Tarot 101
 

This thread is here to help beginners to the Tarot understand the basics of a Tarot deck and give guidance in carrying out a reading. There is a wealth of experience in SF to give help in the Tarot and allow the beginner to make a start at gaining experience by doing. I imagine that readers at all levels have questions also that they would like some help with too. So, a Self-Help thread.
So, folks, we have comfortable virtual seats and excellent virtual coffee and cookies, so lets begin. OK, we are open for business :D

Lovely!!

I have a question about spreads actually. I wonder if people have their favourite spreads that work for them and do they stick to them religiously, do you find it hard to switch from one spread to another, do you use several together?

I find that I get stuck on the three card spread almost all the time. Celtic Cross just about does my head in with all the possibilities and maybe this's that come up.

Like you, Kaere, I find the Celtic Cross too complicated. I prefer simple, just like me, so I stick to three cards. I see that some people use three cards as Past, Present, Future but I just look to link the three cards in a continuous narrative.

My question concerns Reversals. I just ignore them. Anyone else got a feeling about that ?

If its a reading for someone else i generally do a three card spread past, present and future, unless its a specific question or situation then i do a question and answer spread. One card represents the situation and the other 2 cards represent 2 diffrent paths they could take.

For my self i do either the three card or a daily spead which is 4/5 cards.

I'm a beginner, but have learnt basic readings. What I learnt about reversals are to go back to the preciding cards, e.g. if it's a reversed 8 of cups, I'll go back to 7 of cups. The card that precedes the Fool is the World, and the cards that precedes Aces are the tens of the respective suits. As there is no obvious preceding card for the Page cards, we can pick a card from the Minor Arcana to help us identify the aspect of life the reversed Page is referring to.Once we have considered what the reversed card is telling us, we can turn the card upright, because that is the energy we need to attract and apply, like overcoming barriers.

Thus in my opinion, if the deck is arranged with no reversals, we may not know whether the cards in the spread is reversed, as message will be different. Just my personal opinion.

i have found reversals to be very usefull, given one instance, if you ignore a reversal, you may read a strong male figure in dominance, but if you include the reversal it would read a strong male figure in the background supporting. just one example of how i have read it in the past.

Interesting stuff. I don't read reversals - I use the other cards surrounding to give an idea of reversal. Ace of Cups with 5 of Pentacles would tell me that the sitter should avoid being too insular and focusing on the lack or they'll miss seeing a potential romance. Whereas the Ace on it's own would tell me that it's right there in front of them and they're aware.

At least, that's how I'd read it.

thank you noresman for considering beginners like me. I too find the three card spread easy as of now, because for you guys if its complicated, it would be like moving mountains for me be :-D

i think i can create stories with my imagination when i pick up cards, but how do i know what i am imagining would be true for who i am reading?

Imagination plus Intuition SS. Two guide lines to follow
1. Does it make sense ? 2. Does it FEEL right ?

But dont forget to "read" the card. What is happening in the card ? What happens next ? How did the card come to be where it is ? A sort-of past, present, future of the card. If the card could actually speak, what would it say to you ?

Some people say that the best way to come to know a card is to sleep with it under your pillow and it will "talk" to you while you are asleep. :hug2:

I love this even though I'm such a novice at tarot I just can't get it into my thick brain on how to use them even though I've had tarot decks for all of 20 years......this is great because it's in plain simple language...thankyou Norseman.
Spiritlite.

great tips! Read in a book that initiating the cards are very important. How do you initiate your cards?

I have a silk scarf that was blessed by the Dalai Lama. My cards are wrapped in that scarf in a box with a small Buddha for luck. Howzzat for a pagan :D

I am SOOOOOOOOO jealous!!! I love His Holiness. A more enlightened soul or sweeter spirit does not exist!

History of the Tarot
 

This is an interesting site. It gives the history of the Tarot and also looks at old Tarot packs. Worth a look, anyway.

www.tarothermit.com

For me, I shuffle the deck and then put them back in order while I'm thinking about the person I'm going to read for or a different question. I have to do it for each person but I don't always put it back in order if I'm going to read for the same person. I keep them in a silk bag in a box on my night-table. The shuffle and ordering is enough for me.

Would you mind double-checking that link, Norseman? It didn't work for me.

Hmm. It does seem to be off. However, here is one that does work
www.trionfi.com :smile:

It does, indeed. Thanks. :)

that's interesting. I noticed tarot readers also use crystals, clear quarts on the deck itself :)

I never had to initiate my cards. From the second I saw the deck I knew it was mine and we belonged to each other. As for spreads, as I shuffle I get a number in my mind (and occasionally a specific way a card should be placed) and just pull that number of cards.

This is part of an article I had saved about doing tarot with playing cards.
it is really good for quarant card choosing if you can figure out how to convert it to tarot decks as well.
--------------------
Choosing the Significator;

DIAMONDS:

BIRTH SIGN; Taurus/Virgo/Capricorn

PERSONALITY; Imaginative/Outgoing/Materialistic.

COLOURINGS; Red or Fair Hair
Green Eyes
Freckles/Fair Complextion;
===========================
SPADES;

BIRTH SIGN; Gemini/Libra/Aquarius;

PERSONALITY; Introverted/Intelligent/Objective.

COLOURINGS; Dark Brown or Black Hair;
Brown eyes;
Dark Complexion;

==============================
HEARTS;

BIRTH SIGN; Cancer/Scorpio/Pisces;

PERSONALITY; Creative/Outgoing/Affectinate;

COLOURING; White or Blond Hair;
Blue or Green Eyes;
fair Complexion;
==============================

CLUBS;


BIRTH SIGN; Aries/Leo/Sagittarius;

PERSONALITY; Patient/Loyal/Introverted;

Colouring; Brown Hair/brown or Hazel Eyes;
Ruddy Complexion;
__________________
http://z9.invisionfree.com/Voices_of_Vision/index.php

There was a website, which unfortunately has gone down now, that had instructions for the card game that used the tarot - very old game. The site was called tarothermit.com There is another site which I haven't fully explored yet so it may be in there
http://www.trionfi.com

I have all the playing card meanings if that is what you are talking about....

actually I have about four versions I think...

this post was about how to decide what card to use for the quarant .....

.only reference I have seen for that has been in using playing cards is why I mentioned playing cards /tarot.

Apparently this was a game played several centuries ago before the tarot was used for divination.

Greetings Everyone:
 

I just joined-in and have a response concerning Spreads.

I use the Celtic Cross for an over-view of any given situation--sort of away to see where a certain path might be leading should circumstances remain the same.

The Solar Cross is excellent for yes/no questions and to obtain the mindset, action, emotion, foundation, and spirit--of the situation.

I prefer the 7 Card spread for simple yes/no answers--because it gives me a view of what lead the Person to this point--the over-riding influence of the situation--and the future results--unless they decide to make some definite changes.

I am almost out of time--but will enjoy catching-up on this particular Thread next week!

Peace and Love on our path to Teaching and Learning.

Blessed be...

I found this interesting to note of clients behavior..
-------------------------
Interpretations from Shuffling and Cutting the Cards

Who would have thought that a reading can begin from the cards even before that first card is laid out. Look carefully and note how the cards are shuffled and cut. Every person is different and has their own style, but this can even differ between readings. Many thanks to Andreia "Shana" Gaita for sharing insights on shuffling and cutting which appear below.

When a person shuffles only the bare minimum number of times, this of course shows how eager they are to get straight to the point.
When cards one or a few cards fall out during shuffling, take note of what they are because they are important to the reading.
When a lot of cards fall out, the querent is either not used shuffling the larger size tarot cards, or they are reluctant or ambivalent about the reading.
When a person cuts only the top few cards from the deck, or leaves a tiny little pile, then they are reluctant to do the reading. This shows they do not really want to reveal too much or find out the true answer.
When cards fall from the deck as a person cuts the cards, this also shows a certain ambivalence or reluctance about the reading.
Shy and impressionable people cut the deck with their face virtually inches from the cards. They also tend to take any interpretations extremely literally despite their avowed scepticism.
Troubled querents also cut the deck with their faces inches from the deck and may take some time to do it. I also find these people tend to cut the deck dead centre if they can manage it and are most concerned to be doing it "right". These people tend to demand exact predictions and interpretations but this is because they are so troubled by their question.
Complex people tend to cut into multiple piles. These people cannot decide if they want to take the cards seriously or not.
Querents who are confident of the answer they think they will receive cut with their arm fully extended, often with a smile on their face.
There are people who barely glance at the cards when cutting them and expect you to shuffle and replace the cards in one pile. These people do not expect anything from the cards and are majorly sceptical or simply do not really want a reading.
When querents sit right back in their chairs and cross their arms you know they are feeling defensive. When the cards get right to the heart of the issue, you notice them lean forward and the arms are uncrossed. This simple body language reveals so much, and can be useful when the querent is determined to say only the bare minimum.

The next time you do a reading for yourself, notice how you cut the cards. Often you can pick up from the cut if you are secretly reluctant to know the answer (usually because your intuition/subconscious already knows the answer won't be what you want to hear).

http://www.serenapowers.com/shuffling.html

When you do tarot readings do you also or do any of you also look a the colors of the cards and the color connection to the card meanings? I notice I tend to do that when looking at the cards plus being very visual I notice the card colors more.

like the magician card is basically yellow and red

Yellow The sun, vitality, good energy, healing, enthusiasm, joy, intelligence, study, persuasion, charm, creativity, communication, *cooperation

Red Passion for life, fire, passion, lust, will-power, courage, energy, strength, anger, aggression, danger, power, desire, sexual love

describbes a lot of the card doesn't it ..
------------------------------------------
Also do you look a the number and numerology connection to the cards as well???
the magician si the number one card
one means....Individuation, Independence, Attainment

Traits: Unity, Beginning, Focused concentration, Goal-striving, Action, Independence, Originality, Courage, Invention, Leader, Self-reliant, Ambition, Pioneer , Will, Conscious Mind, Positive. Often referred to as the SEED.

The number 1 symbolizes the principle of BEGINNING or initiation. It signifies that a person must learn to stand alone, be assertive, and achieve recognition for his or her talents. Therefore, the 1 is ambitious, an achiever, and fares best when it is allowed to demonstrate its own ideas. It is self-sufficient, inventive, willful, and dominant. Its energy is masculine, focused, and rational.

Gifts: Self-sufficiency, invention, mastery

Challenges: Stubbornness, egotism, bluntness, overambitious, dominance, willfulness, impulsiveness

Personal Goal: Establishing individuality; making a name

Fears: Being overlooked; not using talents

Succeeds as: Writer, director, inventor, president, public figure, business owner, designer

Is any of this actually important in reading and making sense of the cards????

I dont tend to do the numbers things but is it actually important?
references:.http://www.nodntap.net/tarot/number_meanings.shtml

That is so awesome! :D :D

On a whim, I did a search on public domain tarot. I found some sites where there are free texts and some downloadable pdfs of free books on tarot and related subjects. Some of them are ancient and confusing, but I think they can all be useful to some extent. There's even some simple decks you could print out to practice with if you don't have a deck yet.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/tarot/
http://tarotinstitute.com/index.html
http://freeware.esoterica.free.fr/html/freecards.html

I read reversed as blocked or obstacles. Not yet ready to be flipped upright.

Greetings Medium Laura:
 

That is a good way to look at inverted Cards.

I see life as being filled w/ different aspects of Shadow and Light and inverted Cards--or even the Cards that most consider to negative--as representing the Shadow side (or adversity) of life.

It seems to be more politically correct these days to avoid unpleasantness. However--it has been my observation that we learn more from the hard times in life--which (IMO) serve as an opportunity and catalyst for growth and evolution.

Peace and Love on your path to sharing knowledge and wisdom...

Blessed be...

This is another site I came across with some good material for learning the tarot. She hasn't written anything new in a while, but what is there already looks like it would be useful for beginners. There are courses you can download as well as tips for reading professionally. There also seems to be a document about the Game of Tarrochi, although I haven't looked at that yet.

http://tarotmoonpress.wordpress.com/

Had a quick look in, Arive, it opens up into other areas - all very interesting.

Bump :D. For those just starting the "school" tomorrow [Sunday]

Hello everyone! Yesterday I got a Gipsy Tarot deck. I basically have no idea how to use tarot cards so if anyone can help a beginner I would be much obliged. :smile:

:smile:Lady, what I am planning to start tomorrow is interpretation that will rely heavily on intuition as much as the meanings of cards. All will be revealed tomorrow [ I hope :D ]
Could be worthwhile having a look in www.learntarot.com - its based on Rider-Waite but still useful for other decks. When I started the school 3 years back, I was a complete beginner - it's something you learn by doing I think.

hi LadyV
if i may, i would like to ask you a question: why did you bought the cards?
answering this may just be a starting point for you and your understanding the cards...
look at them...
and normally cards come with a small white booklet, read it, this will give you a one or 2 clues about what you have in hands.

there are few options for you:
find a tarot teacher and a class.
buy a good introduction book for tarot cards- there are many just google it around.
or learn it yourself from looking at the cards and listen to your inner voice and intuition.


G

I'm using that online course norseman! Hehe I like it and I did Lesson 1 today. I will do a lesson a day. I pulled out the moon card for the exercise and I interpreted the exact opposite of what it actually means...hmmm I wonder what that means! lol.


Well I decided to buy tarot cards because I was interested in them and I decided to buy the deck itself because I love gypsies<3
I'm currently taking French and that's another reason I wanted to get the cards because they are in French and so is the booklet itself! I'm hoping I can understand it all lol.

Ahah ! The moon gave the exact opposite of what you expected ? Was it reversed on dealing ?

Nope just normal way. I sensed calm in it, however I was right about you doing nothing about your problems. I in no way sensed fear though but maybe because I love the moon?