There are 78 cards in the Tarot deck, each with unique imagery, symbolism, and narrative. The 56 Minor Arcana cards symbolize the struggles we face on a daily basis, while the 22 Major Arcana cards represent the karmic and spiritual teachings we learn in life.
Tarot cards are allegedly just ink on paper, according to some. But here’s what I’ve learned from daily Tarot card reading for more than 20 years:
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Can I study tarot by myself?
Is it feasible for a beginner to perform Tarot spreads on themselves? Yes! It most certainly is. Tarot is a technique that aids in deepening our understanding of the present moment, honoring our intuition, and predicting future possibilities.
Can you pick up the art of tarot reading?
I would always advise that you seek out experienced tarot readers and become familiar with their methodology. The fundamentals of tarot can also be learned in-person. Keep in mind that you are accessing someone else’s energy field, therefore it’s critical that you understand the basics of what you are doing.
Is learning tarot reading challenging?
But because there is so much to understand and memorize, reading tarot can seem overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be that way, and that’s what we’re here to tell you. You’ll be an expert by the time your friends from college come around for drinks tonight if you just follow our quick-start tarot instruction.
Tarot reading has been practiced since the 14th or 15th century and may have started out as a card game, similar to poker, rather than a spiritual activity. Tarot cards were utilized for divination starting in the late 18th century, but a spiritual component also emerged. They have also been applied to psychological research. Even Carl Jung thought of the playing cards as a tool to depict the “archetypes of mankind.”
The majority of 78-card tarot decks follow the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition and make use of related archetypes and iconography.
Additionally, there are tarot decks from various traditions, such as Marseilles tarot decks, as well as oracle cards, which can have any quantity of cards with their own particular imagery. But chances are, if you’re new to tarot, your deck is a Rider-Waite-Smith one.
Each of the 78 cards in these tarot decks has a distinct meaning. You don’t have to keep all of that in your head, even though it is a lot to know about them. The following are the key facts to be aware of:
1. The Minor Arcana and the Major Arcana are the two categories of Tarot cards.
Similar to a standard deck of playing cards, the 56 Minor Arcana cards are divided into four suits: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. The total journey of your life is covered by the 22 Major Arcana.
How can I study tarot the simplest manner possible?
Starting is the greatest method to study Tarot. Make time every day to routinely practice Tarot reading. Each day, I advise starting with a card. Every day, ask the Tarot: “What energy do I need to concentrate on today? and intentionally bringing that energy into your day.
Questions you don’t really want answered
Even though it might seem apparent, it’s advisable to refrain from asking the tarot cards questions that you aren’t prepared to hear the answers to. That’s because answers to these questions can reveal information you’re just not quite ready to hear.
“Tarot can definitely come off as offensive if you’re not willing to hear the truth or consider an opposing point of view. Tarot reading Nicole Fortunaso
According to tarot reader and life coach Nicole Fortunaso, “tarot may truly come out as offensive if you are not willing to hear the truth of the problem or look at an alternate viewpoint.” She advises considering why you’re responding the way you are in order to reflect on the best way to address the underlying cause if you ask the question and are unsatisfied with the response.
How is Tarot card memorization done?
I discovered early on in my tarot excursions that knowing the meanings of each card isn’t necessary, even if there is much value and wisdom to be gained from them. Instead, using your intuition is the key to learning how to interpret tarot cards. And this makes sense given that they are instruments for receiving and deciphering messages from the universe or our inner selves. Get the best advice from readers below to learn how to read tarot cards for yourself instinctively and without memorization.
After a breakup
Draw one card for each of the following inquiries if you’ve recently broken up with someone and want to know more about the reason or determine whether you’ll get back together:
- How energetic is the partnership right now?
- What caused the divide in the first place?
- What do they really think of me right now?
- What do they intend for me right now?
- What kind of relationship will this be in the future?
- Which action is ideal for me to take right now?
When job searching
You can lay out this spread and see what kind of career guidance the tarot can offer if you’re feeling uncertain about your career path or thinking about a new employment. Draw one card once more for each query.
- How active am I in my career right now?
- What challenge must I overcome?
- What is my calling in life?
- How can I follow this calling more closely?
- What should I do to prepare for the upcoming month?
When deciding between two options
This spread can highlight the benefits and drawbacks of each option, guiding you toward the best decision if you’re using tarot to decide between two possibilities (two job offers, two apartments, perhaps a love triangle???). The deal is this: Per card, pose one question.
- What is the fundamental cause of this fork in the road?
- What is the likely result of choosing option A?
- What is the most likely result for option B?
- What more should I take into account that was overlooked?
- What’s the best thing I can do right now?
When something is off with a friend
You may explore what insights and solutions this spread reveals if you’re concerned about the status of a friendship or feel that something is amiss but can’t figure out why. Ask one question per card, once more, I repeat.
- What makes this friendship so crucial?
- What led to this sudden change in tone, and why?
- What has changed, in my friend’s opinion?
- What can I do to make this matter more urgent?
- What is the next step for this friendship?
- What should I do at this moment?
What kind of religion are tarot cards?
Tarot cards are frequently cited as a component of New Age thought and practice along with astrology, aspects of Buddhism, paganism, and First Nations teachings in the eclectic scholarly approach to the New Age.
Do I need a tarot card reading?
It might be time for you to try a tarot card reading, whether you’re searching for some clarification on your crush, insight into that promotion at work (crossing your fingers), or wondering if that girl’s trip is a good idea.
People have used the tarot deck to predict the future ever since the 15th century. Tarot card readings can assist you in finding the answers to all of your questions, giving you the knowledge and intuition you need to proceed. Simply put, it’s a simple (and fun) self-help and self-love activity.
The Major and Minor Arcana of the tarot deck each contain 78 cards. Consider the Major Arcana as the trump cards of the deck, or the A-list stars of Hollywood. The Emperor. A lover. a Devil. The Dunce. the organization of awareness in people. A reading with a large number of trump cards is potent and may imply that the matter is out of your control and is left to “fate.”
The Minor Arcana (the suit cards) are the supporting players that give the reading greater depth and perspective. If the majority of the items on your spread are suits, you are being advised to assume control of your course.
The four elements of air, water, earth, and fire are discussed in the Minor Arcana. These are shown in the tarot card images, which might give you a deeper understanding of your reading:
If you receive several sword cards in a reading, it may indicate that you are overthinking the situation or that you need to pay closer attention to the details. Swords stand for reasoning and communication.
The cups serve as a holding place for our feelings and highlight how we relate to how we feel about ourselves and other people. Either a half-full or a half-empty perspective is possible. You have the option.
These coins stand in for the physical world. anything that you can touch directly. The roof over your head, that new shirt, and money. Many pentacles in a tarot reading typically indicate practical issues involving our resources.
Wands typically represent the possibility of action or expansion (and potentially emanate). Perhaps it has to do with the promotion or the person you have your eye on.
There are a few things you should be aware of before having your first tarot card reading in order to truly appreciate the tarot’s power. You won’t regret it, I promise.
We understand that it’s simple to be dubious of any wellness technique that lacks strong scientific support. Tarot readings are meant to serve as a roadmap for obstacles in your life, and they can be interpreted in a way that points you in the right direction. Give yourself some power through reading. Otherwise, feel free to leave what you’ve learned at the door if it doesn’t resonate with you.
Bring some specific examples of situations when you’d prefer more clarity to the reading. You could inquire, “What is preventing me from receiving ? such as “Should I relocate to New York City? It is simpler to relate the meaning of the cards to what you’re going through the more detailed your inquiry is.
When I was younger, I used to be scared of tarot cards and psychics because I thought they would foretell an imminent catastrophe. It turns out that a “poor reading” doesn’t exist. For people going through a difficult time, the Death card in the deck may be a really encouraging element of a reading because it actually denotes the conclusion of a cycle and suggests that it will soon be finished.
Reading-related insights can be incredibly restorative and helpful, but if you forget them, they won’t be able to give you guidance. Your tarot reader won’t mind if you take notes or record the session so that you don’t have to try to process everything at the speed of light (there will be a lot to listen to). Your experience won’t be hampered by it; on the contrary.
You become more used to the lessons to be gleaned from each reading as you pull your cards more frequently. It’s crucial to stay in touch with your intuition and the spiritual forces that shape our earthly energies, whether that means buying your own deck, understanding the tarot’s rules, or obtaining weekly (or monthly) readings from a professional.
Do you have a hankering for a tarot card reading? Do you feel the effects of Mercury Retrograde? I gave my buddy three readings, and each confirmed that she was feeling the power of the full moon. View the cards she has (hint: she might have pulled The Devil card).