How to Read Tarot Cards

2018-08-10

Have you recently acquired a deck of tarot cards but aren’t 100% sure how to actually read them? Many people are a little unsure when it comes to beginning to read cards. Many questions pop up such as can I read my own tarot cards? Other people will be unsure of how to do a tarot reading or how to interpret the cards themselves. In this article we will explore the absolute basics of How to read tarot cards. But can you read your own tarot cards? Let’s take a look.

Can you Read your own Tarot Cards?

The first question on everyone’s mind is can you do your own tarot reading? The simple answer is yes. We’ll take a look how to read cards in a moment but first, let us consider why reading for yourself can be a little problematic. The issues stems from the interpretation of the cards.

If you’re using a resource somewhere that includes a list of likely card meanings then you’re reading could be more accurate but if you’re doing all the interpretation yourself then consciously or not you’re likely to sway the meaning, even if just slightly. Nobody wants to reveal their own negative readings.

That’s not to say that it can’t be done and while it might take some practice, you’ll find that many people do successfully read their own cards. It’s just important to remember that when you’re first starting out, things might be a little trickier and so you should do a few practice readings on other people before starting them on yourself. So let’s now take a look at How to read tarot cards and the procedure that is involved in setting them up.

Asking the Question

The first step varies depending on the type of reading you are doing. If it’s a general reading then asking a question isn’t important. The energy dispersed during the second step will lead to the most prominent cards being selected, allowing for a general overview of that person’s life.

However, if you have a specific question that needs to be answered then the person asking the question should place their hand on the top of the deck and think deeply about this question. If you’re doing a reading for yourself then you would carry out this step, if you’re doing a reading for a friend then they would do it.

Shuffling the Cards

The next step is shuffling the deck. The person who is being read needs to carry out this task so if you’re reading tarot for yourself then you would shuffle the deck but if you are doing a reading on your friend then they need to shuffle. The method used to shuffle is also important. I would recommend the scattering approach.

Either you or your friend should lay the cards on the table, mixing them up with both hands. This makes it more likely that every card will be touched and as such, allows for a more accurate reading due to the energy transfer.

Choosing a Layout

There are a number of different layouts that you can choose. When you’re first learning How to read tarot cards the simplest layout would be a 3 card layout. It’s important that you choose a layout that suits the question being asked.

So if you’re doing a general reading then the 3 card layout allows for past, present, future or situation, action and outcome or even mind, body and soul. Alternatively, the cards could represent the outcomes of the options regarding the question.

For example: should I take the new job? Option A is the outcome of yes while option B is the outcome of saying no. If you’re unsure, it’s best to stick with the 3 card layout.