Essential Tarot Tips and Techniques For Beginners

Essential Tarot Tips and Techniques For Beginners

Learning Tarot can feel frustrating at times, but with these essential Tarot tips and techniques, you’ll have the best chance at learning to read Tarot with ease.

One of the biggest reasons people fail to learn how to read Tarot cards is that they try and reach the finish line before they’ve even left the start line. Tarot is a journey and an exploration of the self as much as it is a skill. Find out how you can ensure success when learning to learn to use this amazing tool.

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Choose The Right Tarot Deck

My first tarot tip is to find a tarot deck that you feel connected to. It could be a deck that you love the theme of or maybe you really connect with the imagery. 

For many, a great starting point is the Rider Waite Tarot deck, because this is the deck that most guidebooks and courses will use to teach beginners. There are loads of different versions of this deck, so there are plenty of options to choose from! 

I always encourage my Foundational Tarot students to get a Rider Waite deck to start with because if you can read with this deck, it makes it 100 times easier to read other more contemporary Tarot decks. 

The most important part of choosing your first tarot deck though is making sure you love it. I have a pretty sizeable collection now and there are decks that I thought I’d love that I barely use and decks I bought as a novelty and absolutely adore. 

If you can buy your decks in person that’s amazing, but there’s no harm in buying decks online. Just make sure they’re genuine as there are a lot of fakes on places like Ebay and Etsy.

Choose your preferred form of learning

The biggest mistake I made the very first time I was trying to learn Tarot, was not paying attention to the method of learning that came most natural to me. I am a very visual learner, meaning that I learn best by watching something be done or by visually being talked through something such as in the form of presentations. 

I don’t learn well through just reading. I struggle to follow written instructions, so trying to learn how to read Tarot from just a guidebook proved to be a no go. I wasted a lot of time on trying to learn from just books and because I struggled so much I started to believe that Tarot reading just wasn’t something I was meant to learn. It turns out it was just that I was trying to learn the wrong way for my brain.

If you’re not sure how you learn best, I suggest looking at something called VARK. This is an acronym for all the different versions of learning. V for visual, A for auditory, R for reading and writing and K for kinaesthetic. There’s a great quiz you can do on the Arden University website here to help you figure this out.   

Once you know what type of learner you are, you can then look for ways to learn Tarot that best suit you. For example, if you’re a kinaesthetic learner you’ll learn best through practice and actually doing the skill, learning as you go. So, looking for practice spreads and doing daily card pulls to learn the meanings of the cards will be perfect for you.

To help you even more, here are some suggestions on how you might learn tarot based on your preferred learning: 

Visual – Watch YouTube readings or Tarot readers offering collective readers on Instagram. Choose a tarot course that teaches via video and visual prompts such as the Foundational Tarot Course. 

Auditory – Explore Tarot podcasts such as Tarot For The Wild Soul or the Energetic Tarot Podcast. There are also a few teachers out there that offer audio lessons that would also be great for you. 

Reading & Writing – Books, Guides and Workbooks are your best friend. I have a Major Arcana Workbook that is a perfect first step into learning Tarot which you can find here. 

Kinaesthetic – You’ll learn best by actually practicing and pulling cards rather than writing down or trying to memorise meanings. A great way to do this is searching for Tarot spreads on places like Pinterest and putting them into practice. Make sure you have your deck’s guidebook to hand to help you.  

Psychic Tarot Readings

Ignore the preconception that you need to be psychic

It’s like a deeply rooted preconception that Tarot cards can predict the future but I believe that’s not possible. Why? Because that would mean the future is set in stone, which then takes away your free will. 

Trying to live up to this reputation is one of the reasons many people either don’t start to read tarot or give up. They feel like they have to have a ‘gift’ or that they have to be psychic in order to be a ‘genuine’ tarot reader. You do not. 

Tarot cards illustrate the subconscious. They reflect back to us what is really happening and can cut though any conscious blocks we unknowingly place in the way. There’s no need to have psychic powers or be able to converse with spirit guides. All human beings are wired into the collective unconscious whether we know it or not and that means anybody and everybody can learn to read tarot. 

This also means there’s less pressure to get things ‘right’. What comes to you is what is meant to come to you. Even when reading for others. If you simply interpret the cards, the subconscious fills in the blanks and creates the meaning of a reading. 

Start building and trusting your intuition

I couldn’t offer tarot tips without touching on intuition. It’s something we all have and it’s also something that we can work to strengthen over time. The reason we use our intuition in tarot reading is because it is the purest line we have to the unbiased truth. 

As we move through life we are moulded by our experiences. We see the world through the lens of the hopes and fears we have in the moment, so our intuition is our one true source to cut through the noise and get to the truth. 

Your intuition will feel unique to you. There’s nobody that can say ‘this is what intuition feels like’ because it depends on the individual. For me, my intuition feels like a pull deep in my gut. Like someone dropping a penny in a well, it’s very physical. For some though, their intuition may come in the form of a voice in their head, or maybe just an intense ‘knowing’. More often though it can appear as a combination, which is why tapping into your intuition is not as easy as it sounds. 

A good way to start identifying what your intuition feels like is by taking action on instinct. Start small, we don’t want you burning all your bridges without any logical reasoning. try going for a walk and instead of planning your route, choose directions based on where you feel you ‘want’ to go. Try and pinpoint where that feeling appears within your body or mind and look out for feelings in that area as you progress.   

Once you know where to find your intuition, it then becomes about trusting that intuition to guide you. Another task easier said than done. 

The good news is, learning tarot reading or even working with Oracle cards, are great ways to strengthen and build trust in your intuition. The more you do card pulls or readings and work on trusting your interpretations, the more you’ll be able to trust your intuition in your daily life. 

Some other ways to start trusting your intuition are to keep a journal. At the end of each day – or even in the moment using the notes app on your phone – write down how you followed your intuition and where it lead you. 

The more you can build a record of your intuitions guidance and the outcomes, the more you build tangible evidence that your intuition is in your corner. 

Learn about the history of the Tarot and how it has been used in the past

One of the reasons I make sure to teach a bit of tarot history in my beginner tarot course is because it’s important to understand where the tarot originally came from. The more you know about something’s history, the more you understand why it takes the form it does in the present. 

With tarot cards, it’s important to understand all the different evolutions it has moved through and how it has become the tool for introspection that it is today. It also means you understand the symbolism and meanings of the cards much more deeply, which helps with your learning and interpretations. 

It’s also important so that you can understand where the myths and legends of the tarot. You can see where the taboos and misunderstandings come from as you trace the cards journey all the way from the 14th century to the 21st century. 

Remember when I spoke about the Rider Waite tarot deck in the first half of this article? Well that deck in particular pulls various elements from the history of the tarot cards. There’s not only christianised iconography in forms like The Devil and the archangels, but there’s also astrological symbolism taken from some of the very first iterations of the tarot or Tarocchi as it used to be known. 

In my opinion, if you want to learn how to read tarot, you need to be open to learning about its history as well.

Don't try and read too many cards too soon

Tarot Tips Learn The History

Ah yes, a tarot tip I could have really used at the start of my own journey. Trying to read too many cards right when you’re just starting out is a recipe for disaster. I like it to trying to eat an entire chocolate cake Matilda style in one sitting. You can only consume so much, especially when you’re first starting out. 

I always encourage my tarot students to take the course slow. There’s no rush to master tarot and if I’m being honest, I don’t think you ever stop being a student of the tarot. I’m still learning new ways to read the cards and interpret combinations I thought I had pinned down. 

If you try and learn all 78 meanings in one sitting, your brain will give up. A human brain can only process and retain a set amount of information all at once, so taking your time and learning 2-3 cards at a time is your best chance of really becoming a seasoned tarot reader. Yes it takes more time, but slow and steady definitely wins this race. 

Another reason to take things slow and not try and learn or read too many cards all at once, is because it will cause frustration, which will then make you more likely to throw in the towel.

There were a good three or more times before I finally learned to read tarot that I had tried and failed. I tried to learn all the cards in ones sitting or memorise the meanings from a book and the more I tried to study, the more frustrated I became and then eventually gave up. 

It was only after doing an online video course where the tutor specifically stated that you should only do one lesson a day and even better, a week, that I started to make progress. The truth of the matter is, you are more likely to succeed if you take things slow and see progress, then if you try and cut corners or race to the end and continuously get frustrated with yourself.  

Practice as much as possible

Practice makes perfect. The tarot tip non of you want to hear but it’s true. How can you ever master a skill if you don’t practice? Especially a skill like tarot reading. It’s imperative that no matter if you’re learning through a course or just winging it with your favourite guidebook, if you don’t make time to actually practice readings then you’re not putting what you’ve learned into practice and it’s wasted. 

Start small. Do one card pulls for yourself each day and try and interpret the card within the context of what might happen that day or what has happened if you do it at the end of the day. Build it up slowly until you’re doing basic past, present and future spreads regularly. 

If you want to read for others then enlist the help of your friends and family, or seek out willing strangers online to give free readings to. The more you do these readings the more confident you’ll be and the more you’ll be able to really trust that intuition we were just talking about. 

*Tried and Tested Tarot Tip: When I was first learning I was really reluctant to do readings for people, so instead, I’d choose my favourite movie/TV characters and do imaginary readings for them. It worked wonders and helped me build my confidence.

Identify patterns in the visuals, meanings and structure of the tarot

Like I mentioned earlier when talking about the history of the tarot cards, there are a lot of symbols, meanings and iconography locked within the meanings of the cards. Often, you’ll see these things carried across different decks, so no matter what the imagery or style of the illustration, you’ll be able to recognise something. 

Some popular imagery are symbols like astrological signs or planetary signs. In the Rider Waite tarot deck in particular you’ll see a lot of Christian symbology such as angels, the devil, Adam and Eve and judgement day. However there’s also other religions locked within the symbology such as Judaism and Egyptian beliefs – a mix of both of these can be see in the High Priestess card with her headdress reflective of the Egyptian goddess Isis and the Torah grasped within her hand.   

As well as more spiritual symbolism, in modern tarot reading we also see a lot of influence from the Scientific world, specifically psychology and Carl Jung’s theories. We see this most often in the structure of the Major arcana and how it puts us into contact with Jung’s archetypes. 

The main things to be aware of are; the presence of cycles such as the cycle in the major arcana moving from The Fool to The World and then back to The Fool, symbols such as the four elemental elements, animals and structures, numerology and astrology. 

Don't try and 'prove yourself' to others

Tarot Tips Proving Yourself

It’s unavoidable that you’ll at some point come across the sceptics that just want to test you or catch you out. But, if you’ve followed my previous tarot tips about not trying to be ‘psychic’ and concentrating on your intuitive interpretations, you’ll have nothing to worry about. 

But, it doesn’t mean that you won’t come across the feeling of needing to ‘prove yourself’ to others. Of course, if you’re reading for the public you want to give them the best service possible, but as a tarot reader your job is to interpret the cards. you’re not there to tell someone what they want to hear or make up stories to seem like a mystical fortune teller. We are channels for the vulnerable truth and so we can’t get distracted by the expectations of others. 

One of the things I love about encouraging people to build a tarot practice that feels authentic to them and one that they can use for themselves, is that you are free to ignore what other people may think of you. You don’t have to worry if someone hears something they like because you are reading for yourself, so there’s no expectations to compete with from external sources. 

If someone doesn’t believe in tarot, nothing you do or say will sway them. It’s also not your responsibility to convert people into believers, you’re a lover of tarot, not a missionary. If someone wants you to ‘prove’ that you can read the cards, what they’re actually asking for is for you to prove that you can tell the future, and we know that’s not what we’re about. 

Explore the ways other tarot readers read the cards

I fully credit my current Tarot practice to readers like Melinda Lee Holm and Lindsey Mack. Listening to their podcasts, watching them do readings on Instagram and lives fully formed me as a tarot reader. 

It’s the same thing when you buy different tarot decks. The author will always offer up meanings for the cards that are uniquely theirs, which helps you to gain a whole new perspective on meanings you though you already knew.  

Getting readings from other readers is also a great practice, because it gives you first hand experience of someone else’s techniques and approach. Absorbing these things you can vastly improve your own interpretations and continue to get better and better at your readings.

It also helps to get readings from others purely because it can be tricky to really get to the heart of something on your own!

Start a tarot journal

My number one tarot tip above all others is to start a tarot journal. 

There is nothing better for someone who is starting to learn tarot then to write down their findings when they work with the cards. I do a little series over on my paid Substack where I go through my old tarot journal and breakdown how I would read the cards now compared to how I read them when I wrote the entry. I’ve learned so much from doing that, even as a professional reader who has been reading tarot for years now. 

Journaling with your cards also allows you more space and time to explore the interpretations that come up for you. Those intuitive pulls you you feel, those feelings you get when you see a certain card, in your tarot journal you can make a note of all of it. 

If you’re not already familiar with tarot journaling, you’ll be pleased to hear that I have a completely free workshop on it. It takes around 30-45 minutes to complete and shows you how to start a tarot journal from scratch, offering tasks you can get stuck into straight away. 

So that’s it! That’s all the essential tarot tips I think you need to really get the best start with learning how to read the tarot. 

If you’d like to find out more about my beginner Tarot course, you can do so here. 

Or, if you’re still not sure if Tarot is the right tool for you why not give my free tarot taster workshop a go? It’s a 2-part self-led video workshop that gives you an amazing introduction to learning tarot and what you can expect if you choose to take a course. 

You can also find a quick and easy quiz here, to help you decide if tarot is the right tool for you and your needs. So much to explore! I hope you enjoy.

Try your hand at Tarot Journaling with this free workshop!

How Do You Read Tarot For Beginners?

How Do You Read Tarot For Beginners?

How do you read Tarot for beginners? It’s a question that many new to the world of cartomancy will undoubtedly ask…

Tarot Reading can seem daunting at first because you feel like you have to memorise 78 different meanings for each of the cards. Although that’s true to some degree, it’s not as scary as it sounds and there’s plenty of ways to master the Tarot without losing your mind.

 

One of the first things to understand is that originally Tarot was a simple card game. It was created as a status symbol. Aristocracy created a series of carefully hand-painted cards to passively show off their wealth. It’s only within the last few hundred years that Tarot became associated with fortune telling.

Many therefore think they have to be psychic or have some sort of ‘gift’ in order to be able to read Tarot but you do not. There’s actually many different ways you can choose to get started with Tarot reading. It might be that you only want to read for yourself, or maybe you do want to offer fortune telling for clients.

Modern sciences like psychology also play a big role in our current Tarot landscape. This is an angle I prefer to read from. A more psychological and quantum physics angle. I’m not a very naturally sciencey person, but I get the most value out of researching the connections between science and the spiritual, particularly within the Tarot. 

So, when it comes to answering your question ‘How do you read Tarot for beginners’ I will try and answer it as best I can. Let’s get started. 

Can you teach yourself to read Tarot?

Of course you can!

Learning to read Tarot is like learning any skill. If I had to compare it to something I would say it’s a bit like learning a language. You have to learn about structure and context, then you learn the meanings of the cards, a bit like learning words. Only with Tarot you have beautiful illustrations to help you translate. 

In my experience, and I tried to learn Tarot for years before I actually committed to learning to read Tarot properly, courses are your best bet. I found that buying books wasn’t enough for my very visual way of learning. I also needed practice tasks laid out for me in order to get to grips with reading. Tarot courses are also great because you can get feedback on your readings to see if you’re getting the basics right.

 Even self-led courses like the Energetic Tarot Foundational course has the option of getting in touch to chat about anything you might find confusing or complicated.

Teaching yourself is hugely rewarding, plus there’s no better person to practice on than yourself.

You can make mistakes and find your own rhythm in your own time.

The thing to make clear about teaching yourself Tarot is that there are ‘traditional’ meanings we all apply so that we’ve got knowledge to build on, but it’s using your own experiences and intuition to interpret the cards that really makes you a Tarot reader.

Is it hard to learn Tarot cards?

how do you read tarot for beginners

I’m not going to lie and say that it’s easy, because of course its not. You’re essentially learning a whole new language and having to form connections with part of your brain you don’t usually connect to.

But, it’s not impossible and learning Tarot should always be fun. If you find you’re trying to force yourself to learn Tarot and you’re not enjoying yourself, take a break and think about whether it’s the right medium for you. There’s loads of different ways to do divination, from Scyring using obsidian mirrors to Oracle Cards and even Runes.

If you want to be good at reading Tarot, the key is practice. Mountains of consistent practice. That’s why I always push my students to take up Tarot journaling right from the beginning. Creating a consistent Tarot journaling routine will instantly put you on the right path towards mastering the Tarot cards. 

Another thing I tell all my students is to take your learning journey slow. Your brain can only process so much information at a time, which means you’ll actually learn Tarot quicker by learning the cards in smaller doses. 

How Does Tarot work?

This question will gain a different answer depending on how you ask. In truth nobody really knows, but there are plenty of valid theories. The theory I subscribe to most is that the Tarot has a way of tapping into the subconscious mind. Like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible coming down from the ceiling on that wire.

The Tarot has a way to sneak past all of our mental defences and gains access to the darkest and most well protected parts of the self. This then allows us a direct line to talk to the subconscious self and ask it questions so we can get answers and find a deeper sense of clarity and understanding.  

The way in which the Tarot does this is a combination of intuitive feelings, personal paradigms, collective unconscious knowledge and known archetypes. It uses shared human experiences and the way individuals view the world and their place within it, to highlight things we would usually miss. 

Tarot gives us a birds-eye-view of who we are, why we are the way we are and why we think, feel and do the things we do. It’s like a best-friend and therapist hybrid, not qualified to offer medical advice but knows you well enough to offer relevant guidance. 

Do Tarot cards need cleansing?

Do Tarot cards need cleansing

One of the ways Tarot cards work is by representing energy. Plus, your own energy when reading can be a huge factor in how you interpret the cards. Because of this constant energy exchange, I always recommend cleansing your cards once in a while. 

The main way we cleanse the Tarot cards before each use is by tapping or even just shuffling. I always like to give my cards a quick tap three times with the heel of my palm. This helps to knock out any stagnant energy that might be lingering in an unused deck or clear off any mixed energies in an overused one. 

A good practice is to keep a bit of clear quartz or selenite on top of your deck or in your deck bag. These crystals are known for their purifying qualities and they can keep the energy of your Tarot deck fresh when not being used. 

Another way to cleanse your deck is by running it through the smoke of dried sage or rosemary. I like to do this as a sort of ‘deep cleanse’ every six months or so, as I keep my own decks fairly energy neutral through using those previously mentioned techniques. 

How do I start my first Tarot reading?

Shuffle - How Do You Read Tarot For Beginners

The best way to take those very first steps in Tarot reading is to start small and ask a specific question. For example, you may start your day by asking your Tarot deck “What should my focus be for today?”. Shuffle your deck – especially if you’ve just got new cards and they’re fresh out the pack – then choose a card for guidance. 

Once you’ve mastered one card Tarot pulls, you can start adding more cards to your readings. Add one extra card to make a two card spread and assign a purpose to each of your two cards. An example of this would be if we asked the same question as before – “What should my focus be for today?” – then we would pull two cards instead of one. You might assign the first card the purpose of telling you what you should focus on, then your second card could expand on that and offer how you can do it. 

As you get more and more confident you will start increasing the number of cards in your readings. The three card, past, present and future spread is the most popular amongst beginners and professionals alike. But, like I mentioned before, it’s best to take things slow and steady.

What questions to ask Tarot cards?

I always recommend asking a specific question when working with Tarot, mainly because I use the cards in a very psychology-centric way. Asking a question therefore gives the subconscious an area of the mind to focus on, rather than trying to sift through libraries of information to find the right thing. 

When it comes to what questions to ask your Tarot cards, the general rule is to avoid any questions that can only result in a simple yes or no answer. For any yes or no questions, it’s best to use something like a pendulum, rather than the more complex Tarot cards. 

It’s best to follow the 5 W’s & H rule when asking questions of the Tarot. This is the rule that your questions should begin with either; what, when, where, who, why and how. These questions allow room for expansion and exploration. Particularly the ‘why’ which is something that can be extremely eye opening when using Tarot. 

For example, I often ask my cards ‘why’ I feel a certain way and it gives me the opportunity to really unravel complex thoughts and feelings in a more in-depth way.

What's the best Tarot deck for beginners?

When it comes to the best Tarot deck for beginners, there’s no doubt that it is the Rider Waite-Smith Tarot deck. This is the Tarot deck that most modern and contemporary Tarot decks use as a foundation for their meanings. If you can read Tarot with a Rider Waite-Smith deck, then you’ll find it a lot easier to transition to other Tarot decks with different illustrations. 

It also helps that the Rider Waite-Smith deck is available world-wide in some form or another. Plus, there’s many different versions that are identical or at least extremely similar. I’ve got the Pamela Coleman Smith Centennial Rider Waite-Smith deck and I also have The Original Rider Waite deck. Some other popular versions are the Universal Waite Deck and the Radiant Rider-Waite Tarot Deck.

If you really don’t vibe with the Rider Waite-Smith illustrations, then there are lots of more modern takes on the same imagery that might be better suited. For example, The Light Seer’s Tarot Deck follows the same structure as the Rider Waite-Smith deck but with updated illustrations. The same goes for the very popular Modern Witch Tarot Deck

Whichever deck you choose to go with eventually, the most important thing to keep in mind is how a deck makes you feel. I have a great number of decks that I’ve collected or been sent over the years. However, there’s only a handful I love to use because their illustrations genuinely interest me. My favourite deck is the Pagan Otherworld’s deck, which perfectly taps into my love of classic oil paintings and that renaissance art style. 

Choose a deck that makes you want to do a reading every time you see it! 

When should you not do a Tarot reading?

Arguably, there’s never a ‘bad’ time to do a Tarot reading, however there is a bad mindset. If you are feeling especially low, are having less than kind thoughts about yourself or others, it might be good to not pick up your deck.

Remember when we touched on cleansing your Tarot deck? We touched on how working with Tarot is an energy exchange between you and your cards. This means if you are radiating negative energy then you are more at risk of getting it back. It’s also because when you are in this frame of mind, you might not be seeing things as clearly as you should be and you don’t want to do a reading that is going to make you feel worse!

It also goes without saying that doing a reading when intoxicated can also be less than clear. Nobody wants a drunk Tarot reader, not even if you’re doing a reading on yourself. 

Again it all comes down to doing readings with a clear head. This is why it’s always best to do a little meditation before doing a reading. The calmer and more clear headed you are, the easier it will be to do a reading and the more beneficial that reading will be. 

If you’re ever unsure as to whether you should do a reading, especially for yourself, ask yourself “Do I feel energetically capable of offering or taking guidance right now?” if the answer is no, walk away. 

Get started with Tarot with this free 2-part workshop

How To Create a Daily Tarot Reading Practice | FREE Workshop

How To Create a Daily Tarot Reading Practice | FREE Workshop

How do you create a daily Tarot practice?

A daily Tarot practice doesn’t have to be time-consuming, it can be as quick as you need it to be. How is that possible? Let me show you…

Creating a daily Tarot reading practice can benefit you in a mountain of different ways, including:

  • Feeling more confident in your capabilities

  • Feeling more grounded and present in your daily life

  • Feeling more self-assured about what you want to achieve

  • Feeling more secure in uncertain or turbulent times

  • Feeling less out of control of your own life

And this is just the tip of the iceberg, the surface-level benefits that you’ll start to see and experience day to day. Long-term daily Tarot can even help completely shift the way you see the world, transform how you see yourself or even how successful you are in your endeavours.

This guide will show you how you can make a start by creating a daily Tarot practice.

Don’t be fooled by the name though, these ideas are transferable to other divination cards such as Oracle cards, it’s up to you and your personal preference on which type of deck you use.

“These things will help you understand the ‘how’ of your daily tarot readings.”

Creating a daily Tarot practice with intention and purpose

Daily Tarot Practice - Routine

First things first, create a routine with intention and purpose. The key to this is knowing exactly what you need from your daily Tarot practice. Everybody is different so one routine may work for one person and be a terrible fit for another.

In order to decide what you want your Tarot practice to bring to the table, ask yourselves these three simple questions:

What am I lacking in my current self-care practice?

What do I often lose sight of or forget about?

How much time in my schedule am I able to make for this daily practice?

What am I lacking in my current self-care practice?

This question aims to show you what you might be overlooking in your current self-care practice. Maybe you don’t even have one to begin with!

When answering this question, think about what you give to others that you don’t give to yourself. Maybe even what you give to things like work, hobbies etc.

For example, you may find that all of your mental energy goes into thinking about work, in which case you would note ‘mental energy’ as something you are currently lacking and need to divert into your self-care routines.

Once you’ve got an answer to this – or answers plural – write them down in a notebook or journal. These things will help you understand the ‘how’ of your daily tarot readings. This means that you can create spreads or conduct readings that focus on those specific parts of your life or even day.

For example, if I identified that I was lacking mental energy in my self-care routine, I may choose to use my cards as a meditative tool, picking a card and meditating on its messages.

If you find that you are lacking more emotional energy, then you may choose to journal about the emotions that come up when you pull a card or use your cards to inspire a creative outlet like painting or creative writing.

What do I often lose sight of or forget about?

These things are often the things our subconscious wants to protect us from or hide from us. We might not consciously realise we’re avoiding something or we may be choosing to ignore it. Either way, these things are often what need our attention the most.

We might not consciously realise we’re avoiding something or we may be choosing to ignore it. Either way, these things are often what need our attention the most.

When creating a daily tarot routine, these things need to form the ‘why’. Whatever answers you uncover from asking yourself this question will be why you need to create this daily practice.

Maybe you often lose sight of what you already have in favour of coveting what you don’t. In which case your ‘why’ would be gratitude. Your practice is needed because you need to bring more gratitude and self-awareness into your daily life.

How much time in my schedule am I able to make for this daily practice?

Time, we all seem to need more of it, or do we? Just some small shifts and readjustments could give us an extra 5 minutes here or another 15 there.

It’s important your daily Tarot routine can fit in with the things that take priority. Understanding how much time you have to spend will give you a clear answer to when you can do this daily routine.

The best way to figure this bit out is to keep a daily diary for a few days.

Make a note of how long you spend on certain tasks and see if there is anywhere that you could speed up or use your time more efficiently.

Do not slip into the glorification of busyness. Being ‘busy’ is often seen as an indicator of importance, the busier you are the more important you are.

This is not true.

Be 100% honest with yourself and your time expenditure, you’re not trying to prove anything to anyone, you’re simply mapping out your days to see where you could fit your daily tarot readings.

It’s important your daily Tarot routine can fit in with the things that take priority.

Making the routine stick

Consistency is key in making any routine stick. It’s believed that it can take around 21 days to form a habit, so use this as a rule of thumb when getting started with any new daily practice.

Now that you’ve answered those questions from earlier, you should know why you are creating a daily tarot reading routine, how that routine should look and when to sit down and do the routine from start to finish.

Write down your routine step by step, and make it simple and easy to follow so anyone can do it. This makes it super easy to get into a rhythm and ensures a greater level of success in making it stick.

Try and aim for the same time every day if you can. Again, this just helps to tell the conscious and subconscious mind when it’s time to press pause and focus on your reading.

It can take up to 28 days to form a habit and even longer to make it stick, so if you fall off the wagon one or two days here and there, don’t beat yourself up about it.

The best way to ensure you stick to your daily tarot practice is by making sure you see results.

Tracking your daily Tarot’s benefits

Daily Tarot Practice - Tarot Benefits

Any routine is only valuable if it benefits you in some way, otherwise, why else would you continue to do it?

Before you start your routine, take a second to just centre yourself. Think about how your body feels, what’s happening inside your mind, whether your mood is low or whether you’re stressing about anything in particular. I recommend jotting down a couple of bullet points just to get it out into the open, the Energetic Tarot Journal is great for this.

Once you’re finished with your routine, go back and do the same checks again. Make a mental or physical note of what’s changed, whether you feel better or whether you feel worse.

One thing I will say is remember that you are ever-changing. Your goals will change, your priorities will change and all of these changes can affect your why. Remember that ‘why’ you discovered earlier? That won’t be your why forever and that’s ok.

Make sure to set time aside every few months to do a quick check to see if your intention and purpose behind your daily practice is still aligned. If not, how could you recalibrate your routine to better suit who you are now?

Start To Build a Self-Care Tarot Practice | Free Workshop

The Cards You’re Dealt, A Conversation With Theresa Reed (The Tarot Lady)

The Cards You’re Dealt, A Conversation With Theresa Reed (The Tarot Lady)

I was recently contacted by Weiser Books about Theresa Reed’s (The Tarot Lady) new book, ‘The Cards You’re Dealt’. I was asked if I wanted a free copy of the book and an interview with Theresa herself. I jumped at the chance.

Something I love about Theresa’s approach to the Tarot is that it’s grounded in reality. It focuses on the present and dealing with the shadow side of life just as much as the good stuff.

Like me, she focuses on balance and using Tarot in a practical way, to support and guide the self through the many challenges real life throws at us. Something her new book ‘The Cards You’re Dealt’ deals with in spades.

Many Tarot readers today have to push back against the traditional tropes the Tarot and readers have been given over the last few hundred years. This can make it tricky to show people just how influential and supportive Tarot can be with modern life and real, human situations.

“I think a lot of folks have the impression tarot is focused on the ‘tall dark stranger’ trope, but it’s not accurate.“ says Theresa.

“Many people seek tarot readings when they are in pain. Tarot can be a helpful tool for sorting out emotions and finding better, healthier ways to deal with life’s ups and downs.“

Whenever I talk to other Tarot readers I’m always curious as to when they had that realisation. When was the moment they realised that they could use the cards for something more than just a bit of fun or a quick check-in?

“I don’t know if there was a specific ‘aha’ moment. The truth is, I was simply doing my work and these topics were as common as questions about love at my tarot table.“

“Many people seek tarot readings when they are in pain. Tarot can be a helpful tool for sorting out emotions and finding better, healthier ways to deal with life’s ups and downs.”

Theresa has been reading for the public for over 30 years now and her experiences with her clients have taught her just as much about what the Tarot can aid with, as practising in the privacy of her own home.

When it comes to reading for the public, something that I worry about is the ethics that come attached to the practice. There are many amazing readers who simply want to help others, but there are also a lot of fraudsters out there who want to take advantage of those in a vulnerable emotional state.

Something I loved about ‘The Cards You’re Dealt’ was that it hits you with a disclaimer straight out of the gate.

“Please Note: Tarot is never a substitute for therapy, grief counselling, legal advice, health-care advice or other professional services…” — The Cards You’re Dealt by Theresa Reed

Dealing With Difficult Topics 

As the subject of the book is so sensitive – guiding you through using Tarot for grief and more of life’s toughest battles – I was so happy to see that Theresa had made sure to keep ethics at the forefront of her offering.

One way that I use Tarot and how I started to use the cards, is to support my mental health. I have depression and an anxiety disorder, something I’ve had since I was around 13. I’ve used Tarot cards alongside professional services like counselling, psychotherapies and other talk therapies for years.

I asked Theresa why she felt the cards were such a great accompaniment to these professional therapies.

“I feel that talking is one way we can heal. More therapists are adding tarot and oracle cards to their practices because they can see their potential for healing through conversation. The cards are perfect for inspiring people to talk. When we do that, we have the power to rewrite our stories. I think we’ve only just begun to see where Tarot is going. There is so much more it can do – and I cannot wait to see how it continues to expand in new ways.“

This new book from Theresa really feels like a crutch for those times in life when you have battles only you can fight. It’s for when you are surrounded by people and yet feel completely alone.

In the book Theresa talks about her career as a Tarot reader and how she has worked with a variety of clients to find more clarity and comfort during their biggest life challenges. She outlines some real-world examples of how Tarot has helped her own clients but doesn’t shy away from some of the frustrations of being a reader.

Something any Tarot reader will know is that when you first start out – before you find your groove – you’ll get a lot of people looking for those fortune-telling style readings and questions about love and lust. Theresa talks about her preference for working with more hard-hitting questions for readings.

“I find these topics more compelling for Tarot readings rather than the standard “Will I get married?” type queries.” — The Cards You’re Dealt

How Tarot Can Help us with the Nitty Gritty of Life

Although Tarot is great for those types of questions, it’s the gritty stuff in life that Tarot can really help dig down into. I asked Theresa what the biggest differences were between the clients who ask the more surface-level questions, compared to those who want to really explore the more sensitive problems in their lives.

“The biggest thing that sets these types of readings apart is that folks who come for the ‘will I get married’ type questions view it as entertainment, and, in many cases, they assume the future will somehow just ‘happen to them,’ which can make them passive. They will then sit around, waiting for things to happen ‘to them’ instead of taking a proactive approach.”

Tarot is all about the balance between passive and active energies. Like manifestation, to really get the most from Tarot readings – whether you do them for yourself or get readings from others – you need to be able to take action on the guidance the cards offer.

“When people come to a Tarot reader to talk about serious stuff like illness or loss, they’re looking at what they can do to move through the situation with grace. They aren’t lounging around hoping for an outcome. Instead, they realize how precious time is and are looking to make the most out of living, right here, right now.”

“Tarot can also show you when you’re headed toward burnout. Sometimes that’s hard for them to recognize, especially when they are knee-deep in responsibilities. A Tarot reading might say ‘Hey, you’re doing too much. Slow down.’”

The book ‘The Cards You’re Dealt’ is split into two parts, the first showing those who are new to the cards how they can get started. The second is where the real magic takes place.

Theresa offers a number of different spreads and guidance around many tricky subjects. For example, there is a ‘Recovery Spread’ for those in recovery from an illness, addiction or surgery. There are also spreads for grief, caregivers and even to help make sense of natural disasters.

One aspect that I found most interesting was the focus on caregivers. As someone who has family members who require care, who are caregivers and who offer care in a more professional capacity, this is something that is at the forefront of my mind.

How Caregivers Can Benefit From Tarot

I asked Theresa what it was about caregivers in particular, that made them some of the best benefactors of Tarot guidance.

“Caregivers are constantly giving, and they often ignore their own needs. I know this story all too well. Tarot can help caregivers recognize what they need – and learn how to take better care of themselves so they can continue to support the people who need them.”

“Tarot can also show you when you’re headed toward burnout. Sometimes that’s hard for them to recognize, especially when they are knee-deep in responsibilities. A Tarot reading might say ‘Hey, you’re doing too much. Slow down.’ That’s a message caregivers need to hear but may have trouble hearing. I’m back in caregiving mode at this time, and I found some of my old habits of over-giving creeping back in. I’m using Tarot to reel myself back on track!”

Something that Tarot has taught me, and something I see my workshop students and group members learning as they go, is the concept of cycles and how to manage them. It’s the consistent turning of life and the repetition of cycles that often throw us through a loop and leave us confused about which way we’re facing.

Things like caregiving and especially grief and hardship, can all drive home the harsh realities of the cycles we move through in life. Theresa speaks to this a lot in her book. I asked her about any patterns she’s noticed over the years reading for the public. I asked if there have been any changes in the way we approach the idea of beginnings, middles and ends since she first started reading for others.

“I have found when it comes to loss, the main thing people struggle with is regrets. ‘I should have done this differently’ or ‘I wish I would have said…’ are two sentiments I’ve heard over and over from people dealing with grief. That’s why I think it’s so important to be fully present in the moment, especially when you’re with loved ones.”

“I never go a day without talking to my children and letting them know I love them. I had challenging relationships with my parents, so there were unresolved issues when they passed, and although enough time has passed, and I’ve released that energy, I never want to experience that with my children.“

In the book, there is a section where Theresa talks about our modern approach to things like grief that I found really interesting. In it she says,

“Our culture has a fear-based view of dying and grief. As Megan Devine says in her book ‘It’s OK That You’re Not OK: “The way we deal with grief in our culture is broken.” We treat it like it’s a pile of dirty clothes that needs to be laundered and put away as swiftly as possible. ” — The Cards You’re Dealt

What I took From ‘The Cards You’re Dealt’ from The Tarot Lady

In 2021 I lost my grandmother to a stroke, this was after not being able to see her due to the pandemic and only having seen her once between my arrival back in the UK in 2019, and when we went into lockdown in early 2020. I won’t pretend that I had a healthy approach to the grief I dealt with and I could have probably used this book back then.

I did exactly what Theresa spoke about, I acknowledged it and cleaned it away as quickly as possible so I could get on with everything else in life. I could relate to a lot of what Theresa touched on in the book about the difficulties people face around grief, and it got me thinking about how I could have used my cards better during that time.

Using Tarot for grief is something that I have never given much thought towards. Probably because I have such a resistance to dealing with my own grief. During this time though I did try and be more mindful around my self-care routines and mirrored that with access to professional services.

Often in these times, turning to the wellness industry seems like the most obvious thing to do. I’ve noticed a very slow and gradual uptick in Tarot being used within ‘wellness’, but I was curious to hear Theresa’s thoughts on the trajectory of Tarot’s place within this trending space.

“For the wellness industry, I hope they respect Tarot and don’t treat it like the yoga pose of the month. It has a rich history, and I’d love it if they would learn about that. Also, I do worry about some folks encouraging people to forgo therapy in favor of self-care. While self-care is essential, and Tarot can be a vital part of that, neither is a substitute for professional treatment.”

With social media and the internet, the line between medical practices and wellness can easily become blurred. Something we don’t want to happen is for Tarot to be positioned as a ‘fix all’ tool. Like Theresa says here, neither self-care nor Tarot readings should be used as a substitute when you need more professional support.

I know from experience, that there is a time and place for everything. If I had relied solely on my wellness practices to manage my mental health I would have gone backwards instead of forwards. Tarot and self-care are tools that can help support and guide you, but they are not medical or psychological treatments.

It’s important as Tarot readers, that we make sure to keep Tarot in its lane. To ensure that it is represented in the most authentic, ethical and beneficial way possible.

Exploring Tarot’s Shift into the Mainstream

I spoke to Theresa about the rise of Tarot into the mainstream wellness movement:

“While I appreciate Tarot being more ‘mainstream,’ I worry it will get watered down to placate the masses. I’d like it to remain a bit edgy, rather than becoming metaphysical muzak. Maybe that’s the old-school punk rocker in me. Or perhaps it’s because I have seen some folks with the whole ‘positive vibes only’ mindset trying to remove the so-called ‘negative’ aspects of Tarot. Life is a full spectrum with all sorts of experiences, both good and not-so-great. Tarot reflects all of that. Why would we want to ignore the hard stuff?“

The focus on ‘love and light’ is something that I was inundated with when I first started out. Like Theresa though I knew straight away that I didn’t want to just be another person on the internet telling you to raise your vibe all the time. As a human I struggle with the shadows, both medically and just within my personality, so ignoring that side of my humanity and preaching ‘love and light’ would not have been an authentic thing for me to do.

I think that’s why I’m so much more drawn towards the Tarot than Oracle cards. To me, Oracle cards are marketed more as a ‘high vibe’ tool, with Tarot as the tool for the nitty gritty. The Tarot, as Theresa said, is a little bit edgy because of its ability to not shy away from the darkness of the human condition.

“While I appreciate Tarot being more “mainstream,” I worry it will get watered down to placate the masses. I’d like it to remain a bit edgy, rather than becoming metaphysical muzak.”

I’ve learned so much about myself from the Tarot over the years. I’ve learned why I do what I do, why I think the way I do and how to sort through my thoughts when I’m in a spiral. It has given me a huge sense of empowerment that I would have struggled to cultivate otherwise.

When asked about what Tarot had taught her, Theresa said: “I am not powerless. I have agency. I can make different, better decisions. This is my biggest takeaway from Tarot.“

I couldn’t agree more.

You can find Theresa’s new book ‘The Cards You’re Dealt’ online at Weiser Books in the US or pre-order it over on Amazon UK if you’re based in the UK. Here in the UK it will be released on November 28th 2023.

*Disclaimer: I was sent a free copy of the book in advance for PR purposes.

The Tarot Major Arcana Cards

The Tarot Major Arcana Cards

Master the Major Arcana cards with this beginner-friendly guide to all 22 of the major cards.

The Major Arcana refers to the first 22 cards in a traditional Tarot deck. It runs from The Fool all the way to The World and represents the major themes all humans have to move through within the cycle of life.

If you are new the world of Tarot cards and Tarot reading, then you may be wondering what exactly the Major Arcana is and what makes it so special? 

These 22 cards are some of the most widely recognised cards out of the 78 card deck. They are frequently used in the media when representing the Tarot. We all know the cards Death, The Tower and The Devil. These are all part of the Major Arcana.

If you are new the world of Tarot cards and Tarot reading, then you may be wondering what exactly the Major Arcana is and what makes it so special? 

These 22 cards are some of the most widely recognised cards out of the 78 card deck. They are frequently used in the media when representing the Tarot. We all know the cards Death, The Tower and The Devil. These are all part of the Major Arcana.

So what makes these cards so special in a deck of 78 cards? The Major Arcana hold a lot more weight than they’re Minor Arcana counterparts.

They represent the major life lessons and themes and the major archetypes we all come across in the cycle of life. They set the overall tone for a reading and provide an anchor as we move through the other cards in a Tarot reading spread.

What does the Major Arcana represent?

The Major Arcana is called as such because ‘Arcana’ means lessons or knowledge. These cards represent the ‘major’ knowledge and lessons we as humans need to move through life. The other 56 cards in a traditional Tarot deck are called the Minor Arcana cards, because they represent the ‘minor’ life lessons and knowledge. 

Another way to think of these two sections of a Tarot deck is that the Major Arcana is the umbrella and the Minor Arcana is everything that sits underneath.

These 22 cards are also seen as archetypes. If you’re not familiar with what archetypes are, they are a term used within psychology to refer to the universally understood symbology of a pattern of behaviour. 

Something we go back to time and time again in Tarot is psychologist Carl Jung’s breakdown of archetypes. Particularly the four main categories of; The Self, the Persona, the Shadow and the Anima/Animus. 

What are the 21 Major Arcana?

Temperance_Tarot_Card_Reading

The Major Arcana is numbered from 0 to 21, meaning that in total there are 22 cards within the Majors. These cards all run from The Fool – which is given the number of Zero – and ends with the final card, The World – which is given the number of 21. 

One way of seeing the Majors is in a table of three rows. This is often referred to as ‘The Fool’s Journey’ and positions The Fool as the hero of the Major Arcana cycle. He then goes on a journey where he encounters each of the archetypes locked within the 21 other Major Arcana cards. 

With each meeting he is faced with a new challenge. When we read the Major Arcana cards, it can be helpful to put ourselves in the position of The Fool in this respect. It can help us better understand why a Major card has made an appearance in our readings. 

The Major Arcana, like all of the Tarot, is a cycle. Once you reach the card numbered 21, you then circle back and start a brand new cycle with The Fool back at position Zero.

This represents our natural life cycles. We are never stagnant, life is always moving, throwing ups and downs our way. This is what we face within the journey of the Major Arcana. 

The Major arcana therefore tells the story of the self. If we apply those four archetype’s from Jung’s work then we can see this a little more clearly. 

Going back to that Fool’s Journey, the first line of the Majors represent the self, the second could represent the persona and the final representing the shadow with the animus and anima sprinkled throughout to add dimension. 

The Major Arcana Cards

0 The Fool

The very first card in the Major Arcana. This represents new beginnings and freedom.

1 The Magician

The second card representing creation and manifestation.

2 The High Priestess

The third card which represents spiritual exploration and mystery.

3 The Empress

The fourth card which represents fertility, nurturing and self-love.

4 The Emperor

The fifth card which represents our personal power and authority.

5 The Hierophant

The sixth card which represents our beliefs, habits and traditions.

6 The Lovers

The seventh card which represents our duality and our unconscious and conscious.

7 The Chariot

The eight card and the card of independence and exploration.

8 Strength

The ninth card representing inner strength and self control.

9 The Hermit

The tenth card meaning isolation and introspection.

10 Wheel of Fortune

The eleventh card representing fate and destiny, the things out of our control.

11 Justice

The twelfth card meaning our subjectivity vs objectivity and truth. 

12 The Hanged Man

The thirteenth card which represents stress, perspective and suspension.

13 Death

The fourteenth card representing change, transition and transformation.

14 Temperance

The fifteenth card representing balance, willpower and moderation.

15 The Devil

The sixteenth card representing our vices, addictions and materialism.

16 The Tower

The seventeenth card in Majors representing chaos, destruction and fresh starts.

17 The Star

The eighteenth card referring to our hope, direction and optimism.

18 The Moon

The nineteenth card representing our subconscious, dreams and shadow self.

19 The Sun

The twentieth card representing joy, success and abundance.

20 Judgement

The twenty-first card referring to thresholds and make or break moments.

21 The World

The final card of the Majors, the card of completion and ascension.

Learning the meanings of the Major Arcana

To help you learn the core meanings of all of the Major Arcana cards, here is a little infographic that acts as a quick and handy cheat sheet. These are the traditional meanings of the Tarot cards and meanings can vary depending on what deck you are using. These are ideal for any Rider Waite deck or a deck based on the Rider Waite meanings. 

If you’ve got a taste of the Tarot and you’re looking to see if Tarot reading is something you want to dive into a little more, then make sure you sign-up for my free self-led workshop below. 

 

The Major Arcana Infographic Tarot Meanings

A Tarot Spread For a Mid-Year Review

A Tarot Spread For a Mid-Year Review

We all love to set big goals at the beginning of the year, but as it goes on they get left behind in the past. How often do you check in mid-year to make sure you’re on the right track to meet those goals? How many times have you forgotten that you even had goals?

The next time you find yourself wondering ‘what Tarot spread should I do?’ think about when the last time you checked in with yourself was.

This mid-year review is the perfect Tarot spread to help you do just that. Review the energies that have got you to this point and what you can expect to cultivate as you move forwards.

Whether you do this 6 months into the year or 10 months into the year. There is no wrong time to sit down and make space for a bit of self-reflection.

Want to really get stuck into this work and connect with your most authentic self, all while building a consistent Tarot practice? Make sure to check out the Tarot For Reconnection Workshop.

Card 1 – What you entered the year with

This position shows you what energy you sprang into the new year with. It’s a good time to reflect on this and assess why you had that energy to begin with, whether it’s still present and if not, when and why did it disappear.

This is so you can see how you’ve changed from the person you used to be compared to the person you are at this present moment.

Card 2 – What has been driving you

What is your motivation for getting to you are right now? This card will show you what your main driving energy is, and what’s fuelling you as you work towards the end of this year.

It’s a good shout to see if this is even an energy you want to harness and be a vessel for. It might be that this energy is not at all what you were trying to achieve. If so, then now is a great time to see how you’ve got to this point and how you could change things.

If it is an energy you’ve been trying to harness, then review what steps you took to get here and make a note of anything you observed along the way.

Card 3 – How have you approached this year so far

This is the energy you’ve been using to attack the year so far. Card 2 shows you the energy that has built up naturally over time, but this is conscious energy. You’re actively using this energy to move forward.

Again, is this energy what you were trying to use or has it evolved into something more? Do you think this is the right energy to be wielding? Do you think it is helping you or is it hindering/slowing down your progress?

Card 4 – A lesson that you’ve learned

This card represents a key lesson that you’ve learned so far this year. Take a look and try and identify what this might be referring to and what difference it has made.

Maybe this lesson has completely changed the goals you have for yourself. Maybe this lesson has made you rethink some aspects of your life or of yourself. Dive into this lesson so you can see how it has impacted you.

Card 5 – A lesson that you’re about to learn

This card shows a lesson that is currently open to you. It’s one that is on the horizon should you keep moving in the direction you are currently. This lesson may be something that really challenges you or could even derail you.

How do you feel that this lesson is on its way to you? Do you feel a need to change direction in order to avoid it? If so why? If you’re ready to face this lesson head-on, why?

Card 6 – Your goal for the rest of the year

This is the energy you are able to harness should you embrace everything the rest of the year has in store for you. This is a great card to sit with and really absorb the energy it is offering.

How does it feel? Is it a welcome energy? Does it make you feel excited or scared? Make sure to dive into any thoughts or feelings that appear and pick them apart as much as possible. Try and get to the root of why this energy is so important for you right now.

*To help you dive into this a little more, I have a free workshop all about using Tarot For Goal Setting here. 

 

Tarot Spread Mid-Year Review

Tarot is such a powerful tool for self-reflection and also taking care of your overall well-being. If you’d like to find out how you can better utilise Tarot or Oracle cards in your self-care routine then why not explore my FREE ‘Creating a Self-Care Tarot Practice’ deep dive lesson?

What the Queen of Pentacles Can Teach us About Organic Growth

What the Queen of Pentacles Can Teach Us About Organic Growth

The Queen of Pentacles has such a deep nurturing meaning that many overlook. She’s on par with The Empress in my eyes, just a much more practical version. She’s like your biggest cheerleader. She’s the loving mother that tells you that you can do whatever your heart desires. She wants what’s best for you.

Something we can take away from the Queen of Pentacle’s energy is a lesson in organic growth. This is something I spoke about at length in episode 38 of The Self-Care Tarot Podcast which you can listen to here:

In summary, the Queen of Pentacles helps to ground us in reality. She cultivates the ground from which we can grow in a way that is natural and aligned with our soul’s purpose. That sounds a bit airy, but it means that there is no rush to become who you are eventually meant to be.

It’s about the journey, not the destination

When we embrace the energy of the Queen of Pentacles we make a commitment to ourselves. We promise that we won’t force change, nor will we reject it. We commit to going through whatever comes up. Grow through what you go through vibes.

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Grow through what you go through
— Queen of Pentacles

Organic growth is all about the growth you don’t actively chase. It is what the universe guides you through and a lot of the time we don’t even realise it’s happening.

That’s why taking on the energy of the Queen of Pentacles is so important. She helps to give us the space to stop, reflect and understand what we’ve been through and how it has changed us.

Cultivating the Environment for growth

If you’ve ever done a bit of gardening you’ll know that if you try and plant something in an inhospitable environment it won’t grow. The same applies to ourselves. We can’t grow and develop if we are not consciously creating an environment where we can do so.

With the Queen of Pentacles, we are bringing together the deep emotional energy of elemental water and the grounding and supportive nature of elemental earth.

Together we get this safe space to really open up and be vulnerable. We are safe and secure allowing us to be able to be 100% honest with ourselves. The perfect environment for review and reflection, two key elements in growth.

How to do this Queen of Pentacles work

The most essential part of Queen of Pentacle’s work is creating time and space for you to sit and reflect. Once here, you can give yourself a Tarot reading, do some self-reflecting meditation, and maybe even write some poetry or paint. Whatever helps you really tap into what you’ve been going through.

*Why not do this work in my digital Energetic Tarot Journal? There’s plenty of space each week for you to really get stuck in and start to connect with your own organic growth.

An example of this would be if you’ve just gone through a period of grief. Making this time for yourself to reflect and process can help you better understand your loss, what you’ve learned through it and even help you express emotions that were hard to accept at the time.

Remember that organic growth is allowing the changes that happen naturally to occur. We don’t fight anything, we simply give it the space to pass through unchallenged.

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We are safe and secure allowing us to be able to be 100% honest with ourselves. The perfect environment for review and reflection

 

In the podcast episode all about organic growth and the Queen of Pentacles, I offer some journal prompts. I want to offer them up to you again.

Prompt 1: Let’s start with an analysis of your ability to let go of control. It’s a big part of allowing for organic growth so here we go. Write down 10 times you have made plans or set goals and the universe has directed you in a completely new or opposite direction.

Prompt 2: Go through your list and write down how you coped with this. What did you do instead, how did it feel to have your original plans scuppered by fate? Once you’ve done that, highlight or mark off how many of those reactions were positive and how many were negative.

Prompt 3: Looking at your list again, do you have an abundance of positive or negative reactions to those redirections? If you have an abundance of positive reactions, why do you think you reacted that way? If you have an abundance of negative reactions, why do you feel you had those reactions instead of something more positive or optimistic?

Prompt 4: Finally, for any negative reactions write down what positive outcome came from that redirection.

So for example, if you had the plan to reach the most senior position at your work but then the company went under and it made you redundant. You probably won’t have had an overly positive reaction to that because you just lost your job, but positive outcomes of that might have been that you learned what you did and didn’t want from your career.

You may have realised you’ve been in the wrong career all along or you ended up working at a place you love even more because you were forced to look elsewhere by fate.

Your Guide to Tarot and Numerology

Death Tarot Meanings Thirteen

Numerology can be a key to unlocking an even deeper level of meaning for your cards.

Explore how the mystical world of numerology could help you expand your Tarot reading practice. Add more meaning and depth to your readings and get more out of the cards than you ever thought possible.

WORDS: Cat Crawford

IMAGE: Egor Myznik

 

When I teach energetic Tarot I always mention the many different symbologies we can draw meaning from. Tarot and numerology are one of the first things I break down for my students. This is because it was the key that unlocked so many more meanings and understanding for me personally.

By understanding the esoteric meanings of the numbers 1-9 I managed to differentiate between cards that had previously seemed the same and found meanings in cards that I only had a surface level understanding of. 

When you think of any esoteric practices, there will be a way to link them to your Tarot readings. Whether it’s astrology, Kabbalah or alchemy, all of these different threads can be tied together. Numerology is just the beginning rabbit hole you can go down.

If you want to learn more about numerology with Tarot and how to use it, keep reading. Plus, make sure to share the infographic so more people can discover the power of numerology within the Tarot.

What is Tarot numerology?

Tarot numerology is how we find meaning in the numbers that are assigned to the cards. The major arcana are numbered 0-21 and the minor arcana run from 1 or ace to 10. Understanding the numerological meanings of these numbers can help us dig even deeper into the meanings of the cards.

The way I teach Tarot numerology is a Westernised version. If you’re more interested in Eastern ideologies, you might want to research those numerological meanings. Although there may be some similarities, there are also a lot of differences.

In numerology, we start with the first nine numbers. These are single digits and form the very foundations of all numerology. If we are working with a card that has double digits, we add the digits together until we have reduced that card’s number back down to a single digit.

Example:

In the major arcana, The Sun card is assigned the number 19 because it is the 19th card in the majors. To find its numerological meaning we have to perform the following equations.

1+9=10 > 1+0=1

The numerological value of The Sun card is therefore the number 1. We can then look at the numerological properties of that number and apply them to our interpretation of the card.

How do we use numerology in Tarot readings?

How you choose to use numerology within your Tarot readings is completely up to you. If you feel quite comfortable with the properties of the numbers 1-9 then you might want to make it a staple of your readings.

If you like to lean on other ideologies and theories in your readings then you might decide to use just a sprinkling of numerology.

The key to using numerology effectively in Tarot reading is to learn how to apply numerological meanings to your Tarot interpretations. Numerology shouldn’t eclipse all other intuitive messages you’ve received from the cards, it should elevate and deepen those meanings.

Example:

You get the Eight of Swords in your future position and you feel like this is a sign that you’re really building strong and stable narratives for yourself. Clearing limiting beliefs and allowing yourself to thrive without limitations.

In numerology, the number eight has the properties of resourcefulness and hard work to create security long-term.

The properties of the number eight shouldn’t take over from that initial meaning. Instead, it should add to it like so…

The Eight of Swords is a sign that you’re really building strong and stable narratives for yourself. Clearing limiting beliefs and allowing yourself to thrive without limitations. You’ve worked hard to clear these beliefs and rewrite your inner schemas. It’s been a hard road but you’re starting to see your work paying off in how you think and feel about yourself.

Tarot Numerology Infographic

The Number Zero

The Fool Tarot Meanings Zero

There is one number that we can easily overlook in numerology and that is the number zero. This is probably because it quite literally symbolises nothing.

Zero appears first on The Fool’s major arcana card. Here it represents infinity, a concept not yet made flesh. There is limited potential in zero but also nothing at all. It’s a paradox of a number.

Even though it’s often overlooked, it’s one of the most powerful. The circle of the zero shows us that cycles exist on all plains of being. There is power in circles, it brings people together, and it can be used for protection, attraction and summoning. Never forget the zero.

Numerology meanings in Tarot

Although I’ve talked about how we tend to reduce double digits down until they fit nicely into a single-digit meaning, there are other ways we can approach numerology in Tarot.

For example, we could see each digit as its own energy, just like we do when we’re doing a Tarot reading. We can then read each individual property of each digit exactly like we would the Tarot cards.

Example:

You pick a past and a present card to assess your day and see how you can move things forward over the next 24 hours. You get the Three of Pentacles and The Hanged Man.

You can either read the spread like this:

3+12=15 > 1+5=6this gives you a single number that represents the reading as a whole, so your reading’s number would be 6, the number of love and achievement. You can then use that information to deepen this two-card reading, thinking about how love or achievement might be able to play a role in what you choose to do in the present.

Or, you could read it like this:

3 & (1+2=3)this way is a little more complex. You would apply the properties of the number three to the Three of Pentacles. Then you would look at The Hanged Man’s number 12 and add the two digits together to get three and again apply the number three’s properties to the hanged man.

Or finally, like this:

3 & (1&2) – this way avoids any mathematics completely. Instead, you read each digit as its own entity. So you would apply the properties of the number three to the Three of Pentacles as normal. Then, for The Hanged Man, you would look at the properties of the number one and the number two and see how they work together energetically.

The number one is the number of creation and the number two is the number of harmony and balance. You could combine those meanings to give you a complete meaning of creating more harmony and balance in life in your interpretation of The Hanged Man.

To see the properties of the numbers 0-9, take a look at the infographic I’ve created below. Use this whenever you want to add numerological meanings to your readings.

If you’re looking to create a deeper and more connected Tarot reading routine, make sure you grab a copy of my Energetic Tarot Journal. There is space to log your reading numerology so you can go back and reflect or work into meanings more intensely.

How To Celebrate World Tarot Day & My Story

How To Celebrate World Tarot Day & My Story

World Tarot Day is close at hand; if you’re unaware, I’m here to introduce it to you. Get ready to learn about what this day represents, how you can celebrate it and I’ll let you in on my Tarot journey so far.  

What is World Tarot Day? 

World Tarot Day was founded not too long ago back in 2003 by Den Elder. It celebrates the rebirth of a new world of Tarot, modernised and ready to serve us in a more personal way. 

Many emerging Tarot readers today are fighting to bring the world of Tarot to a new light. We want to show people how powerful a tool Tarot can be. Not for future telling or prediction, but for understanding the present and self more fully. 

When is World Tarot Day? 

World Tarot Day takes place every year on the 25th of May. What’s more, 2023 marks the 20th anniversary of World Tarot Day! 

It’s also a global event, not just found in the UK or Us, but it can be celebrated worldwide. 

How can you celebrate it? 

The very best way to celebrate this day is to spend time with your Tarot cards. Carve out time to cleanse them, use them or journal with them. Maybe even treat yourself to a new deck (like we really need an excuse).

If you’re really struggling to think of a way to spend World Tarot Day, then here are a few suggestions to get the ball rolling. 

  1. Use the hashtag #worldtarotday on your social media posts and share your daily reading, favourite deck or chat about why you love Tarot so much. 

  2. Gift a deck to someone else. Maybe there’s someone in your life that would love their own Tarot cards, or maybe you want to pass down your deck to someone close to you. 

  3. Reach out to other Tarot lovers. Whether it’s joining a community on Facebook or reaching out to your favourite Tarot readers online. 

  4. Learn one new thing about the cards. It might be what astrological sign is linked to them, maybe you learn more about the Fool’s Journey? Think about what areas of Tarot you could look more deeply into. 

  5. Give yourself a Tarot reading. What better day to take advantage of this global Tarot energy than to do a reading? 


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Why Tarot means so much to me personally

As a visual learner, I always found understanding more academic subjects difficult. That’s one of the reasons I never studied psychology after I left school. I wanted to and it was an area that interested me greatly, but I really struggled in an academic environment. 

For me, Tarot has given me a visual and emotional way to explore psychology and more importantly, my own psychology. 

As someone who is a lifelong sufferer of depression and anxiety, Tarot has offered me a way to not only manage my mental health but to understand it. It’s this understanding that has opened up so many doors for me.   

I can run myself as many baths, have holidays and have someone tell me what’s wrong until the cows come home. For me to actually be able to make actual changes to my well-being, I need to be aware of what’s going on inside my own head. For me, Tarot is that telescope and mirror that I need to see what’s happening. 

For me, Tarot is a more hands-on way to process information. It has given me the ability to take back control of parts of myself that I had so often felt was completely out of my control. 

So for me, this World Tarot Day is all about saying thank you to this tool. I want to thank the Tarot for always being there when I need it most and to continue to help me understand this crazy thing we call life!

Why is Tarot Trending Again?

Why is Tarot Trending Again? 

Why is Tarot trending again? Over the last few years, we’ve seen a Tarot renaissance. More decks than ever are being produced and we can now find decks on the shelves of mainstream shops such as Urban Outfitters and Waterstones. 

The question is, why has it popped back up? Why now and how has it changed since the early 20th century?   

Discovering Tarot Self-Care 

One of the ways Tarot has made a modern name for itself is through the increased focus on self-care. As a society, we now make our mental and spiritual well-being a priority. Tarot readings can be important tools for this kind of work. 

Alongside things like journaling, Tarot has the ability to help us better understand our own thoughts and feelings. The cards allow us to dive into why we feel a certain way and can help us create a more balanced lifestyle. 

One of the main ways I use my knowledge of the Tarot is energy balance. I know how to identify when I need more of a certain energy in my life. 

For example, over the last few months, I’ve been very focused on education and work. There’s been a big emphasis on mental energy, but that means creative energy has taken a backseat. 

I started to notice that I was becoming increasingly frustrated with my day-to-day routines. I always had this feeling of needing some sort of excitement, something different to shake things up. 

This was because I was out of balance, neglecting heart-centred energy in favour of mental energy. I was burning out because I wasn’t giving any time to the things that help me feel connected with life in general.  

Realising the Link Between Tarot and Psychology

Tarot and psychology have been linked for over 100 years. The influence of Carl Jung and his archetypes on the Rider Waite-Smith Tarot deck provides many of the card meanings we still use today. 

Understanding and using psychology within a Tarot reading can open up even more doors for introspection. It gives us a way to be our own sounding board.

Especially in the UK, access to things like counselling and therapists can be tricky. Although Tarot should never be used in place of professional help, it can bridge the gap. 

For me, I found my way to Tarot reading through a need to manage my mental health. I was travelling at the time so my access to medical services was limited. The Tarot was like a bandage that supported me and kept me in control until I could create a more stable routine. 

It’s not only our own psychology it can help us understand. Tarot can also help us better understand the behaviours of others. We can see how someone’s actions cause our own reactions. We can better understand how the world works and pivot our own goals and actions to create the best result.  

Tarot Influencers Boosting Tarot Card Popularity

The use of social media and things like podcasting has played a huge role in the boom of Tarot. With influencers, designers and authors gaining much more exposure than they would have just 30 years ago. 

Some of the top Tarot names currently are: 

Melinda Lee Holm 

Grace Duong 

Nyasha Williams 

Jessica Dore

Raven Lani

Biddy Tarot

Hay House books have also played their role. This publishing company are one of the biggest publishers of Tarot and spiritual books worldwide. 

There are now more ways than ever to get stuck into Tarot. Online courses and tutorials, books and more can help anyone with the passion to learn to find their own way of reading. 

Something that’s really nice about the online Tarot community is you get a better idea of the different ways of reading Tarot. 

Before, you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking there was only one set way to read Tarot. With all these different readers offering tips and information, people now have a much better understanding of what they can use the cards for. 

An Emerging Need for Spirituality

If I had to condense down the answer to ‘Why is Tarot trending again?’ I would say this. Tarot is trending again because we need it now more than ever. 

We are overloaded with information about the world. The news reports on nothing but death and disaster and it’s no longer just news of your local area, now it’s global. We now get asked to pay attention to every single negativity happening 24/7. 

It’s fantastic that more and more people are looking for ways to help and support others. However, spending all your time fighting for others or even fighting other people’s battles, disconnects you from your own. This allows them to build strength and that’s where problems can arise. 

The beauty of Tarot reading is that it is deeply personal. Even sitting down to give yourself a quick reading is making time to press pause and just check in with how things are going. It allows you more energy and understanding to ensure you’re in tip-top condition and never pouring from an empty cup. 

Tarot is trending because the world needs a tool that reconnects and grounds in the present.