Introduction:
There are different ways of approaching the Tarot. Some traditions are very concerned with telling the future, or with trying to prove the Tarot works by predicting things that are going to happen. The tradition I choose to follow is that the Tarot is a tool that helps us to understand ourselves better. I choose to deal mainly with the present time, and our place in that time. When we understand ourselves better, we can understand better why things are the way they are. Understanding helps dispel fear, which is often one of the main factors that stops us from changing and moving forward in our lives.
What follows below represents one view point. It is solidly based, as it is based on experience and my own learning. The main thing that I would like to point out is that nothing can take the place of your own experience. But until the time as you begin to develop your own philosophy on Tarot these ideas may help your learning.
Many of the questions are based on real questions that I am commonly asked. The questions are in no particular order so can be read on an individual basis.
Is it important to shuffle my cards in a certain way?
When working with spiritual and subtle energies structure is very important. Structure helps give a platform to the work you will do with the cards. Doing things the same way each time acts like a cue to our subconscious.
Find a way that feels comfortable to you. I always shuffle the cards and then place my right hand over the cards while saying a prayer that I receive what I need and that only good will come from the reading. Then I split the cards with my right hand into three piles and put them back together in any order with the same hand. When I teach however I tell my students to split them with their right hand and put back together with left. Often then they are so busy working out which hand is which they forget to worry about whether they are putting they are putting their cards back in the "right" order!
Once you have found a way then stick to it rigidly. That will become your way. Later, when you have more experience, you may find another way that suits you better. But the secret of Tarot reading isn’t in the ritual behind it, it is more in what you feel when you see the cards.
How you do things is important in as much as you need a set way.
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Do I need a cloth or bag or both to put my cards on?
I would say it is important to have a cloth to read on and to wrap your cards in. It is important to care for your cards. The cards do not "know" you are caring for them in some magical way but you need to care for them in accordance with how much you value what the Tarot can bring you. If you care for your cards you are again building up a ceremonial structure that will support you as you continue to learn.
Placing your cards onto a cloth when reading gives your spread a boundary. Pick a cloth that you will value. It is quite acceptable to make your cloth yourself from a material that you are especially drawn to.
Bags are not essential, and seem to appeal to some and not to others. They are however very practical for carrying your cards and protecting them. A symbol on the bag may also further enrich your idea of how you wish to work with the cards.
What makes a good Tarot deck and how should I choose one?
Tarot decks are made up from 78 cards. Each of those cards represents a different kind of energy. For example the two of swords is related to patience and not being scared of the unknown. So what we want from a Tarot deck is a deck that represents this energy well in pictorial form.
In the Rider Waite deck the two of swords shows a blindfolded woman holding two swords. From the swords you can see she has means of taking action, but she is just not sure where to put her attention, which is represented by the blindfold. This card teaches that indecision can be okay sometimes, as sometimes we need to wait for the right moment to act. It is also about not waiting too long or an opportunity may pass us by.
In this way a Tarot card picture is always a representation of an energy, never the other way round. So the core meanings and energy of any particular Tarot card is constant. It is merely the interpretation of the artist that paints the cards that changes. If an artist has managed to paint pictures that sum up well the energy of the cards that is probably a good deck.
There are many hundreds of cards on the market. What choice! So the main thing you should look for is a solid clear interpretation of the energy of a card. The Rider Waite deck was one of the first commercially produced Tarot decks, and today it is still the best selling Tarot deck on the market. This is because the interpretation is sound. It is not particularly modern in appearance though, and compared to some more recent decks is quite simply painted.
It is now possible to buy Tarot decks that have affinities with many subjects such as Celtic tradition, witchcraft, medieval, crystals, angels, faeries etc. So it is easy to get confused. In my view a good beginners deck is one that is easy to relate to. It should have pictures that very much bring to mind the energy of that particular card. If the three of wands is just three sticks in a row it probably won’t bring to mind optimism and longing. But if the picture shows a person standing on the edge, looking forward to the horizon, you may clue you in a lot more easily.
At this point it is worth mentioning that some people use normal playing cards for reading. So pictures aren’t everything! Regardless of the advice on which decks we recommend it should be remembered that there is a part of you that knows best what you need. So if you have a strong feeling to buy a particular deck then go with what you feel. A Tarot deck is just a tool. The power to interpret them and feel what each means is within you! Tarot cards don’t fly round the room, they don’t speak, and they aren’t magically invested with special powers at the factory. You bring them to life.
To see the decks we are recommending for beginners please click here.
Is it okay to have more than one deck?
In spiritual terms, in my opinion, anything is okay. The world is full of supposed spiritual masters telling people they cannot do this or that. In my view, the best way to find out if something is right or not is to try it.
The case for getting more than one deck:
Each Tarot deck carries different imagery and will therefore trigger off different ideas in your head. So you will essentially be given more information to work with.
The case against getting more than one deck:
Sometimes it is good to stick with one thing. Tarot reading is a feeling art, and if you find yourself getting confused over which deck to use, or what a certain symbol in a certain deck means then it may be best to take one and stick with that because you may find yourself caught up in your head, which is not where you want to be when Tarot reading.
From my personal experience I would say find a deck that appeals to you and work with that for a while. Later on you may find another deck that will add to your knowledge rather than give too much mental stimulus.
So go with what you feel. If you have a strong feeling to use a second deck, then do it, because it will have something for you. But if in your heart you know you are meant really to concentrate on one deck and that you want another deck for some other reason, then stick with one for now. As ever, with spiritual growth, there is no right and wrong way, although many would like you to believe there is!
Can you learn the Tarot from a book?
If pushed I would have to answer "No", although that is only half the answer.
To use a book you use your mental skills. The difficulty comes when trying to translate that mental thought into a feeling. As you become a better Tarot reader you become more able to "feel" a card as opposed to "know what it means". Books can help a beginner to introduce them into the basics of a card. Don’t try to memorise the meanings in a book though as this will only bring you Tarot readings on second hand basis.
I don’t think I have ever read a Tarot book from cover to cover. Most of my learning has come from reading for people, and more importantly from life.
If I see someone in my life who is always on the go, flitting from one thing to another, and never settling I think, "That is just like the King of Wands". Then the next day I may see someone who has just had the courage to break free of a job that has tied them down for many years. That is also the energy of the King of Wands in use. These meanings enrich our knowledge of the cards. This is why learning the Tarot takes years, because the meanings and realisations come bit by bit.
There are so many spreads in books. Which one do I choose?
To start with pick a spread that appeals to you, possibly one of the more common ones you find in a book. Remember the power is in you not in some fancy spread. Work with that spread for a few weeks and see how you like it.
Then move onto another one. Most readers have just a few spreads they use so don’t worry too much about "such and such" a spread being the only spread to use. Often I just follow my intuition while the person I am reading for is talking about what they would like the reading to be about. I’ll just think that the "such and such" spread would be the one.
Can you do a Tarot reading about anything?
Yes you can.
You could do a spread on the meaning of life. But if you do, don’t approach it in a flippant manner. A spread on a subject of this importance is worthy of only being done a limited amount of times in a lifetime. So make sure when/if you do it you are paying attention. And remember you will get an answer that is appropriate for your understanding. If when you ask important questions you pay attention and give it the proper focus then the answers you receive will be deep ones.
If you are forever asking important questions while having a cup of coffee over the breakfast table before you rush to work then you will probably never be satisfied with the answers you get.
You can ask questions about relationships, work, life, personal development, decision making, life pathways, for advice from above, understanding the past, understanding an event, understanding why something happened a certain way, why you are shy, why you are bold, why you can’t talk to your Dad, why you can’t say I love you to your Mum, for interpretation of dreams, the list goes on…..
Is it bad to let other people handle my cards?
Who you let handle your cards is up to you. No particular way is right or wrong. But it is important to make a decision as this strengthens your focus.
I do actually let people I am reading for shuffle my cards and I occasionally (as a treat) let my five and three year old girls pick a card as long as they are careful. Also over the years many others have touched them. When someone touches your cards the power does not somehow drain out of them as the power for reading is in you, not in the cards themselves. The cards are a tool.
So in my view the reason you don’t let people touch your cards is that you are caring for them as a tool. If you disrespect your cards and leave them on the sideboard unwrapped where anyone can pick them up then that is probably more a reflection of your attitude to the cards so in a way your relationship with the Tarot is weakened more by your attitude than by some physical aspect.
So make your own rules. You could say:
1. No one except me touches the cards.
2. I will let those I am reading for touch the cards.
3. I will let those I read for and those I trust touch the cards.
4. I will let anyone touch my cards.
Personally I would recommend either 2 or 3. And once you have made your decision stick with it until such as time as you have good reason to change.
How do I perform a Tarot reading?
Each Tarot reader will have a different answer to this. Below though I have outlined some of the steps I would advise while reading. It is acceptable to take none, some or all of this advice on board. If you are a complete beginner I would advise following this advice closely and then as you progress you can integrate your own style or pieces of advice you like from other people.
- Always have the cards orientated towards the reader.
- You need to pick the kind of spread you will be using. It is good to decide this fairly early on so that the cards can fall in the right places.
- Shuffle the cards yourself, pass them to the person you are reading for, and encourage them to talk about the issue of the spread. Don’t chat about the shopping or what was on TV last night. Focus your intention on the job in hand.
- Take the cards back and hold your hand over the cards while just saying a little prayer of your own. Something along the lines of asking for the spread to be positive, for the person to get what they need, for you to be able to interpret the cards as you should.
- Get the person you are reading for to split them into three piles and then to put them back together. If they are hesitating just say, "Don’t even think about it, just put them back in any order."
- Ignore the structure of the spread you are doing first of all. Don’t even look at what each card means until at least five minutes into the reading. First off, go where you are taken. Feel which card feels most important. Which card will simply not be ignored? That is the place to start.
- Concentrate on your feelings. What does the spread feel like? Does it feel sad, full of beans, fiery, is it a mixture of lots of things.
- What comes into your head for no apparent reason? Is it a song, an idea, did you just start thinking about swamps in the jungle (for example) when it wasn’t even on your mind before? These are things that may contain messages for the person you are reading for. Voice them! Tell them, "In my head I have the song ‘Ain’t no mountain high enough.’"
- If you get stuck don’t worry. It may be a reflection of you but it may also be a part of the person you are reading for. They may be stuck at some point in their life. You need to work with this ‘stuckness’. The way to overcome it is to just keep talking. If you find you just can’t feel what the card is like go with what you ‘know’ about the card. So start by explaining to that person what a card is about, just like you might read in a book. And from there it should give you a springboard to get back into the feeling of the spread.
- If you stop yourself saying something because you don’t want to offend you may bring the whole spread to a standstill. It is your duty to say what is there, but in a positive manner. You don’t need to say’ "You’re a bit of a sad old git aren’t you!" Approach it positively. "There seems to be some sadness in this area of the spread. Does that ring true?" Tarot is about understanding. It is about finding more out about a certain situation or person so that they can understand more and be better informed so they can make decisions and live their life in a more understanding way.
- Don’t just tell them the good stuff. What good is that? Also tell them things that will help them to grow. If you ignore parts of the spread you are just not getting to the point.
- Keep going. Don’t just come to a pause and think that is it. With the Tarot you can always go deeper. Think of it as layers. When you finish one layer it is always possible to progress to another.
- But also when you feel that you have given the person a full set of information, when you genuinely have completed what is meant to be said, then bring the reading to a close. At the end of a reading go back over the main points. Attempt to provide a summary, or even give them a key phrase to take away with them. Like, "I really feel this spread is about ‘Standing up for yourself’"
- Don’t be frightened to repeat yourself. You may feel something is really important so say it again. Keep coming back to that place if it feels appropriate. By saying something again it emphasises to the person that it really is an important point.
- Above all, don’t think too much!! Tarot is a feeling art. Read books but don’t try to memorise meanings.
- Encourage participation for the querant. This helps bring their feelings in to the spread. It doesn’t tell you the answers. You are reading from the energy you see in front of you. Ask them, "What do you think of that?" or "Do you agree?" or "Can you recognise that?" This can be especially useful to give you a bit of space. It can be quite intense reading non-stop.
- If appropriate put another card down to give more information. Only do this if you have reached a point in the reading where you have read the cards fully that you are adding to. Just take the top card off the deck, and place it in the appropriate position.
- If you get frightened and you simply look at the spread and think, "I can’t read this", and if you are worried what the other person is going to think then don’t worry. Voice this. Say, "I feel stuck" or "I am having trouble seeing anything" and you will find that dissipates the fear. It is like opening a door.
- At the end of every spread, after you have put the cards away, spend five minutes giving some thought to what the spread was about. As a reader what did you learn about yourself? When you read for someone else there will always be a link of some sort. So look for it, and when you find it take it on board as a teaching. So don’t think you are just reading for someone else. You do not need to give any consideration for what you are learning necessarily while you are reading because you are focussing just on the querant. But afterwards it is important to find the link. We always have something we are wondering about.
- And don’t forget to enjoy it! You are working with your intuition, your higher self, and your feelings. Feel happy you are using these much deeper parts of yourself. As you use them more and more you will get better and better at Tarot reading. And also it will develop your insights about life in general, and you will find yourself seeing deeper into many other things around you.
