The Witch of the Web

lunaesteria:

So you just decided that you want to read tarot, and perhaps invest in your very first deck. Here are some tips that I found useful when I was just starting out with reading tarot cards!

Uses for tarot cards:

Divination

Spirit Communication

Deity Communication

Spellwork

Choosing a deck:

Choosing a tarot deck for the first time can be somewhat overwhelming. There are thousands of decks out there, with varying art styles and card sizes.

I chose my first deck solely because it came with a guidebook and because the art style was similar to that of the traditional Rider-Waite (the art style wasn’t too gaudy, and the cards were clearly labeled).

I would suggest choosing a deck whose cards list the suit, number, and name on the card, just to make things easier for you.

Another thing to consider is size – there’s a “standard” size for tarot cards, but some authors stick to playing card size, and some make theirs quite large. I have small hands, so the larger sized cards would be uncomfortable for me to use and shuffle. Keep that in mind.

I would also suggest that if your first deck doesn’t come with its own guidebook to invest in one.

A lot of readers will choose the deck that calls out to them the most, or one that they click with. You can go that route, or simply choose the one you like the most based on aesthetics. It’s somewhat difficult to gauge the energy that the deck is putting out if you’re like me and prefer to order online, but if you can get to a bookstore or metaphysical shop to pick out your first deck, spend some time with them and pick the one that resonates with you.

Tips:

Cleanse your deck before you use it for the first time – this helps get rid of any lingering energy that may be left by anyone else who touched it before you obtained it. You may choose to cleanse your deck between readings, or whenever you feel as though your readings aren’t making sense, though these things are not mandatory.

Charge your deck – some readers do this and some do not, but I have personally found that actively charging my deck with an outside source of energy helps gives me an extra boost and reduces the amount of personal energy I have to put into doing readings. Selenite is both a cleansing and charging stone and can be set on top of your deck to do both of those things simultaneously.

Draw a card a day for personal readings, and record your findings in a tarot journal – this will not only help you learn the meanings of the cards, but also to bond with your new deck.

Not into journaling or writing? Create an Excel or Word document to record your personal experiences and findings. This can also be useful for jotting down card meanings (ctrl + f is a lot easier than digging through a book IMO).

Practice readings with your friends or significant other. This will help you decipher card meanings and learn to read intuitively. When we are personally looking for answers, we tend to come up with any reason why the cards are relevant to our own lives, but performing readings for others will really show how accurate the cards are.

Seek answers from the guidebook that your deck came with, if it came with one. There’s nothing wrong with looking up the meanings of cards, especially if you’re just starting out. If it didn’t come with a guidebook, I would suggest biddytarot online for learning card meanings, or even the Galaxy Tarot app for your phone, which also includes card meanings and is a great way to read tarot on the go.

Come up with personal associations for the cards that relate to your every day life. For example, the Death card popping up in a reading can be startling at first, but it doesn’t necessarily mean physical death: in most cases, it can relate to rebirth or transformation. The same applies for cards that signify fertility or birth – this may simply allude to new beginnings. Figure out how the cards relate to you, personally.

Don’t overwhelm yourself with lengthy spreads like the Celtic Cross – stick with short spreads that only involve a few cards and work your way up to bigger spreads.

Readings are not set in stone, they are meant to be used for guidance. That being said, you and you alone have the power to change the outcome of any reading you do. Tarot readings are not the “be all end all” for life events.

Once you have an idea of what the cards signify, you can use them for other things such as spirit and deity communication or spellwork!

Common Myths about Tarot:

You must receive your tarot deck as a gift

You must keep your tarot deck in a [black] silk bag

You have to be a witch to read tarot

You must be psychic to read tarot

You shouldn’t read tarot while you’re pregnant

Don’t let others touch or look at your tarot cards

Tarot cards are evil

Tarot cards are “the Devil’s work”

You can’t read tarot for yourself

The Death card means you or a loved one are going to die

Reversed cards are always bad