How to Read Tarot Cards

May 07 , 2024

Vanessa LeMaistre

How to Read Tarot Cards

How to Read Tarot

 

Tarot has been around for thousands of years. Now while I’m not going to get into all of the history or even the technical aspect of it, the fact that it’s been around for so long speaks volumes. This has been used primarily as a divination tool and has assisted many people with many life situations.

 

People often misconstrue tarot reading with fortune telling when really it is more of a guide. It being a guide for what is currently going on now, in the recent past and the upcoming future; tarot can help you figure your future out.

 

There have been plenty of times I myself have been at a fork in the road and a tarot reading helped clarify my path and helped me decide what my next steps would be. I have seen this in countless people as well while reading them. Just the other day a women messaged me because the divination I picked up from reading her was suggesting for her to stop messing around with this guy. He was absolutely no good for her and the cards kept signifying the inevitable ending with him. She was grateful for her reading for had it not been for that she said she would have still been entangled with him right now and it would have been dangerous for her.

 

Proceed with Caution and Reverence

 

The tarot is a divination tool; that being said there is a Spirit that comes with tarot. The spirit of tarot if you will. It is not something that ought to be disrespected or taken lightly. This is a form of opening up a door into the spiritual realm that was previously not opened. This is okay, it’s just important to get into tarot if you are being called to do so and not simply for ego gratification. This divination tool is ancient, wise, and not a toy. It is here to help.

 

Like anything spiritual, it is good to take heed, caution and reverence with you.

 

· Tap into your Higher Self and be certain that you are in fact getting a tug to get into it.

· Embark on this journey organically and with your ego in check.

· When working with tarot practice the act of sacredness and approaching it like so.

 

Okay, so now you’re wondering how to read tarot. The way I am going to suggest is non-conventional. Yes, I suggest looking up the meanings of the cards as you are learning. Read the meanings in the booklet that comes with the deck. And if you’re overambitious, by all means join local groups and Meetups where you can learn from other tarot readers. This can sometimes be one of the fastest ways to learn as you are interpreting the cards while connecting interpersonally.

 

How You Read Tarot is Valid and How Others Interpret is Valid Too

 
 

I always recommend starting with the Rider Waite deck which is the traditional deck that was published in the early 1900’s. But if another deck is calling you or if one is gifted to you I would suggest to go that route. It does occasionally happen where you get a deck that you do not feel connected to and that is okay. Listen to your intuition on this one. For crying out loud, reading tarot is all about your intuition.

 

5 different people can read the same spread completely different and they can all be accurate. That is what makes this work unique. How the information comes through you will be different and how others read will be different and that is all okay.

 
 

Read the Tarot Cards Like You Are Reading Pictures

 

Yes, read the pictures in the cards. Utilize your intuition, your imagination if you will. Imagination is one of the greatest tools you have in the spiritual realm. What we may think is imagination, is usually real. Imagination is one of the most divine tools you have at your disposal. Again keeping your ego in check and not utilizing your imagination to sound cool or anything, but really let your imagination run wild is a key.

 

Remember when you were a kid and you would make shapes out of the clouds you would look at while lying down outside? It’s kind of like that. See what comes up for you when you look at the images in a card. Pay very close attention to what images are standing out to you. This is how you read the tarot. If it’s an archetype card or a card where the face is being shown, look at the expressions on the persons face to pick up the emotions of the person of question.

 

· Pay attention to the background details.

· Pay attention to what symbols, patterns, colors, and symbolism is sticking out to you.

· Pay attention to the feel of the card. What kind of energy is the image or archetype portraying?

 

You may not cognitively know why you are interpreting a photo in such a way, yet your intuition does. Your spirit guides know why and they and the spirit of tarot are all here to assist you in reading.

 

The more you know the logical aspects of the cards and the technical meanings, then you can combine this knowledge with what is coming up for you spiritually.

 

I like recommending to use both logic (knowledge of what the cards scientifically represent,) AND your intuition. So the right and the left sides of the brain. Finding a balance in how you interpret this way will be very beneficial for how you read.

 

Trust

 

You will meet many skeptics when you are reading tarot. Don’t let them throw you off. Remember, how one person interprets cards is valid. Especially if you are tapping in… tapping into your intuition and what symbols, messages, really anything that is coming up for you. Trust that. It is definitely coming up for a reason. This may be the single most important thing I have learned in reading tarot is to trust. Don’t question why. You have no idea how what one thing you may say can effect someone.

 

Oftentimes, it’s not for you to know why certain things are coming up for you to say, that’s for them. This leads me to my next point:

 

You are Simply the Vessel

Now with tarot trending, people can get very ego based and that is not what this is about. Sure give yourself credit where credit is due, especially if you really helped someone out spiritually. But do understand you are just the messenger and not God but a human just like the people getting readings from you. You are literally the conduit the messages funnel through.

 

I have found that when one understands this, their readings are better. The messages flow clearer. They take themselves out of it. Which makes sense because it’s really not about you. You are doing the work of Spirit and Spirit is using you.

 

You will be surprised at how much ego is prominent in the spiritual realm. Don’t be like them. Focus on what spirituality is about and that is spirit. Your spirit is one with all. This is why we are able to tap in and read for each other. This is why everyone is psychic to some degree, it is a matter of developing it. The more you tap into your intuition, the stronger it will get beautiful souls.

 

A really great way to start getting into reading tarot is reading for yourself. If you have a question about something, divine with the cards. There is no limit to what you can ask tarot. I also recommend journaling what comes up for you and write the date. This way, you can always refer back to that date and see for yourself how accurate this ancient tool has been for you.

 

Happy sacred tarot journey. Xo