If you want to learn how to read tarot cards, your first challenge is to choose a deck from the approximately 8,000 published brands of divination cards on the market. What works for one person often doesn’t work for another. Some people are comfortable reading multiple decks and others just identify with one deck. In my experience, you will find that over time, it will grow in and out of various decks. You may also find that the deck you prefer to use to read yourself is not the deck you prefer to use to read others.
For example, when I started reading, I started with a deck that was too heavy for me: The Crowley Deck. The end result of that was that I ended up selling them because I was scared of the images on the deck. I was just too young to handle the images on this dark cover and it was giving me nightmares. Then I switched to Rider Waite Deck for a few years, which is the ultimate multipurpose single deck. Then I fell in love with the Renaissance Deck, which is much more elaborate in terms of images and a bit more defined in its meanings when it comes to describing relationships. Then I got into a period where I longed for more simplicity, I switched to the Palladini deck which is very pure and has a “lighter feel”. (Somewhat like the Pollyanna of Tarot decks). Now that I’m older, I’ve gone back to the Crowley deck and the Order of the Golden Staircase, which are a bit heavy.
There are also many specialty or eclectic decks on the market that may appeal to you more than Rider Waite, but learning Rider Waite is like going to high school. Psychic Realm reader Bacchus, for example, uses the Haindl deck for his readings, which has a Norse twist and is a permutation of the classic Rider-Waite deck, but wonderful as it is, I don’t think it’s a deck for beginners.
Here are some good decks I can recommend for beginners that are based on the Rider Waite meaning system.
The Rider Waite deck
The Aquatic Tarot – same as Rider Waite but done in watercolors
The Pamela Colman Tarot: the same images as the Rider Waite but done in brighter, more psychedelic colors.
The Golden Tarot: the same as Rider Waite but the images are more medieval
The Palladini Tarot – just like Rider Waite but with very simple and cheerful drawings
The Renaissance Tarot: Same as Rider Waited but enhanced with Renaissance-era imagery.
You can find a selection of Tarot Decks at the Psychic Realm store off the main page or browse the web and purchase one that catches your eye online. I recommend doing some research online first and finding places where you can see different decks online because most store owners will not allow you to open and handle your deck because it means removing the plastic from its packaging. However, the best way to be sure is to go to a store, pick up the deck, and see if you like the feel of the cards once you’ve done a bit of research on the images on them. The feel, weight, or look of the cards often “talks” to you. If you feel a connection to the images on the cards or even how they feel in your hands, then that’s probably the deck you’ll relate to the best. I also recommend a platform that comes with a small book inside the package or box so you have something to quickly refer to if you get lost while reading.
A tip for beginners! When I started reading the Tarot, I wrote myself a sheet that looked like a chart so that all the meanings of each card forward and backward would be apparent to me at a glance. Writing the meanings this way really helps you learn the cards quickly.
Your next step would be to become familiar with your cards. The best way to learn is to study the image on each card, one at a time, while memorizing the meaning. Be patient. There are usually 78 meanings to learn, so this isn’t always a quick process. Some tarot masters recommend that you put the deck of cards under your pillow at night so you can better familiarize yourself with them. The idea is that your subconscious absorbs information in the same way that a sponge absorbs water. You can also meditate or dream on the individual cards in the same way by placing them under your pillow.
Some people like to charge their cards after first receiving them, either by praying or meditating on them, placing a crystal over them, or passing them through the smoke of incense or by placing them in the light of a full or new moon for a night.
Picky readers believe that the power of the cards increases if they are placed inside a special box or wrapped in a silk bag. Personally, I don’t think this will make much of a difference because I KNOW I’m accurate and my cards have so much dirt and wear on them that it’s ridiculous. Still, they say that pomp and circumstance are supposed to add to the power of all ritual and magic, so if putting away your cards in a special way or in a special place helps you read them better than doing so.
Also many readers protect their cards by not letting anyone touch them. There is a belief that others can “infect” the cards with their beliefs, fears or anxieties. The cards act as a portal to the other side, so keeping them away from other people can be a good way to prevent people from accidentally “touching” you through the cards and transmitting possibly toxic energy to you.
Once you get your own cards, spend some time looking at them, playing with them, and getting to know them. It is essential that you feel good about your cards because in the future they will be your best allies when it comes to telling the future.
Stay tuned for our Tarot Crash Course #3: Card Readings.
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