hi dear! how do i get started in tarot? do ya have have resources you could direct me to? (:
I can throw you a couple links, sure:Â
[Connecting With a New Deck]Â
[50 Tips for Tarot Novices and Masters Alike]Â
[Tarot Tips for Beginners]Â
[Things I Think Newbie Tarot Readers Need to Know]Â
More can be found in my [#tarot tag] on my blog! ^^Â
For me, starting tarot reading was as simple as finding a deck that I liked, finding some spreads, and practicing. Depending on why you want to read tarot, your approach may be different. For instance, tarot for me is about introspection and helping myself find some answers or advice I may not have seen at first glance. Tarot can be used for other purposes, though, such as spirit communication, so what you want to use your cards for can change the approach in which you go about it. (In regards to doing tarot for spirit communication, I am afraid I have no personal advice there.)Â
Research, of course, is something I always recommend when getting into a new skill. Youâre working on that, which is awesome, though I do believe it is important to also leave Tumblr for research purposes. Yes, thereâs great stuff here, but thereâs also great resources to be found in other areas of the internet, as well as off it. If you can, try to find some beginnerâs books on tarot (I am certain there are PDFs of a few somewhere around too), and look into it as much as you can. Sadly, resources can and are likely to show conflicting information, so itâs always beneficial to cross reference and fact check as much as possible.Â
Once youâve got a grasp of tarot - or even if you donât - picking a deck can prove a daunting task. I personally donât feel any one deck is âbetterâ than any other for someone new to reading. You will always hear how the Rider-Waite is standard, but that is only because the cards depict symbolism in which they try to make the meaning of the cards clear. Less convoluted, the images try to tell the story of the card, in a way that might make it easy to understand on sight. Not everyone grooves with that, but it definitely can prove helpful at the start when you arenât sure what every card means. And, let me tell you, even after like three years, I still have to look some cards up, 78 is a lot to remember with an inconsistent memory. Â
I would recommend, mostly, just finding a deck that you like, one you think is pretty, or you would like to try out. There may be some research you have to do into that, or you may just be in a store and you find a deck that âcalls to you.â There is really no wrong way to pick a deck, as long as you are happy with your choice. (Some decks may not work out for every reader, though, which can be a concern if you buy your first deck and end up not liking it or itâs uncooperative, but itâs a risk we all kinda take. Iâve bought a few decks that I donât connect with, or that no longer work for me, and thatâs okay. It doesnât mean you canât read or wonât be a good reader if that happens - find another deck you like and keep trying!) Printing a deck out, or creating your own, can be a good option for those on a budget, but creating a deck can be very time and energy consuming, and also a daunting task all on its own.Â
Also, if you find the book or guide that comes with your cards is lacking, it is also okay to find external resources for card interpretations. I personally enjoy [Learn Tarotâs pages of reference], and am even writing them down, since I know some of the books for my decks werenât very helpful in the meanings. A lot of people will say reading from the book is bad, learn to trust your gut more, etc., but each person reads differently. I feel itâs important to just try it out, try different things, and find your style.Â
Once you have a deck you like, a lot of people recommend cleansing it. There are many ways to do that. And of course, thereâs the first shuffle (or shuffles), which can always be a pain when theyâre all in order. I like splitting the cards into piles and shuffling those together for a while, itâs proven effective for me. People also talk about ways to bond with your deck - things you can do with it or to it to help it grow accustomed to you or make readings easier or more accurate. Those are also things that would be great to look into.Â
Doing readings can seem daunting too. I was nervous for my first few as well. And it is perfectly acceptable to read and practice on yourself. Just take it at your own pace, use your book or guide if you need to, and even asking someoneâs opinion on an interpretation can be helpful if youâre stuck. Mostly, though, just read. Draw some cards and try to find what theyâre saying. As a skill, it does take practice and time before you may feel confident with what youâre doing, if your readings are good or accurate, and thatâs okay! There is no pressure or anything, and we all started out in that exact same spot. (Also, reversals arenât necessary if you donât wanna read that way - I donât, but itâs up to you to decide what you wanna do for yourself and your tarot practice.)Â
Creating spreads can also seem hard too, but that is also something you donât need to worry about unless you want to - I use mostly existing spreads for my readings, and they work just fine.; Creating spreads can take time and energy one may not have, and itâs cool if you never want to do it, or just save it until later, but know that whatever you decide to do is cool. There are so many amazing spreads already in existence, to cover a lot of different topics and questions that may occur. Some also find great results in just winging spreads - asking a question and drawing as many cards as they feel is right or for clarification. Again, experiment, try things out, find what you like doing and what works for you, and what may not. We each have our own way to read and do things with tarot.Â
I hope that helps you, good luck with your tarot journey! ^^Â
