5 Tarot Tips for the Absolute Beginner

Have you ever had a tarot reading that made you feel connected to divine energy? Did it wake you up - or shake you up?

Tarot cards began as a fun party game in the 1500s, but today they're used for serious questing and deliberation. Each of the 78 cards in a tarot deck can be cause for celebration or dismay, depending upon how they fall.

If you're new to tarot readings, this article's for you. We'll give you an inside look at tarot and help you get started doing your own readings.

1 Find the Perfect Tarot Deck

The most important thing to remember about tarot cards is that they have to be meaningful to you. Although the most common deck is called the Rider-Waite deck, you can buy tarot cards with a wide range of images.

If you're interested in tarot for beginners, you might want to get a few tarot readings online with different decks. Once you find the one that speaks to you, go ahead and invest in that deck.

Tarot is about accessing divine energy and delivering it to the person you're reading for. Don't get pressured into using a particular deck just because it's popular. Your readings will suffer.

There is also a myth that you have to be given a deck of tarot cards to do readings, but that's completely untrue. You can give effective readings and resonate with your deck's energy, even if you buy it yourself.

2Learn the Cards' Meanings

Once you have a deck on deck, the next step in reading tarot cards is to get up close and personal with each card. No matter which deck you use, each card will have two possible positions:

1. Upright. When you pull a card in the upright position, you can bet that it's highly relevant to the questions you're asking of the deck. There can be a deeper meaning, though. The Death card doesn't always mean literal death but often signifies a transition in relationships or at work.
2. Reverse. An upside-down card can be read as a more intense version of an upright card. The card itself needs to capture your attention. A reverse Death card wouldn't necessarily signal birth, but it might point to an extra-difficult ending.

Again, the cards' meanings are only a starting point for your reading. You have to look at each card individually and then tune in to their meaning as a whole.

3Give Practice Readings

One of the best tarot tips for beginners is to give readings to yourself and others. Even if you have to look up the meaning of each card, you can still provide insight and inspiration to friends and family.

Most tarot decks have 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana cards include The Fool, The Magician, and The High Priestess.

They can be seen as the guardians of the deck, delivering the main messages of the reading.

The Minor Arcana cards are comprised of four suits of 14 cards each: swords, rings, cups, and wands. They are roughly equivalent to a pack of playing cards but each carries its own symbolism as well.

Instead of pulling 10 cards at a time for a massive spread, you should start by pulling one to three cards at a time. It'll make remembering the cards much easier over.

4Take Care of Your Cards

As you start to access the power of tarot readings, it's vital that you look after the health and welfare of your deck. Don't leave it out where anyone can flip through it.

Try to keep it in a special place where you can pray over it, bless it from time to time, or even just flip through it daily.

You don't have to do anything special to your cards for them to be effective, but you might want to:

• smudge them with incense or sage
• bless them in a special ceremony
• cleanse them with Reiki
• have them blessed by someone you admire.

Again, you don't have to worry if your kids get ahold of your deck. Just take the time to cleanse them in whatever way you see fit. Understanding tarot cards and taking care of them should be fun, not stressful.

If you've had a deck of cards for so long that they're falling apart, you may want to dispose of them with a farewell ritual. It's about doing what resonates with your spirit as a reader and student of tarot.

5Continue on a Learning Path

You will certainly grow from reading tarot cards, but you must be open to the messages and meaning of the cards. If you ask the same questions repeatedly but don't act on the information you've learned, are you really listening to the cards?

Keeping a journal is another effective way to learn about tarot, but you should also try to get regular readings. Connecting with fellow students of the tarot is a satisfying way to explore its potential as a divination tool.

The most important thing is to listen to your instincts when you're doing readings. Use the cards as a guide but always keep your mind open for direction.

Pro Tarot Tips for New Readers

One of the most effective and simple tarot tips takes no time at all. Just hold your deck and ask it a question. You don't have to speak your question out loud, but you should focus on exactly what you would like to know.

If you're still confused, ask the deck for clarification and draw another card.

The pro tip here is to write down the cards that you draw so that you can review them later. You may find that the cards give you guidance well in advance of important decisions and events in your life.

Whether you're using a cat-themed deck, the classic Rider-Waite deck or anything in between, your future as a reader depends upon your sensitivity and ability to interpret divine direction.

Now that you know about tarot cards, check out our other blogs! We've got everything from health and wellness to shocking celebrity news!