Reading the Tarot is a wonderful thing but those who approach this world often find themselves in the chaos of the multitude of news, information, schools of thought and traditions.
Do not be scared, it is normal, because the Tarot is very ancient and over the years many people have studied and used them, creating their theories and passing down traditions.
Knowing the meanings of the tarot will allow you to have a precious guide always with you, who accompanies you and advises you in all your choices and decisions.
So in this article I will try to shed a little bit of clarity on how to read the Tarot, according to the tradition that my grandmother handed down to me.
Table of Contents
Can anyone learn to read cards?
There are people who have the famous “gift”, and therefore have a particularly developed intuition and are inclined, and it is as if they already knew how to do a Tarot reading, but this does not exclude that everyone can learn.
In fact the two most important things are:
- the attraction towards the Arcana (another name of the Tarot)
- the desire to learn and get involved
Intuition can be trained, because if you have never used it, it may be asleep, and therefore must be awakened.
Another thing that scares a lot those who start reading the Tarot is the fear of not being able to remember the meanings of all 78 Tarot Cards (22 Major Arcana + 56 Minor Arcana).
Do not worry, it is a very normal and legitimate fear but, yes there is a good one but, learning to read the Tarot does not mean knowing all the cards by heart, indeed the exact opposite.
Surely one must know the meanings of each Lama (another name of the Tarot) but the Cosmic Journey of Man must be learned.
Also because every Arcanum is a door, an archetype towards infinite meanings and infinite combinations, only by knowing the conceptual basis of the Cosmic Journey of Man, also called, according to some, the Journey of the Fool, will you be able to read the tarot, always, in every situation. and any kind of deck.
Learning to Read the Tarot: Meaning of the Cards
Knowing the Tarot Meaning is essential if you want to learn how to read the Tarot, you will have to learn the names, recognize the designs, note the characterizing elements and their position in the Cosmic Journey of Man.
For this you will not have to memorize all the meanings of each card, also because it is practically impossible given the immensity of each Arcanum.
Instead, it will be very useful for you to learn the key words for each Tarot, so that you can start experimenting with the readings and combinations of tarot cards (which is the most difficult part but we will see it together in due course).
It’s true, a lot of people turn to fortune tellers or card readers, but maybe if you’re reading this article it’s because you want to learn how to read cards for yourself.
I tell you that personally I am in favor, there is no risk or danger in doing so, you just need to be capable and learn to have the right detachment.
Where to start?
1. Choice of Deck
Being a passionate and collector of Tarot I love to talk about the choice of the Tarot Deck, I even dedicated an entire article to the choice of the Perfect Tarot deck.
Choosing the right Tarot deck is very important. It is normal that there are decks that resonate to you and that you feel attracted to and others that, although beautiful, are not for you.
Start from this, with the Tarot there must be attraction, when you choose them, let yourself be guided by instinct. There are those who look at the images and those who rely only on the title; those who choose them with their eyes closed (in the true sense of the word, looking at them with the 3rd eye) and those who receive them as a gift.
It is not important how the Tarot gets to you, the important thing is if they vibrate at your frequency, if they make you comfortable in reading, if they make you feel more confident because you clearly perceive their answers. Learning how to Read Tarot automatically becomes easier with the perfect tarot deck for you.
Don’t think that one deck is as good as another, because that’s not the case. Tarot cards are the extension of every reader’s hand, the more you feel the deck, the more your readings are accurate, simple, powerful and, why not, fun.
I still remember when my mother gave me my first Tarot deck, it was the gift for my 13th birthday, they were Tarot of Tradition and I still have them.
2. Sacralize / purify the deck
– Consecrate
To consecrate, from the Latin cum-sacer, means to make sacred. This is why consecrating your tarot deck is very important, because it is a rite, large or small, that makes your tarot cards sacred, at least for you. Furthermore, the sacralization of the Tarot allows you to create a unique bond between you and your cards that will recognize you and respond to you.
While the Consecration takes place only once, the purification of the Tarot deck is good to do often.
– Purification
Purifying serves to clean the cards, “degrease” them from all heavy, negative and residual energies. Purifying the Tarot for me is a bit like giving it an energy shower to wash away all the energy accumulation,
There are times that a light wipe with a delicate incense is enough and other times that a deeper purification will be needed that will make your Tarot like new.
For example, if you feel that your tarot cards are not responding well, first of all do a purification, they could just be a little overloaded or dirty, you will see that afterwards they will come back reliable and super precise.
Ideas for Consecration Rites
There are many consecration rites, such as:
- sleep with the new Tarot under your pillow
- pass them in the smoke of incense every day for 1 week
- bless them with the 4 Elements
- if you want you can create your own a consecration rite designed for your Tarot.
As for the incense for purification, you can choose eucalyptus for a lighter and rueful purification, salva bianca or Palo Santo for a more thorough purification.
How to read the Tarot: The Techniques
The techniques for reading Tarot and the methods of reading, called Stese, are endless, there are many to choose from and the better you become, the more you too can learn to create Tarot drafts.
For those who are at the beginning and want to understand how to read the Tarot it is good to know that among the most common methods there are:
- the 3-card method (commonly called Past-Present-Future)
- the 10 Card Celtic Cross method
Especially at the beginning many Tarot Readers use only the Major Arcana and that’s fine, then over time if you feel the need to “season” your readings with details then you can also include the Minor Arcana, you will see your readings get very enriched. In fact, while the Major Arcana represent the Archetypes of the Cosmic Journey of Man, the Minor Arcana specify the major ones, indicating people, particulates, shades, etc.
I advise you to use the entire Tarot deck consisting of 78 cards (22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana) ONLY if you know them, otherwise you just get confused.
Tarot spread: How to arrange the cards
Regardless of the chosen Tarot spread, 3-Card, Celtic Cross, etc. the fundamental thing is that the cards are always arranged from left to right, usually horizontally. If you think about it, it is said to read Tarot cards and just like a book it is read from left to right.
During a live reading, there are those who, after shuffling the cards, make them raise the cards to the Consultant and those who prefer not to let their tarot be touched, both are fine, the choice is entirely up to you.
Anyway, at the end of each divination (ie Tarot Reading) it is good to do a Tarot purification, even if only mild.
If, on the other hand, you carry out Tarot Readings online, obviously you cannot let the Consultant touch your cards, in this case you can start shuffling and ask him to tell you stop.
These are ways, for those who read from a distance to create a link, a contact with the Consultant, they are especially useful for those who are beginners and do not know how to do the Tarot, with time and practice everything will come more spontaneously.
First Interpretations
At this point, is it a bit clearer how to do a Tarot reading?
You just have to practice.
Every morning as soon as you wake up, take out a Tarot Card, it will be your Card of the Day, you can write it down in a Notebook or in the Tarot Diary (a very useful object for study and to monitor your progress) and use it both as a daily advice and to practice in the meaning and see that tarot at work. It could help you to prevent problems and unfortunate situations, it could advise you on the behavior to follow and then in the evening you can take stock and write all your reflections on the Tarot Diary.
Furthermore, whenever you have a question you would like to receive an answer you can ask it to the Cards, it is a great way to learn how to Read Tarot and to practice.
Remember: the clearer the question, the clearer the answer, the more generic and confusing the question, the more generic and confusing the answer will be.
To paraphrase an old saying: Clear question… long friendship!
Reading the Tarot: Some Tips
- Practice / Try With Friends And Relatives
Try, try again, try, try again, try again. When my grandmother taught me to read tarot, she always told me: Nobody is born learned!
So offer to read the Tarot to friends and family, you will practice and they will be thrilled.
Little advice: do not force anyone, if you have people around you who are skeptical or who do not like the Tarot do not insist, you will see that in your circle of knowledge you will find more than one person enthusiastic about having the cards read by you.
“It is the province of the tarot reader to move backwards, forwards, even sideways in time.” – Author: Sasha Graham – More Quotes
- Get In Touch With Cards
Getting acquainted with cards is nice and fair. Spend time with your Tarot friends: take them one by one and observe them, hold them in your hand, look at the drawings and symbols, feel their energy and give them yours.
Then take the whole deck, close your eyes and bring the Tarot to your heart, pass it your affection and your trust and pronounce:
I trust you as you trust me!
- Tell The Cards
A beautiful way to read tarot cards is to tell them, each Arcana is rich in symbols, dominant colors, characters and details. Immerse yourself in the world of each card, let yourself be carried away by its story and tell it. It is a good way to learn how to read cards.
Tarot Reading: Mistakes to Avoid
- Don’t force the cards
This is a fundamental rule in order not to commit one of the typical mistakes of those who want to learn to read cards, but also treasure it during Tarot readings for other people. The Tarot must be respected, asking the same question continuously to try to receive the answer you want is a lack of respect for this sacred instrument, which you yourself have consecrated.
Also because the future is not engraved in the rock but each of us creates it day after day through our choices and actions, for this reason, what we need to do is to gratefully welcome the indications that the Tarot gives and treasure it so as to go. towards the desired result.
- Watch out for Contamination
Tarot cards can be influenced by the Consultant, for this reason the Reader must be good at staying balanced, centered and having the right detachment. Obviously it is easier when you read the Tarot for others but with time you can learn how to do the Tarot with the right detachment even for yourself.
- Pay attention to your state of mind
As we have just seen the Tarot can be contaminated by both the Consultant and the Reader, so it is always good to do a centering if you are too nervous, anxious, worried, etc., so as not to pass that energy to the Cards. Tarot cards respond to Universal Laws and therefore, by the Law of Reflection, they will mirror your sensations and by the Law of Attraction you will choose the card that will be attracted to your focus.
If you do not feel balanced and centered before a Tarot reading, do a meditation to rebalance yourself, your reading will benefit
- Don’t Lie
I know, especially for those who are at the first readings, sometimes it is difficult to report what the Tarot says, but it does not concern you, when you read the cards you are a means through which the answer comes. It is essential that you always report, without changing it, the answer given by the tarot. You can find a gentle and gentle way but any answer comes, you as a Tarot Reader have a duty to report it and not to lie..
Conclusion
We have come to the end of this Guide to Learning to Read Tarot.
Did you like it? Did he clarify your ideas? What did you know and what did you learn?
