For a little over a year, I worked in a metaphysical shop that sells anything from crystal-infused candles to smudging blends to oracle and tarot decks. It was common to have a lot of first-timers come in with questions about tarot: Which might be the best deck to start with? How to cleanse a deck? And my favorite question of all: What is the best way to learn the meaning of the tarot cards? I couldn’t help but want to chuckle when I receive this question because it honestly has such a complicated answer.
My first impulse is always to tell people to follow their own intuition, because none of the paths they take will be the wrong one. While I stand by that and believe it to be a true statement, that usually leaves people feeling unassisted. I genuinely don’t feel there is “one” simple answer that will give a beginner tarot reader the tools or resources that they need, especially not in the 30-second-spiel that people were expecting from a crystal shop employee.
I’ve decided to share what my personal practice is for building connections with each card. If you are new to the world of tarot reading, I want you to take what resonates and leave the rest. It will probably take quite a bit of trying new things before you really get a feel for how you learn best — but I do hope that I’ve shared at least one practice you can take away from this post.
How I Study the Tarot
Establish your rituals. Of course, start off with any rituals you partake in with your practice. That could mean anything from washing your hands, cleansing the deck with incense or a smudge stick, grounding yourself with a meditation, etc. to simply saying hello to your deck. I feel that this is a really personal decision for a tarot reader, and I don’t feel there are any hard or fast rules here. The most important thing, in my opinion, is to show respect for yourself and your deck before and after your readings.
Pick a card (any card). Next, pull one card. If you’re the type of person who likes things to be in order, then you can start with either The Fool, or with the Ace of the suit you’re choosing to study. The other option is that you can pull a card at random and let that guide your studies. This would also be the time to decide which deck you want to learn with and whether you’ll be reading reversals or not.
Trust your intuition. Set a timer for 20 minutes, and sit with your chosen card in silence. If silence drives you a little crazy, then you can always play your favorite meditative music during this time. Takes notes on absolutely everything you notice about the card and what you feel it means: the colors, the symbols, how they make you feel. If you are familiar with the traditional meaning, you can also explore how the imagery of the deck informs the traditional meaning of the card. If not — try to refrain from looking up the meaning beforehand and just go with what you feel. It’s important to trust yourself during this process.
Compare notes. Once you’ve finished your meditation, take some time to explore your intuitive notes and the traditional meanings of the card. The online sources that I use and trust while studying are The Tarot Guide and Labyrinthos Academy. I also use Biddy Tarot, but I only use this website as a back-up. My reason for this is that I feel Biddy Tarot typically puts an extra-positive spin on every card. There isn’t anything wrong with this approach, but I do think the first two websites I mentioned give a much more clear description of the traditional meanings of the cards. There may be a gap between your intuitive notes and the traditional meanings, but you also might be surprised at how much you’re able to pick up on. This practice is all about learning to trust your gut instincts.
Delve deeper with trusted resources. This would also be the time to use any tarot books you may have laying around and collecting dust (or is that just me?). My favorite book to use right now is Tarot for Change by Jessica Dore. The author has a way of grounding the meanings into the world of caring for our mental health, while keeping the upmost respect for the mystic aspect of the tarot. Personally, I’m also using Meditations on the Tarot: A Journey into Christian Hermeticism, which is an incredible resource that’s available for free as a PDF. It’s a wonderful love letter to the major arcana.
Document in your own words. Once you have taken the time to connect with your intuitive interpretation of the card, as well as the traditional meaning, it’s time to journal! I think any tarot reader worth their salt should be keeping a tarot journal. You can either make your own, or buy one — I use The Modern Witch Tarot Journal, but there are plenty out there to choose from. When journaling, I feel it’s best to take note of what you most connected with. Was there something you intuitively picked up about the card that meshed completely with the traditional meaning? Write it down in your own words! Was there something you felt was really important about this card that your resources didn’t necessarily “back up”? I would take note of that as well. You may eventually come across another reader who’s seeing what you see. Don’t doubt yourself. Just try to remember that before you deviate from a card’s traditional meaning — you want to make sure you actually have a full understanding of the card’s origins.
I hope this list has been helpful to any new tarot readers looking for a way to jump in. I know that it can seem overwhelming at first, the idea of learning an entire deck of card meanings (and their reversals!). For me, one of the most fun aspects of tarot is that you’ll forever be a student. There are so many layers to the cards and to the imagery that can be used to represent them. The more you learn and pull from different approaches to the tarot, the more you will hone in on the specific relationship you have to their meanings. In turn, you will be a much more well-rounded reader.
Also, if you have any questions about the information I’ve posted here, please feel free to ask in the comments! I would genuinely love that. 🤗
❤❤❤
theburiedgold 