10 Steps to Reading Tarot Cards - Tips from a Psychic Professional

Becoming a good tarot card reader is not an easy thing. There are an almost infinite number of different meanings to each card, and the various possible interpretations hinge on small, nuanced details. Given all this, it might start to seem impossible that you will ever be able to understand the tarot, that it is a vast and unsolvable mystery. But don’t despair just yet. There are a few key concepts that you have to understand in order to read the tarot. Once you have these down, the task becomes a lot less daunting. Below is a list of 10 simple steps that will help along. Practice on your own first, or with a friend, until you feel confident, before putting yourself out as a professional tarot psychic.

Step 1: RELAX
The first step to a successful tarot card reading is to let your mind and body relax. If you are anxious and desperate to get a particular answer, this might not be the time to try a reading. Wait until your head is clear, as the tarot will deliver a lot of information and you’ll have to be in the right mindset to interpret it correctly.

Step 2: DON’T ASK THE SAME QUESTION OVER AND OVER
Doing this will result in a muddled picture and your connection to the cards will lessen. If you want to ask the same question again, wait a few days, until the situation has gotten a chance to develop more.

Step 3: NO STAND-ALONE CARD MEANINGS
This is more of a warning than a step, but it’s an important one: don’t make the mistake of assuming that each tarot card has a stand-alone meaning. Pulling one card can give you a small, general snapshot of an answer, but it will not give you the full picture. Tarot cards are meant to work in tandem to create layers of meaning that coalesce into a bigger, more complete picture.

Step 4: MAJOR AND MINOR ARCANA
Tarot cards are divided into major and minor arcana. Major arcana have more weight and stand alone more so than minor arcana. Minor arcana serve to add different dimensions of meaning to the main meanings of the major arcana. The 4 minor arcana suits are pentacles, cups swords and wands. Wands point to main challenges, cups usually represent emotional matters, swords represent choices and pentacles represent more practical matters.

Step 5: SEE WHAT STANDS OUT
Once you’ve laid your cards down, see what areas stand out more than others. Are there predominantly more major arcana? This could me a lot of big or fundamental changes are coming up. A lot of aces? This could mean new beginnings. Be aware of these subtle factors.

Step 6: SEARCH FOR ASSOCIATIONS
Some cards, like the Wheel of Fortune, will occur in patterns. That is, they will consistently come up just before the occurrence of particular meaning. Look for these patterns as you continue to do more and more readings.

Step 7: KEEP A JOURNAL
Keep a written record of your observations and thoughts as you practice your tarot card reading. This will help you grow in your understanding. Simply writing things down will enable you to see your reasoning and ideas more clearly.

Step 8: CHOOSE YOUR TAROT DECK WELL
You should feel a connection with your tarot deck. As you become more experienced, you might want to acquire several decks (each for a different mood or type of reading). For beginners, the Rider-Waite deck is recommended. It’s clear and concise.

Step 9: BE AWARE OF PSYCHIC DEVELOPMENT
As you get better at reading the tarot, you’ll start to notice sings or clues that will point you to specific meanings instinctively. Be aware of these, as they may be signaling your psychic development. Write them down, as it will help you figure out how these are working.

Step 10: DON’T JUST ASK WHETHER, ASK HOW
Lastly, a good tarot card reading, one that actually helps you get at the root of your question, is one in which you not only ask “will I get what I want?” but also “HOW can I get what I want?” In the tarot, as in life, there are no absolute certainties. There are only possible outcomes and the paths that lead to them. Don’t ask simply yes or no questions. These are shortsighted and the answers are not definitive. The more useful thing would be to ask how I can get this or that outcome. In other words, don’t ask for ultimatums, ask for guidance.