How to Read Tarot Cards
A complete beginner's guide to tarot reading
Learning how to read tarot cards is a rewarding journey that combines ancient wisdom with personal intuition. Whether you have just purchased your first deck or have been curious about tarot for years, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to start giving meaningful readings.
Tarot reading is not about predicting a fixed future. Instead, it is a powerful tool for self-reflection, gaining clarity, and exploring the energies surrounding your current situation. Anyone can learn tarot reading for beginners with patience and practice.
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Get a Free Tarot ReadingUnderstanding Your Tarot Deck
Before you learn how to do a tarot reading, you need to understand what you are working with. A standard tarot deck contains 78 cards divided into two main groups:
The Major Arcana (22 Cards)
These are the trump cards of the deck, numbered 0 through 21. They represent major life themes, spiritual lessons, and significant turning points. Cards like The Fool, The Lovers, Death, and The World carry profound archetypal meanings. When Major Arcana cards appear in a reading, pay special attention -- they indicate important life events or deep spiritual messages.
The Minor Arcana (56 Cards)
These cards deal with everyday situations and challenges. They are divided into four suits:
- Wands (Fire): Creativity, passion, ambition, and action
- Cups (Water): Emotions, relationships, intuition, and feelings
- Swords (Air): Thoughts, communication, conflict, and truth
- Pentacles (Earth): Material matters, career, finances, and health
Each suit contains cards numbered Ace through 10, plus four court cards: Page, Knight, Queen, and King.
Step-by-Step Guide to Reading Tarot
Here is how to perform your first tarot reading:
Get Familiar with Your Deck
Spend time looking through all 78 cards. Study the imagery, colors, and symbols. Notice which cards attract you and which make you uncomfortable. This initial connection with your deck is essential for intuitive reading.
Create Your Sacred Space
Find a quiet, comfortable area where you will not be disturbed. Some readers like to light candles, burn incense, or place crystals nearby. The key is creating an environment that helps you focus and connect with your intuition.
Set Your Intention
Before shuffling, take a moment to clear your mind. Think about the question or situation you want guidance on. Hold the question in your mind as you prepare to shuffle. Clear intentions lead to clearer readings.
Shuffle and Draw Cards
Shuffle the deck while focusing on your question. There is no right or wrong way to shuffle. When you feel ready, stop shuffling and draw your cards. For beginners, a simple 3-card spread is ideal.
Interpret the Cards
Look at each card's imagery and consider both its traditional meaning and what it intuitively suggests to you. Note whether cards appear upright or reversed, as this affects interpretation.
Connect the Story
Consider how the cards relate to each other. What story do they tell together? How does each card inform the others? This narrative approach creates deeper, more meaningful readings.
Upright vs. Reversed Card Meanings
One of the most common questions when learning how to read tarot cards is how to handle reversed cards -- cards that appear upside down when drawn.
| Upright Cards | Reversed Cards |
|---|---|
| Express the card's energy fully and openly | Suggest blocked, internalized, or diminished energy |
| Represent external manifestation | Indicate internal processing or resistance |
| Show the card's qualities in action | May point to the shadow side of the card's meaning |
| Generally more straightforward interpretation | Invite deeper reflection and nuance |
Beginner Tip
Some tarot readers choose not to read reversals when starting out. It is perfectly valid to read all cards upright while you learn the basic meanings. You can incorporate reversals later as you become more comfortable with the cards.
Developing Your Intuition
While learning traditional card meanings is important, the most powerful readings come from developing your intuition. Here are tips to strengthen your intuitive connection:
- Trust your first impression: When you flip a card, notice your immediate gut reaction before analyzing the meaning.
- Pay attention to imagery: What symbols, colors, or figures stand out to you? These details often hold personal significance.
- Keep a tarot journal: Record your readings and revisit them later to see how accurate your intuitions were.
- Practice daily draws: Pull a single card each morning and reflect on how it manifested throughout your day.
- Meditate with your cards: Spend quiet time with individual cards that intrigue or challenge you.
- Read for yourself first: Personal readings help you understand how the cards speak to your unique experience.
Remember, learning tarot is a lifelong journey. Each reading teaches you something new about the cards and about yourself. Be patient with your progress and enjoy the process of discovery.
Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
As you begin your tarot journey, watch out for these common pitfalls:
- Asking the same question repeatedly: If you do not like your reading, resist the urge to draw again. The first reading is usually the most accurate.
- Taking everything literally: Tarot speaks in symbols and metaphors. The Death card rarely means physical death -- it usually signals transformation and endings.
- Ignoring your intuition: Do not rely solely on book meanings. Your gut feeling about a card matters.
- Reading when emotionally charged: Strong emotions can cloud interpretation. Wait until you are calm for the clearest readings.
- Overcomplicating spreads: Start simple. A 3-card spread can be just as insightful as a complex Celtic Cross.
Next Steps in Your Tarot Journey
Now that you understand the basics of how to do a tarot reading, here are ways to continue developing your skills:
- Explore our complete Tarot Guide for in-depth card meanings
- Learn about the three-card tarot spread and its variations
- Discover how to ask tarot questions for better readings
- Practice with our free Fortune Reading tool
Ready to put your knowledge into practice?
Try our free tarot reading and see how the cards speak to you. Our AI-powered interpretations can help guide your learning.
Start Your Free ReadingPractice Makes Perfect
The best way to learn tarot is by doing readings. Try our free tarot reading tool to practice interpreting cards with AI-powered guidance to help you along the way.