Spark your Intuition with Tarot Cards

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Long before I owned a tarot deck, I dreamed I was in a group of people, each of us dressed in Renaissance clothing. We were in Italy, in the distant past. We sat in a circle before a roaring fire and took turns holding up large tarot cards to foretell the future. These people were familiar to me. I felt I had known them through the ages.

At the time of this dream, I didn’t know the tarot began in Italy. Milan is the birthplace of the tarot. It originated in the 15th century as a card game that curiously evolved over time into a tool for divination.

When I was in my early 20s, a friend gave me my first tarot deck. Decades later, the well-worn cards sit comfortably in their original hand-carved wooden box. This beautifully illustrated set is an example of the Rider-Waite deck. Expressive, colorful artwork and characters make up each deck of 78 cards. Each card has unique artwork on the front, and the back is colored in a deep blue filled with stars.

I’m very drawn to the tarot. The cards are rich in symbolism. Reading the cards has meaning and purpose, and it’s a fun way to connect with others and do something that feels magical. It is also a way to gain perspective about various situations in life and receive clues about how events may unfold. It’s important to note that like many tools of divination, tarot cards are a vehicle for intuition. Even if you don’t think you have any psychic ability, learning tarot can spark your intuition and help you develop these skills.

If you’re curious and want to learn, here’s an easy approach to learning tarot that worked for me. Start with a deck of your liking. There are hundreds to choose from with different themes and illustrations. Find one that feels right to you. And you’ll need a book or online source on tarot basics, which will give you an overview.

spark your intuition with tarot cards

When I first started, I purchased a book, since online courses didn’t exist then. I read about the basic meaning of each suit and card, one by one. There are four suits: Wands, Swords, Pentacles and Cups. There also two categories, the Major and Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana represent the themes and lessons of life. The Minor Arcana deal with momentary circumstances.

Every card in the deck has a unique meaning, depending on what number and suit it is, or which Arcana it is. And if the front of the card is reversed (upside down) when it is pulled from the deck, this can change the meaning. All this information can be mind boggling to the would-be student.

Once I read this book, I put it away. Except for the basics of suits, numbers, and Arcana, this was too much information to process at once. 78 different cards! I decided I would get to know the individual tarot cards on my own. Each day, while having my morning coffee, I selected one card for the day. I focused on it and tried to absorb and remember the details. What did the people and symbols on the card mean to me? What objects stood out? What did I think the card represented?

For example, one card in the Minor Arcana is the Queen of Pentacles. Typically, this card shows a woman wearing a crown sitting on an ornate throne holding a large pentacle (coin) on her lap. The Queen’s throne is in a beautiful outdoor setting. She is an established businesswoman with a nurturing personality. The pentacles represent success or financial situations. This is the standard meaning of the Queen of Pentacles card. But what did this card represent to me beyond this conventional explanation?

I focused on the objects shown in the card, many of which are unique to this deck. The rose bush next to the Queen, the richness of her clothing, the mountains in the background, the flower garland hanging above her head. The details in the illustrations on each card make up the magic of the tarot. However, the formal interpretation of this card from the book was not the total answer. I needed to feel what this card was conveying to me on an intuitive level. This created a bond to the card and its story.

For instance, once during a reading, an object in the card, the rose bush, stood out to me for some reason. This means my intuition was telling me the rose bush is important in the Queen’s story, and thus to the reading I was giving. This can change each time I read this card, depending upon who the reading is for.

Taking your time to learn this way really helps to tune into each card and decide what it means to you. Once you develop a personal meaning for each, you can start to ask the tarot questions to gain insight into a situation.

Here’s an easy method for beginning a reading. After you or another person formulate a question to be answered, shuffle the cards, and divide the deck into three piles. This is the perfect time to use your instincts. Which pile looks to you like the one that should go back on top? Pick the one that stands out to you and place it on top of the pile. Put the deck back together. You should now have the full deck in front of you. For a simple reading, take four cards from the top and lay them out, face up. See what impressions you get from the cards. Does the order of the cards and their meanings make sense for the question you asked?

Practice with friends until you begin to get comfortable doing this. You can experiment with different card layouts. The results will be surprising as you learn to trust your inner guidance. When I first started, a group of women friends requested readings almost every day! It was great practice. Everyone was hungry for insight into their lives, and I found many opportunities to hone my skills. Soon I was asked to bring my tarot cards to every gathering.

My suggestions for learning tarot are a starting point. They aren’t meant to minimize the extensive knowledge that professional readers have. Focusing on one card at a time, is a streamlined way to begin the learning process.

Using the tarot to give readings for others is fun and rewarding. I use the cards for my own guidance as well. I pull a card or two from my Celtic deck every morning to start the day. I chose this deck because of its vivid imagery. It’s amazing how insightful these cards can be. They seem to relate to whatever is happening in my life at the time.

All tarot decks are different. Have fun searching for a deck that speaks to you. This is the key to learning the tarot. Your deck will become your companion, and help you use this ancient tool for guidance, intuition, and inspiration.

 

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Terri Blair
Terri Blair writes non-fiction, often about the supernatural. After many years working as an account advertising executive, she longed for something more. With a deep knowledge of the psychic world, she began writing her own stories. Terri lives in Milwaukee, WI, and travels often to the Southwest to recharge her spirit. Find her on Facebook and Instagram at Terriblairauthor.

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