Many people believe tarot decks are mysterious yet powerful tools for self-discovery and deep reflection. Tarot readings can help you think over difficult decisions and opportunities. However, to do a tarot reading session, you must understand the Major and Minor Arcana and how to do a reading session.
Here, you will discover how you can read tarot cards and the different spreads you can use to lay down the tarot cards.Â
What’s a Tarot Deck in Tarot Reading?
A tarot deck contains 78 cards separated into two main sections for major life changes and daily experiences.Â
In particular, the Major Arcana consists of 22 cards and represents life-changing experiences and turning points. Additionally, the Major Arcana cards represent different aspects of your life. Let’s say – the Hanged Man. When it lies reversed, it could mean delays, and when lies upward, it represents acceptance or surrender.
On the flip side, the Minor Arcana consists of 56 cards representing everyday affairs. For example, the Cup Suit tells about emotions and relationships, and the Wand provides you with readings on motivation and inspiration.
How to Do a Tarot Reading with Confidence: Step-by-Step Guide
Here are the steps that can confidently guide you through the tarot reading!
Select Your Deck
Before starting tarot reading, you need to choose the deck first. For that, you must consider a deck that is easy to read and understand. You can also select a deck by reading its good reviews online. It is recommended that a deck like the Rider-Waite Smith deck that comes with a guidebook is ideal for tarot readers because it will help in understanding the cards easily. The reason behind the recommendation of this deck is that its artwork is easy to read for novice tarot readers.
Understand the Meaning
Understanding the meaning behind each card is important for accurate tarot reading. You can learn each card’s meaning by reading guides or watching YouTube tutorials. For instance, platforms like Tarotoo offer plenty of resources for novice readers.
Set Your Goal
Before starting your reading, know what you seek. Having a question or goal helps you focus on tarot reading and ensures that you gain specific insights into your reading. Regarding goal setting, it’s always wise to type or write down your goals.
Shuffle the Cards and Focus on Your Question
Shuffling cards allows you to hone in on your intention and hone your energy. However, if you do not know well how to shuffle cards, you should look up tutorials.
Pick and Study a Single Card
Flip a card over and take a moment to Look at the imagery, notice the colors, symbols, and how they make you feel. At this point, you can open your guidebook and look at the meaning of the card. If you don’t have a guidebook, you can research the card online.
Meditate on the meaning
Take a moment to meditate on the card’s meaning. Think about how it relates to your question or goal. Allow your intuition to guide you in understanding the card’s message. All along, keep thinking about what grabs your attention.
Note Down Your Reflections
You can write your reflections down in a notebook, laptop, or phone. What’s most important is that you put down into words what the cards made you think about. Additionally, you should note down how the cards made you feel.
Practice
Practice is key for getting better at reading tarot cards. And so you should keep reading cards for yourself and others. In fact, you can even experiment with different spreads or join online forums and talk to other practitioners.
Tarot Spreads for Beginners
Tarot spreads refer to the ways you can lay down cards after shuffling them. Some tarot spreads are complex, while others are easy. Here are tarot spreads for specific situations:
Three-Card Spread:
The three-card spread is the easiest; you just need to select three cards. From these cards, you will gain insights into your past, present, and future.
The Celtic Cross Spread:
The Celtic cross spread is a bit challenging for novices. This spread is ideal for gaining detailed insight into every time period of your life and possible influences.
The Horseshoe Spread:
The Horseshoe spread is an alternative to the Celtic-Cross spread. When you arrange cards in this format, you can get insights into the past, present, and immediate future. Additionally, it can give some ideas about influences, obstacles, and likely outcomes.
Best Tips for Basic Tarot Reading
- Before you even begin, have an intention in mind for the reading.
- Think positively as you decide on your intentions.
- Perform a cleansing on your deck before a reading.
- Listen to your inner voice.
- Explain your reading process before doing reading for someone else.
Recap
Learning how to do tarot readings takes practice. After all, doing tarot readings requires you to familiarize yourself with both Arcana. That said, you can get started reading tarot cards by setting your intentions, studying the cards, and reflecting on them. You can even start practicing with simple spreads like the Three-Card spread.
