An Introduction into the World of Tarot Reading
Written By: Jess Carlson (IG: @jessjcarlson)
Edited By: Grave Reviews Staff
Tarot Reading for Beginners – An Introduction into the World of Tarot Reading
Getting started with tarot can be overwhelming. From learning what the cards mean to figuring out how to make sense of the messages they impart, beginners face an uphill battle early in the learning how to effectively read Tarot cards. Before you start worrying about whether or not you can read the cards, you need to actually get some cards. The question then becomes, what deck should you use?
There are hundreds of tarot decks to choose from with new ones consistently being made. Thanks to the ease of self-publishing card decks, anyone can create a deck and sell it online. With all these amazing decks out there, you need to ask yourself, which one is actually right for you?
What Deck should I choose?
Someone who is beginning to experiment with tarot can really benefit from learning with the Rider-Waite Smith Tarot as their first deck. First published in 1910, the Rider-Waite set the standard for modern-day tarot. Most other decks take their cues from this deck using variations with the same images and themes. The reason why the Rider-Waite deck is not as utilized because the limited color palette of the images tend to be unappealing to some and more often, people are interested in more vibrant decks. However, the color scheme of the decks should not undermine the value and meaning of the tarot cards themselves.
When it comes to picking a deck, you want to consider what appeals to you visually, thematically, and speaks to your intuition.
While you could read tarot by pulling cards and then following along with the book it comes with, this isn’t really reading tarot. Tarot is a tool to access your inner wisdom through your intuition. All the things that appear on the cards visually trigger this within us.
How should I approach Tarot Reading?
If you’ve ever had a reading, you have had some kind of intuitive reaction to the cards that were pulled for you. When a particular card was placed in front of you, even though you might not be a tarot reader, just by looking at the card, you had a reaction to the image. This caused a thought or feeling to come to you about what it meant without any formal knowledge of the cards. That is what we want the cards to do when we’re reading.
Consider what you find visually appealing. Do you like bright colors or certain kinds of art styles? What do you see that draws your eye and pulls you into the image and triggers your imagination? Most importantly, what deck speaks to you and enhances your thoughts?
Most modern Tarot decks have a theme. From vampires to cats to steampunk to cooking, there is literally a deck for everyone’s interests. What kind of activities and hobbies do you love? Are there specific cultures, religions, or myth cycles that you feel connected to? When you find a theme that you feel a deep connection to, it should help you create links between the card’s meaning and the journey of life through the human experience.
For example, if you’re into learning about herbs, plants, and flowers, you might find meaning when you see an image of lavender flowers in a card. That card may give you the message of needing to stay calm in the face of challenges. You would then take that intuitive interpretation and add it to the card meaning to come up with the card’s message.
Further, The 8 of Pentacles is a card about mastery, learning through practice, and practical development of skills. With that lavender plant in the card, your intuition may tell you to remain calm and confident while dealing with the ups and downs of mastering your skills and talents.
In addition, I call the tarot “Flashcards of the Universe.” When you pull a card, consider what image the card portrays and focus on its general meaning as it pertains to your question, you want to feel a light turn on and inspiration flood in. When you are just learning, you will be tempted to use books, and that’s OK, but use them sparingly and let the card images guide you.
Although you may not find the best deck for you the first time or the tenth time, you WILL find it. Just experiment, try new things and keep an open mind.
***************
Jess offers a self-study course that can be very useful as you begin your journey into the world of tarot reading. To follow Jess and learn more about her self-study course on tarot reading, you can visit the links below:
***************
Did you like our article, An Introduction into the World of Tarot Reading? Comment below.
If you have a hidden talent, share it with us and contact us here.
Join the Conversation