The Art of Tarot in 3 Steps

Via Anya Light
on Jun 21, 2017

get elephant's newsletter

Myth: Only a certain few “special” people on this planet can be psychic.

Anyone can learn to be psychic. It’s our birthright as human beings.

Tapping into our intuitive abilities simply takes time, patience, and practice. It’s an art form, like anything else.

If you’ve decided you want to learn to become more psychic, a good way to do so is to learn the art of reading Tarot cards. This is the way many people begin their intuitive learning journeys.

Here are three simple steps to get you started on your journey.

1. Acquire a Tarot deck.

There is a long-standing myth that you shouldn’t buy your own Tarot deck because it’s bad luck. This is nonsense. There is nothing wrong with purchasing a Tarot deck. In fact, I’d say it’s the opposite! Buying your own deck is a wonderful way of finding exactly the specific deck you need for your own beautiful journey. Unless, by the stroke of luck, you have been gifted a Tarot deck from a friend, or it has literally dropped from the sky into your lap, then you will need to buy your own deck.

If you do buy a deck, the key is to make sure the deck you choose resonates with your personality. Therefore, this is a shopping mission that requires patience. It may take you some time to find the right deck.

When browsing decks, whether online at Amazon or at your local metaphysical shop, be sure to carefully contemplate the images on the cards. Each deck is so wonderfully unique, and there are hundreds to choose from.

As you browse decks, think of it like dating. You don’t necessarily want to commit yourself to the first one that comes across your path—shop around, get a feel for the different options. Spend a minute or two gazing at the images and words on the cards, and ask yourself: Which deck feels most intriguing? Which deck feels inspiring or happy? Which deck makes me feel empowered?

Be patient until you find the deck that “speaks” directly to you. This is, by far, the most important step in becoming a Tarot reader. Your deck is the focal point of your practice, so it is vital you find a deck that feels absolutely perfect for you.

2. Get to know one card per day.

There are 78 cards in a typical Tarot deck. Learning all these cards may seem, initially, like a daunting task…but, in reality, it’s not. Simply break the task into small pieces. In a little over two months (78 days), you will have a solid understanding of your deck.

Each day, dedicate about 20 to 30 minutes to spending time with one card. Begin by spending the first 5 to 10 minutes engaged in some creative self-reflection. Write a journal entry about how that card makes you feel when you look at it. What does the card bring to mind? Does it trigger any memories? Does it bring to mind any people or past events? Write freely about whatever comes to mind, without censoring yourself. Think of each card like an ink blot, and whatever arises in you has something significant to tell you. Your personal reactions to the cards are not really only about “you,” but they are about the collective consciousness on the planet as well. Therefore, observing your own reactions to the cards will give you a deeper perspective you can then bring forward later, when you are reading for friends or clients.

After you spend some time with your own feelings and interpretations, conclude your daily lesson by researching and memorizing standard interpretations of your daily card. Watch YouTube videos, read a book written by an expert, and browse online articles.

Each expert will have a different interpretation of a card’s meaning, yet you will begin to notice a general, underlying theme for each card that is consistent across decks and readers. For example, many readers feel different things about the Fool card, and yet all readers will speak about that particular card as being about the beginning (and never the end) of a journey. Watch for the similarities across interpretations, and build your foundation of your knowledge of each card on what people agree about.

3. Give yourself readings.

Another common myth is that you shouldn’t give yourself Tarot readings. This, also, is total nonsense! There is no better way to get to know your cards.

After your initial 78 days of learning the cards, begin to give yourself a daily reading. When you wake up in the morning, light a candle, put on some soothing music (basically, set a space conducive to a calm, meditative state) and give yourself the opportunity to bond with your cards.

You can research various spreads online, or you can create your own. To keep things simple in the beginning, however, simply draw a single card, which will give you guidance on how to approach the coming day.

To perform the reading, simply hold your deck to your heart, take a few deep breaths, and say aloud, “Thank you for sharing what I need to know about how I can live today in the highest state of awakened consciousness.” (Or, you can formulate your own intention.) Then, shuffle the deck while visualizing love and light pouring into the cards.

Then, once you feel ready to proceed, slowly fan out the deck using your left hand, with the cards face-down. Take a moment to gaze at the cards before you, using unfocused vision. Stay in this meditative state until the moment arrives when one of the cards lying before you seems to jump out at you—it may suddenly appear brighter in color or perhaps it shimmers or vibrates a little. Pick the card that you are drawn to with your right hand. Don’t overanalyze; simply pick the card that you want to pick.

As you turn the card over, focus on your breath and stay in the present moment, as you allow whatever feelings you have to arise within you. As you feel the feelings, words may then come in your mind. Or, maybe it’s simply a general feeling about what to do. Allow your inner responses to help bring clarity to your outer issues.

~

Yes, it is absolutely true that anyone can learn to read Tarot cards.

Tarot readers are not “special” and they do not have “supernatural” abilities. Rather, they have simply dedicated time to practicing their art. They have relied less on their logical mind, and opened up to the wisdom of their heart—a movement that requires faith in unseen forces. It’s a leap of faith.

If you’ve been drawn to this article, it’s likely you have the same desires in your heart. To move into a new state of knowing; to transform yourself into higher planes of consciousness. Tarot is a wonderful path for this intention.

As our human family moves into higher planes of consciousness, we realize, more and more, that we all have the gifts of wisdom, insight, and intuition. We realize that things like inner knowing are a birthright—for all of us. We no longer live in fear of our own strength and power, but we boldly step forward, using tools such as the Tarot to gain inner wisdom for our journey ahead.
~

Author: Anya Light
Images: With permission from oakandthorn/Instagram
Editor: Catherine MonkmanSupervising Editor 1: Nicole Cam