For new readers, the fact that not all spiritual card decks are tarot may be somewhat confounding. Even though they are used in comparable ways to tarot, Lenormand decks and oracle cards are significantly distinct from each other. A tarot card typically has 78 cards, though occasionally 79 or 80 cards are included if the artist decides to add their own signature card to the deck. Oracle cards differ since they don’t adhere to a specific format and typically contain more variety. Lenormand cards typically contain 36 cards. Knowing the type you’re utilizing is crucial because each one serves a different purpose.
In This Article...
What Tarot deck should I use as my first one?
It stands to reason that the Rider Waite Tarot Deck is a classic. You can’t go wrong here either, even though it’s not as attractive as the newest decks. It’s reasonably priced and ideal for beginners.
Familiarize yourself with the traditional meanings
During intuitive tarot readings, your intuition will direct you in conveying messages, but Rose thinks it’s still beneficial to comprehend the conventional meaning of each card. She advises developing a regular tarot reading ritual where you ask your trusted tarot deck questions about your life and keep a journal of the readings you do for yourself to explore the meanings of the cards. According to Rose, intuition can come through more clearly the more you connect with yourself and your deck.
What size Tarot deck ought I to purchase?
Tarot cards can be found in a variety of sizes, from large cards that put the images front and center to tiny decks that are more portable and fit in smaller hands. The average size of a deck is around 7 cm by 12 cm (2.75 in. by 4.75 in. ), however you can choose a deck that is smaller or larger.
Which tarot deck is the best?
The following are the top 5 tarot card sets, in the opinion of expert readers:
- the tarot deck by Rider-Waite-Smith. Amazon.
- The Modern Tarot Library’s Modern Witch tarot deck. Amazon.
- Tarot deck from St. Croix.
- Tarot deck by Morgan-Greer. Tarot.com.
- The tarot deck and book set called The Wild Unknown. The Unknown Wild.
Do you need to deal the tarot cards?
According to spiritual adviser and intuitive energy worker Alexis Alvarez, shuffling the deck is quite significant on an energetic level in addition to the fact that you don’t want to keep drawing the same cards repeatedly.
Alvarez explains to me that shuffling has a kind of meditative function that allows us to pray for help, direction, and protection from our Divine Support Systemour preferred belief systemduring the card reading. “We can also utilize this shuffle time to ask the specific topic we’re looking for guidance on, either aloud or in our minds. In order to connect with and access the knowledge we’re looking for, we need to be able to ground and focus our energy.”
How can I obtain my first deck of tarot cards?
I can still clearly recall my very first tarot deck buy. On a rare trip to the mall, I entered my all-time favorite store: the bookstore. My intended destination was the modest new age department because I had recently begun studying astrology.
My eyes landed on a tarot deck as I combed through the modest collection of astrology books with my fingers.
The Tarot of Marseilles!
On the shelf, it was the sole item.
I grabbed it and made the decision to buy it out of curiosity.
For a beginner, this deck was challenging, but I persisted.
I was adamant about learning all this tarot stuff!
I returned to same mall a few months later and once more hung out in the new age area.
The Rider Waite Smith Tarot was anxiously waiting for me, as I soon discovered.
When I went home and opened the deck, something clicked.
The deck was “my.
Even now, I occasionally stray to different decks, but I always return to my reliable Rider Waite Smith.
(I also have a tendency to be brand loyal; I’ve been wearing the same Loreal inky black eyeliner for years.)
I persist with anything once I find it enjoyable.)
The first step in exploring the beautiful realm of tarot is getting your hands on some cards.
Have you prepared?
Let’s get a foolish superstition out of the way first.
Ever hear the saying that someone else must buy your first tarot deck?
I’m here to tell you that’s bullocks.
You can be sure to receive a deck you don’t like if you do that.
or being made to wait.
When you’re asked to read tarot cards, it makes no sense to wait for someone else to get up and get you a deck (and you definitely don’t want to whine your way to getting one).
So immediately discard that idea.
Find a store that sells tarot cards next.
If you’re fortunate, your neighborhood will have a well-stocked metaphysical store.
If not, you might have to search your nearby bookstores like I did.
The appeal of a physical location is that you can physically feel and see the deck.
If this is “the one,” it will depend on how it feels and looks.
Since I’m a very tactile and visual person, this is my preferred path.
Your best bet is to go online if that isn’t a possibility.
Through a website like Tarot Garden or Amazon, you might be able to locate a deck you prefer.
You might also want to speak with the creator of self-published decks or the publisher directly (ex: Fountain Tarot or The Wild Unknown).
You can view photos of the cards on some of these websites.
There are also a ton of websites that offer reviews of decks, like Aeclectic Tarot, frequently with lots of images to help you get a sense of how the deck looks and functions.
For individuals who are unfortunate enough to lack a nearby store, this can be useful.
Give the deck a thorough inspection. Observe the cards carefully and take your time. Which deck do you like best? Do you notice that certain cards have graphics that “pop” for you? How does it feel in your hands if you are holding it? Does the card stock feel flimsy or strong? Is it simple to shuffle the cards?
Trust your instincts and sense of style. It must fit well and look fantastic on you, much like a quality pair of slim jeans. Your final choice should be based on how you are feeling.
Still uncertain? You can always get opinions from your buddies who enjoy using tarot cards (does this tarot deck make my butt appear big?). They might be able to point you toward some of their particular favorites.
Grab The Rider Tarot Deck if everything else fails and you’re still feeling unsure. The majority of contemporary tarot cards are based on this classic. Nothing can go wrong.
It’s time to open the deck after you get it home and to start reading!
Some people who use tarot cards want to open it slowly and reverently.
Not me.
I don’t have the same patience for things like that, like a child at Christmas. I simply rip the box open and throw it away!
Next, give it some time. Rearrange it. Spice it up. Learn about it. Use it by yourself for a bit to become accustomed to the deck. The greatest method to establish a relationship is to simply keep trying until it becomes as comfortable as an old sweater. The deck is “broken in” and prepared to read for others at that moment.
To “consecrate a new deck,” some tarot readers perform unique ceremonies.
Common practices for cleansing and preparing the deck include leaving it out in the moonlight surrounded by crystals, saying an invocation or prayer, smudging with a sage wand, or even sleeping with it under their pillow (I’m too princess and the pea for that). I don’t do any of it; instead, I shuffle the deck frantically for several weeks until I think it’s ready to play.
Several typical queries:
A: This is a personal choice.
It won’t harm your deck, so it’s not a terrible idea, but it’s not necessary.
A: Sure thing! Try it out if your grandmother leaves you a deck or if you are drawn to a used deck you see in a shop. Since I want my decks to be related to just me, I don’t work with secondhand decks personally.
A: When a deck’s edges become so frayed that it cannot be properly shuffled, I retire it.
A shoddy deck, in my perspective, results in a shoddy reading. I prefer my tools to be clean and precise. I must thus encounter numerous Rider Waites here! In spite of this, a lot of people find an ancient deck impressive since they believe it to be more powerful, especially if it has been passed down from generation to generation. The key is to “trust your intuition on this and feel it out.” Retire the deck if it seems to be lacking “juice” or if it begins to deteriorate.
If it still holds sentimental value for you, you can store it in a drawer. Alternately, you may donate it to a used-deck-accepting metaphysical store or bookstore. Consider recommending it to a friend. You can discard it. Or, you may try these ideas: Gonzo Tarot7 useful tarot card usage.
I’m finding it difficult to recall the meanings from the small white book.
What ought I to do?
A fantastic beginner’s book, like Joan Bunning’s Learning the Tarot: A Tarot Book for Beginners, is a must-have if you’re brand-new to tarot.
(I suggest the following list of tarot books.) In comparison to that tiny white book, this will give you a lot more to work with. Every day, take a card and give it a good look. If you like, keep a journal of your interpretations. Alternately, use a marker to draw a few of the interpretations directly on the deck (yes, I know some tarot readers are aghast at the idea but cards CAN be replaced). If you persist in doing it every day, eventually those interpretations will become true, and you’ll be astounded by both yourself and your friends. Remain persistent and just keep practicing.
How do you begin studying the tarot?
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?
Who can read tarot cards?
These cards are just bits of paper in the end, says actress and reader Rachel True. She claims that the tarot cards’ ability to assist you in discovering your own personal power is what gives them their charm, beauty, and strength.
Without a book, how do you interpret tarot cards?
The energy of the card is filling my body and spirit as I speak those words out loud in the present tense. Experiencing a moment of magic, grace, and oneness with the Divine is the meaning of the card that “came to me in the last phrase.
I am aware from my years of study that the Star card is frequently associated with ideas like hope, inspiration, the Muse, peace, quiet after a storm, bright promises, faith, and destiny. My own personal connection to the card, though, is more about finding a way to commune with God or Goddess when I’m in the outdoors.
3. You can advance the Description method by posing and then responding to questions based on your description.
