If you want to learn how to read tarot cards, your first challenge is to choose a deck from among the 8,000 brands of divination cards published on the market. What works for one person often does not work for another. Some people are comfortable reading multiple decks and others simply identify with one deck. In my experience, you will find that over time, it will grow in and out of various decks. You may also find that the platform you prefer to use to read yourself is not the platform you prefer to use to read others.
For example, when I first started reading, I started with a deck that was too heavy for me: the Crowley Deck. The end result of that was that I ended up selling them because the images on the deck scared me. I was just too young to handle the images on this dark cover and it was giving me nightmares. Then I switched to the Rider Waite platform for a few years, which is the most user-friendly and all-purpose platform. Then I fell in love with Renaissance Deck, which is much more elaborate in terms of its imagery and a bit sharper in its meanings when it comes to describing relationships. Then I entered a period where I yearned for more simplicity, I switched to the Palladini deck, which is very pure and has a “lighter feel”. (Kind of like the Pollyanna of Tarot Decks.) Now that I’m older, I’ve gone back to the Crowley Deck and Order of the Golden Stair decks, which are slightly heavier.
There are also many specialty or eclectic decks on the market that may appeal to you more than Rider Waite, but learning Rider Waite is like going to high school. Psychic Realm reader Bacchus, for example, uses Haindl’s deck for his readings, which has a Nordic feel to it and is a permutation of the classic Rider-Waite deck, but as wonderful as it is, I don’t think it’s a deck for beginners.
Here are some good decks that I can recommend for beginners that are based on the Rider Waite meaning system.
The Rider Waite deck
The Aquatic Tarot: the same as the Rider Waite but done in watercolors
The Pamela Colman Tarot: the same images as the Rider Waite but with brighter and more psychedelic colors
The Golden Tarot: the same as Rider Waite but the images are more medieval
The Palladini Tarot – same as Rider Waite but with very simple and cheerful drawings
The Renaissance Tarot: the same as Rider Waited but enhanced with images from the Renaissance period.
You can find a selection of Tarot Decks at the Psychic Realm store off the main page or browse the web and buy one that grabs your attention online. I recommend doing a little research online first and finding places where you can see different covers online because most store owners will not allow you to open and handle their cover because it means removing the plastic from its packaging. However, the best way to be sure is to go to a store, pick up the deck, and see if you like the feel of the cards once you’ve done some research on the images they contain. The feel, weight, or look of cards often “speaks” to you. If you feel a connection to the images of the cards or even how they feel in your hands, then that is probably the deck you will relate to the best. I also recommend a deck that comes with a small book inside the package or box so you have something to quickly refer to if you get lost while reading.
A tip for beginners! When I first started reading the Tarot, I typewritten a sheet that resembled a chart, so that all the meanings of each card backwards and forwards were apparent to me at a glance. Writing the meanings in this way really helps you learn the letters quickly.
Your next step would be to familiarize yourself with your cards. The best way to learn is to study the picture on each card, one at a time, while memorizing the meaning. Be patient. Usually there are 78 meanings to learn, so this is not always a quick process. Some tarot teachers recommend that you place the deck of cards under your pillow at night so that you can become better acquainted with them. The idea is that your subconscious absorbs information in the same way that a sponge absorbs water. You can also meditate or dream about the individual cards in the same way by placing them under your pillow.
Some people like to carry their cards after getting them for the first time, either by praying or meditating on them, by placing a crystal on them or by passing them through the smoke of incense or by placing them in the light of a full or new moon for one night. .
Fussy readers believe that the power of the cards increases if they are placed inside a special box or wrapped in a silk bag. Personally, I don’t think this makes much of a difference because I KNOW I’m accurate and my cards have so much dirt and wear that it’s ridiculous. Still, they say pomp and circumstance are supposed to add to the power of all ritual and magic, so if keeping your letters in a special way or in a special place helps you read them better than of course, do so.
Also, many readers protect their cards by not letting anyone touch them. There is a belief that others can “infect” the cards with their beliefs, fears or anxieties. The cards act as a portal to the other side, so keeping them away from other people can be a good way to prevent people from accidentally “touching” you through the cards and transmitting potentially toxic energy.
Once you have your cards, take some time to look at them, play with them, and get to know them. It is essential that you feel good about your cards because in the future, they will be your best allies when it comes to telling the future.
Stay tuned for our Intensive Tarot Course # 3: Card Spreads.
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