How to Interpret Tarot Cards

Select a Tarot Deck. Different Tarot decks feature different symbolic systems. One of the most widely used and learned decks is the Rider-Waite Tarot, or one of its variations, such as the Morgan-Greer Tarot. However, the most important thing is to find a deck that resonates with you, so take time to explore various decks and read reviews to learn what others appreciate or dislike about them.

• Classic and popular decks are always available, but every year new ones are released, ensuring a wide range of options to choose from.
• The five most beloved decks are: Deviant Moon Tarot, Rider-Waite Tarot, Aleister Crowley Thoth Tarot, DruidCraft Tarot, and Shadowscapes Tarot.

Define your mission statement. Clarifying your expectations for your connection with the Tarot deck can greatly support you on your journey as a card reader. By visualizing the outcome you desire, you'll be better able to assess where you currently stand and which steps are necessary to reach your goal. Ask yourself about the purpose behind choosing Tarot or how you plan to use the deck to assist others. Your mission statement could reflect goals such as enhancing intuition, fostering creativity, or connecting with spiritual forces. This personal declaration varies from person to person, depending on individual intentions.

Channel your energy into the deck. The best way to do this is by holding the deck in your hands. Shuffle it several times. Organize the cards sequentially (from The Fool to The World, followed by each suit: Ace to Ten, then the Page, Knight, Queen, and King cards). In doing so, the cards become an extension of yourself.

Understand the workings of the deck. The Tarot deck consists of 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana cards and 56 Minor Arcana cards. You need to memorize and understand the symbolism behind each card, as well as its two mystical interpretations.

• Major Arcana: The Major Arcana represents archetypal images that symbolize the life stages and experiences everyone encounters. It tells the story of an individual's journey from birth, depicted by The Fool (a young, pure energy in the form of a soul), through various events and cycles, ultimately culminating with The World (the completion of a life cycle).
• Minor Arcana: The Minor Arcana represents people, events, emotions, and situations we face during our “Fool’s Journey.” It mirrors traditional playing cards with four suits, each tied to an element: Wands (Fire), Cups (Water), Pentacles (Earth), and Swords (Air). The deck also includes Queens, Kings, and Knights (or Jacks) for each suit, along with Pages or Princesses.
  • Be prepared to dedicate a significant amount of time to memorizing all 78 cards. Consider studying with someone who can use the deck like flashcards to prompt questions for you.

Find a good book to guide you. A well-written book that covers the basics of Tarot can be incredibly helpful when you're starting out. Some books lead you step-by-step by focusing on memorization, while others encourage active participation. Choose the one that best aligns with your learning style.

• Don't rely too heavily on books. While they provide valuable direction in your studies, remember to combine your intuition with the knowledge in those books to fully develop as a Tarot reader.
• Try this trick to incorporate your intuition while learning: Look at each card and think about what it means to you. Don’t worry about whether it’s “right” or not—just trust your gut. Then, check the book to see what it says. This will help you focus, break free from mere memorization, ease any concerns about misinterpretations, and allow your own insights to flow naturally through your connection with the cards.

Draw a card each day. You can choose a card simply to familiarize yourself with the deck or to gain insight into the upcoming day.

• To familiarize yourself with the deck. Pick a card at random and observe it for a while. Write down your first impressions and intuitive thoughts. Record these using one ink color in a journal or notebook. Then, use a different color to add information you find about the card from various sources (books, forums, friends). After a few days, revisit what you wrote and add your comments in a third color ink.
• Daily divination. Select a card at random in the morning right after waking up. Gaze at the card for a while. Notice its colors and how it makes you feel. Pay attention to the overall mood of the card and the emotions it evokes. Look closely at the figures in the card – what are they doing, sitting or standing, do they remind you of someone, and what feelings do you have about them? Focus on the symbols and what they bring to your mind. Write down your thoughts in your journal – later, you can review them as a learning tool and to track your progress.

Study the combinations of cards. For beginners, it’s crucial to view the Tarot not just as 78 individual cards but as a system of rules and interactions. Studying how cards combine will help you grasp this concept. Draw two cards from the deck and place them face up next to each other. Now, look at the imagery, positioning, or events in the combination of these two cards. You can also use more than two cards or an entire spread. The goal here is to study how the cards combine to deepen your understanding and build confidence when interpreting readings.

Arrange the star signs. The Tarot star signs are formed by all the cards that share a number (from 1 to 9). For example, the Tarot star sign for the number 4 will consist of the number 4 cards from each suit, the Emperor card (which is number 4), and the Death card (which is number 13 but reduced to 4 by adding 1+3).

• Arrange all the cards from a single star sign in front of you and ask yourself a few questions, such as: What do you feel about each card? What attracts you? What about the cards makes you uncomfortable, uneasy, or anxious? How do they compare and contrast, and what symbols seem to share common elements? Repeat this exercise for each suit across all 9 numbers and record your impressions in your journal.
• Understanding the energy of each card will help you interpret better when multiple cards of the same number appear in a spread. Rather than focusing on each card individually, you can focus on the energy they generate together.

Play a solution-oriented game. Review all the cards and pull out the ones that you find most challenging to interpret. Spend time feeling the energy of those cards to deeply understand the impressions they leave on you. Afterward, review the deck again and draw one or more cards that you believe offer solutions to the challenging ones.

• This game will truly help you develop skills that you can use when reading Tarot. When a difficult card appears during a reading and you want to assist the querent in resolving the issue, you can suggest another card that could offer a solution to the challenging one.

Tell a story. A Tarot reading is essentially a narrative you share with the querent. It is an attempt to highlight the influence of the past, understand the present circumstances, and predict the most likely future. The future you forecast is not set in stone and does not have to unfold as predicted. Remember, there is no definite or absolute outcome.

Familiarize yourself with different spread types. A "spread" simply means laying out the cards. A Tarot spread is a particular arrangement of cards, which plays a pivotal role in the interpretation. Each card's position within a spread carries a specific meaning, and your interpretation will depend on the layout and the context of the spread. For instance, many spreads include positions representing the past, present, and future, as well as others for inner emotions, specific challenges, external influences, and so on. There are hundreds of spreads you can experiment with, and seasoned Tarot readers often design their own. Try different spreads, especially those that can spark your imagination and intuition. The goal is to find a spread that resonates with you; many Tarot readers create layouts they believe work best for them.

Start with a three-card spread. The three-card spread is perfect for answering straightforward questions, emphasizing simplicity, and is ideal for beginners. Set the layout in advance, arrange the cards, and apply the knowledge you've learned about the meaning and relationships of the cards to tell the story.

• Some layouts for interpreting situations include: past/present/future, circumstance/obstacle/current advice, where you stand/what you desire/how to achieve it and what helps you/what hinders you/what hidden potential you have.
• Some layouts for interpreting relationships include: you/another person/the relationship, opportunity/challenge/result, what brought you together/what pulls you apart/what you need to focus on and what you wish for from the relationship/how your relationship will evolve.
• Some layouts for interpreting inner life include: mind/body/spirit, material state/emotional state/spiritual state, you/your current path/potential path/stopping/starting/continuing.

Separate the cards. To begin the 21-card spread, you must separate the Major Arcana and Minor Arcana decks.

Shuffling the Cards. Begin by thoroughly mixing each deck of cards, focusing on channeling their energy. Lay the cards out in a grid format: three cards across in one row and seven cards down in another, with an additional card placed off to the side. This spread utilizes all the cards from the major arcana while leaving some from the minor arcana. The remaining cards are then stacked together for use later.

Record Your Impressions. Write down the names of the cards you’ve laid out. Select the word that best describes the essence of each card and jot it down beside the card.

Examine the Imagery on the Cards. What do these images evoke in your mind? Try to piece together a story from the patterns you observe, as if you're flipping through an illustrated book and guessing the plot. These patterns can appear horizontally, vertically, diagonally, or flow from the first card to the last. The card placed to the side highlights the most crucial element of the situation.

Pose Questions. Ask yourself which situations in your life or the querent’s life might be symbolized by the cards before you.

Consider Alternative Possibilities. Look for narrative threads that present different outcomes to the scenario you've initially sensed, exploring how these possibilities could lead to a better or worse resolution.

Review your interpretations. Reflect on the interpretations you’ve made for each card. How well do they align with the stories you just told?

Summarize all the steps. Combine the insights you've gained from each step into a single interpretation. You may be surprised by how much more accurate your reading becomes when you follow the guidance of the deck.

• Remember, if any aspect seems to carry a different meaning than what’s written in the book, feel free to use that meaning. Trusting your intuition is a correct way to read Tarot cards and something you'll naturally do as you gain more experience. Follow the whispers of the cards.

Store the deck properly. Tarot cards can absorb negative energy, affecting your ability to interpret them. It’s best to keep your deck in a black cloth pouch or a wooden Tarot box. You can add crystals or herbs to enhance the spiritual energy.

Decide who can touch the cards. Whether or not to allow others to handle the cards is a personal choice. Some readers encourage this—often suggesting that the querent shuffle the deck to channel their energy into the cards. Others prefer to keep only their own energy flowing into the deck.

Cleanse the deck. There will be times when you need to cleanse your deck to dispel negative energy. There are several ways to do this, but one simple method is to use one of the four elements. When using this method, start by fanning the deck out like a hand; if a deeper cleanse is needed, you should work with each card individually:

• Earth. Bury the deck, wrapped tightly, in sand, salt, or earth for 24 hours. Alternatively, you can spread the deck on a cloth and sprinkle salt and/or sand over it for one or two minutes or use a blend of basil, lavender, rosemary, sage, or thyme.
• Water. Lightly sprinkle the deck with water, herbal tea, or an infusion of herbs, then dry it off or place the deck under moonlight at a safe spot until midnight.
• Fire. Briefly pass the deck over a lit candle flame, being careful not to burn it. Alternatively, leave the deck in a safe place under sunlight for half a day.
• Air. Sweep the deck over an incense stick five or seven times, or take a deep breath and slowly exhale into the deck three times.