Laura's Blog

The tarot can be used as a divining tool by reading cards that are selected unseen from a deck, and interpreting the interaction of the cards and their positions in a spread (specific layout), with reference to issues of importance in your life.

Tarot decks normally contain 78 cards, 22 of which are referred to as the Major Arcana and depict the major changes on our path through life. The remaining 56 cards, known as the Minor Arcana, expand on these themes. Like a pack of playing cards, the Minor Arcana are made up of four suits - wands, representing the spirit/fire, cups the emotions/water, swords the mind/air and pentacles the physical world/earth - numbered 1 to 10, Page, Knight, Queen, King. Some decks use different names for these suits, and others substitute Prince and Princess for Page and Knight, but most of the qualities represented by the cards are similar.

The first commercial deck - the Rider Waite deck - on which many modern decks are based, was produced in 1910 by A. E. Waite. The tarot has continued to grow in popularity, and modern printing methods ensure that it is becoming available to anyone who wishes to explore its uses. This is not to say that everyone understands the tarot - only study and personal growth can help to reveal its many mysteries.

The tarot can be used to map out trends in your future. It cannot give you definitive answers, but it can tell you what is likely to happen if you follow your current course of action. Some tarot readers do have clairvoyant abilities and they may see you with three children, but the final choice is yours. There is nothing to stop you using contraception after your second child, or using none after your third. The future is in your hands and no one else's.

You can ask a specific question before a reading. Sit quietly for a moment while connecting to a higher purpose, then ask. The tarot can clarify the subject, allowing you to make a decision based on an understanding of the related issues, but it does not contain a Yes or No card. If all you want is a yes or a no, then it may be better for you to use the pendulum.

Choosing a deck
There are many tarot decks available. The Rider Waite deck is widely used, as many people feel that the energy of each card is portrayed very clearly. The Tarot of the Old Path is popular amongst those who are drawn to white witchcraft and nature-based religions, and the Cosmic Tarot is useful for those who prefer a deck with fewer symbols.

When first learning to read cards, choose a deck that has pictures on each of the cards, including all the Minor Arcana cards. Many decks have only symbols of these suit cards, which makes it much more difficult to memorize their meanings. Using a deck that is based on the traditional Rider-Waite tarot may make the most sense until you are a confident and seasoned reader.

Remember, when selecting a deck use your intuition and choose one with which you feel an affinity.

There are many tarot spreads that you can use, and most tarot books include at least a few examples. There is no need to use a wide range of spreads. Pick a few that you feel comfortable with and develop your understanding of which situations they are best used for. When doing a reading use your intuition to decide which spread is best - you don't necessarily need to know why.

How to start reading the tarot

The easiest way to learn how to read the tarot if you feel attracted to it is to buy a deck of cards and study the pictures, read the occasional book, do some practice readings on a trusted friend and bear the cards in mind as you go about your daily business. Everyday situations may call to mind certain cards, and making these associations will help you to get a feel for the tarot.

You may have an inherent understanding of some cards, whereas it may take you years to gain a deeper knowledge of others. Reading the tarot can be compared to learning a new language. You begin by studying individual cards, as you would learn individual words. You then become aware of how the cards in a spread interact, which can be compared with learning to put words together to form sentences.

As you practise speaking a new language you become familiar with its nuances and notice how different inflections can change the mood of a sentence. Tarot cards, like words, can have very different meanings dependent on where they appear in a sentence or spread. Many study the tarot purely for personal use, laying out a spread only when they wish to understand a situation in their lives. The tarot can help to clarify what is happening, making their options clearer and giving them the confidence to move on.

Books can help you on your quest to read the tarot but the main learning comes from within. Trust your intuition.