Ditching The Tarot Guide Book

Ok so you’re ready to ditch the tarot book and start reading intuitively, we love to see it!! 

At first it might feel totally daunting to try and learn the meanings and inter-relationships of all seventy eight cards of the tarot. This might even create a bit of a hesitation or doubt about your ability to read the cards intuitively.  

Babe, hear me out. You don’t have to put aside the next few months just to study and memorize all of the cards.  Let the process be as organic as possible and trust that the only thing you really need to get started is a good grasp of the basics and a deep trust of your intuition.  With that, you will be able to read the tarot completely by yourself.

Turn Your Attention to the Cards Themselves

I always suggest finding a deck you resonate with on an energetic level.  The first deck I received had more obscure artwork and symbolism which made it hard for me to grasp the concepts of each card.  So I set out on picking a deck that

1.Followed the more traditional illustrations and classic symbolism (ie. Rider Waite).  This allowed me to learn each card and reference when I needed to without getting confused if images were totally different. 

 2. Spoke to me on an energetic level. I wanted to feel inspired to look at the cards, to feel and build a strong connection with them.  Building a relationship with your cards is THE MOST crucial tip to learning how to read intuitively. I cannot express that enough!!!

Getting introduced to your deck

After you’ve chosen your deck, set time aside everyday to practice shuffling the way you feel comfortable. There really is no right or wrong way to shuffle your deck, but the more you practice the more comfortable you get, and the more comfortable you are with handling them the more confident you will feel about reading.

This is a moment to get introduced to your cards. By feeling them and transferring your energy into them.  I’ve had my deck for 10 years and I feel so totally connected to them. 

Start with a 3 card spread

I find making a habit of pulling 3 cards and creating a story from what you sense to be a really beneficial practice.  Without putting too much pressure on yourself, build a scenario with these three cards and write them down in a tarot journal ( a tarot journal is another key element to learning). 

Side note: Your interpretation of the cards are unique to you and that is what will make you stand out from everyone else. You are creating your own language, having a tarot journal to write all of you insights in is helpful so that you can return to them and “check” if you are in the same ballpark of meanings you may find in a book or online. Again, you are only referencing and if you notice something different go with it. 

Make it a daily practice to pull cards, build a story and commit to that. You can also try just two cards, or single, but the most important thing is that you build your intuitive muscle. 

Pay Attention to Your Intuition

You’re going to have a certain reaction to a card when you pick it up.  Remember that this is your intuition trying to make you pay attention to something important based on the symbols of the card and your personal knowledge of that card, regardless of what your current level of knowledge may be.  Don’t over think it and don’t over analyze the individual card meanings.  Let your intuition guide you, telling you what is important, and turning your reading into a story.

Before diving into the book, challenge yourself to do readings with trusted friends.  The symbolism of each card is deeply rooted in your subconscious and so you’ll probably be able to recognize what the symbols imply without always being aware of it consciously.  Just let the associations flow freely and you may be surprised at how much you already know.

There’s only your way

My final advice is to be easy about it. Let this be a fun and exciting time of you expanding, growing and tapping into your intuition. Learning how to read the tarot is ultimately learning how to communicate with your higher self. Trusting your intuition is like any muscle, with practice and work you can strengthen it.  You get to make the rules to how you do readings, so take pleasure in that and get to reading!! 

Decks to get you started:

Rider Waite - one of the most traditional tarot decks that you can buy. Making it perfect for beginners as almost every tarot reader out there will be familiar with this deck and its interpretations.