Whether you just received your first tarot deck or have been holding onto one for years, reading tarot all begins with intuition. You’ll need to trust your instincts and look within if you want to succeed at tarot.
Tarot cards are simply visual cues to allow you to listen to your inner voice. When you’re getting started out, all the tarot cards can look overwhelming. When you pull the devil, you might first fear the literal devil.
This is not always so, and you will soon learn how to interpret each card for yourself.
Do you feel drawn to the art of tarot? Continue reading below to find out more about tarot for beginners and how you can start reading spreads.
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Where It All Began
It’s hard to say where the craft of tarot originated. It’s a relatively new form of divination arising out of other occult practices.
A French occultist, known as Eteilla (Jean-Baptiste Alliete), is credited with popularizing tarot in the 1780s. We know very little of his life, but he created links between different occult practices.
He combined traditional tarot decks with concepts like astrology and Egyptian mythology. Over the following years, occultists developed their own methods and decks. These days, those skilled in tarot are able to offer their services to those seeking answers and guidance in their lives, whether that’s in person or via a psychic reading online.
Tarot for Beginners: Getting Started
Getting started with tarot is going to be a bit overwhelming at first. There are a lot of cards, but don’t expect to learn about each one right away. In fact, let’s go over some basics.
Don’t Get Hung Up on Rules
When it comes to reading tarot, you shouldn’t follow a rule book. Tarot is about connecting with your inner voice with the aid of cards. Reading tarot is almost entirely personal.
Everyone has their own way of communicating with the cards, so don’t worry if you do it a little different from your friends.
Establish a Connection With Your Cards
This is going to be the best way for you to understand the cards and their meanings. Each card should have a special meaning relating to your own personal life.
That is, try to draw inspiration from your personal life. This will help you understand the cards better than trying to memorize meanings and definitions.
“Tarot a Day” Journal
Keeping a daily journal is a good way to establish a deeper connection with your cards. Draw a card every day and meditate on its relevance to your life.
Keeping a tarot journal will give you a deeper understanding of each card. With each passing day, you’ll add to your own personal library of meaning. You can keep track of observations and feelings from your readings.
Concentrate on the Images
One can’t stress enough the importance of foregoing pre-determined meaning when it comes to tarot. When you look at a card, look into the images. What do the images and symbols make you think?
Do the symbols inspire in you a feeling of joy, grief, or elation? Make note of these feelings in your journal.
When you read tarot, it’s all about the images. The images in the tarot are a collection of images from the human unconscious. Each deck uses different images and symbols.
You may need to play around with a few different decks to figure out which one is right for you.
Read the Tarot for Yourself
Reading tarot is a good way to look at your life in a more objective manner. You can spend time each day reading tarot for yourself.
This will help you develop different techniques and spreads. You can practice reading the images for yourself before trying out your knowledge on others.
Some people may tell you that you can’t possibly read tarot for yourself. This just isn’t true, and you shouldn’t listen to them. Everyone can use the tarot to make personal gains in their life.
As you progress through the days, you’ll learn more about the tarot and how it relates to your life.
Gain Confidence
When you start reading tarot, the best tool you can have in your toolbelt is confidence. A good tarot reading comes from the heart instead of the head. A good tarot reader relies on intuition rather than memorization.
This can be intimidating at first for some people. Those who rely on set rules and knowledge might experience more difficulty when it comes to the tarot.
As you gain confidence, offer readings to friends and family. They may be willing to sit down and listen to you for a little while. It can be a great bonding moment for some.
Be Mindful and Respectful
When you read tarot, remember to be mindful and respectful of the cards and your audience. You should never view tarot as a means of seeing into the future.
Many people make the mistake of asking questions when they are in an intense emotional state. This can throw off your readings, as you aren’t in a clear state of mind. Instead, wait until you can think clearly.
When your emotions are running high, you shut yourself off from receiving any real insight.
When people turn to you for reading, act responsibly. Don’t overstep your boundaries and tell them what they should or shouldn’t do. You don’t want to interfere with anyone’s free will.
For that reason, you should only give people information about past and present circumstances. If you speak of the future at all, you might consider speaking only of possible choices that may arise.
Never make choices for another person. This is a negligent and irresponsible use of tarot. Even a love tarot requires delicate care and respect.
Get Ready to Read Tarot
The biggest challenge to reading tarot is overcoming the fear. When you look at the cards and images, you may fear what’s in store. Don’t worry.
Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be handing out readings to everyone you know. Not only can this be tremendous fun but it can be a great source of personal growth.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this guide to tarot for beginners. If you’d like to read more about personal growth and development, visit the lifestyle section of our blog.
