Tarot 101: Introduction to Reading Tarot
I can't remember the exact moment I became fascinated with the occult, but it started early in my life. Maybe when I saw the Craft, Sabrina, or Charmed, but I think it really should be blamed on the sexy Luna in Scooby-Doo and the Witch's Ghost that I watched as a young girl in 1999. [I guess you were right, Dad, Scooby-Doo, Harry Potter, and Halloween were gateways.]
Either way, I have secretly been obsessing over anything and everything supernatural for years, but it wasn't until a breaking point with Western religion and overwhelming curiosity with the occult that I bought my first tarot deck in 2006 when I officially left the church for the search of universal truth. Over the past five years, I have used tarot as a tool for reflection, meditation, communication, and guidance with much success.
What is Tarot?
Tarot is the universal language for self-understanding, a mirror to the self, and a divination tool made up of 78 mystical cards. Often this tool, helps the student of enlightenment detect and communicate the language of the universe in their everyday lives among nature or even in their dreams. In order to receive guidance, we must learn the language. Symbolism is the alphabet of hidden knowledge.
The History of Tarot
No one knows exactly where tarot originated, although you can read about many different theories. What we do know is a deck of numbered mystical cards existed in India and the far East in ancient times and was probably brought to Europe by the Knights Templar or traveling fortune tellers in the Middle Ages. The first deck is thought to be an Italian four-suited deck with 22 added Major Arcana in the 14th century.
Antione Court de Gebelin was a French occultist and freemason who claimed that the 22 Major Arcana came remnants of the Book of Thoth, the Egyptian god of mysteries and magic) brought to Europe by magi of ancient Persian religion. Throughout the Renaissance and 19th-century, different decks were designed and different occultists added their input and theories into the art of tarot.
Toward the end of the 19th-century, Dr. Arther Waite designed his own tarot deck with the help of artist and fellow occultist Pamela Coleman Smith. This is one of the most commonly known decks in Western culture. Aleister Crowley, one notoriously controversial occultist of the 20th-century, created the Thoth deck in the 1940s with Lady Frieda Harris.
Since then, hundreds of tarot decks and books have been published, all with unique nuances specific to the author or artist. As witchcraft, paganism, astrology, and the new age phenomenon have become more accepted and popular, more people are learning from tarot now more than ever before!
The Elements of Tarot
Tarot speaks the language of symbolism. Every piece of artwork will walk you through what the card is trying to communicate by the action of the subject and the surrounding environment. Each suit of the Minor Arcana corresponds with an element and each of the Major Arcana is ruled by a planet or a zodiac. Not only is the card's meaning made up by the artwork, the element of the suit, or the astrology associations with the Major Arcana, but the number associated with the card is another element to include in the interpretation. For example, aces symbolize new beginnings. The Ace of Cups thus is an opportunity of the heart such as the beginning of love.
Major Arcana
Arcanum (singular) or arcana (plural) comes from the Latin word arcanus meaning "secret" or "hidden." The Major Arcana literally means big secrets and is made up of 22 cards that represent profound archetypal qualities on an individual and collective level. Think of major life events, turning points, an epiphany, change of heart, etc...
Minor Arcana
The 56 cards of the Minor Arcana are made up of four suits of 14 cards that represent people's day-to-day lives, behavior, emotions, ideas, and activities. Usually, these cards represent events with easier solutions and faster results. Court cards can represent individuals or smaller archetype qualities associated with the message.
How to Read Tarot
Most tarot readings include some form of the following: grounding, choosing a layout, setting intention/ asking the question, shuffling the deck, cutting the deck, and intuitively selecting the card by the person asking the question or by the reader if doing a distant reading. Not anyone tarot reader is just like another, but have a basic understanding of energy work and how to protect themselves by remaining in a higher realm of frequencies than lower vibrating beings that may wish to interfere. Learn 7 basic tarot spreads for the beginner here.
Most tarot readers know a few basic layouts and tend to favor their own way of cleansing space and deck, casting circles, asking questions, shuffling, and selecting the cards. Most tarot readers will tell you to ground yourself before and after readings and to cut any cords with the energy you were working with once your session is over.
You may recognize the reversed position or not because each card represents both the strengths and possible pitfalls associated with the card. Just as in life, nothing is all "bad" or all "good", although some cards can have harsher realities than others. I started using reversed positions once I became more familiar with the cards, my specific deck, and the method I felt most intuitively comfortable with. The layout, the cards, and the position of the cards all speak to the formation of the symbolic sentence or message. For example, if a card is in a block position, you would focus on the "weaknesses" associated with the card since it represents what blocks progress, growth, and fulfillment.
Start by using a general layout and as you get more comfortable you can tweak your method intuitively to be the most accurate for you. You can even create your own tarot layouts! Keeping a journal of your questions and readings will help you understand the big picture, especially when drawing repeat cards. Usually, our guides will send us the same message until we understand and acknowledge the lesson.
The most important thing is to ground and remain unattached to your emotions as much as possible, especially when reading for yourself. Some tarot readers do not recommend reading on yourself, but if you have been practicing mindfulness and have the emotional insight enough to detach from the answers you WANT to get as opposed to guidance you NEED to receive, I believe reading tarot for yourself to be a wonderful tool for spiritual growth and balanced life.
I recommend reading on easy, less stressful topics for beginners to avoid complicating your life with projections of the ego. You’re ready to do readings on yourself if you can differentiate your intuition from your ego.
What if I can't remember all of the Tarot card's meanings?!
Do not worry! You don't need to try to memorize the cards. Memorization will come with time and practice. Try reading different books and interpretations on the same card. Do you see the similarities? If you keep pulling the same card, sit and meditate with it. Once a card has been used to teach you a lesson, it's very hard to ever forget the meanings behind the card!
A clever student of tarot will also become familiar with the basics of numerology, as each of the numbered arcana is associated with the number's numerology. You can remember the meaning of the cards by associating the reading with the numerology and the elemental meaning behind the card you're focusing on. For example, the suit of pentacles is ruled by the Earth element, which governs material possessions, the physical world, nature, abundance, and family.
Another way to get familiar with the cards is by pulling one card a day and using the picture's symbolism to remember the keywords of the card.
Myths & Misconceptions
Tarot cards are not a gateway to the devil. Being aware that lower vibrational entities exist is important for protection, but setting an intention of only receiving messages that serve the greater good and keeping yourself in a healthy mental, emotional, and physical state is protection enough! Tarot does not need to be feared, especially when using for self-discovery and enlightenment. Don't let fear or stigma stop you from exploring a mystical avenue of healing!
Tarot is not best suited for yes or no questions. Methods are out there, but I find a two-sided coin or pendulum to work much better for this.
Tarot by itself is neutral, it is the energy brought in that determines whether it can be used for good or selfish purposes. Not everyone who reads tarot is wise or thinking of your benefit. Not everyone who reads tarot is a hustler or swindler.
Tarot is not LITERAL most of the time. Remember Tarot is a symbolic language. The Death card can symbolize the end of anything: of a belief system, of a dream, and the period before the birth, the new. Of course, death can be taken literally, but in most cases, this would bring more worry and stress to the individual, not reassurance. Your higher self and your guides wouldn't do that to you unless necessary for your life path. If you pull one of the scary cards such as Death or The Tower, remember it wouldn't be shown to you if there wasn't a benefit. Pressure in one area of life is how we know to refocus on that point to grow, become more balanced, and ascend. When you get a “scary” card, ask yourself what in your life is no longer serving you.
Tarot is NOT a way to get easy answers, manipulate others, avoid decision-making, or bypass shadow-work. Quite the opposite; Tarot begs you to take a deeper look in crucial areas of your consciousness where resolution is needed. This isn't a way to cheat life, although the knowledge you may obtain may make life easier so that you feel like you're cheating! Tarot will help you build and trust your intuition which can deeply boost your quality of life.
Sources and Further Reading on Tarot
Deathkeeper’s Tarot by Liz Huston
Grimoire for the Green Witch by Ann Moura
The Occult Book by John Michael Greer
The Tarot Bible by Sarah Bartlett
The Wild Unknown Tarot by Kim Krans