop your Tarot skills.
After you’ve written about your selected card in your tarot journal, try to see in what ways that card relates to your thoughts and influences, events, or people around you as you go through the day. At the end of the day, reflect on this and write down your thoughts about how the day went and the ways in which you related the card to the day.
Over a year’s time, you will likely encounter the same cards a few times. You can compare the notes you have taken for these days and also their interpretations, and form a good idea of how the card’s energy and lessons manifest in real life.
For example, you may have felt totally amazing and uplifted by your community on each day you drew the Four of Wands. You can then attribute that feeling to that card.
- Doing this exercise will help you deepen your knowledge of what the cards really mean beyond what books can teach you and strengthen your connection to each card.
TAKE YOUR TIME
As I said before, learning and remembering the meanings of all seventy-eight tarot cards is a huge task, so don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t come to you as quickly as you would like.
And, don’t ever force yourself to learn the cards – this will only associate negative feelings with them, which is something you don’t want to do! Take your time learning the tarot and remember to be patient with yourself.
Get to Know the Major & Minor Arcanas
To begin reading the Tarot, you’ll need to understand the Major and Minor Arcanas.
The Tarot deck consists of 78 cards, divided into the Major Arcana (22 cards) and the Minor Arcana (4 suits of 13 cards each). ‘Arcana’ means “mysterious or specialized knowledge, language, or information”. [3]https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arcanum Thus, the Major Arcana are the greater mysteries and the Minor Arcana are the lesser mysteries of the tarot.
The Major Arcana represent a stronger, more powerful perspective and major themes of life that we all face, while the Minor Arcana are less potent in their meanings and represent day-to-day, ordinary issues or general life events.
To help you get started learning the Major and Minor Arcanas of the Tarot, we’ve compiled a brief list of the basic upright and reversed meanings of all 78 cards below.
Major Arcana
The Major Arcana (also known as the trump cards of the Tarot) set the foundation of the entire Tarot deck.
There are 22 cards total in the Major Arcana: twenty-one named + numbered cards, and one unnumbered card, the Fool, which acts as both the beginning and end of the Major Arcana.
The Fool card is simultaneously the beginning and the end because it represents the pure life force of spirit or consciousness experiencing life’s journey. And, as such, the Major Arcana is often referred to as “The Fool’s Journey”, with each card representing a different stage on that journey.
The order of the Major Arcana cards is as follows:
MAJOR ARCANA (IN ORDER)
0/22. The Fool – Upright: Beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, a free spirit / Reversed: Naivety, foolishness, recklessness, risk-taking
1. The Magician – Upright: Power, skill, concentration, action, resourcefulness / Reversed: Manipulation, poor planning, latent talents
2. The High Priestess – Upright: Intuition, Higher powers, mystery, subconscious / Reversed: Hidden agendas, need to listen to the inner voice
3. The Empress – Upright: Fertility, femininity, beauty, nature, abundance / Reversed: Creative block, dependence on others
4. The Emperor – Upright: Authority, father-figure, structure, solid foundation / Reversed: Domination, excessive control, rigidity, inflexibility
5. The Hierophant – Upright: Religion, group identification, conformity, tradition, beliefs / Reversed: Restriction, challenging the status quo
6.The Lovers – Upright: Love, union, relationships, values alignment, choices / Reversed: Disharmony, imbalance, misalignment of values
7. The Chariot – Upright: Control, willpower, victory, assertion, determination / Reversed: Lack of control and direction, aggression
8. Strength – Upright: Strength, courage, patience, control, compassion / Reversed: Weakness, self-doubt, lack of self-discipline
9. The Hermit – Upright: Soul-searching, introspection, being alone, inner guidance / Reversed: Isolation, loneliness, withdrawal
10. Wheel of Fortune – Upright: Good luck, karma, life cycles, destiny, a turning point / Reversed: Bad luck, negative external forces, out of control
11. Justice – Upright: Justice, fairness, truth, cause and effect, law / Reversed: Unfairness, lack of accountability, dishonesty
12. Hanged Man – Upright: Suspension, restriction, letting go, sacrifice / Reversed: Martyrdom, indecision, delay
13. Death – Upright: Endings, beginnings, change, transformation, transition / Reversed: Resistance to change, unable to move on
14. Temperance – Upright: Balance, moderation, patience, purpose, meaning / Reversed: Imbalance, excess, lack of long-term vision
15. The Devil – Upright: Bondage, addiction, intimacy, materialism / Reversed: Detachment, breaking free, power reclaimed
16. The Tower – Upright: Disaster, upheaval, sudden change, revelation / Reversed: Avoidance of disaster, fear of change
17. The Star – Upright: Hope, spirituality, renewal, inspiration, serenity / Reversed: Lack of faith, despair, discouragement
18. The Moon – Upright: Illusion, fear, anxiety, insecurity, subconscious / Reversed: Release of fear, unhappiness, confusion
19. The Sun – Upright: Fun, warmth, success, positivity, vitality / Reversed: Temporary depression, lack of success
20. Judgement – Upright: Judgement, rebirth, inner calling, absolution / Reversed: Self-doubt, refusal of self-examination
21. The World – Upright: Completion, integration, accomplishment, travel / Reversed: Lack of completion, lack of closure
Classically, these cards represent the structure of human consciousness and the path to attaining spiritual self-awareness.
They depict the various stages we encounter in the search for enlightenment, containing deeply meaningful and significant life lessons that have been passed down through the ages. The imagery and symbolism of the Major Arcana are filled with wisdom and spiritual symbolism from varying cultures, religions, and esoteric traditions, including the Buddhist, Christian, Egyptian, Hebrew, Hindu, and Sufi religions.
Minor Arcana
The Minor Arcana of the Tarot consists of four suits – Cups, Swords, Pentacles, and Wands.
Each suit corresponds with a different element:
- The Suit of Cups relates to the element of Water and represents emotions, creativity, and relationships.
- The Suit of Swords relates to the element of Air and represents intellect, thoughts, and power.
- The Suit of Pentacles relates to the element of Earth and represents financial resources, material possessions, and the physical realm.
- The Suit of Wands relates to the element of Fire and represents energy flow, inspiration/ideas, and spirituality.
The Suits each consist of fourteen cards, including ten numbered cards (Ace through Ten), and four Court cards (the Page, Knight, Queen, and King).
While the Major Arcana cards reveal events that naturally occur due to Universal laws, the Minor Arcana reveal events that naturally occur due to human nature.
The Court cards of the Minor Arcana (the Pages, Knights, Queens, and Kings) show the suit’s energy in different phases or in the hands of different people. They often represent actual people or personality types in the life of the querent.
The numbered cards of the Minor Arcana (Ace through Ten) represent practical aspects of life, everyday life events and situations, and current issues that are either temporary or have minor influence.
Suit of Cups
The Suit of Cups is associated with the Water elemental and deals with emotions, love, relationships, and connections.
Cups are all about feelings and the expression of emotion, as well as the role of emotions in relation to others. Because Cups are associated with Water, this suit is also closely linked to artistic and creative pursuits, fantasy, imagination, intuition, and romanticism.
ACE – TEN (CUPS)
Ace of Cups – upright: Love, compassion, creativity, overwhelming emotion; Reversed: Blocked or repressed emotions
Two of Cups – Upright: unified love, partnership, attraction, relationships; Reversed: break-up, imbalance in a relationship, lack of harmony
Three of Cups – Upright: Celebration, friendship, creativity, community; Reversed: An affair, “three’s a crowd”, stifled creativity
Four of Cups – Upright: Meditation, contemplation, apathy, re-evaluation; Reversed: Boredom, missed opportunity, being aloof
Five of Cups – Upright: Loss, regret, disappointment, despair, bereavement; Reversed: Moving on, acceptance, forgiveness
Six of Cups – Upright: Reunion, nostalgia, childhood memories, innocence; Reversed: Stuck in the past, naivety, unrealistic
Seven of Cups – Upright: Fantasy, illusion, wishful thinking, choices, imagination; Reversed: Temptation, illusion, diversionary tactics
Eight of Cups – Upright: Escapism, disappointment, abandonment, withdrawal; Reversed: Hopelessness, aimless drifting, walking away
Nine of Cups – Upright: Wishes fulfilled, comfort, happiness, satisfaction; Reversed: Greed, dissatisfaction, materialism
Ten of Cups – Upright: Harmony, marriage, happiness, alignment; Reversed: Misalignment of values, broken home, or marriage
COURT CARDS (CUPS)
Page of Cups – Upright: A messenger, creative beginnings, synchronicity; Reversed: Emotional immaturity, creative block
Knight of Cups – Upright: Romance, charm, ‘Knight in shining armor, imagination’; Reversed: Unrealistic, jealousy, moodiness
Queen of Cups – Upright: Emotional security, calm, intuitive, compassionate; Reversed: Emotional insecurity, co-dependency
King of Cups – Upright: Emotional balance and control, generosity; Reversed: Emotional manipulation, moodiness, volatility
Suit of Swords
The Suit of Swords is associated with the element of Air and represents the power of the mind. Swords symbolize the intellect and the quality of your mental attitudes, thoughts, and beliefs. The cards in the Suit of Swords are connected to themes of ambition, action, change, conflict, courage, force, and power.
Because swords themselves are double-edged, the Suit of Swords is representative of the fine balance between the mind and personal power – the two can either be used for good or for evil and must be tempered by feeling (cups) and spirit (wands).
ACE – TEN (SWORDS)
Ace of Swords – upright: Raw power, victory, break-throughs, mental clarity; Reversed: Confusion, chaos, lack of clarity
Two of Swords – Upright: Indecision, choices, truce, stalemate, blocked emotions; Reversed: Indecision, confusion, information overload
Three of Swords – Upright: Painful separation, sorrow heartbreak, grief, rejection; Reversed: Releasing pain, optimism, forgiveness
Four of Swords – Upright: Contemplation, recuperation, passivity, relaxation, rest; Reversed: Restlessness, burn-out, lack of progress
Five of Swords – Upright: Conflict, tension, loss, defeat, win at all costs, betrayal; Reversed: Open to change, past resentment
Six of Swords – Upright: Release, transition, a rite of passage; Reversed: Cannot move on, carrying baggage
Seven of Swords – Upright: Betrayal, deception, getting away with something, stealth; Reversed: Mental challenges, breaking free
Eight of Swords – Upright: Isolation, self-imposed restriction, imprisonment; Reversed: Open to new perspectives, release
Nine of Swords – Upright: Depression, nightmares, intense anxiety, despair; Reversed: Hopelessness, severe depression, torment
Ten of Swords – Upright: Back-stabbed, defeat, crisis, betrayal, endings, loss; Reversed: Recovery, regeneration, fear of ruin, inevitable end
COURT CARDS (SWORDS)
Page of Swords – Upright: Talkative, curious, mentally restless, energetic; Reversed: All talk and no action, haste, undelivered promises
Knight of Swords – Upright: Opinionated, hasty, action-oriented, communicative; Reversed: Scattered thought, disregard for consequences
Queen of Swords – Upright: Quick thinker, organized, perceptive, independent; Reversed: Overly-emotional, bitchy, cold-hearted
King of Swords – Upright: Clear thinking, intellectual power, authority, truth; Reversed: Manipulative, tyrannical, abusive
Suit of Pentacles
The Suit of Pentacles (also known as Coins or Disks) represents the element of Earth. Known as the suit of abundance and riches, it is associated with manifestation, fruits of labor, prosperity, wealth, and good fortune.
The cards in the Suit of Pentacles symbolize the material aspects of life, such as business, work, money, property, and other physical possessions. This suit is all about the external and the physical – it mirrors the outer situations of your finances, career, health, and creativity.
The Suit of Pentacles has to do with how we create, shape, and tend to our outer worlds. Esoterically, Pentacles are connected with the ego, self-esteem, and self-image.
ACE – TEN (PENTACLES)
Ace of Pentacles – upright: Manifestation, new financial opportunity, prosperity; Reversed: Manifestation, new financial opportunity, prosperity
Two of Pentacles – Upright: Balance, adaptability, time management, prioritization; Reversed: Disorganisation, financial disarray
Three of Pentacles – Upright: Teamwork, initial fulfillment, collaboration, learning; Reversed: Teamwork, initial fulfillment, collaboration, learning
Four of Pentacles – Upright: Control, stability, security, possession, conservatism; Reversed: Greed, materialism, self-protection
Five of Pentacles – Upright: Isolation, insecurity, worry, financial loss, poverty; Reversed: Recovery from financial loss, spiritual poverty
Six of Pentacles – Upright: Generosity, charity, giving, prosperity, sharing wealth; Reversed: Debt, selfishness, one-sided charity
Seven of Pentacles – Upright: Vision, perseverance, profit, reward, investment; Reversed: Lack of long-term vision, limited success or reward
Eight of Pentacles – Upright: Apprenticeship, education, quality, engagement; Reversed: Perfectionism, lacking ambition or focus
Nine of Pentacles – Upright: Gratitude, luxury, self-sufficiency, culmination; Reversed: Over-investment in work, financial setbacks
Ten of Pentacles – Upright: Wealth, inheritance, family, establishment, retirement; Reversed: financial failure, loneliness, loss
COURT CARDS (PENTACLES)
Page of Pentacles – Upright: Manifestation, financial opportunity, new job; Reversed: Lack of progress and planning, short-term focus
Knight of Pentacles – Upright: Efficiency, routine, conservatism, methodical; Reversed: Laziness, boredom, feeling ‘stuck’
Queen of Pentacles – Upright: Practical, homely, motherly, down-to-earth, security; Reversed: Imbalance in work/ family commitments
King of Pentacles – Upright: Imbalance in work/ family commitments; Reversed: Authoritative, domineering, controlling
Suit of Wands
The Suit of Wands is connected with the element of Fire and represents ambition, creativity, determination, energy, expansion, intuition, strength, and spirituality. It also symbolizes sparks of inspiration and seeds of original thought from which all life and creation spring forth.
Like the element of Fire, Wands are all about action, movement, and initiation. They are the spiritual aspect of consciousness and show us what is important to us at our core. Wands are our personal energy, passions, egoic personalities, and self-concepts, both internal and external.
ACE – TEN (WANDS)
Ace of Wands – upright: Inspiration, power, creation, beginnings, potential; Reversed: Inspiration, power, creation, beginnings, potential
Two of Wands – Upright: Future planning, progress, decisions, discovery; Reversed: Fear of unknown, lack of planning
Three of Wands – Upright: Preparation, foresight, enterprise, expansion; Reversed: Lack of foresight, delays, obstacles to long-term goals
Four of Wands – Upright: Celebration, harmony, marriage, home, community; Reversed: Breakdown in communication, transition
Five of Wands – Upright: Disagreement, competition, strife, tension, conflict; Reversed: Inner conflict, conflict avoidance, tension release
Six of Wands – Upright: Public recognition, victory, progress, self-confidence; Reversed: Egotism, disrepute, lack of confidence, fall from grace
Seven of Wands – Upright: Challenge, competition, perseverance; Reversed: Giving up, overwhelmed, overly protective
Eight of Wands – Upright: Speed, action, air travel, movement, swift change; Reversed: Delays, frustration, holding off
Nine of Wands – Upright: Courage, persistence, test of faith, resilience; Reversed: On edge, defensive, hesitant, paranoia
Ten of Wands – Upright: Burden, responsibility, hard work, stress, achievement; Reversed: Taking on too much, avoiding responsibility
COURT CARDS (WANDS)
Page of Wands – Upright: Enthusiasm, exploration, discovery, free spirit; Reversed: Setbacks to new ideas, pessimism, lack of direction
Knight of Wands – Upright: Energy, passion, lust, action, adventure, impulsiveness; Reversed: Haste, scattered energy, delays, frustration
Queen of Wands – Upright: Exuberance, warmth, vibrancy, determination; Reversed: Shrinking violet, aggressive, demanding
King of Wands – Upright: Natural-born leader, vision, entrepreneur, honor; Reversed: Impulsiveness, haste, ruthless, high expectations
How to Do a Tarot Reading
Once you have a basic understanding of the card meanings, you can begin to practice readings.
I recommend starting out by reading for yourself before moving on to giving readings to friends or family. If anyone tries to tell you that you can’t or shouldn’t do tarot readings for yourself – ignore them!
Reading tarot for yourself is an amazing practice for personal growth, insight, and sharpening your intuition. As you become more comfortable with the tarot, you can begin offering readings to friends, family, or even clients.
Learning the general meanings of the cards is only the beginning –
Tarot cards can be life-changing when you use them to tap into your intuition so you can begin taking positive steps toward a better future.
So, grab the deck you’d like to work with and let’s get into it! Once you’ve selected a deck to read with, the rest is pretty simple. Generally, tarot readings follow a straightforward format:
1. Ask a Question
First, you need to think of a question.
The Tarot tends to work best with questions that are unambiguous and open-ended. Questions that are closed or start with phrases such as “will I…,” are not recommended as they can limit you to a passive role in your own life.
Asking broader, clear, open questions will help you get the answers you seek. Don’t put yourself (or your future) in a box with your questions! Here are some example question frameworks you can follow:
- “What do I need to know about…?”
- “How can I…?”
- “Why am I…?”
- “What should I…?”
- “Where can I…?”
2. Shuffle the Cards
Once you’ve thought of your question, it’s time to shuffle!
There are numerous ways out there to shuffle your tarot cards. One popular method to shuffle cards is known as the overhand shuffle, which involves holding the deck of cards in one hand while using the other to move cards from one side of the deck to the other.
Another common method of shuffling tarot is by “cutting” the deck – you do this by randomly dividing the cards into several piles before combining them into one pile again.
You can also place all of your cards face down on a table or flat surface and mix them into a big, messy pile before either selecting your cards from there or gathering them all back up into one pile.
There is no right or wrong way to shuffle your tarot cards, so feel free to try out different shuffling methods and see what feels right for you!
3. Pull Your Card(s) (or Let Them Fall Out!)
As you shuffle your cards, think of your question – let yourself really feel it and let that energy transfer into the cards when you’re shuffling.
Now, there are multiple ways to go from here.
You can choose to let your cards fly out naturally as you shuffle and only read those. Or, you can take a simple, direct approach by cutting the deck with your left hand and pulling a card from the top.
Another popular method is fanning the cards out similar to how you would in poker, and choosing the card that either draws your eye, intuitively calls to you, or feels right in your hand.
You’re free to pull a single card or several cards – it’s totally up to you!
Instead of selecting a set amount of cards, some people like to simply ask a question and let however many cards fall out in response (my favorite method!). However, most tarot readers like to use what is known as a spread to do their tarot readings. Instead of just answering one aspect of your question, a tarot spread allows you to gain a broader, more in-depth perspective on your inquiry.
The more cards in a spread, though, the more difficult it can be to read (especially for beginners). When you’re just starting out, a simple three-card spread can be a great place to start.
Here are some popular three-card tarot spreads you can use:
- Mind/ Body/ Spirit
- Past/ Present/ Future
- Desire/ Obstacle/ Solution
- Stop/ Start/ Continue
- Problem/ Lesson/ Advice
- You/ Your Path/ Your Potential
- You/ The Other Person/ The Relationship
- Positives/ Negatives/ What To Do
THE KEY TO INTERPRETING YOUR OWN TAROT READING
The key to interpreting your own tarot readings is to try to remain objective, and stay calm and focused.
The ego, along with our personal biases, expectations, mind, and emotions, can interfere with readings and get in the way of us understanding what the tarot is really trying to communicate.
To avoid this, it’s usually best practice to read the tarot when you are in a calm, even-keeled state of mind. When you’re able to stay equanimous and grounded within yourself, it will help you to fully connect with your intuitive abilities so you can better understand the cards.
If you ever forget what a certain card means, check your deck’s reference book, your favorite tarot book, or even this article for guidance on card meanings.
Reading with Reversals
Using reversed cards is a considerable step for Tarot readers from all different skill and ability levels as it opens a new door to a wide area of study.
In this section, we’ll cover when to use reversed cards and the benefits involved; demonstrate how to introduce reversed cards into one’s Tarot deck; and discuss the various ways in which to interpret these cards in a reading.
It can be quite overwhelming starting with both upright and reversed meanings when you are new to Tarot, so it is usually best to learn the upright cards first until you have a firm understanding of the numerous dimensions and aspects involved in a card.
It is also helpful to understand the many facets of that card in different positions and different spreads. This allows you to add your own meaning to the card through your experience, rather than simply following the often dogmatic meanings from a Tarot book.
Introducing reversed cards to your Tarot spreads can be extremely beneficial for a number of reasons.
Reading with reversals opens your readings up to another seventy-eight new meanings, thus increasing the breadth and depth of your reading ability. It can also open a new door to Tarot study, which can be especially enlightening when you feel you have learned all you need to know already.
Introducing Reversed Cards to Your Tarot Readings
There are a number of ways you can introduce reversed cards to your Tarot deck.
You can shuffle, then split the deck in two and turn one-half upside-down. Continue doing this until you are satisfied that the cards are well reversed.
When doing readings, you can also use this method to ensure that different cards get reversed for different readings. The seeker themselves can also cut the pack and decide which half gets turned upside-down.
Alternatively, you can place your cards in a messy pile and shuffle them around until some are upside-down. Gather them up again to form a neat pack.
If you want to take a more passive approach, you can allow your cards to naturally reverse themselves.
For example, a card may fall out and you place it back without checking it is the right way up, or the client may accidentally place the card back upside-down. However, it will take a longer time for your cards to reverse themselves, and the same cards may stay reversed for a long time.
Interpreting Reversed Cards
Interpreting reversed cards is no easy task!
Some writers on the Tarot suggest plainly that the reversed card indicates the opposite meaning of the upright card (e.g. the reversed Three of Swords suggests happiness and success in relationships).
Personally, I find this to be too simplistic. While on occasion the opposite meaning may have relevance, more often than not, there is much more to the card that needs to be explored.
As with a lot of aspects of the Tarot, interpreting reversed cards depends on what you feel is right and on the surrounding cards.
It would be foolish to apply a single meaning to each particular reversed card or to say that all reversed cards reflect one particular aspect. Instead, it is important to understand all the possible interpretations that can be applied to reversed cards, so that you can read accurately for each unique situation.
For positive cards, which, if they appeared upright, would reflect something beneficial to the querent, the reversed card often indicates a blockage of some sort. For example, Temperance in reverse often suggests that the seeker lacks patience and has difficulty doing things in moderation. In simpler terms, there is a blockage in the upright meaning (balance, patience, moderation).
For negative cards, which, if they appeared upright, would reflect something harmful to the seeker, the reversed card amplifies this danger or negative attribute. For example, the reversed Four of Cups would often indicate the seeker has closed themself off from others and is failing to see the opportunities presented. This is an extension of the upright meaning of surpassing opportunities.
For court cards, where personality and characteristics play an important role, the reversed interpretation often points to the negative qualities held in these personalities. For example, the upright Queen of Swords portrays a strong and intelligent woman, but reversed, it shows the side of the same woman where she will step on anyone to get ahead.
Alternatively, the reversed court card can show a deficiency in the more positive characteristics of the card. Using the Queen of Swords again, the querent may be lacking in assertiveness and drive.
Basically, the reversed card will be highlighting a blockage or a deficiency in the seeker’s life, or it will be accentuating a negative situation or tendency.
Another perspective on reversed cards is that they represent shadow qualities – qualities that the individual possesses but does not identify with and/or does not outwardly express. They may even project these qualities onto others or the world. Therefore, these qualities remain in the unconscious mind.
Ready to Start Learning Tarot?
The tarot is a powerful holistic tool for mining your own subconscious for answers, and for some, tapping into divine energies for insight.
You can use the tarot to better understand yourself and others in your life. You can learn to use tarot to make informed decisions and improve your future. There are a variety of ways to learn tarot and read tarot cards, but the most important thing is to find a method that works for you.
Don’t be afraid to experiment, and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you’re feeling stuck. The tarot can be a great tool for personal growth, so if you’re feeling called to explore it, go for it! We would love to hear about your experiences in the comments below.
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