Many people live with lots of uncertainties and seek clarity. By learning how to become a tarot card reader, you can solve people’s problems.
Despite being an old practice, people use tarot reading for self-reflection and guidance. This guide reveals important steps to becoming a professional tarot reader.
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1. Understanding Tarot Fundamentals
Before reading, you must understand the tarot’s structure, history, and symbolism. This knowledge will enable you to understand all other aspects of tarot.
The History and Evolution of the Tarot
In the 15th century, Italians made the first tarot cards for games. At this time, no one used them for fortune telling. However, during the 18th and 19th centuries, occultists in France and England began linking these cards with mystics.
These occultists claimed the tarot shared similarities with ancient Egypt’s symbols and myths. They also associated the game with Kabbalah, a Jewish mystical tradition.
Tarot became more popular in 1909 with the publication of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. Artist Pamela Colman Smith and occultist Arthur Edward Waite redesigned the cards, adding images to make them easy to interpret.
Cultural influence has led to the evolution of different tarot decks. Regardless, the varieties follow the structure and framework of the 20th-century cards. Understanding the tarot’s history can help you connect with the tradition behind evolution.
Tarot Deck Structure and Symbolism
A standard deck has 78 cards and two major sections. The Major Arcana has 22 cards representing life’s spiritual lessons and universal forces. These cards narrate the experiences of a soul passing through life.
The Minor Arcana is the second set, with 56 cards and four suits. They are:
- Cups represent emotions and relationships.
- Pentacles stand for material matters and finances.
- Swords signify intellect and challenges.
- Wands portray energy and passion.
Each suit has ten numbered cards and four court cards (Page, Knight, Queen, and King). These show different personalities and approaches.
The imagery on each card is significant. All colors, elements, symbols, and numbers influence good readings. For example, red indicates passion, while water represents the subconscious mind and emotions.
Different Tarot Traditions and Styles
Tarot cards have different traditions and characteristics. The modern Rider-Waite-Smith has detailed symbols and illustrations that deepen the connection. Aleister Crowley and Lady Frieda Harris’s Thoth deck has diverse symbols with hidden meanings.
The Marseille tradition uses simpler pip cards and more numerology. It has fewer details and focuses on subtle meanings.
Unlike in the past, readers can now choose any deck that suits them. Popular options reflect artistic styles, themes, and cultures. There are cards with minimalist designs and fantasy art. Some focus on specific mythologies, while others are more inclusive. Hence, it’s easy to find a deck that suits your style.
2. Choosing Your First Tarot Deck
Selecting your first deck influences your tarot journey. This decision creates your early learning experience. Picking a card that fits your personality enhances connection.
Popular Beginner-Friendly Decks
The Rider-Waite-Smith deck remains the first choice for beginners. Most tarot books and courses advise beginners to start with it. That’s because it has clear imagery with straightforward meanings. Scenes on the numbered cards have non-abstract symbols. Hence, it’s easier to interpret them intuitively.
However, due to the profitability of graphic design, people are redesigning new cards. The Modern Witch deck, which has more diverse and modern images, is another option for learning how to become a tarot card reader.
You can also try the Radiant Rider-Waite. It shares the same imagery as the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. However, it has colors that mark important symbols.
The Light Seer’s Tarot has a modern design and readable symbolism. But if you seek inclusivity, try the Numinous or Next World Tarot. These decks have diverse visuals and accessible meanings.
Connecting With Your Deck
Before choosing a deck, you must consider emotional and practical factors. Going for a deck you feel an emotional and visual connection with is important. Many readers have a special connection.
So, if you feel this intuition, follow it. It’s the first step in developing your intuitive skills. Intuition is a basic skill that can make or mar a reader. Before buying a deck, it’s advisable to study the artwork.
You’ll spend hours studying the images, so select cards with appealing visuals. All decks have guidebooks, but some are more concise. As a beginner, use a deck guidebook that teaches upright and reversed meanings.
Experienced readers recommend handling a deck before buying. Though you can’t do this when shopping online, you can view sample images. Sellers upload samples to enable buyers to assess decks.
Caring for Your Tarot Cards
After buying a deck, you must maintain it with care. Proper care keeps the deck in good physical condition, which ensures clarity. Readers often cleanse new decks spiritually by:
- Sorting and examining cards mindfully.
- Shuffling while forming an intention for work.
- Keep the deck with cleansing crystals or under moonlight.
- Applying sage or Palo Santo.
In addition to regular cleansing, store your cards properly. Keep them in a box, shelf, or cloth wrap to prevent damage. After intense reading sessions, air or cleanse them with clear quartz.
3. Learning Card Meanings and Symbolism
You need patience and dedication to identify and understand 78 cards. Having an organized learning structure simplifies learning.
Studying the Major Arcana
You can start with the Major Arcana cards. They narrate the Fool’s journey through life. These cards use powerful universal symbols to explain life themes and spiritual lessons. A simple learning strategy is to do daily tarot studies.
Every day, meditate on the image of a card. You can write down notes of personal encounters that relate to each theme. While at it, note the following:
- The traditional meaning and major themes.
- Symbolic parts such as objects, numbers, figures, and colors.
- Your reactions and associations.
- The connection between cards in a group.
The Fool’s journey has a framework in which the Fool (card 0) represents innocence and a fresh start. The World (card 21) shows completion and inclusion. Between these points, the Major Arcana progresses with situations that reflect human development.
Mastering the Minor Arcana
When you understand the Major Arcana, switch to the Minor Arcana. When studying, do not combine suits. You must note that suits depict elements and areas of life. Here is a breakdown of each suit and what it represents:
- Cups (Water): Signifies intuition, emotions, and relationships
- Pentacles (Earth): Portrays work, material concerns, and the body.
- Swords (Air): Stands for challenges, communication, and intellect.
- Wands (Fire): Shows creativity, energy, and passion.
Every suit has numbers starting from one ace, which represents beginnings. The numbers continue to ten, which denotes completion. Suits also comprise court cards representing their element or personality.
For example, the Knight of Wands shows adventure and a strong pursuit. When you make a spread of suits, identify patterns and note their significance. For example, aces and tens in all elements represent beginnings and completions.
Creating Your Reference System
To become a certified tarot reader, you must personalize each card. After learning the traditional meaning of each card, try to read with intuition. To do this, you must form a connection with all the cards.
Starting a tarot journal can improve the flow of connection. Your journal should contain:
- Traditional interpretations of resources
- Your impressions and interpretations
- Personal experiences in which you’ve seen the card’s energy
- Memorable readings with the card appeared
Noting these points helps to personalize their meanings. It’ll also help you identify situations or emotional states related to each card. Through referencing, you can develop a better understanding of minor arcana cards.
4. Developing Your Intuitive Abilities
In a tarot reading, you need knowledge and intuition. You can gain deeper insight when looking into a person’s life intuitively.
Meditation Practices for Tarot Readers
Meditation can sharpen your intuition and help you connect to the cards. Here are helpful practices to try:
Card meditation: Sit in a quiet place and select a card. Stare at its image and note the captivation. Picture yourself in the image. You can imagine yourself getting all the answers you need from the figures.
Visualization: Before reading tarot cards, picture a protective light around you. Tune in to your inner mind and feel your gut. This practice pauses logical reasoning, making your mind open and sensitive.
Grounding routines: You may feel nervous, so do something calming before each reading. Deep breathing or mindful walking works. You can also meditate to remove distractions.
Trusting Your Inner Voice
You may struggle to hear your inner voice when learning how to become a tarot card reader. People often confuse intuition with wishful thinking. Here are some characteristics of intuition to look out for:
- Quick impressions before you begin to analyze situations.
- Thoughts that return even when you dismiss them.
- Bodily sensations like a stomach knot or goosebumps.
- Sudden, clear mental pictures or words.
Try to observe such impressions without judgment. Reexamine your readings and check for accurate, intuitive hits. Identifying correct thoughts and intuition will help you trust your sixth sense.
Remember, intuition speaks in calm whispers. So, create a quiet space to hear these subtle messages.
Integrating Symbolism and Intuition
Becoming a powerful reader requires a combination of knowledge and insight. So, when reading, note traditional meanings and be attentive to:
- Outstanding symbols and images
- Connections between cards
- Words, phrases, or images that come to mind
- The card’s energy in your body
With tarot practice, you’ll learn to combine knowledge and insight. Then, you can reference textbook meanings while trusting your inner voice.
5. Mastering Tarot Spreads and Reading Techniques
Spreads refer to the layout of cards after shuffling. It organizes cards into random, meaningful positions. Interpreting spreads addresses questions and situations. When starting, use simple spreads to advance to complex ones.
Essential Spreads for Beginners
As a beginner, use single cards for guidance or simple questions. This practice forms a bond between you and individual cards. As you advance, explore three-card spreads to learn how they interact.
The versatile three-card layout can represent:
- Past, present, and future
- Situation, action, and outcome
- Mind, body, and spirit
- You, another person, and the relationship
After studying this, try the Celtic cross, a ten-card spread that explains it comprehensively. It also examines fears, influences, hopes, and potential outcomes.
Creating Effective Questions
When conducting a reading, ask open-ended questions. Close-ended questions with yes/ no replies limit deep exploration. For example, don’t ask whether you’ll get a job. Instead, asking, “What should I know about this job opportunity?” is better.
Frame questions that focus on what you can control rather than what will happen. Instead of “Will I ace my exams?” try “How can I improve my academic performance?” This approach will provide practical insights.
To respect privacy and maintain ethics, don’t ask about third parties. If you must, seek their approval first. Also, avoid asking about a medical diagnosis or time of death. These subjects cross tarot boundaries.
Reading Techniques and Interpretation Skills
Readers use different approaches to interpret spreads. But as a newbie, it’s advisable to stick to simple methods. You can explore various techniques when you become a certified tarot reader.
When starting, examine cards individually. Note their standard meaning and your inner thoughts. Next, find relationships like repeating symbols in cards. Check if there are many cards from one suit or several Major Arcana. Patterns are cues for themes.
Find the story in every set of cards. Tarot readings have common patterns of challenges, changes, and resolutions.
Cards like the tower or death hardly mean literal disasters. Instead, they reveal changes. So, be constructive when explaining cards. Focusing on turnaround and growth rather than scary things.
6. Practicing Regularly and Ethically
Regular practice sharpens skills, but understanding ethics will help you conduct responsible readings.
Daily Practice Routines
Regular and consistent practice is the best way to learn. A few minutes of practice daily beats random long hours. So, include a practice session in your daily routine. Here are ideas for a routine:
Morning card pulls: Ask questions like “What energy do I maintain or what do I need to know today?” Pick and interpret one card, noting its meaning and your impressions. Compare your reading to the day’s events.
Weekly reflections: Perform extensive weekly readings. Use the three or ten-card spread to reflect on personal growth and prepare for upcoming challenges.
Monthly reviews: Review your journal and note visible patterns at the end of each month. It’ll help you see how your reading evolves.
Reading for Others: Starting Small
As you gain confidence, read tarot cards for friends. Approach these early readings from a collaborative stance.
Joining local or online tarot communities and exchanging practice readings can help you grow. Such groups offer constructive feedback. Learn to accept feedback and note areas for improvement.
Identify accurate interpretations and those that fall flat. This information encourages growth. You can track your development by recording readings or taking. Your confidence and accuracy will improve as you practice.
Tarot Ethics and Boundaries
Following ethical guidelines provides balance and confidentiality. Consider applying these tips as you practice how to become a tarot card reader:
- Respect autonomy: Don’t tell them what to do. Allow them to decide.
- Maintain confidentiality: Keep whatever you read private. Don’t share content unless with permission.
- Acknowledge limitations: Inform clients that you interpret symbols. This will ensure they know you’re not making solid predictions.
- Set boundaries: Decide what topics are off-limits and tell your clients.
Remember that ethical reading sometimes means refusing to address certain topics. It could also mean redirecting questions to other professionals, like mental health experts.
7. Growing Your Tarot Practice Professionally
Being a hobbyist is fun but limiting. You can start making money online from this practice only as a professional tarot card reader. Since there are many professionals, differentiating your approach can help you stand out.
Continuing Education and Specialization
Tarot card reading is an art that requires you to learn continuously. You can advance your education through:
- Specialized workshops that teach important aspects. These can help you master court cards, specific spreads, or reversals.
- Enrolling in a tarot certification program.
- Studying disciplines like astrology or mythology improves your interpretation.
- Mentorship with experienced readers for personalized guidance.
You can specialize in specific reading that matches your interests. Focusing on a niche will define your offerings. Here are some niches to consider:
- Shadow work
- Career Guidance
- Relationship readings
- Spiritual development
Building Your Online Presence
All businesses, including tarot reading, can benefit from an online presence. Being active online makes it easy for potential clients to access your services.
Create a Website
Creating a professional website creates awareness for your reading business. It also helps to advertise your services and boost social proof through testimonials. A well-designed site also serves as a platform for booking readings.
However, for your website to be fully functional, you must use the best web hosting service. The best hosting services make your website responsive and secure. They also reduce server downtime and prevent your site from lagging.
Become Active on Social Media Platforms
Social media lets you share your tarot journey. TikTok spreads content to interested users and can make your videos go viral. You can share informational pictures on Instagram to teach your audience tarot reading.
Facebook is great for community building and interacting with other readers. You can post spread tutorials and share interpretations and tarot philosophy. Also, practice content creation through podcasts, blogging, or other ideas that show your expertise.
Offering Professional Reading Services
You can establish the following business practices for professional reading:
- Create an affordable pricing plan that covers your time and expertise.
- Develop reading plans with different price points. You can offer quick check-ins and detailed life path readings.
- Use a booking system to manage appointments and collect information before giving readings.
- Offer recorded readings, courses, or e-books to gain passive income streams.
Combining business skills and spiritual values can help you become a professional reader.
Conclusion
You must study, practice, and apply intuition when learning how to become a tarot card reader. Train yourself to understand traditional tarot card meanings while listening to your inner voice. You can practice with yourself and friends till you become confident.
Monetize your reading skills by offering online services. Selling tarot reading guides and resources is also a great way to earn passive income online. To remain relevant, you must continually study to gain more insight into imagery and symbols.
Next Steps: What Now?
Before establishing yourself as a tarot reader, here are a few things to do:
- Practice with family and friends till you’re confident.
- Keep learning, gain more skills, and get a tarot certification.
- Try different reading styles before picking one to master.
