How to read the Tarot
The Tarot is a useful tool to for reflection, advice and insight. It does not perceive the future, but rather predicts potentialities and pathways. You can think of the Tarot as a radio that picks up the energies of people, places and situations so as to deliver specific insight using a rich language of symbols and archetypes. As such, it is able to deliver very direct information, provided you learn how to navigate this 'cosmological' system, in order to create your own story from the cards that appear and arrive at a conclusion based on your interpretation and intuition.
The central thing to note when reading the Tarot is to use your intuition. I can't stress how important it is to use the 'eyes of your heart', rather than the eyes of your mind. There is a tendency for the Tarot to pick up frequencies caused by the flurry of repetitive thoughts that continuously occupy our mind. If you are anxious about a particular situation, person or event, it is very likely the Tarot will reflect these events back at you in the manner that mirrors your greatest fears. If you are fearful about a relationship, you may get 3 of swords (a broken heart). If you are fearful of your future, you may get 9 of swords (being preoccupied and defined by your fears). It's important, thus, to remember the Tarot is a neutral tool. It does not deliver judgement but rather just presents to you the situation as it is. Getting the Devil may suggest you are too preoccupied by the material world to an unhealthy extent. Getting Death may signify a turning point in which you could / will change. Meaning is in the hands of the reader, and it is up to the sitter to create his/her fate based on what the cards say. The future, so to speak, is up to you.
The Reading
The Space
When doing a reading for yourself, it is essential you arrive at a neutral state of mind. I highly recommend doing a few meditative breathing exercises. Ie. Breathing in and out to the count of 5 for 4 cycles. This will help you arrive at a state of non-judgement, and this allows the cards to better speak to you. Try to find a place where you feel comfortable. Ritual objects help here, if that's your thing: candles, nice lighting, a calm atmosphere. Of course, they are not necessary, as long as you are able to achieve a certain tranquility of mind.
The Shuffling and The Question
You can shuffle however you like, or even spill the cards all over the floor and regather them. It doesn't quite matter. When you are satisfied with shuffling, cut the pile in half and put half to the left. Focus on your question one final time and place the cards. I find having a ritual when actually deciding your card helps me lay off the anxiety of 'getting the right card'.
When shuffling, focus on a single question. Your question should not be a yes/no question, or a question that has too many openends. Ie. "Does he like me?" is not a good question precisely because it is too vague and strips each party of agency: whether a person likes you or not is based myriad factors that are hard to be reduced. The cards, as such, would give you an answer that would be equally vague: it could reflect your insecurities, or perhaps the uneven dynamic that exists. A better question would be, "Are we compatible and what can I do to make our relationship progress?" This question asks for clear guidance and the cards are much better at giving clear guidance to those who ask it. Remember to make your question as precise and clear as possible, while not allowing for any 'loopholes'. Imagine you are a lawyer at court: would you be asking your witness vague questions in order to obtain the required information? Probably not.
Ideas for topics include:
- Asking for advice: what can I do to get ... outcome? How could I improve this situation?
- Past/ Present / Future potentials- take note that 'present' can be the energy of the present moment and 'future' may also be a projection of how you feel or possible obstacles you may face
- Character cards- what card represents the reader/ sitter?
The Reading
Now you have the cards laid out in front of you, you can do the reading. I like to close my eyes here and turn inwards. What are your first impressions when the cards appear? Don't be preoccupied with what they signify but rather how they feel to you. Each card has a specific energy and personality. Treat them as friends who you want to get to know. Often, a clear idea will appear in your mind when the cards appear. Write that down if you can. The first idea you get is often the advice you asked for.
After you've written down your first impression, you can explore the cards in greater detail. Study the pictures in the card for symbols, elements, details. The cards sometimes speak in a very literal manner, at other times they speak to you in a metaphorical way. Don't be too occupied with a 'right' or 'wrong' meaning. The important thing here is to see what speaks to you, in order to make a story. Think of this as interpreting a piece of art you like a lot: what do the symbols signify for you? Do they have a personal meaning? How do you think that the polarities or ideas in the card apply to your life and the question you asked?
The suites
Another way to explore the cards is to see how they relate to each other and to previous readings. Do you often get Major Arcana cards? How many of your cards are Cups (emotions), Swords (intellect), Wands (imagination and creativity) Pentacles (material things)? If you have an overflow of Cups, the cards may be suggesting you are very emotionally invested in the scenario.
If your cards are swords and wands and you asked for a relationship reading, it may suggest there is a balance / conflict between the intellect and the imagination. Think about how each card relates to the next, how they could be complementary or contradicting. (see: Card pairings) Try not to apply any value judgments at this point. There is no 'right' or 'wrong' way to do things based on each reading. Rather, the cards pick up the energy of the situation and express it in elements, colours, symbols and archetypes that sometimes operate within a story (read: The Fool's Journey).
Don't worry too much if the cards are reversed or not unless you shuffled them deliberately to get reversed cards (you can do this by turning them around periodically with each shuffle or just messing them all about on the ground). If you do shuffle for reversed cards, pay attention to how they relate to the other non-reversed cards. Sometimes, reversed cards just mean that card has the same energy but you are moving away from the energy the card represents (reversed 9 of swords in Past position may mean you overcame the feeling of victimhood or reversed 10 of Pentacles may point to materialism in its bad manifestation ie. greed; reversed Hermit may suggest you're moving out of a phase of solitude). Also pay attention to how many Major Arcana vs. Minor Arcana cards you have. Major Arcana usually deliver important messages, whereas Minor Arcana cards tend to represent states that can change easier, depending on the circumstance.
Concluding your story
The messages behind a reading rarely change, so don't be too tempted to do another reading immediately. Instead, meditate on the answers you got and see if you can feel what your guides are telling you. I often find that reading for friends is a great way to start in order to practice cultivating that neutral mindset required to do readings.
Meanwhile, good luck and happy reading! Remember that the Tarot is meant to be a fun tool you can use at your disposal. It rarely delivers harsh realities ("My dog willbe killed by a car." or "My husband is cheating on me.") except in very, very rare circumstances that your guides have a clear and urgent message to deliver to you. In that case, they usually find other more direct ways than the Tarot to deliver that message.
Also, take note that the Tarot does not predict the future per se. It merely reflects what already is and can only map out future potentialities that can and do change. In the end, it is up to you to decide how to interpret the message you receive in order to create your path with more certainty, confidence and discernment.
