Tarot for Beginners: How To Start Studying the Tarot
Photo by IM Photography
Not sure what the tarot is? Read this first —> What is the Tarot and How Can It Benefit You?
How to Learn the Tarot
Learning the tarot involves two primary steps:
The first is studying the basic universally accepted meanings of the 78 cards. This provides a foundation for understanding the core archetypal experience represented by each image. This first step is straightforward, because the information can be found in countless tarot books and websites, but does require memorization, commitment, and time. I’ll leave a few of my favorite resources for studying the meaning of the cards at the end of this article.
The second, equally, and in some ways, even more important step, is discovering what the cards represent for you. This process is non-linear and requires curiosity and mindful awareness. The image on each tarot card is archetypal in nature, and archetypes—by definition—represent broad categories of experience. Therefore, there are many ways each card can be interpreted, and the cards often mean slightly different things for different people. The only true way to discover what the tarot cards mean for you is through directly experiencing, feeling, and observing the energies in your own life.
Doing a Daily Draw
The best way to learn the card meanings is by drawing a card every morning and reflecting on it over the course of your day. I recommend looking up the meaning of the card, writing it down in a journal, and then observing directly through lived experience how the energy and themes of that card show up for you in real-time during your day.
Photo by IM Photography
There are numerous ways to do a daily tarot draw. Some people just draw a card and meditate on it. You can ask a simple question like, What is my card for today?... What energy am I meant to tune into today?... What am I meant to learn today?—there’s literally countless ways to engage with the tarot, and part of the fun is figuring out what questions and methods work best for you.
What is My Holy Invitation?
I’ve been doing a daily tarot draw for over eight years and have experimented with a lot of different approaches. Currently, I start my day by asking my deck a question that I got from Lindsay Mack from Tarot for the Wild Soul:
What is my holy invitation for today in order to be in perfect alignment with Spirit and my highest and best self?
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I find the wording of this question incredibly powerful. The word “holy” acknowledges the fact that everything in our lives, from the most mundane to the seemingly spectacular, is sacred. No matter what card you draw, whether it feels “positive” or “negative,” whether it feels boring, exciting, or scary, it’s all Holy Ground, it is all worthy of our attention and reverence.
The word “Holy” is also heavily associated with organized religion, and organized religion usually makes clear distinctions between what is considered “Holy,” and what is not. Tarot and astrology almost universally fall into the latter category, being widely feared and vilified in these circles. So, to me, using the word Holy also feels like a reclamation. Each one of us is capable of having a direct and personal connection with the divine. Tarot helps facilitate that. Tarot work is holy.
Resources
Meet the Author
Photo by Allie Clarke Photography
Maggie is a counseling astrologer and modern mystic whose approach is therapeutic and psychological. She views the natal chart as a map of the soul, and loves helping others understand the intelligent evolutionary processes at work behind their life experiences. In addition to astrology readings, Maggie also offers tarot readings.
If you would like more information, or would like to schedule a reading with Maggie, book a free 15 minute phone consultation today.
Other Services Offered by Maggie
Maggie is also a licensed therapist in the state of Kansas, specializing in therapy for anxiety, therapy for low self-esteem, therapy for codependency, therapy for highly sensitive people, and grief and bereavement counseling.
Through counseling Maggie helps people overcome shame and the fear of being their true selves. Breaking the cycles of people-pleasing and self-abandonment is possible, and she’s here to help. Maggie offers online therapy throughout the state of Kansas.
Reach out today to schedule your free 15 minute phone consultation, she’d love to hear from you!
