Guide to Understanding the Tarot

Guide to Understanding the Tarot
It's Mystical Origins

The Tarot's history is shrouded in mystery, and its true origins remain elusive. Some believe the cards trace back to ancient Egypt, China, or Greece. What is certain, however, is that the Tarot was used in 15th-century Italy as a popular card game.

The Early Tarot Decks

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The Secrets of the Tarot

The Tarot consists of 78 cards divided into two sections:

• The Major Arcana: Representing significant life events and universal truths.
• The Minor Arcana: Focusing on daily experiences and practical matters.

The word "Arcana" means "secret," symbolizing the Tarot as a collection of profound revelations waiting to be unlocked by the reader.

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The Personal and Universal Connection of the Tarot

As you become familiar with the Tarot and start utilizing your psychic abilities, you’ll discover that it is much more than just a deck of picture cards.

The Tarot acts as a key to unlock the power of the unconscious and is both a reflection of your inner self and a guide to the collective human experience.

The Tarot’s true power lies in its ability to reveal the secrets hidden within us.

Each card carries a deeply personal meaning, which can vary from reader to reader. Similar to famous Ink Blot tests, the imagery on Tarot cards evokes unique reactions based on individual perspectives.

At the same time, the Tarot connects to universal archetypes—symbols and experiences common to all humans. Over the centuries, the Tarot has evolved into a collection of the most basic patterns of human thought and emotion.

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The Power of the Tarot

The Tarot’s strength lies in its combination of personal insight and universal truth. For personal insight, each card reflects a hidden aspect of your own awareness. For universal truth, the shared archetypes ensure that others have found significant meaning in the same cards, offering reassurance and clarity.

The richness of the Tarot’s imagery provides countless layers of meaning. Your psychic intuition allows you to verbalize these messages and share them with clients.

While some Tarot readers use reversed interpretations, I strongly discourage this practice. Reversals—viewing cards as "good" if upright and "bad" if upside down—are a modern innovation that often confuses rather than clarifies the card’s meaning.

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Getting to Know Your Tarot Cards

Becoming familiar with your Tarot deck is an essential step in your journey. Handling, studying, and meditating with your cards builds a personal connection and enhances your intuition.

Caring for Your Tarot Cards

Treating your Tarot cards with respect and care ensures their energy remains positive and aligned with your own. Here are a few tips:

• Keep Them Protected: Wrap your cards in a beautiful cloth, such as purple silk, or store them in a special Tarot bag or wooden box.
• Respect Their Energy: Avoid letting others use your personal deck. Instead, purchase a separate deck for clients.
• Show Loving Care: Handling your cards with care helps maintain their energy and strengthens your connection to them.

"Your Tarot deck is not just a tool—it is an extension of your intuition and inner self."

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Starting Your Tarot Journey

"The more you explore each card, the more their unique energies and messages will reveal themselves to you."

Begin your practice by simply looking at each of the 78 cards in your Tarot pack.

1. Prepare Yourself: Shuffle your deck with your eyes closed. Breathe deeply and slowly to clear your mind of distractions.
2. Relax and Meditate: Make relaxation and meditation a daily practice. This allows a stronger connection with your intuition and inner self.
3. Draw a Card: When ready, select one card and place it before you.

Once you’ve chosen a card, engage deeply with its imagery and energy.

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Studying Your Deck Over Time

• Observe Closely: Examine the details of the card’s imagery.
• Ask Questions:What emotions does this card evoke?How does the image make you feel—happy, worried, excited?What personal message might this card hold?
• Document Your Thoughts: Write the card’s name in a notebook and jot down all the feelings, thoughts, and insights it inspires.

Learning your Tarot deck doesn’t need to be rushed. Here’s how to manage your sessions:

• Take breaks when needed—split your study into 3-4 sessions over a couple of days.
• Highlight cards that resonate with you strongly and note these in your journal.
• If a card isn’t “speaking” to you, set it aside and revisit it later.

By following this process, you’ll develop your own interpretations of each card, rather than relying solely on their traditional meanings.

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Trusting Your Intuition

When you study your Tarot deck this way, you’ll begin to instinctively “feel” the energy of each card. This personal connection allows you to interpret the cards through your own unique lens, empowering your readings and deepening your understanding of the Tarot.

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Learning the Tarot

The best and quickest way to learn the meaning and interpretation of the Tarot, and to further equip you to conduct self-readings, and reading for friends, family and clients, is to embark on a Course.

Learning the meanings of the 78 Tarot cards, understanding their relationships, and applying them in different spreads may feel daunting at first. Add to that the prospect of giving readings to paying clients, and it’s understandable to feel overwhelmed. But don’t be afraid—taking it one step at a time makes it achievable!

A Self-Paced Tarot Course

The Tarot Course I offer is designed to guide you at your own pace. Whether you prefer taking tiny fairy steps or giant leaps, your enthusiasm and dedication will dictate your learning speed.

Here’s how the course is structured:

• It begins with the basics and gradually moves into more detailed aspects of the Tarot.
• Each section includes assignments that need to be completed before progressing to the next stage.
• The course provides concise definitions of each card and focuses on a selection of spreads to help you give professional readings.

The ultimate goal? To get your professional Tarot Reading business up and running while using your psychic abilities to assist others—and be richly rewarded for your efforts.The Professional Tarot Reader's Mindset

Many Tarot decks and accompanying workbooks are aimed at amateur enthusiasts who take their time, learning a card or two each day. While this approach can foster self-enlightenment or help friends, your goal as a professional is different. You aim to:

• Develop the skills to assist as many people as possible through Tarot.
• Utilize the power of the Tarot alongside your psychic abilities.
• Provide unique and personal readings that resonate deeply with your clients.

"Just as you are unique, so too will your Tarot readings reflect your individual style and flavor."

Focus on the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck

The course emphasizes the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck, though the principles of Tarot apply to any deck. You may find that

Many professional Tarot readers use more than one deck but often feel an affinity for a particular one.
Exploring different decks can help you discover the one that resonates most with your energy.

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