Why tarot pulls you in (and what to expect from this journey)
You’ve probably had a reading that stuck with you. Or maybe you watched someone lay out cards and thought, “I want to do that.” It’s a common starting point — tarot has a way of drawing people in when the time is right.
But learning tarot isn’t about memorising 78 meanings like you’re cramming for a test. It’s a mix of intuition, practice, and some foundational knowledge. What I’m sharing here is what I wish I’d known when I started: no shortcuts, no promises of mastery in a weekend.
Let’s get into it.
Choosing your first deck — why it matters more than you’d think
There’s an old tradition that says your first deck should be a gift. Lovely idea, terrible advice. If you wait for someone to give you one, you might be waiting years. Buy your own.
The most recommended deck for beginners is still the Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS). Why? Because most books, courses, and online resources reference it. The illustrations are descriptive — each card tells a visual story that helps you interpret without constantly checking the guidebook.
Other solid options:
- Tarot de Marseille — more abstract, deep European roots, but the minor arcana aren’t illustrated (they look like playing cards), making the initial learning curve steeper
- Modern Witch Tarot — a contemporary take on the RWS with updated aesthetics and diversity
- The Wild Unknown — visually stunning, but the symbolism diverges from the standard
My suggestion: start with the RWS or something based on it. Once you’ve built some fluency, explore others. You’ll end up with enough decks to fill a shelf — everyone does.
How the deck is structured: 78 cards, two groups
Before you pull a single card, it helps to understand how the deck is organised. There are 78 cards split into two main groups:
Major Arcana (22 cards)
From The Fool (0) to The World (XXI). These represent major life themes — deep transformations, karmic lessons, archetypal forces. When they show up in a reading, the topic is significant. We’re not talking about what to have for dinner.
Each major arcana card carries a specific energy. The Fool is fearless beginnings, The Empress is fertility and abundance, The Tower is sudden upheaval. But here’s the thing: the meaning shifts depending on the position in the spread and the surrounding cards. Nothing is fixed.
Minor Arcana (56 cards)
Split into four suits, each with 14 cards (Ace through 10, plus Page, Knight, Queen, and King):
- Cups — emotions, relationships, love, intuition (Water element)
- Wands — action, creativity, energy, passion (Fire element)
- Swords — mind, conflict, truth, communication (Air element)
- Pentacles — material matters, money, health, work (Earth element)
The minor arcana deal with everyday life. They’re the fine detail, the practical context for the bigger questions the majors raise.
How to start reading — without memorising everything first
Here’s the mistake nearly everyone makes: trying to memorise all 78 meanings before touching the cards. Don’t. It’s like trying to learn swimming by reading a book about it.
Instead, try this:
1. One card a day. Each morning, shuffle and draw a card. Look at the image for a minute or two. What do you see? What feeling does it give you? What story does the illustration seem to tell? Only then look up the meaning. Write everything in a journal — your impression and the “official” meaning.
2. Talk to the card. Sounds odd, but it works. Ask the card: “What message do you have for my day?” Let the answer come. Don’t force it. Over time, your intuition gets sharper.
3. Compare at the end of the day. In the evening, return to your morning card. What happened during the day that relates to it? This exercise creates connections no book can give you.
After 78 days, you’ll have been through the entire deck. But honestly, after two or three weeks you’ll notice you recognise certain cards without effort.
Your first spreads
Three-card spread
The most versatile and simple spread there is. Three cards, three positions. The most common combinations:
- Past — Present — Future (the classic)
- Situation — Challenge — Advice
- Mind — Body — Spirit
- What to release — What to keep — What to embrace
Shuffle while thinking about your question. Cut the deck with your left hand (tradition, not obligation). Place three cards from left to right.
Read each card individually first. Then look at all three together — any patterns? Repeated suits? Lots of major arcana? Court cards? Those details tell a bigger story.
Cross spread — simplified version
Once you’re comfortable with three cards, you can move to five. This is a simplified version of the famous Celtic Cross:
- Centre — the current situation
- Crossing — the main challenge or obstacle
- Below — the root of the matter, what’s underneath
- Left — the recent past
- Right — the likely path, the tendency
Don’t worry about the full Celtic Cross (10 cards) for now. It’s too much for a beginner and can be frustrating trying to interpret everything at once.
Reversed cards: to use or not?
When a card comes out upside down, it’s called a reversed or inverted card. Opinions are divided on this one.
Some readers always use reversals, others never do. There’s no universal rule. My advice for beginners: skip reversals for the first few months. You’ve already got 78 meanings to absorb — no need to double the complexity.
When you’re ready, reversals add nuance. A reversed card can mean:
- The card’s energy is blocked or delayed
- The meaning is present but in a reduced form
- Internal resistance to the card’s theme
- The “shadow” aspect of that energy
But it’s never automatic — The Fool reversed doesn’t necessarily mean “fear of taking risks.” It always depends on context.
Intuition and books: finding the balance
You’ll hear two opposing camps: those who say “forget books, follow your gut” and those who insist you need to study all the symbolism before reading.
The answer is somewhere in the middle. Tarot has centuries of symbolic tradition — the colours, the numbers, the elements, the figures, all carry intentional meaning. Ignoring this is like trying to play piano by ear without ever learning a scale. It can work, but it limits you.
On the other hand, if you only read what the book says, you lose that personal spark that makes the difference between a mechanical reading and one that resonates deeply.
In practice: study the foundation, but when you’re doing a spread, allow yourself to go off-script. If The Lovers makes you think of a career decision instead of romance, trust that.
Mistakes you’ll make (and everyone makes)
No judgement here, but it helps to know:
Asking the same question multiple times. Didn’t like the answer? Shuffle again hoping for something better. Don’t do this. The first reading is the one that counts. Re-shuffling only creates confusion.
Reading for yourself during intense emotional states. If you’re anxious, angry, or desperate for an answer, it’s not a good time to pull cards. Your interpretation will be biased. Wait, calm down, then pick up the deck.
Wanting to predict the future with precision. Tarot isn’t a crystal ball. It shows tendencies, energies at play, possibilities. The future isn’t written — you have free will. A card indicating difficulty doesn’t mean you’re doomed; it means there’s a challenge you can prepare for.
Comparing yourself to experienced readers. You watch YouTube videos of people giving fluid readings and think, “I’ll never get there.” You will. It takes time. Those people also had a phase of staring at cards with no idea what to say.
Being afraid of certain cards. Death, The Tower, The Devil — the “scary” cards aren’t curses. Death means transformation and the end of a cycle. The Tower is abrupt but necessary change. The Devil speaks of patterns and attachments. No tarot card is out to get you.
Taking care of your deck
This isn’t technically required, but most readers develop rituals with their deck. Some ideas:
- Keep it in a fabric pouch or wooden box
- Pass it through incense or sage smoke when you feel it needs “cleansing”
- Place a clear quartz crystal on top when it’s not being used
- Don’t let others handle your deck without permission (this is personal preference — some readers don’t mind at all)
What matters is that the deck becomes something you have a relationship with. Sounds esoteric, but it’s simple: the more time you spend with it, the more natural reading becomes.
Resources for continuing your learning
I won’t throw an endless list at you. These are the ones that actually make a difference:
Books:
- 78 Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack — considered the bible of modern tarot
- Tarot: Mirror of the Soul by Gerd Ziegler — a more therapeutic approach
- Kitchen Table Tarot by Melissa Cynova — casual language, perfect for beginners
Practice:
- Do readings for friends and family (with the caveat that you’re learning)
- Join online communities — there are Facebook and Discord groups focused on tarot
- Keep a tarot journal — it’s probably the most powerful tool for growth
What changes when you start reading tarot
I don’t want to sound mystical, but there’s a shift that happens. It’s not supernatural — it’s attention. When you practise tarot regularly, you start paying closer attention to the patterns in your life. You notice cycles, recognise behaviours, identify energies before they fully manifest.
Tarot is, at its core, a mirror. It doesn’t tell you anything you don’t already know somewhere inside. It gives you the language and the structure to access that knowledge.
Start slowly. One card a day. One simple spread a week. And be patient with yourself. Tarot rewards those who stay present and curious — not those who rush through all 78 cards in a single evening.
Good journey. The cards are waiting for you.
Sofia Pereira is the author and editor of Caminho Numerico, where she publishes guides on numerology, tarot, astrology, esotericism and self-knowledge. Her work presents symbolic interpretations and spiritual practices in clear articles for readers seeking reflection, meaning and personal guidance.
