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.
In This Article...
Does tarot card interpretation have a correct and wrong way?
There is no right or wrong method to read tarot, however there are a few tips that may enable you to maximize your learning. So, if you’re unsure of where to begin, these seven suggestions ought to be useful.
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.
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?
You *Just* Had a Tarot Reading
Unless the reading is about a completely new and specific subject, I suggest waiting at least three months between professional tarot readings. Before returning to the cards, let things to develop and alter.
You Want a Redo
I frequently observe people attempting to “chase the right answer.” People will visit several tarot readers or ask the same question repeatedly to the same tarot reading until they receive the response they desire (which, by the law of averages, does happen eventually). This is basically useless!
Your Question Is About Someone Else
Tarot readings are not the solution if your entire line of inquiry is about another person’s thoughts and actions (such as what your ex is up to). Tarot is meant to help you gain understanding of *yourself,* not other people. (A better option would be to reconsider and rephrase your query as if you were looking for help on how to move past your split.)
You’re Looking for Medical Advice
Simply said, neither physical nor mental health concerns can be diagnosed or treated using the cards. Some things are better left in the hands of medical specialists rather than tarot readers!
Is there a proper way to deal tarot cards?
The act of shuffling your tarot cards helps you tune into the present moment and the current reading while purging and clearing the energy of the cards’ previous shape.
We carefully mix the cards to create new forms and randomize the sequence, bringing out the wisdom of the deck that defies reason but nevertheless yields profound wisdom. Pulling cards is a valuable tool because it is a random process.
Regarding the randomness of the cards and card shuffle, Rachel Pollack writes in Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom:
They avoid the typical moment-by-moment way that people perceive life since they are random and do affront reasonable common sense. They depart from the conventional logic-based language of conscious mankind, much like dreams. And they transcend it by moving outside of it.
The act of shuffling produces a seemingly random stream of pictures, lessons, and knowledge that are more meaningful than the playing cards themselves.
“Tarot works precisely because it makes no logic,” continues Pollack. The data is available. Our subconscious self are aware of it already. A tool that serves as a gateway to conscious perception is what we require.
Our tool for obtaining and reinterpreting this illogical knowledge is a deck of cards. We submit to it and let this knowledge come through via shuffling.
How to shuffle tarot cards
There is basically no wrong method to shuffle, to start with. Even though you may have a specific visual in mind, as long as the cards are being combined in novel ways, you’re doing it correctly.
There are a number various methods you can use when shuffling your tarot deck, while there is no right or wrong way to do it.
Place the cards face down on a flat surface or the floor, then shuffle them about like a child playing in mud.
You hold the deck in one hand and move tiny groups of cards from the rear to the front with your other hand.
Probably what comes to mind when you think of someone shuffle is this. Using your thumb and fingers, alternate how the two sides of the deck fit together while holding half of it in each hand. Although it takes some practice to get the hang of it, this one is simple.
Although it isn’t strictly shuffled, after combining the cards, you can spread out the whole deck on a level surface and choose cards at random using your intuition (or have the querent select their own cards).
You can combine all of these (like I do!) or pick one or two that feel the most natural to you.
Shuffles are a terrific opportunity to tune into the energy present and establish a connection with your deck. Regardless of the approach you use, it’s critical that you are at ease so that you may concentrate on the subject or questions at hand and open your channel to the wisdom the cards are carrying, rather than fearing that you might drop your cards. If you need to, practice until your shuffling motion feels natural and proper to you.
Tuning into the reading as you shuffle
Focus on opening yourself up to messages and guidance from the cosmos and your guides while you shuffle the cards. It’s beneficial to have your own procedures and rituals for achieving this. Voici a simple formula:
- Step 1: Take a few deep breaths as you pick up your deck and start to shuffle it.
- Step 2: Ask for assistance by opening your circle up to guides, the universe, goddesses, and God.
- Step 3: Pay attention to each question you pose one at a time. If you’re utilizing a spread with several questions, you can either momentarily shuffle between each card pull or pull them all at once, paying close attention to each question before doing so. whichever makes sense to you.
- Step 4: Choose a card when you feel it is appropriate.
How do you decide when it’s time to stop shuffling and select your cards?
You are the only person who can respond to this common query. Follow your gut instinct and finish your shifting when you believe it’s time. I’m done now. Don’t question yourself excessively. If you need to, get practice listening for or observing this timing. Usually, it will just feel like the right time.
What’s the deal with jumper cards when you’re shuffling your tarot deck?
In a reading, jumper cardscards that appear to “jump right out of the deck” as you’re shufflingare small treasures. These, in my opinion, are urgent messages that genuinely want to be heard. As a general rule, I don’t give them a spot in the spread; instead, I elevate them above the other cards to serve as the reading’s overarching theme.
If several cards are pulled out of the deck at once, I will use the top card as a jumper, put the remaining cards back in the deck, and interpret this as a hint that I can finish rearranging the cards shortly.
The finest strategies for shuffling your deck will ultimately come from a lot of practice and knowledge. You can never go wrong if you follow your own gut and instincts, as you should. Finding the best techniques for you and your own tarot practice is what this is all aboutnot tarot orthodoxy and regulations.
How should my tarot deck be cleaned?
While rearranging the cards in the tarot deck is a good approach to purify and clear their energy, there are some circumstances in which you might wish to perform a more specialized ritual. If you’re just getting started with tarot, cleaning your deck can be an excellent place to start.
You might want to clean your tarot deck for a variety of reasons, including:
- beginning with a fresh deck
- readings for other people
- You think you need to recharge.
- Your card readings seem a touch “odd” or “disconnected”
- Your deck hasn’t been used recently.
- Your deck has been handled by others
- You think you’ve been utilizing your deck a lot. A LOT, especially for books with strong emotional content
Why should you cleanse or clear your tarot deck?
Tarot deck cleansing helps keep the energy flowing between you and your deck. Consider it as a little spiritual hygiene to maintain a strong and clear connection. It’s not necessary, but if you have any of the aforementioned symptoms, try a few of the energetic cleansing techniques listed below and note which ones seem to work the best for you.
How often should you cleanse your tarot deck?
This is another way of stating USE YOUR INTUITION: there are no hard and fast laws. Don’t stress if you don’t believe it is necessary for your deck. Alternately, if you like to cleanse them once per week or once per month, that’s great. If it feels appropriate to you, you can even place your favorite crystal on the balcony each night.
If you frequently place crystals on your deck and store it on an altar while not in use, you might not feel the need to cleanse it frequently because this quick ritual will likely be sufficient to keep your deck feeling nice.
There are numerous ways to cleanse your cards, just as there are numerous reasons why you might desire to do so.
Different ways to cleanse your tarot deck
Use holy smoke. Light a dried rosemary, lavender, cedar, sage, or palo santo cleansing wand until it begins to smoke. Hold the smoke a safe distance below the deck while holding the burning herbs in one hand and the deck in the other so that the smoke drifts upward onto the cards. Turn the deck so that the smoke covers it from all angles. Next, safely put your deck to the ground and put out the fire.
On the deck, set a selenite stone (or a black tourmaline or a transparent quartz). It works well to leave it like way for an hour, but I prefer to leave it overnight.
Set them on display during a new moon. The New Moon is energy of a blank slate; you can purify the deck by setting it on a window sill on a new moon night. At this moment, you can also make a brand-new intention for your deck.
Place the cards in a salty dish. A strong and stabilizing cleaner is salt. My preferred choice for a thorough cleansing is this. Allow it to sit anywhere from one to eight hours in a dry area.
Unorderly shuffle. Spread the cards out on the ground, then shuffle them around like a child playing in dirt. This method’s freedom and randomization serve as an excellent reset.
the shuffle and sort. Set up the deck in rows of seven cards across, commencing with the Major Arcana numbers 0 to 22. (see photo above). Next, arrange the cards, Ace through King, one for each suit, as follows: Swords, Pentacles, Cups, and Wands. View the deck in this configuration, then mix everything up (like the chaotic!) and shuffle it thoroughly.
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.
Can a specific individual be questioned in tarot?
Tarot readings can be focused on a different person or thing. The Other Reading is what I refer to as. When you merely want to learn more about someone or something that doesn’t directly affect you, an Other Reading is fine. Other Readings are not for or about anyone in particular. When you provide a reading for someone else, they write the question, and you just assist them in interpreting the cards.
Other Readings are entertaining and educational. They are also a helpful tool for tarot education. You can only examine a small number of difficulties while using the cards for yourselfyour own! You can learn a lot more from other readings.
The process for an Other Reading is essentially the same as the one in lesson 8, with the exception of picking the subject.
Here, the few distinctions are mentioned. (A step-by-step outline is also provided.)
selecting the topic
Selecting the topic for your reading should be your first step. As long as you choose the subject in advance, you can concentrate on almost anything, including a person, animal, place, issue, or current event. It usually serves as the focal point of a circumstance, however this is not necessary.
A group entity, like a marriage, family, team, or neighborhood, can be your subject. The information will be very broad for such vast entities, regardless of whether you concentrate on a nation or the Earth.
You could be tempted to conduct an Other Reading on a friend, family member, or work colleague who is close to you. I discuss the value of putting yourself first in readings that affect you in lesson 7. Here is a quick test you can use to determine whether it would be wise to read something else. Make three inquiries to yourself:
- Do I get powerful feelings when I consider this person or this circumstance?
- Do I have a personal stake in this matter?
- Do I have a specific goal in mind for this situation?
If you said “yes” to any of these inquiries, you ought to probably conduct a reading focused on you as opposed to an Other Reading.
You must now formulate a question. Observe the advice in lesson 7, but include a question regarding your topic. Pay attention to the area of your subject that most interests you. If you have a query regarding a politician who is seeking the presidency, you might ask:
What aspects of Mr. or Mrs. Candidate’s chances of becoming the next president are in play?
To improve your reading focus, keep a picture of your subject close by. It also works nicely to use a memento of your subject.
Question You Want to Ask
Describe the other person or explain why you are performing an Other Reading. Mention that you only have good intentions for your subject and ask for advice that is in the best interests of everyone involved. (If you are unable to say this honestly, think about getting a reading for yourself.)
- Rearranging the Cards
- Taking the Cards Away
- Organizing the Cards
- Answering the Cards
Keep in mind that the cards refer to the other person, not you, as you answer to them. But don’t be shocked if you find some intriguing parallels to your own life in the cards!
Evaluation of the Cards
An Other Reading allows you to view the scenario from your own perspective. There may or may not be a connection between what you see in the cards and what the person actually goes through.
- Establishing the Story
- The Summary Statement’s composition
- Making Use of What You’ve Learned
Even if an Other Reading is primarily concerned with another person, there is still a lesson for you to learn. In order to use this lesson in your own life, try to identify it.
Can I read tarot cards on my own?
It’s normal to be a little clumsy when you first start practicing the tarot. Tarot study is similar to learning a new languageit takes time to become proficient. But what happens if you no longer require the booklet and have intimate familiarity with the deck? Are you able to read yourself? No, except for a few rare instances. Simply put, it’s a horrible idea.
You see, the majority of us turn to astrology or tarot when we’re looking for clarity amid a period of ambiguity. In contrast to astrology, which is quite technical, our consciousness restricts our capacity to read tarot cards. Working with your personal interpretation of the cards, you are not constrained by short- and long-term cycles like the planets’ orbits. It might be tricky to go beyond your current circumstances while utilizing the tarot to better understand a trying scenario. Even if all the cards are spread out in front of you, putting them together requires such a broad perspective that it is all but impossible to fully understand the meaning of each card. Basically, any biases you already have will always be reflected in your tarot reading!