Written by Learning to read tarot can feel overwhelming at first, but once you understand the basic structure and approach it with an open heart, the cards become trusted companions on your spiritual journey. Let’s break down everything you need to know to start reading with confidence and intuition.
The Structure of a Tarot Deck
A traditional tarot deck contains 78 cards, thoughtfully divided into two main sections that each serve different purposes in your readings.
The Major Arcana: Life’s Big Lessons
The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards that represent major life themes, spiritual lessons, and significant events. These are the cards most people recognize—The Fool, Death, The Lovers, The Star. When Major Arcana cards appear in your readings, they’re asking you to pay special attention because they highlight profound energies or important turning points in your life.
Think of the Major Arcana as the universe’s way of saying, “This is significant. Listen closely.”
The Minor Arcana: Daily Life and Experiences
The Minor Arcana contains 56 cards divided into four suits, each representing different aspects of human experience:
- Cups: Emotions, relationships, love, intuition, and spiritual matters
- Pentacles (sometimes called Coins): Material world, money, career, health, and practical concerns
- Swords: Thoughts, communication, conflict, decisions, and mental challenges
- Wands (sometimes called Rods): Passion, creativity, energy, inspiration, and personal growth
Each suit contains cards numbered Ace through Ten, plus four Court Cards: Page, Knight, Queen, and King.
Understanding the Court Cards
Court cards often puzzle new readers, but they become clearer when you understand they can represent either people in your life or aspects of yourself:
- Pages: New beginnings, students, messengers, or youthful energy
- Knights: Action, movement, someone pursuing goals, or your drive to achieve
- Queens: Mastery, nurturing energy, emotional maturity, or your inner wisdom
- Kings: Authority, leadership, achievement, or your ability to take charge
Simple Spreads for Beginners
When you’re starting your tarot journey, keep it simple. Complex spreads can be overwhelming and might discourage you from developing your intuitive connection with the cards.
Single Card Draws
Begin each day by asking, “What energy do I need to be aware of today?” Draw one card and spend time with it. Notice what draws your eye—colors, symbols, expressions, or feelings that arise. Trust these first impressions before consulting any guidebooks.
Three-Card Spreads
Once you’re comfortable with single cards, try three-card spreads. These versatile layouts can be interpreted in many ways:
- Past / Present / Future
- Situation / Action / Outcome
- Mind / Body / Spirit
- Challenge / Action / Resolution
- You / Other Person / Relationship
Creating Your Own Spreads
Don’t feel bound by traditional layouts. Tarot is beautifully flexible—create spreads that make sense for your specific questions. Trust your creativity and intuition to guide the process.
Reading with Heart and Intuition
Here’s where many tarot guides miss the mark: they present rigid card meanings as if there’s only one “correct” interpretation. Real tarot reading is far more nuanced and personal.
Trust Your Inner Voice First
Your intuition is your greatest tarot tool. When you draw a card, what immediately catches your attention? What feelings arise? What story do you see unfolding? Start with these impressions—they often contain the most relevant messages for your situation.
Traditional meanings serve as helpful guidelines, but your intuitive response is where the real magic happens.
Look for Patterns and Connections
Pay attention to how cards relate to each other in spreads:
- Multiple cards from the same suit emphasize that area of life
- Repeated numbers suggest themes around that energy
- Similar symbols or colors weave throughout the reading
- Visual elements that seem to “talk” to each other across cards
The Question of Reversals
When cards appear upside down, some readers interpret them as blocked energy, internal challenges, or shadow aspects of the upright meaning. Others don’t read reversals at all.
There’s no wrong approach here. Some readers find reversals add helpful depth, while others feel they overcomplicate readings. Experiment and see what feels right for your practice. You might even decide differently from reading to reading, and that’s perfectly fine.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Don’t Overthink It
Many beginners immediately grab books or search online for card meanings, then try to force those exact definitions onto their situation. Instead, sit with the card first. Let it speak to you. Then, if helpful, consult references to add layers to your understanding.
Release Fear of “Scary” Cards
Cards like Death, The Tower, or the Ten of Swords can seem frightening, but they rarely mean what you might fear. Death typically represents transformation and necessary endings that make space for new beginnings. The Tower shows the breakdown of false structures so something more authentic can emerge.
These cards are actually gifts, highlighting areas where change—though perhaps uncomfortable—will ultimately serve your highest good.
Timing Matters
Avoid reading when you’re highly emotional about a situation. When we’re anxious, upset, or desperate for answers, our emotions can cloud our interpretation. It’s better to wait until you’re calmer, or ask a trusted friend to read for you.
Find the Sweet Spot
Approach your cards with respect but not fear. They’re not mystical objects that will curse you if handled incorrectly, nor are they mere playing cards without significance. They’re tools for accessing your intuition and connecting with universal wisdom—nothing more, nothing less.
Some decks do seem to have distinct personalities, and that’s part of the joy of working with different cards. Trust your relationship with each deck to develop naturally.
Your Tarot Journey Begins
Remember, tarot is ultimately personal. What matters most is developing a practice that feels authentic and meaningful to you. Start simple, trust your intuition, and allow your relationship with the cards to unfold organically.
The cards are waiting to share their wisdom with you. All you need to do is begin.
Blessed be.