How To Get To Know Your Tarot Cards

remove the package, shuffle, and launch into a reading right away? hesitantly flip through each card one at a time, feeling the feel of the entire deck? choose your favorite cards and just sit with them? Perhaps you also do a unique ritual, such as purifying or “charging” your deck with crystals?

Before I’m ready to shuffle, I like to take my time with a new tarot deck and go through all 78 cards one by one numerous times. I like to take note of anything that stands out to me, any symbols that seem particularly pertinent to me at the time, or any characters who seem to be communicating directly to me. It could take this process anywhere from 20 minutes to many days.

However, when I am prepared to shuffle, I typically use the “tarot deck interview spread” to get to know my new cards. I have no idea where I got it. Despite the fact that several bloggers have given it to me, I did not create it. however I do use it quite a bit. Here are a few tarot card interviews I’ve posted throughout the years on the LRT community site.

A wonderfully cool method to get to know a new tarot deck and let it get to know you is to use the interview spread. In essence, it’s a discussion about your possible working relationship where you may learn how to approach and use these cards most effectively while also discussing the deck’s advantages and disadvantages. Some tarot decks, according to many people, are better suited for love readings, while others are better suited for queries about job or other practical problems, and yet others are the kind for “getting deep.” This interview spread is a useful tool for delving further into those concepts.

So, if you’ve just received a new deck and are eager to start using it, make some space for yourself, light a candle if you’d like, and try out this little spread. (This might also be a good approach to rekindle your relationship with an old deck you’ve been ignoring or with which you’ve never felt particularly connected.)

In This Article...

In what way do you read tarot cards?

The technique that was created with The Tarot School is the one that I was first exposed to and with which I am most familiar.

In order for you to add these two-digit numbers together, we first divide your birthdate into 4 groups of 2 digits each. YY + MM + DD + DD + YY
Add the numbers together if the total is a two-digit number. Your first birth certificate is here. To obtain your second birth certificate, reduce this to a single digit.
Ex: 11 + 22 + 20 + 00 = 53
Strength – First Card: 5 + 3 = 8.
The Star – Second Card: 8 = 1 + 7 = 17
Add the first two digits to the third digit if the sum is a three-digit number. Your first birth certificate is here. To obtain your second birth certificate, reduce this to a single digit.
Ex: 07 + 20 + 19 + 89 = 135
Moon – First Card: 13 + 5 = 18.
Hermit – Second Card, 1 + 8 = 9.
When your total equals 19, there is an exception to all of these laws. Those with this much will have three cards, compared to the average person’s two. This is due to the fact that 1 + 9 = 10 and 1 + 0 = 1, creating your cards. The Magician, The Wheel, and The Sun

How are Tarot cards activated?

What to Do First:

Get out your tarot deck.
The cards are in your hand.
“Knock or tap the pile of cards numerous times while holding them in your palm to disseminate your energy throughout the deck.
Shuffle the cards completely.
The cards are divided into three heaps, which are subsequently reassembled into one pile.

How can I pick a tarot card just for me?

Which spread are you going to use? How in-depth do you want to make your response? The level of complexity of the insight will increase as more cards are drawn. I recommend a three or five-card spread as a general rule to provide clarity without causing confusion. I advise reading each card according to its position in the spread before observing how all of the cards come together to create a larger narrative that is rich with deep significance. The question of whether or not to read card reversals is a contentious one within the Tarot community. (When a card is dealt face-down, it is known as a reversal.)

Reversals draw attention to certain things and might identify the “contrary to the upright meaning of the card. In some instances, a reversed card doesn’t dramatically alter the definition of the overall card; instead, it indicates a deficiency of that energy. In other circumstances, it could mean something quite unrelated or nothing at all. Because of the possibility for misunderstanding, I advise you to concentrate on the upright meanings of each card and, as you become more familiar with this terminology, explore the reverse meanings as you continue your Tarot exploration. You will confidently be able to determine if a reversal should be taken seriously or ignored as you gain experience and become more in touch with your intuition.

In my experience, veering away from the topic of your inquiry is the best course of action “Keep it more general and limited to yes/no. rather than asking “Will I get the job promotion? usage “What roadblocks are in my way as I try to advance my career? By posing your query in this way, you encourage deeper understanding and contemplation through a richer response and provide a viewpoint that would be missed with a simple “yes” or “no.”

What should you know before to having your tarot cards read?

7 suggestions for maximizing the results of your upcoming tarot card reading

Each reader is unique.
Bring an open-ended inquiry with you.
Unhappy with what you heard?
Answering questions about time might be challenging.
Death and the Devil are not necessarily bad omens.
Tarot frequently provides confirmation of what you already know.

Can I go to bed with my tarot deck?

It’s crucial to have a deck you identify with because tarot reading is such a very personal experience for each reader.”

Find the deck that resonates with you. Avoid looking at the most well-liked decks. Even if you’re purchasing online, Katelan advises taking a closer look at each deck to see which one appeals to you.” To discover a deck that speaks to you, consider how they are drawn and how they are arranged. She claims that several times she purchased or was given a deck that was lovely but didn’t exactly fit her needs. If you want accurate tarot readings, according to Katelan, you can’t force it.” Finding the deck that works for you is worthwhile.

Make sure you’re attuned to your new tarot deck when you first obtain it. Tarot cards contain a lot of energy, so while you’re getting used to them, you should be sure to clear them of any outside energy. When you receive a fresh deck, Katelan advises taking some time to browse the cards and take in the imagery. “Make careful to thoroughly mix them up, and you can use some incense to clear any energy. I wrap all of my playing cards in scarves and put them under my pillow for three nights. During that period, you’ll have some incredibly bizarre dreams, but it will also attune your energy to the cards.

Katelan advises choosing a location for your tarot card reading based on where you feel most at ease. Her home arrangement is less formal than when she reads cards professionally. She used to practice at the Bronx Botanica, which had a table set up in an altar room. “I frequently sit on the ground. If I’m performing a three-card spread, I prefer to pull cards on these old trays I have. I will either do a big spread on the couch or the floor.

In order to feel more rooted and engaged to the practice, Katelan also advises reading up on the background of tarot reading. She cites its antecedents in Jewish New York tenements throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as in Romani society. “When wars broke out or other significant events occurred, there were frequently spikes in interest in fortune telling, card reading, tea reading, and other related practices. People are looking for explanations and purpose in their own life now because of the pandemic.

When was your birth?

By calculating your birth card, you can greatly personalize your tarot readings and get guidance on your life’s path.

The Major Arcana card that corresponds to the sum of all the digits in your birthdate is your birth card, sometimes referred to as your “life path card.” This card can be used in a number of ways to enhance your tarot practice, such as a significator (a card specifically chosen to represent you or the subject of your reading); a card to explain your daily card; or a focus for meditation.

To discover your soul’s function, you might also consider how you already do or could do the positive traits of the Major Arcana card.

How do I connect my tarot cards’ energy?

Advice on connecting with your tarot cards whether it’s your first time using them or you’ve owned your deck for a while.

Connecting or reconnecting to your deck can be a helpful activity, regardless of whether you haven’t picked up your deck in a long, are hesitant to conduct a reading for yourself, feel “wrong” with the readings you’ve been conducting, or have purchased a new deck.

Check out Reading Tarot for Beginners: How to Start Reading Tarot for Yourself for advice on how to pick your deck.

Being a competent reader requires you to connect with your tarot deck. But you must invest time, effort, and attention in a good relationship.

How can I tell if I’m not meant to work with a deck or I just need to reconnect?

The connection you have with the deck has to be strengthened, or it might not be the best fit for you at this time, if you’re having trouble getting a good reading from it or feel off with it.

It’s possible that you and your tarot deck aren’t intended to be in a serious long-term relationship if you don’t feel like you connect with it or if you don’t appear to speak the same language. There is a deck available for you if you want to learn, therefore this does not imply that you are not destined to be a reader.

However, there’s also a strong chance that you can establish the connection with a little time and effort. especially if you were initially drawn to your deck.

You can utilize some decks for specific purposes and not others. The majority of your magic will probably be performed with one main deck, although you may occasionally use other decks for fun, support, or clarity. Since decks are exquisite works of art, I love collecting them. And I adore using them when I want to switch things up or am performing a certain style of reading, but I only use my original ride or die deck for all of my professional readings and lectures.

All of this is to indicate that testing out a variety of decks is a wonderful idea. For your first deck, conduct some study, examine the imagery, and choose the one that sparks your interest.

Here are some methods for getting back on your deck. I’ve listed them in the sequence I’d perform them, but you should feel free to customize this exercise according to your own preferences.

How to connect with your tarot cards

You can accomplish this in a number of ways, including by shuffling, using crystals, moonlight, salt, or sacred incense. Click here to learn more about cleaning your deck.

Hold your cards firmly in your palms while taking a few deep breaths. After that, think about the intention you want to have for your practice with them. It could be a word, a sentence, or an emotion. You can use this time to ask any guides or spirits you enjoy working with for assistance or to help you open your channel to divine advice that is in your highest and best interests.

Cleaning the energy in the deck through shuffling. Additionally, it creates the random system that allows us to access the advice we need from the deck. We can gain a completely new viewpoint from the cards because of the randomness that shuffling creates; by doing so, we are deviating from logic and embracing the unknowable. Check out this article on card shuffling.

To get to know one another, gain some fresh perspectives, and, yes, bond, spend some time completing a tarot spread that is tailored to your deck.

What details about you do you want me to know?
Your restrictions?
What type of partnership are we capable of having?
What task are we supposed to complete jointly?
Which card can currently be my teacher?
How can I use this card to explore deeper?

Make putting your deck away a ceremony. You might keep it in a box, cover it in a special scarf, place a crystal on top of it, or place it on an altar while not in use. Choosing to follow this quick procedure at the conclusion of each session or day is a way to show your deck some love, gratitude, and appreciation.

Bonus Tarot bonding exercises:

the whole picture The Major Arcana numbers 0 to 22 should be arranged in lines of seven cards across. Next, arrange the Ace through King cards for each suit in the following order: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. Take a good look at the deck in this format. Then thoroughly jumble everything together.

Select a map. To serve as your anchor and guide for connecting with your deck and intuition, choose a card based on its look and/or its meaning. Write down all the thoughts, emotions, and queries this card triggers for you in a journal. Use it to meditate. Keep track of how it manifests in your daily life and tarot practice (and keep a notebook of your observations!). When not using your deck, place this card on your altar. You can carry out this for a week or a lunar cycle before selecting another.

Put your deck beneath your pillow while you sleep. You can connect with the cards in your unconscious time if you can make it comfy.

Also keep in mind that it takes time to establish a connection and relationship with your deck. Like any relationship, it evolves as you develop and gain new knowledge.

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 opinion. 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 analyzing why you’re reacting the way you are in order to reflect on how to effectively address the underlying problem if you ask the question and aren’t satisfied with the response.

How should a tarot reading begin?

If you find this daunting, Howe advises you to take a deep breath and believe in your own initiative. “In order to see it less as “This holds all of these secret meanings that I have to do all this work to access” and more as “I know all the meanings; it’s just a matter of establishing the connections and being able to articulate them,” use language or knowledge that you already possess. She points out that the four elementsearth, water, fire, and airplay a significant role in the tarot, which is advantageous because the majority of people already have an understanding of the meanings of each element. ” If you do that, your viewpoint will be more personal, and you will be able to express yourself more freely.

Howe suggests the three-card draw and the Celtic Cross as the two fundamental spreads for beginning readers. In the former, three cards are chosen at random from the deck to symbolize the subject’s mind, body, and spirit, or past, present, and future. According to Howe, you could even up the stakes and use a six-card draw, with one card for each location.

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 use this spread to explore 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 pick between two possibilities (two job offers, two apartments, perhaps a love triangle???). Getting the deal Per card, ask 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

If you’re concerned about the state of a friendship or feel like something is wrong but are unable to pinpoint the cause, you might be interested in seeing what conclusions and solutions this spread offers. 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 future of this friendship?
What should I do at this moment?