Tips for reading Tarot

If you are new to tarot or just finding your way in your practice, we are here to offer a few tips and simple spreads to get you started. Keywords for each card are already present in the app; but we encourage you to have your own experience and notice what comes up for you individually. Another way to put that: each card already holds several more or less well known meanings, but they will all mean something different for you, and there are no wrong answers. Remember, your journey is your own! This guide is meant as a jumping off point for those who need it.

1. Getting started

First, take a moment to settle yourself, ground, clear, or create a ritual that supports your presence with your practice. We recommend a little bit of movement to shake off any excess energy and a few breaths to calm your mind. This does not need to be elaborate! Try a few stretches and find your breath and notice when you feel ready.

2. Forming a question

A good reading starts with a good question. While some people are guided to pull cards in an unstructured fashion (and that’s ok!) I find I get more honest readings of myself when my question is clear. Avoid “yes or no” questions and ask something as open ended as “What do I need to know today?” Or, something specific like “Why was my co-worker acting so weird at lunch?” Hold your cards in your non dominant hand while you think about it.

3. Shuffle

Everyone says they are a bad shuffler. The good news is, there is no wrong way to shuffle! You can “wash” the cards… lay them out in front of you and make a mess with them, like you might have shuffled when you were a kid. You You can riffle them, cut them, or just throw them on the ground, just be clear in your question and what you want to know from your cards!

4. Pull your cards

Pull from the top, or the bottom? Flip them bottom to top or from the side? All that matters is that you are consistent in your method. Some people like to read from the cards that flew recklessly from their decks, or throw them on the ground and read the ones that land face up. Others like to fan them out and choose intuitively. Experiment and find what feels right to you, but be clear on your method before you do a reading.

5. A note on reversals

Not everyone reads reversals, and that’s ok! Just read your cards as you see fit and leave the Judgement to Key XX. If you do want to experiment with reversals, consider their meanings beyond the opposite of the upright meaning. They can indicate a deficiency, or an excess of the energy of the card, or you may be inspired by how gravity would affect the figures in the card. Keep your mind open.

6. Spreads

If you are new to tarot, we recommend starting with some smaller spreads to help you get familiar with the cards and how they relate to each other (and you!) You can also create your own spreads as you get comfortable with the cards. There are many spreads out there, see what you like! We are keeping it simple with a few to get you started. Consider the position of the card blending with the meaning of the card.

A few three cards spreads:

1 = Body

2 = Mind

3 = Spirit

I like this one for general situations and I'm deciding where to put my focus or awareness. Body- what energy are you embodying? What are you doing? Are there any real world considerations? Mind- Where is your head at? Is there a mind-frame which is helpful or unhelpful here? Spirit- what are the unseen influences? What is the lesson or energy I need to ground into my experience?

1 = Situation

2 = Action

3 = Outcome

I like this one when I’m looking for the best action or decision for a situation. Situation- This is a one card assessment of how things currently are with regards to your question. Action- if the cards notes an action or movement, adopt that advice. If the card is more internal or reflective, perhaps let things unfold a bit. If the card is negative, if could be warning you of a tendency that needs changing or an outside influence. Outcome- How the situation is affected as a result.

1 = Past

2 = Present

3 = Future

This is good if you are looking at an ongoing situation and looking at how to move forward. Past- what energy was leading into the situation? Present- current energy Future- what to expect next

The Celtic Cross

The Celtic Cross can be used for greater personal awareness in a more complex, or for longer spans of time (a moon cycle, for instance).

1 = Present Situation

2 = Obstacle

3 = Root of the situation, foundational lesson or influence

4 = Past influence relating to the present

5 = Near future influence

6 = Far future influence, where things are going if you continue on this path

7 = Psychology, quality of your mind

8 = Relationships

9 = Hidden drives and fears— what is propelling you forward or holding you back?

10 = Outcome

Personal Advice on Finding Meaning in Cards

When you first lay out your cards, take note of any larger themes or impressions. What is catching your attention? Look for patterns of color or movement, are certain numbers or suits dominating? Do you have any major arcana, and if so in what position? What are the figures doing and how do they relate to one another? Are there certain symbols that are repeating? Look at your reading as you would a painting, see it as a whole before focusing in on details of it. This will help you to sense a cohesive message. Think of the cards and positions as ingredients of the larger message... if there are conflicting cards, perhaps they are noting an inner conflict. Major Arcana cards do have broader more dominating messages to them, and would have more importance than minor arcana.

Take your time and return to your breath and body if you feel overwhelmed. This allows you to be more receptive to messages. After you log your cards, Journal your impressions. You can always return to your reading and add additional insight.

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NOTES!

• Obviously only if you are using the Taroaro app. If not, please keep reading and take what you will from this site; our hope is for all of this to be a helper for the app but also, and increasingly, a resource for Tarot ideas more broadly; but I mean we'll see. If you are in the app and haven't found the keywords, go to the Deck list, tape on a deck and then tap on a card. There you will find a place to keep ongoing notes. You can also access whatever is written there from the card table if you're logging a reading by tapping a card and then tapping "toggle journal."

• All physical suggestions (take a deep breath, etc) are merely suggestions that have been known to calm the mind to some extent and help to create a kind of peace around the moment at hand: something that can be very helpful for tarot reading as well as any focused creative act.