Kristy Posted January 2, 2021 Posted January 2, 2021 Hi all, I am completely new to tarot and am trying to learn the cards and their meanings whilst also trying to let intuition guide me rather than simply memorising things. I am currently pulling a card a day for myself and trying to write my intuitive thoughts first and then looking up the meanings after. Wondered how everyone else started out or any tips for the best way to learn as a complete novice.
TheLoracular Posted January 2, 2021 Posted January 2, 2021 It sounds like you are off to a really good start @Kristy. What deck are you using and what cards do you like the best and what cards are the most confusing or make you the most uncomfortable so far? When I was starting, I would spend a lot of time just sorting through my deck. This was before there was such a thing as the Internet and I think I'd do ~a lot~ differently now. You coming to TT&F and feeling confident enough to start this thread? That is what I would have suggested as your next step and just talking about your experiences. Gosh, I would have loved to have had a tarot forum to chat on and ask questions as a beginning reader. There are no dumb questions, there are no wrong opinions and what works for me may or may not work for you. Keeping an open mind and just exploring your way through and enjoying the exploration as well as the outcome is, in my mind, the best way to do it. 🙂
Ekati Posted January 2, 2021 Posted January 2, 2021 There is no better way than practicing.It needs time and patience.One thing i did when i was a beginner was to ask questions like "How my day will be today?or my week?''and pick a card,think about it and see what happens next.Have a notebook and write down everything.The meanings of the cards will be gradually more clear to you.Easy and simple questions and pick just one card.Just some ideas 🙂
Kristy Posted January 2, 2021 Author Posted January 2, 2021 Just now, Ekati said: There is no better way than practicing.It needs time and patience.One thing i did when i was a beginner was to ask questions like "How my day will be today?or my week?''and pick a card,think about it and see what happens next.Have a notebook and write down everything.The meanings of the cards will be gradually more clear to you.Easy and simple questions and pick just one card.Just some ideas 🙂 Fab thanks this is such great advice! I try and ask a question a day but it’s so hard to think of something but those you’ve suggested are open ended so are great as I can repeat them! I am writing everything down as I don’t want to forget anything and also I’m quite intrigued to see how my interpretations change as I tap into my intuition more. It’s so interesting and I love the fact that the learning will never really end.
Kristy Posted January 2, 2021 Author Posted January 2, 2021 @TheLoracular thanks for the advice! I think this forum is amazing (especially during lockdown) as I didn’t really know where else to go for advice and support. I am just using the smith-Waite deck at the moment as I read that was one of the easiest to learn with but there are so many beautiful ones that I think I may need to get some more that I am drawn to a little more when I have started to understand them a little better. I find the major arcana more difficult to read intuitively as I find the messages within them a little more complex (especially the wheel of fortune and the hierophant) and I find the swords quite daunting for some reason. I quite like the cups cards they seem to contain a lot of symbols and imagery I can connect with/interpret more easily (in fact I had a dream about one of these a few days ago) but it’s early days at the moment so I’m sure the others will be less scary with time!
Ekati Posted January 2, 2021 Posted January 2, 2021 2 minutes ago, Kristy said: Fab thanks this is such great advice! I try and ask a question a day but it’s so hard to think of something but those you’ve suggested are open ended so are great as I can repeat them! I am writing everything down as I don’t want to forget anything and also I’m quite intrigued to see how my interpretations change as I tap into my intuition more. It’s so interesting and I love the fact that the learning will never really end. Yes its very interesting and it never ends!The cards can have many meanings and through the years i ve seen that in some decks some cards come most of the times with a specific meaning when i do readings for myself.But it needs time!After a while you could also ask some advise like "What is important in this situation?"or "What should i consider before...?"Things like that.
Kristy Posted January 2, 2021 Author Posted January 2, 2021 @Ekati I’m excited to get to the point when I can start asking more things or trying out simple spreads. At the moment I’m starting to ask quite broad questions about things I need to focus on or let go of as I can interpret them more broadly and even after a week or so I’m getting more confident with it. It has changed my outlook generally I feel so much more calm and positive since starting.
gregory Posted January 2, 2021 Posted January 2, 2021 3 hours ago, Kristy said: Fab thanks this is such great advice! I try and ask a question a day but it’s so hard to think of something but those you’ve suggested are open ended so are great as I can repeat them! I am writing everything down as I don’t want to forget anything and also I’m quite intrigued to see how my interpretations change as I tap into my intuition more. It’s so interesting and I love the fact that the learning will never really end. Try pulling a card at the end of each day, and see how it fits with the day you just had. Focuses the mind rather well, I find. And you don't have to think of a question !
Kristy Posted January 2, 2021 Author Posted January 2, 2021 @gregory thanks for this advice I never thought of flipping it around like that. I think the end of day would allow me to take more time to read it and be more reflective too. I may try that tomorrow for a change to kind of reflect on my first full week of learning. Thanks so much!
TheLoracular Posted January 3, 2021 Posted January 3, 2021 23 hours ago, Kristy said: I am just using the smith-Waite deck at the moment as I read that was one of the easiest to learn with but there are so many beautiful ones that I think I may need to get some more that I am drawn to a little more when I have started to understand them a little better. I find the major arcana more difficult to read intuitively as I find the messages within them a little more complex (especially the wheel of fortune and the hierophant) and I find the swords quite daunting for some reason. I quite like the cups cards they seem to contain a lot of symbols and imagery I can connect with/interpret more easily (in fact I had a dream about one of these a few days ago) but it’s early days at the moment so I’m sure the others will be less scary with time! @Kristy The biggest advantage to using the RWS deck is there are so many good resources online for it. I highly recommend Kitchen Table Tarot as one of the best all around books to read (or listen to- I LOVE audiobooks) as a new tarot reader. Her style is so down to earth and engaging. One thing you can try with those Major Arcana is to pick one and then jump onto YouTube and watch 3-4 short videos of people doing explanations. Everyone there has their own take and interpretation even when holding the same RWS version and I find it interesting to see the diversity of information and ideas being throw out. If you find a YouTuber who you particularly love, watch their tarot videos on other topics too. I have spent a fair amount of time on Pininterest, collecting spreads. Having pictures of them to look at helps me feel adventurous and engaged. Here is my collection from September to present. These might give you some ideas of readings to start trying. Readings of 3-5 cards vs. things like the Celtic Cross are so much easier. I prefer to do small readings about 90% of the time and save readings of anything more than 8 cards for very special occasions.
Kristy Posted January 3, 2021 Author Posted January 3, 2021 @TheLoracular thanks so much for your advice in relation to the major arcana cards. Like you say I think the sheer amount of ways they can be interpreted is really interesting but also possibly what makes them a little more daunting to me as a complete novice! I will look into the book you recommended and I am also a massive fan of Pinterest so will have a look at your collection of pins on there for some guidance too. I have tried a few 3 card spreads but would to see some variations. All very exciting!
katrinka Posted January 3, 2021 Posted January 3, 2021 On 1/2/2021 at 9:20 AM, TheLoracular said: When I was starting, I would spend a lot of time just sorting through my deck. This was before there was such a thing as the Internet and I think I'd do ~a lot~ differently now. You coming to TT&F and feeling confident enough to start this thread? That is what I would have suggested as your next step and just talking about your experiences. Gosh, I would have loved to have had a tarot forum to chat on and ask questions as a beginning reader. I think it's a two edged sword. On the one hand, beginners these days have a lot of resources. On the other hand, anybody can put anything on the internet and that would make it super confusing. When I started, it was just me, the cards, the LWB and Eden Gray. Eden was no great shakes but she was competent. I'd ask a question, lay a Celtic Cross (because that was the only spread given and I thought you were supposed to do it that way for some reason, lol), look up the meanings and try to make sense of it. If I got stuck, I couldn't just google something else that was contradictory and quite possibly wrong. I had to figure it out. Even though I knew basically nothing then and had no idea how to combine cards or any of that, figuring it out was the right thing in the early stages. A lot of sources these days tell people to draw clarification cards if something doesn't make sense to them. I disagree. If you're already confused by what's on the table, adding more cards only complicates matters. Walk away and come back to it if you have to. But again, figure it out. The thing is, new readers hit walls no matter how many resources are available. Putting things in context and powering through that is vital.
Kristy Posted January 28, 2021 Author Posted January 28, 2021 @TheLoracular just wanted to say thanks for the recommendation of kitchen table tarot. I ordered it last week and have read it all!! It’s a really nice easy read. I know this sounds silly but it doesn’t directly tell you how to interpret the card but instead gives it a persona/character and I found that really helpful, especially with some of the major arcana cards that I was struggling with (they are still difficult but this helped interpret them a little better!)
TheLoracular Posted January 28, 2021 Posted January 28, 2021 @Kristy I am really glad! I have probably read a hundred books on tarot and glanced through a hundred more but there is just something about that one in particular that makes me want to run up to the author and hug her.
Guest Posted January 29, 2021 Posted January 29, 2021 When we start to read the cards, there is a strong temptation to read everything going and digest as much as is possible. However, it’s far better to start with one source* and the most basic significations. Forget any correspondences or associations (be they astrological, elemental or Qabalah). If possible, these could be distilled to their core essence, e.g. trump VIII (justice) veracity and xx (jugement) resurrection. Start with just the 21 trump cards and Fool. Draws such as the four elements (looks at the coming month) and the cross spread (tirage en croix) are good. Both draws help you learn to combine cards and create a synthesis, bring it all together. That is a skill to cultivate early, otherwise you’re reading single cards and readings become disjointed. When you increase in proficiency, you can begin to add in secondary significances. Then go on to the pips. * Caveat emptor — start with the book for the deck. If that deck is Smith-Waite, then use the Pictorial Key to the Tarot. Quite a few books illustrated with Smith’s design misrepresent them, e.g. stating that the 7 of Cups signifies choices, and so on.
Kristy Posted January 29, 2021 Author Posted January 29, 2021 @timtoldrum thanks for the advice. I do find reading individual cards tough I prefer trying 3 card spreads to try and see connections like you say. To be honest when I pick a card a day I have took to just studying it and learning a bit about it rather than trying to apply it to what’s happened as I found I was trying to make it fit. I am using the smith-Waite deck at the moment as I heard that was the easiest to start with when learning. I’ll have a look at the book you recommended as I’m really intrigued to understand some of the cards in further detail.
katrinka Posted January 29, 2021 Posted January 29, 2021 1 hour ago, Kristy said: I am using the smith-Waite deck at the moment as I heard that was the easiest to start with when learning. I’ll have a look at the book you recommended as I’m really intrigued to understand some of the cards in further detail. Just popping back to mention that the PKT is in the public domain and it's available free online (though it's good to have a physical copy as well.)https://www.sacred-texts.com/tarot/pkt/index.htm
Kristy Posted January 30, 2021 Author Posted January 30, 2021 @katrinka cheers! Always handy to know 😊
Guest Posted January 30, 2021 Posted January 30, 2021 15 hours ago, Kristy said: To be honest when I pick a card a day I have took to just studying it and learning a bit about it rather than trying to apply it to what’s happened as I found I was trying to make it fit. I do not recommend daily draws to my students, or anyone else working with the Tarot. There is a good week-ahead draw from classical cartomancy, where two cards are dealt for each day. As such, you get to practice combinations. You only use the 56 pip cards, too. It’s important with such spreads to force yourself to make a prediction. If you were wrong (the cards are never wrong, but we can be), you go back and see if you can see where you went wrong. That is how you learn.
Kristy Posted January 30, 2021 Author Posted January 30, 2021 @timtoldrum thanks for the advice. I’ll have a look for that weekly spread and give it a go for the week ahead. I really appreciate all the advice because as a complete beginner it’s difficult to know where to start and there’s a lot of conflicting ideas.
Helena Posted February 2, 2021 Posted February 2, 2021 @Kristy My only advice is to take @katrinka and @timtoldrum's advice lol...no seriously, They are founts of knowledge. I agree to try not to Google too much. It gets confusing and frustrating. I'm still a beginner too, and the best thing for me has been to just figure it out for myself, just like katrinka said. That's where I've learned the most. Let the cards say what they're going to say, and then you learn to speak their language. I like the fundamental meaning of things...as in, I don't want to read an interpretation of an interpretation of an interpretation. That has led me down rabbit holes though, but like they said, go to the source of the Pictorial Key.
Kristy Posted February 2, 2021 Author Posted February 2, 2021 @Helena good to hear things from another beginners perspective. Like you said there’s a wealth of information out there and you can keep searching until you make something fit or get entirely lost. I, like you, try not to get bogged down in multiple interpretations and go with my gut on things and although it’s hard I am starting to see an improvement. I have tried a weekly spread this week as @timtoldrum suggested and I do see the benefits of it in that it’s allowed me to look at the bigger picture and how the cards may relate to one another a little more. We will see how my predictions play out as it’s only Tuesday!
LoveLightPeace Posted February 2, 2021 Posted February 2, 2021 Hi @Kristy! In addition to the wonderful advice that you have already been given, I would like add - playing games with your cards. The Tarot Games right here on the forum are great, because they get you looking at the image on your cards. For instance there's a thread called "Let's make a story", where the participants draw a card from their deck and then contribute a sentence to add to the storyline. There are other game threads that you can participate in as well. The game threads can be found here https://www.thetarotforum.com/forums/forum/148-fun-and-games/ I don't recall if it was already mentioned or not, but there are monthly reading circles that you can participate in. The Newbies Reading Circle is a good place to dip your toes in when you feel that you are ready, IMO. Readers of all levels are welcome to participate, and it's a great learning experience. Hope you're enjoying working with your cards so far. 🙂
Guest Posted February 3, 2021 Posted February 3, 2021 (edited) On 1/29/2021 at 11:35 PM, katrinka said: Just popping back to mention that the PKT is in the public domain and it's available free online (though it's good to have a physical copy as well.)https://www.sacred-texts.com/tarot/pkt/index.htm I would like to mention with the PKT that there are NO illustrations in the book. I found it on kobo. Also had a look at amazon and also there was says that the book has no illustrations, Edited February 3, 2021 by Guest
Guest Posted February 3, 2021 Posted February 3, 2021 On 1/30/2021 at 2:00 PM, timtoldrum said: I do not recommend daily draws to my students, or anyone else working with the Tarot. There is a good week-ahead draw from classical cartomancy, where two cards are dealt for each day. As such, you get to practice combinations. You only use the 56 pip cards, too. It’s important with such spreads to force yourself to make a prediction. If you were wrong (the cards are never wrong, but we can be), you go back and see if you can see where you went wrong. That is how you learn. For me the one card a day works really well. I am easily overloaded from the images and the abundance of information out there. I do do readings for myself but no more then three cards and I mainly use them to learn and see if I can make a story for the cards. Tarot for me is a very personal journey and we all have to find what works for us.
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