Reading Tarot Cards

Reading tarot cards is the more complex of the divination/prophecy arts.

However it is one of the most fulfilling.

In fact for many people, it is a complete way of life!

If you have been reading my articles on Psychic Ability , you should (at least) have recognized your sense of intuition, if not the ability to "see".

More about the term "see" a little later.

Tarot cards are many things to many people.

To someone without a developed psychic sense they are a means of divinaton by following the specific meaning of the cards.

As such they will still obtain a useful and accurate reading.

However in the hands of a skilled psychic reader, the tarot cards are little short of a magic wand.

Indeed, the art of reading tarot cards is often used by psychic teachers as the best method of expanding a persons intuitive and psychic abilities.

I have gone to some lengths to de-mystify reading Tarot cards for the purposes of this site.
The amount of mystique you wish to apply to the art of reading Tarot Cards is up to you.
For some people the Tarot is literally a magic wand, whilst for others they are simply a tool to prompt the intuition.

The Tarot Deck.

There are a huge number of different styles of tarot decks.

However, all modern tarot decks will conform to the following pattern.

• There are a total of 78 cards in the pack.
• The pack consists of two sections :

  • The Major Arcana comprising 22 trump cards.
  • The Minor Arcana comprising 56 cards in 4 suites.
  • The suites are :
  
  
  • Wands (Rods,Batons)
  • Cups
  • Swords
  • Pentacles (Coins)
  • Each suite is similar to normal playing cards (ace to ten), with the addition of an extra court (face) card, the Page.
  • The playing card equivialents to the Tarot suites are :
    
    
    • Wands ..... Clubs
    • Cups ........ Hearts
    • Swords ..... Spades
    • Pentacles . Diamonds

The Rider-Waite deck is regarded as the de-facto 'standard' for modern tarot decks.

Many tarot readers begin with this pack before progressing to a deck of their own preference.

(My personal preference for reading Tarot Cards in a professional capacity been the 'Aquarian' deck).

Note :

The Tarot is a portal to the psychic realm.
It is not a game!
As you embark on a course of tarot reading you are entering the psychic's realm.
Expect to attract unusual and odd coincidences and events to yourself.

To begin reading Tarot Cards.

First obtain your tarot deck**.

** Note : I have included the entire Rider-Waite deck in the following pages.
In addition, I have included a handy Tarot Card Meaning locator page.

If you are going to be reading tarot cards professionally it is said that you should be presented with the pack.

Personally, I feel that if you feel attracted to a particular pack you should purchase it.

In any case, the style of your first pack should be one which appeals to you - after all you and these cards are going to spend a lot of time together.

The first step is to familiarize yourself with the cards. At first there will seem to be so many, however the tarot deck is surprisingly logical and not as daunting as it first appears.

As you examine the cards, you will find that some appear to be quite attractive, and some appear to be Ugh!

Good - You are starting to relate to the cards.

Now separate the deck into its major and minor arcana sections.

Arrange the major arcana into order, they are numbered by roman numerals from 0 (The Fool) through to XXI (The World)

Examine each of the major Arcana cards one by one and read the meaning.

There is no need to learn the explanations by rote, however you do need to develop a good impression of the meaning of the card and the relevance of each of its items.

Familiarity with each card is the best I can explain it.

Notice first the most obvious element of the card, now notice the least obvious element.

The least obvious element will probably change for each diffrent reading, and as such is an important indicatior.

Somewhere between the explanation of each card and your own impressions you will reach your own understanding of each card.

If you can create a story-line for each card by using your imagination it will help to explain the application of each card.

After all, when you are actually doing a reading, it is your imagination which is the channel for your psychic impressions.

Note :- your understanding is what is important here. What the card means to you over-rides all else.

During my explanations, my preferred term for the person who the reading is for is the subject.

However, in some instances I have used the terms the person,client or seeker.

All are interchangeable.

The traditional term "Querent" (one who queries), is normally used to represent the person receiving the reading.

However my preferences are for "Subject" or "Client".

Major Arcana Meanings

Now repeat this familiarization for each of the the Minor Arcana suites after reading the Minor Arcana overview which will put each of the suites into perspective.

Minor Arcana Overview

Suite or Cups

Suite of Swords

Suite of Wands

Suite of Pentacles

Card Meaning Locator

Use this handy Tarot Card meaning locator to select and find your Tarot card meanings.

Further Resources :

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