How to read tarot
What is tarot?
Asking "What is tarot?" is like asking "What is art?"
There is no single, simple answer. Tarot is many different things to many different people.
Tarot is:
A divination tool, specifically a type of cartomancy (divining from cards)
A tool for self-reflection and personal, spiritual, and/or religious growth
An effective device used by therapists
A vehicle for artistic self-expression
A symbolic reflection of the human condition in 78 parts
An academic study with historical, social, and anthropological significance
A card game that originated in northern Italy
A deck (or pack) of 78 cards
Where did tarot come from?
Tarot developed as a card game in early to mid-15th century Italy. Only the richest families could afford such a luxury item, as the cards had to be handmade and painted by a commissioned artist. Many of the earliest surviving tarot cards feature Catholic iconography and Christian symbolism. To this day, tarot remains a popular card game in many European countries, particularly France.
Can anyone read tarot cards?
You don't need to pursue a career as a fortune teller or psychic to benefit from tarot cards. They are a wonderful tool for developing a better understanding of yourself. Many counselors and psychologists use them in their daily practices to help people get in touch with their true feelings. They can also help you gain insights and make better decisions by allowing you to tune in to your intuition.
Are tarot cards evil?
You might have heard someone say, "Tarot cards are evil!" or "Tarot scares me!" The people who say such things have probably never even seen a deck of tarot cards, much less know anything about them. It's only human to fear what you do not understand.
There is absolutely nothing evil or scary about tarot cards. They are simply a bunch of cards with pictures on them, like any other card deck. Tarot was created by Catholic families in a deeply Christian Europe. The earliest reference in Christian literature of tarot cards being "evil" is when they were used for gambling. Many tarot decks - from the first to modern decks - contain Christian symbolism.
In America the influence of the Puritans has led many modern Protestant and Evangelical denominations to denounce tarot as evil, but they still celebrate Christmas which the Puritans outlawed as too Pagan. Almost every bookstore carries tarot cards these days. Many people collect them for their stunning art alone. Some of the best illustrators alive today have provided art for tarot decks. Tarot cards are simply a tool. The intent behind their use belongs to the individual alone and every tarot reader we've ever met has been a kind, generous, loving person who genuinely wants to help others.
How prevalent is tarot in pop culture?
Tarot card decks are appearing on TV and in the movies more and more everyday. Perhaps you've seen them on television series like Bones, Carnivale, Penny Dreadful, or The Simpsons. Visit our Tarot in Film section to find a list of movies and television programs where tarot cards and tarot card readers have been depicted.
After viewing some of those films/videos, you might like to try a tarot reading for yourself. Anyone capable of reading a 6 to 16 page instructional booklet can learn to read tarot cards. If you decide you want to own a deck, please consider buying your first deck of tarot cards from us. We carry a wide variety of the most popular decks available.
7 Techniques to Deepen Your Practice
1 Observe the Scene
Many cards illustrate a scene unfolding. Really look at the imagery and ask yourself: what is going on here?
For example, the Eight of Cups shows a figure walking away from stacked cups. This suggests moving on and searching for deeper fulfillment, even if it means leaving something behind. Jot down your impressions, then check your companion book to see how close you were!
2 Pay Attention to Symbols
Go through your deck and choose one key symbol on each card that represents its core meaning for you.
For instance, the sun in The Fool represents optimism, and the shining star in The Hermit’s lantern stands for conscious awareness. In your next reading, these symbols will act as memory triggers. This is a really fun exercise for a rainy day!
3 Understand the Suit Qualities
Remove the Major Arcana and group the rest into four suits. Each suit has a particular quality dealing with specific aspects of everyday life:
Deals with emotions, feeling, and relationships.
Governs the mental aspect, thought, and communication.
Rules the physical world, body, health, and money.
Represents the spiritual aspect, passion, and creative drive.
Lay out each suit in numerical order (Ace to Ten). Look at the progression as a “journey”. For example, the Swords show how our thoughts affect us—from clarity (Ace) to calmness (Four), down to anxiety (Nine). Try crafting a story starting from the Ace to deeply understand the suit's vibe!
4 Numerical Qualities
Re-organize your cards by their number (all Aces together, all Twos, etc.).
Look for the similarities – can you grasp a particular theme within each numerical group? Sometimes it is obvious, other times it is not. If you can’t see a link between the cards, look closer at their differences.
5 Observe Movement
Find cards that show obvious movement (e.g., The Tower falling, Knight of Swords charging). How does this dynamic action relate to the card's meaning?
Next, find cards showing a total absence of movement (e.g., The Hanged Man, Four of Swords). How is the meaning characterized by this stillness?
6 Personalize the Meanings
See if you can relate each card to a time in your life when you experienced what the card portrays, or to someone you know who has these characteristics.
Maybe the Four of Cups reminds you of the time you kept getting job offers that didn’t interest you, or the Knight of Cups is your sensitive, artistic nephew. Doing this will anchor the meanings in a deep, personal way!
7 Write on your cards (Use with caution)
Jot down keywords directly on the back or white margins of the card.
I have to be honest – this is my least favorite technique. It will not give you the depth of understanding that the previous steps will. However, many people say it works well for them. If you try this, please use an old or extra deck, since this pretty much ruins your cards!
These techniques take time, but play around with them and I guarantee you won't forget the meanings anytime soon. Have fun!
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Tarot as a Tool
Tarot cards reflect different aspects of the human condition. When you have a basic understanding of the meaning of each card and lay them out in a certain way, they begin to tell a story. That story is a "what-if" scenario, the likeliest outcome if things continue as they are.
Tarot can help you weigh the benefits and detriments of a choice, the possible outcomes of a decision, and can reveal things about an issue you hadn't considered. Of course we don't recommend making a decision solely on a card reading, but at the very least, it's a useful tool during your deliberation process.
Learning the tarot is a great way to build confidence in your intuition, your "gut feeling." Only you truly know what's best for you and the tarot helps you reveal what that is. Tarot is an effective tool for anyone looking to increase self-confidence and knowledge of self.
Tarot as Therapy
Tarot's ability to access the unconscious mind through use of symbols, archetypes, and storytelling is being recognized more and more by healers and therapists. The use of art imagery in psychological therapy has proven highly beneficial, and more and more therapists are using tarot in their practices.
Healers and therapists find that using tarot in sessions prompts people to open up and elaborate more fully about their lives. Like with a Rorschach Test (inkblots), it's the story a person sees in the images that reveal their psychological state and outlook. Tarot combines art and symbolism with storytelling and imagination — you can see how that would be useful to a mental health professional.
James McConnachie's essay, "The Truth About Tarot," is an engaging, well-researched piece on the birth and life of tarot, from courtly card game to a prop for charlatans to an effective healing tool. You can also listen to it.