How to Use Tarot Cards

Learn about the history of tarot decks and how they are organized., Learn the established meanings behind individual cards., Assess what individual cards might mean to you., Learn a variety of ways to use your cards., Keep practicing., Practice...

6 Steps 3 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Learn about the history of tarot decks and how they are organized.

    Tarot cards evolved out of regular playing cards during the 15th century.

    However, they did not take their current form until around 1909, when the Rider-Waite tarot deck was created.The images on this deck are the ones now commonly associated with tarot.

    Each tarot deck has 78 cards, 22 of which are called the "trumps" or major arcana, and 56 of which are called the minor arcana.

    The major arcana refer to big and important life events or themes, while the minor arcana refer to more daily themes or events.
  2. Step 2: Learn the established meanings behind individual cards.

    There are established meanings behind all of the tarot cards.You can explore these meanings in the wide variety of tarot books out there.

    Some of the most well-known cards include The Fool, The Lovers, The Hanged Man, and the Death card.

    The Fool symbolizes someone who has all they need but should be wary of making a misstep or foolish choice.The Lovers card may or may not reference romantic love, instead signaling a choice that needs to be made in order to follow the path you want.The Hanged Man usually has an image of a person hanging upside down from a tree of wisdom by one foot.

    This card symbolizes the sacrifices one may need to make in order to gain wisdom from the world.The Death card can mean actual death but more likely it is referencing some other sort of ending, for instance the end of a relationship.Remember that the meaning of a card can change depending of the direction it is facing.

    While not all tarot users pay attention to the direction of the card, many find that it gives the card a deeper meaning.Study the upside down variation as well as the meaning for a card that is right side up. , In addition to reading up on the established meanings of each card, look at the images on each card and assess the cards meaning based on the image.

    While the established meaning of each card is important for you to get the feel of the card, the meaning should change a bit after using tarot cards for awhile.

    Your interpretation should become more about your personal association with the general theme of the card, as opposed to anything written about it in a book., There is not just one way to use tarot.

    Explore a variety of types of spreads, the term used for how the tarot cards are laid out, and practice whichever spreads you find helpful., Like everything, learning tarot takes practice.

    Once you feel confident in your understanding of the cards, try using them for divination or self reflection on a regular basis. , Imagine there is an orange clear light surrounding the earth.

    Then, imagine that the light is shining down onto your tarot cards.

    Imagine that the orange light contains all of the answers of the world, opening the space for infinite possibility and knowledge.

    Attempt to do some kind of visualization before each reading.
  3. Step 3: Assess what individual cards might mean to you.

  4. Step 4: Learn a variety of ways to use your cards.

  5. Step 5: Keep practicing.

  6. Step 6: Practice visualizing using your deck before using them.

Detailed Guide

Tarot cards evolved out of regular playing cards during the 15th century.

However, they did not take their current form until around 1909, when the Rider-Waite tarot deck was created.The images on this deck are the ones now commonly associated with tarot.

Each tarot deck has 78 cards, 22 of which are called the "trumps" or major arcana, and 56 of which are called the minor arcana.

The major arcana refer to big and important life events or themes, while the minor arcana refer to more daily themes or events.

There are established meanings behind all of the tarot cards.You can explore these meanings in the wide variety of tarot books out there.

Some of the most well-known cards include The Fool, The Lovers, The Hanged Man, and the Death card.

The Fool symbolizes someone who has all they need but should be wary of making a misstep or foolish choice.The Lovers card may or may not reference romantic love, instead signaling a choice that needs to be made in order to follow the path you want.The Hanged Man usually has an image of a person hanging upside down from a tree of wisdom by one foot.

This card symbolizes the sacrifices one may need to make in order to gain wisdom from the world.The Death card can mean actual death but more likely it is referencing some other sort of ending, for instance the end of a relationship.Remember that the meaning of a card can change depending of the direction it is facing.

While not all tarot users pay attention to the direction of the card, many find that it gives the card a deeper meaning.Study the upside down variation as well as the meaning for a card that is right side up. , In addition to reading up on the established meanings of each card, look at the images on each card and assess the cards meaning based on the image.

While the established meaning of each card is important for you to get the feel of the card, the meaning should change a bit after using tarot cards for awhile.

Your interpretation should become more about your personal association with the general theme of the card, as opposed to anything written about it in a book., There is not just one way to use tarot.

Explore a variety of types of spreads, the term used for how the tarot cards are laid out, and practice whichever spreads you find helpful., Like everything, learning tarot takes practice.

Once you feel confident in your understanding of the cards, try using them for divination or self reflection on a regular basis. , Imagine there is an orange clear light surrounding the earth.

Then, imagine that the light is shining down onto your tarot cards.

Imagine that the orange light contains all of the answers of the world, opening the space for infinite possibility and knowledge.

Attempt to do some kind of visualization before each reading.

About the Author

S

Shirley Jenkins

With a background in realestate, Shirley Jenkins brings 5 years of hands-on experience to every article. Shirley believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.

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