Have you got a Tarot deck tucked away in your bedside drawer that’s been collecting dust because you don’t know what to do with it?
Or perhaps you’ve been playing with your Tarot cards, but you’ve never really taken it seriously enough to do a ‘real’ Tarot reading for yourself?
Or maybe you’ve been doing your best to learn Tarot, but you’re struggling with how to bring it all together into a meaningful and accurate Tarot reading?
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the Tarot.
I mean, there are 78 Tarot cards to learn, hundreds of Tarot spreads to master, and loads of different techniques to use in a Tarot reading.
It’s no wonder those Tarot cards keep collecting dust!
But I want to make it easy for you.
Because I know how enjoyable and enriching it can be to read your own Tarot cards.
So if you’re ready to start reading Tarot for yourself with clarity, pay close attention as I walk you through the 5 steps to an accurate and insightful Tarot reading.
Step 1: Create the Space
Before you even pick up the Tarot cards, make sure you create the right space for a clear and accurate Tarot reading.
Create the physical space by clearing away any clutter and laying out your favourite things – candles, statues, incense, crystals, and of course, your Tarot cards.
And create the spiritual space by taking in a few deep breaths and meditating for a couple of minutes, clearing your mind of any worries or concerns from the rest of your day.
Ask your guides to be with you during the reading. Or set a clear intention for what you want to experience in your Tarot reading.
Step 2: Get to the Heart of the Question
Having a clearly articulated question is important in creating an accurate and insightful Tarot reading. If we’re not sure about what we’re asking, it’s a lot harder to find a clear answer.
Start by writing out what’s on your mind right now. What’s the issue or concern? What’s getting in your way? What would be an ideal outcome for you? What do you need to know from the Tarot reading to manifest that outcome?
Next, formulate the overall question that you have for the Tarot. It might be “What do I need to know about changing my career path?” or “How can I improve my relationship with my partner?
Avoid closed questions like, “Will I?” or “Should I?” (There’s so much more to Tarot than just answering a Yes or a No.)
Instead, aim for open-ended questions that empower you to take action to manifest the goals you want.
Step 3: Choose Your Tarot Spread
Some readers will choose a Tarot spread, then come up with a question. But not every spread is suited to every question or topic.
So if you have a specific question, look for the spread that is going to best answer that question.
Personally, I love creating my own spreads. Simply break down your main question into a series of ‘mini questions‘, and voila, you have your very own customized spread.
For some simple, beginner 3-card tarot spreads, check out this post >>
Step 4: Do the Tarot Reading
Shuffle the cards, concentrating on your question and the spread you’ve chosen, then lay them out.
First, look at all of the cards, as a whole picture. What patterns and themes emerge? What’s your general sense from looking at these cards? You might already to be starting to form the ‘story‘ in the cards as you look at the entire reading.
Then, work through each card. Remind yourself of the position the card is in (i.e. what ‘mini question’ does it relate to). Then gaze at the card and see what intuitive insights come to you first. Is there a symbol that stands out to you or that reminds of you something? Think about what’s going on in the card and whether it might be a metaphor for what’s going on in your life.
Remember, it’s OK if it’s different to what you’ve read in a book – your intuition is speaking to you right now.
If you still need more information about the card, reflect on what you know about the card, from what you’ve read in books or online. And if you’re absolutely desperate, look it up in your trusted Tarot book (but this is a last resort!!).
Move on to the next card and rinse and repeat.
As you start to move through the cards, you may notice some connections between the cards – similar symbols, themes, messages, and so on. These connections are what create the story in the reading and what really lift up the reading to the next level.
Finally, come back to your question, and summarize what you know now based on the reading, answering your original question.
Step 5: Take Note and Reflect
Take a photo of your reading and note down your key insights. You’ll want to come back to this in a week or a month or even a year, so you can reflect on what has come to pass and what this tells you about your Tarot cards.
Keep in mind, too, that sometimes the messages don’t make sense to you right away, but as you return to the reading later on, you may find that it resonates more clearly with you – perhaps you just weren’t ready at the beginning to hear those messages.
Over to You
Take these 5 steps to an accurate and insightful Tarot reading and do your own Tarot reading. I’d love to hear about your experiences – share them in the Comments below.
Image up top by Leptailurus-Several via DeviantArt
