Beginner Tarot Tips

Are you interested in tarot but not sure how to get started? No worries, I’m here to help! Here are my top tips for tarot newbies.

1. Choosing a deck is fun, but sometimes we can overthink it and stress ourselves out. If you can go in person, go to a store and hold different decks in your hands. See how they feel in your hand, if you get any immediate reactions to them, positive or negative. If shopping online, look up what the cards in the deck look like and stare at them for awhile. See how you feel when you look at them. Do they seem to vibrate in your hand? Can you hear them sing? Do you feel excited when you look at them? Do they seem to pull you into them? Trust those feelings. Those signs are usually pointing you to the deck that’s right for you at this moment.

2. Some people are superstitious that your first deck should be a gift. If that sounds correct for you, then go with that. If that sounds silly to you, then go with that. Different things fit different readers. Trust your intuition. Trust what feels right to you. I can almost promise you that you won’t inherit some sort of curse if you buy your first deck.

3. Once you have a deck, you’ll need to cleanse it. There are many methods to cleansing your deck, so choose which one works best for you. My personal favorites are selenite and incense right now, but you can also use salt, moonlight, sunlight, other crystals, and even just your intention to clean them. Some readers use singing bowls, reiki, meditation, and knocking on the deck to cleanse as well. If you don’t have a preferred way, try some different ones till you find what works best for you.

4. Remember to cleanse your own energy as well, and cut the cord to each reading after its completion. Just like the many methods of cleansing your deck, there are many methods to cleanse yourself, too. One of my favorites is to use incense or other smoke cleanses and move the smoke around my body, and to use my fingers to cut the cords like imaginary scissors. Holding selenite in your hand can work, too. Once again, find a method that works for you.

5. Storing your deck is just as dependent on personal choice as cleansing. I have some of my decks in bags, some in the original box, and others in a handkerchief. Try different methods of storage and see what works best for you.

6. Before drawing cards, center and ground yourself. I like to have a journal when I pull because then I can write about what comes up for me. When I draw, I ask to be shown what it is I need to see. Choose language that fits for you. I like to allow the Goddess to guide me, which is why I say what I say. If I have a specific question, I ask that and focus on it as I shuffle. Try different things and see what helps you.

7. If you’re new to tarot or learning more about tarot, journaling is soooo important. Part of tarot reading is all about intuition and trusting what comes up for us, and journaling will help you process those things. This can also help you begin to learn the meanings of the cards and aid in memorization. Journaling can also be part of interviewing your deck so you can get to know it better.

8. When pulling cards, sit with them for a moment after you pull them and see how they feel to you. Part of reading tarot is learning how to trust yourself and your intuition. More on intuition tomorrow. Most decks come with a guidebook, so use the guidebook as you learn and become more comfortable with your deck. There are times I feel like there’s more to a card that I can’t put my finger on so I still use the guidebooks, too. Looking up the meanings helps us become more comfortable with the cards, especially if we journal with them, too.

9. When you pull cards, look at the imagery on the card. What does the person seem to be doing/thinking/feeling? What is in the background on the card? What is the person wearing? All of these things can help us find the meaning of the card, especially when paired with our intuition.

10. Lastly, have fun with it. I think too often we overthink divination, and make it so serious when it doesn’t have to be. Yes, there are serious questions and serious answers, but we don’t need to put so much pressure on ourselves. Please, don’t take yourself too seriously. Remembering to have fun with what we are doing can help us hear the message more clearly.

What are some of your beginner tips? Leave them in the comments and let’s learn from one another.