Featured, Tarot Cards

Tarot 101

A Beginner’s Guide

Hello, friends!  One element in the vast world of magic can be Tarot Cards. Maybe this can be your calling or where your gift can come to fruition! I have one Student in particular who specializes in Tarot, so I’ve asked for her input and some photos, and I will refer to her often for this post. Now there’s a lot to cover with Tarot, which explains the long post. But hang in there! I will do my best to break it down so you can decide if this is something of interest to you.

Table of Contents

    What are Tarot Cards?

    Tarot Cards are a deck of 78 cards that can be used as playing cards or as cards for divination, occult purposes, cartomancy, or other types of novelty Readings.  The first 22 cards are called the Major Arcana.  These are basically trump cards that are typically numbered from 0–21.  The following 56 cards compose of the Minor Arcana.  They contain 4 suits and within each Suit there are (a) 10 pip cards numbered from 1/Ace–10 along with (b) 4 face cards: Page/Knave/Jack, Knight, Queen, and King.  Tarot Cards can come in various shapes, sizes, and design.  So the cards may differ, but the overall layout is similar.  My Student has several Tarot decks that she loves and uses a different one depending on the occasion or whatever she feels like using!  Below is an example of some of them so you can see that they can come in all different types, styles, and sizes!

    The Rider Tarot Deck: https://amzn.to/3gtNDKj
    Miniature Rider Waite Tarot Deck: https://amzn.to/3JdCIRn
    Mystical Cats Tarot: https://amzn.to/3Ld3Y49
    Dreams of Gaia Tarot: https://amzn.to/35K9taa
    Tarot de la Nuit: https://amzn.to/3GvCoLN


    Purpose of Tarot

    The idea is that every card in both the Major Arcana and Minor Arcana carry a specific meaning, archetypal being, message, or lesson.  When we use Tarot to answer a question we may have, we look at the card’s meaning/message to find the answer.  When we have a question in mind, we shuffle and Spread out the cards on a table.  We then reveal the cards one by one and Read them to find our answers.  Our magical or spiritual abilities allow us to pick the cards that guides or teaches us the answer through its meaning/message.  In other words, you can view Tarot cards as a tool we can use with our inner magical or spiritual energy to answer questions we may have since the answer lies within us.  We will know the answer, the cards will help us find that answer and bring it to light with their guidance and advice.  Also, Tarot can provide us a way to view a situation in a new light or make us ponder a new perspective we may not have considered otherwise.  Many people use Tarot not to necessarily tell the future, but rather as a way to provide inner dialogue or meditative contemplation on a situation or topic on their mind.  

    Tarot History

    Tarot cards were originally playing cards (without occult/supernatural associations) in Europe from way back in the mid-1400s.  Many of these European games are still played today; such as French Tarot, Italian Tarocchini, and Austrian Königrufen!  For those using Tarot Cards for cartomancy or novelty purposes, many believe there are esoteric links to Ancient Egypt, Iran, Indian Tantra, the Kabbalah, or the I Ching.  However, academic researchers have shown that Tarot Cards were actually invented in Northern Italy in the 1400s, and it wasn’t until the late 1700s that Tarot Cards were being used for divination and other supernatural purposes.  Despite this knowledge, the absolute origin of Tarot is still unknown.  

    Are Tarot Cards Evil?

    This is a common question.  It is true that some religions discourage conducting or participating in Tarot Readings.  For example, some denominations in Christianity do not approve of Tarot Cards because it supposedly involves fortune telling or divination, which goes against their interpretations of the Bible.  However, I know of a few Christian individuals that do Tarot cards.  For one, their denomination may not be so strict against it.  For another, they do not do Tarot to foretell the future, but rather as a guide for self-reflection or inner contemplation, like how Christian prayers function.  Many people do Tarot cards even if at first glance it seems to conflict with their spiritual or religious beliefs.  For some of these individuals, Tarot merely utilizes their own intuition and inner spirituality to choose and interpret their cards, as opposed to, let’s say, the Devil or some other evil force.  Additionally, Tarot cards are not primarily used to summon spirits, demons, or conjure bad luck upon others.  It’s merely a tool for conducting self-awareness, inner contemplation and/or different perspectives/approaches to the paths you may encounter in life.  

    Where/How to Buy Tarot Cards?

    Amazon and many online stores carry them!  (I placed links for some of the Tarot Card Decks that my Student owns under the images provided earlier in the first “What are Tarot Cards?” section for your convenience.)  There are so many varieties and options out there for you to explore!  If you are brand new to Tarot Cards, I strongly recommend first purchasing a more traditional deck (like the Raider Waite) so you can introduce yourself to the cards, meanings, different spreads you can try, etc.  Once you get the hang of it, you may feel more comfortable to explore other deck options, since they can differ slightly or greatly in the number of cards, style, and/or meanings.  Of course, if you want to just skip over the traditional deck and dive head-first into a Tarot deck that is calling out to you, I completely support you!  You do you!  However, for the purpose of this post, I’m going to be simply discussing the classic Rider-Waite Tarot deck.  

    STORY TIME & SIDE NOTE!  When my Student was first introduced to Tarot, her teacher (not me) gave her the advice of having someone else purchase the very first Tarot deck.  The teacher and other Tarot Card readers believed that if the Student were to purchase her own deck, that deck would be filled with mainly her energy.  As a result, it may have been more difficult to do readings for other people since the cards were only familiar with the Student’s specific spiritual energy.  Does that make sense? So she followed her advice and a couple of her decks were gifted by friends (after telling them which decks she wanted, hahaha!).  The Student has also gifted Tarot decks to friends and loved ones with the same intention of giving the cards more spiritual variety so readings would be more flexible.  Of course, after becoming familiar with the original Raider-Waite deck, there were a few very different Tarot decks that caught her eye and that she really wanted to try.  She bought a couple Tarot decks herself and did various purification processes to help give the decks the best start possible.  She’s also bought a deck and didn’t do any special processes and just “whipped them out” and gave them a go!  You should do whatever works best for you!  I do plan to post a guide a when you get your new Tarot deck and opening it for the first time (such as different ways to purify or bless the deck with your spiritual energy), so please don’t worry about that aspect for now. This is just to merely introduce you to the topic of Tarot Cards.

    Doing a Tarot Card Reading:

    Set Up Your Space

    When preparing to do a Reading, it’s strongly recommended to use a cloth or blanket to cover a flat surface like a desk or table.  (You’ll see my Student is using a purple cloth in the images throughout this blog post!)  It protects your cards from getting dirty and also helps you claim the space dedicated for Tarot.  There are some cloths out there designed for Tarot cards or other Readings, so they may have appealing designs or help you properly place the cards in certain Spread positions.  Go ahead and shop around to see what catches your eye!  Some people also put candles, crystals, or personal trinkets or charms on their Reading space to promote positive energy or focus into their Readings.  I am not saying you must do something specific, because everyone is different.  You do what feels right for you and it’s ok to slowly build your space over time with what you find is helpful as you go on your Tarot journey.

    Ask Your Question & Shuffle

    Now that your space is set up, it’s time to begin your Reading.  Have your deck out of the box in front of you.  If you wish, many practitioners sometimes have a booklet guide or a reference book nearby for easy reach, just in case they need help with interpretations.  With the cards in your hand, be thinking of your question that you wish to have answered.  Try to keep the question simple.  Don’t add too many variables or elements.  Try to take things one step at a time.  There are some example questions below under “Spreads: Laying Out Your Cards” if you need some ideas.  While you are meditating on your question, start shuffling your deck of cards in whatever way seems right or comes naturally to you.  Just be sure to be thinking of your question and not be distracted by other thoughts that come to mind, because that can influence the cards to giving you a confusing or inaccurate Reading.  After shuffling, you are ready to lay out your cards to read your answer.

    Spreads: Lay Out Your Cards

    The question you asked will determine what kind of Spread you do.  The cards should be laid out so that their positions reflect your question.  For fresh beginners, it’s highly recommend either doing a 1- or 3-card Reading.  It’s simpler and not too overwhelming with a ton of information.  There are a ton of questions you can ask for either a 1-Card Spread or a 3-Card Spread. 

    1-Card Spread Example Questions

    • What Should I Keep in Mind Today?
    • Advice for Upcoming Day/Week/Month?
    • Yes/No Questions
      • Wands/Fire = YES; but you will have to work for it
      • Cups/Water = YES; and it will come naturally to you
      • Pentacles/Earth = YES; but it will come at a price
      • Swords/Air = NO (Look at the card, maybe it’s giving you a message as to why!)
      • Major Arcana = GOOD LUCK (Look at the card’s meaning for guidance!)
      • Reversals = NO (If not doing Reversals, flip the card upright and interpret that way.)
      • *NOTE: some people view different cards as a Yes or No card, and that’s ok!  This is just one simple method that may be easier for beginners.*

    3-Card Spread Example Questions

    • (1) Your Past, (2) Your Present, (3) Your Future
    • (1) You, (2) Your Partner/Crush, (3) The Relationship
    • (1) Your Strength, (2) Your Weakness, (3) General Advice
    • Your Upcoming Week/Month:
      • (1) The Challenge, (2) What You Need to Think About, (3) What You Need to Do

    Once you get the hang of simple card Readings, you can branch out to longer or more complex Spreads.  You can find A LOT on the internet about whatever topic may come to mind!  I’m thinking of doing future posts on some of these fun Spreads for you to explore and experiment!  

    Read Your Cards

    Many Tarot decks come with a little paper booklet that gives you the meanings of each of the cards, for your convenience.  Even though my Student has been doing Tarot for many years, she still looks up meanings every now and then, so please don’t feel rushed or pressured to figure cards out on your own.  Take your time and follow your gut or intuition.  More often than not you are onto something in interpreting a Reading a certain way.  I do plan on posting on some tips on how to read and memorize Tarot cards.  So stay tuned for that!

    When you’re ready, reveal your cards.  If you’re doing a 1-card spread, flip over the card and look closely at its image and learn its meaning.  When you know the meaning, refer to your question and see if it provides you an answer or guidance in you discovering the answer.  If you have multiple card spreads, flip the cards one at a time in the correct order in the spread.  Flip the first card, look at it, figure out its meaning, then move on to the next card.  Once you know all of the meanings, look back on your original question and see if your cards flow to “tell a story” in offering guidance to the answer.  And there you have it!  With some patience and practice, you’ll find Tarot to come to you more naturally!

    Example Reading

    Let’s do a sample Reading together!  Below is a basic Past, Present, Future Spread that my Student did for me, her Familiar, today:

    For my Past, it’s represented by the 10 of Swords.  This card shows a man lying face down with 10 swords piercing him in the back.  As you can imagine, this card means pain, sadness, tears, desolation, amongst other things.  For my Present, it’s the 8 of Pentacles.  It shows a man working, such as an artist or blacksmith would.  The 8 of Pentacles illustrates work, employment, craftsmanship, or a skill regarding business.  For my Future, it is the Wheel of Fortune.  This symbolizes, well, fortune along with luck, success, destiny, and felicity.  So can you do a Reading with these 3 cards?  

    At first, they may seem so disconnected since there is a Swords card, a Pentacles card, and a Major Arcana.  However, it can actually flow and make sense!  My Student Read the cards as the following, which I feel was accurate: In the Past (10 of Swords), I was indeed suffering from a severe bout of depression and great sadness not too long ago.  I was really struggling mentally, to say the least.  In the Present (8 of Pentacles), I have been working hard.  It’s possible this card symbolizes the work I’ve been doing presently on my mental health or well-being.  It could also refer to the hard work I’ve been putting towards this blog for you, my friends, which provides me a sense of purpose.  If I keep up the hard work and continue doing what I’m doing, whether that is in regards to the hard work on my mental health or my blog, the Future (Wheel of Fortune) seems bright.  If I continue doing the right things and working hard towards my goals, maybe I’ll have luck or a completion of destiny in my future.  You see how that Reading works?  So tell me, would you interpret this Reading similarly?  If not, what would you change?  My Student was just following her intuition on this Reading since she did this Spread for me.  Different Tarot practitioners may interpret these cards differently, depending on who they’re doing the Reading for (themselves vs. someone else).  It’s completely ok to Read cards differently, as long as it’s not too off course.

    Resources

    There are TONS of books, websites, and other resources out there to help you on your Tarot journey.  Most of the time when you have a Tarot Deck you’ll find a little paper booklet or guide that gives you the meanings of every card.   Some even provide some unique Spreads that work great with that particular deck!  Even today, when my Student does Readings, she sometimes will look up the meanings/interpretations of certain cards since she forgot or struggled inhaving the whole Spread make sense.  That is completely fine!  Even professionals have to look up some information at some point.  So you are not alone, by any means!

    If you are wanting to start with the Raider-Waite Tarot deck that I went over today, it’s STRONGLY recommended that you also look into “The Ultimate Guide to Tarot” by Liz Dean.  My Student lived and breathed by this book when she first started and it helped her immensely!  It goes into even more details than what I covered!  Please give it a look and if you decide to get it, I hope it helps you as much as it did her!  It honestly can’t be recommended enough for both beginners and professionals who may need a refresher now and then!

    The Ultimate Guide to Tarot: https://amzn.to/3HAJsrQ

    It’s completely ok if you feel overwhelmed by it all!  That feeling is normal and my Student was exactly like that.  She initially felt it was too much information and there was no way she’d become good at it.  But if you want to become good at it and you enjoy it, don’t give up!  You CAN and you WILL do it if you put your heart and mind to it!  It takes a lot of time, patience, and practice, practice, practice!  Practicing magic of any kind is a lifelong art and skill to develop.  I know professionals and experts enjoy the refresher and practice now and then!  So please do not feel discouraged or too overwhelmed.  Everyone was a beginner at something in one point in time, right?  If after all of this you discover that Tarot Card Readings are not for you, that is just fine!  That may be a sign that your gift lies elsewhere for you to discover and master!  I just hope you had some fun or entertainment in the meantime!  I had a lot of fun and I look forward to learning more together with you, my dear friends!

    “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”

    – Kurt Cobain

    • Image Captions (in order of appearance):
    • Tarot card of Waite. Image courtesy of Unsplash user petr sidorov; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Unsplash Inc.
    • Tarot Cards on Wooden Table. Image courtesy of Pexels user KoolShooters; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Pexels GmbH.
    • Tarot book with The Empress card from the Rider Waite Tarot deck. Image courtesy of Unsplash user Viva Luna Studios; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Unsplash Inc.
    • Tarot Cards. Image courtesy of Unsplash user Manik Roy; not for commercial use. Signed property release on file with Unsplash Inc.

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