For all of you lovely people currently working your way through my Tarot For Beginners course, you’ll know that there is a hell of a lot of information to wrap your head around as a beginner tarot reader. All the hard work is worth it though and by the end of the course, you’ll have the foundational knowledge you need to really start to delve into the true depth of the tarot meanings. This is where the real fun begins!
Once you’ve grasped the general meanings of all the cards in the tarot deck, you can then start to play around with them, question them and even feel out your own meanings for the cards. Tarot is a deeply personal journey and no tarot reader reads the cards in the exact same way. As readers, we bring our own experiences to the meanings and archetypes and there’s always a tiny part of ourselves that seeps into the card, whether reading for ourselves or for others.
If you’re looking for a way to get started on this new tarot journey of discovery, here are a few questions that you can ask during your daily card pulls, to really start to delve into the deeper meanings of the tarot cards.
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How is this card showing up for me right now?
The tarot is a tool to help us navigate our lives with intuition and intention, it’s never against you or trying to throw you through a loop. It’s your friend and confident and if we can remember that, we’ll unlock a whole new way of looking at the cards.
When you pull a card, try writing down how this card is supporting you, helping you or basically just trying to help you solve whatever issues or challenges you are currently facing. If this card was your best friend, what advice would it be giving to you right now?
How is this card reflecting the current environment I’m in right now?
Often when we pull a card we’re looking for it to tell us what to do, but sometimes it is simply reflecting the situation you’re in right now and asking you to be mindful of what is happening around you. Our environment is a huge influence on our emotions and wellbeing, so sometimes the cards are simply asking you to make sure you’re in an environment that nourishes your mind, body and soul and if it’s not, then this is a sign that this needs your focus right now in order to help you reach that more peaceful and joyous place.
How does this card make me feel and why do I feel that way?
When we first start learning the tarot meanings, we can get caught up in trying to memorise the meanings of all the cards. That’s fine and a completely normal way to start building your practice, but eventually you’ll want to start leaning more on your intuition rather than your logical brain.
When you pull your card, just sit with it for a while. Look inwards and ask yourself how this card makes you feel. There are plenty of things that might influence your feelings for a card; from cultural definitions (e.g. the labelling of the Death card as a ‘bad card’), the meanings you’ve memorised, your personal history with the meaning of that card e.g. trauma, or heartbreak, the imagery on the card or even the numerical aspect of that card. Take all of those things into consideration, journal what emotions come up when you see that card.
How is this card acting as a treatment for what I’m currently experiencing?
Like we talked about in the first point, tarot is your friend. It’s not here to flip a table and run away leaving you to clean up the mess. Think of your tarot cards as little prescription notices that you get from a doctor. Each card offers some kind of treatment that you need at that moment. You may not even be aware of what that ailment is yet, it may take some time and some inner work to really bring it to the surface, but the tarot is offering that information to you in order to help you heal.
*Remember that the answers may not come to you straight away. You may have to simply go about your day with that card taking up space in your mind, but once the tarot has offered you that information, your mind will do the work unconsciously to try and find the answers for you.
What is this card inviting me to explore?
Finally, have a think about what the tarot is inviting you to explore. This could be internally or externally. The card will have an energy that it is inviting you to delve into and explore, so it’s up to us to identify that energy and accept its invitation. Here’s a quick example:
I just pulled the King of Cups, the air of water, the strategy of emotion. This card is inviting me to take a look at how I manage my emotional wellbeing. It may suggest I ask myself questions like, how do I process emotion? Is that the healthiest way to do it? When do I let my mind get in the way of my intuition and creativity?
I may then grab my journal and write all these questions down, addressing them as I go. It may even mean I have to ask these questions and then meditate on them for a while to get the answers. This is a really focused way to take part in your tarot practice and it can really help with your learning!
Exploring the tarot meanings on your own terms
Now it’s time for you to get going on your tarot journey. Immerse yourself in the world of tarot and spend some time just one on one with your tarot cards. Put the books away, hide the guides and simply focus on your own personal relationship with the cards. Finding more depth in tarot meanings isn’t always something you can get from reading or learning more about the meanings, sometimes it requires you to get up close and personal with them.