Many times I feel just as lost and bewildered on this journey as I did when I first started out on it. I keep asking myself whether I will remain a Fool all my life? Maybe that’s not such a bad thing but then if we don’t move forward, we are really moving backwards. And that doesn’t lead anywhere.

What I have discovered is that the skills and knowledge I’ve had to acquire in order to keep up with this site have led me through more complicated twists and turns than I ever imagined. Who knew there was so much involved in putting up a website and giving away a very simple little Tarot guide to people who might be interested.

Although it was my own Tarot cards that encouraged me to start up this site, I’m not afraid to say had I realised just how long and hard the journey would be, I am not at all sure I would have set out on it in the first place.

Yet, here I am. Not only have I survived the journey, but I’ve made new friends, learned new skills, and gained a much greater appreciation of my own personal development and potential. All things which would never have happened had I not started my Tarot journey in the first place.

Tarot is not just about guiding us through this one journey we call life. There are so many journeys within it, and so many roads to travel it’s no wonder it can all seem a bit overwhelming at times.

While it might be nice to think we can travel just one road at a time and spend some time relaxing after one journey before setting off on another, life isn’t like that. We would surely run out of time for doing anything if we had to wait until one journey was finished before we could start the next.

Right now, I’m still closer to the start of this journey than the end, but I’ve already set off on yet more new roads, some of my own choosing, some chosen for me. Other roads have come to an end or branched out into uncharted territories after rolling along well signed paths for a number of years.

I guess at my age, (no, I’m not telling ), I should be used to ups and downs of life, but where I used to think that the road would level out as I grew older, I now realise that won’t happen. Or at least if it does, it’s only the roads where we are further along that level out. As long as we keep finding new roads to travel, there will always be bumps and dips that we have to negotiate.

Usually, I respond to the messages personally, but lately I’ve been so busy and so much going on that I thought it would actually be a good idea to put some of those questions right here on the site.

That way, if anyone else has a similar question, they don’t need to wait for me to get round to checking and answering my email.

With that said, I recieved a question a few days ago from Leticia and asked her if it would be ok to put it up here, along with my answer, so that others could read it and hopefully it would help them. Leticia very kindly agreed (thanks Leticia) and so here is the first of what may turn out to many (or a few) Q&A about Tarot cards.

i am just worried that my ideas and thoughts are totally off the 
mark, therefore giving the incorrect meanings of the cards~!

Considering I had the same worry when I first started my Tarot journey, I’m willing to bet there’s more than a few of you out there who are also worrying about it.  Anyway, here’s my answer.

Hi Leticia

Don’t worry. And more importantly, don’t try to rush your journey.

Tarot has been around a long time. The cards aren’t going anywhere. If you try rushing it, you risk not getting any benefit and will always be reliant on the ‘standard’ card descriptions.

All you need to do is look at each card and focus on it. Don’t read what anyone says the card represents. What do you thik it represents? How does it make you feel? Do you think it’s a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ feeling? Is it talking to you about money, or love, or family, or career…?

Once you have a feeling for the card, then check out what the books say. You’ll be surprised to find you’l usually be on the same wavelength.

If you’re not, (and I have found this to be the case with different Tarot decks), then go with your own instinct. Whenever you do a reading, you will come out with the cards that are right for you. This is because you develop a bond with the cards, not with the textbooks. They will respond to you and show you the right cards for what you ask.

A particular card might speak of love to you, but be described as representing money in the textbooks. However, if you do a reading seeking answers about love, that card will turn up in the reading. If you do a reading asking questions about money, it won’t.

Hope that makes sense.

Above all, like I say, don’t try to rush your journey. Remember, the Fool goes through many stages on his journey through life, and there are lots of journeys to go through. Tarot is only one of them. Enjoy it.

San

The images on the Rider Waite deck are very simple and so it’s not often that different people will attribute totally different meanings to each card. However, not all decks portray such simple images and this might mean they say something to you that they would not say to me, or to someone else.

In all cases, listen to what they say to you. I’ve definitely come to realise that listening to my own instincts on Tarot card meanings, gives a much clearer and more accurate Tarot reading than relying on someone else’s interpretation.

Plus, think of the time you’ll save not having to look up the meaning of every Tarot card.

Related Posts:

• Tarot Card Meanings – The Magician
• Tarot Card Meanings – The High Priestess

And as a beginner, the Rider Waite deck will really enable you to look and learn, feel and consider each individual card by virtue of their easy to understand imagery. But very few people will only ever buy a Rider Waite deck, unless they decide that learning the Tarot isn’t a path they wish to travel.

For those who do, there will always be callings from other decks. And for me, that calling came when I saw the Native American deck, and though I’ve bought other decks since then, I feel an attachment with my Native American deck that is much stronger than any of the others.

I’ve never questioned this bond and nor have I sought to explain it. And if you find yourself drawn to a particular Tarot deck then I highly recommend you don’t question it either. You will find that the readings given by these decks will always be much clearer than a reading from a deck with which you have a lesser affinity.

I would never recommend buying any Tarot deck based solely on the recommendation of someone else. Always check out the cards for yourself. Yes, some cards are easier to read and interpret than others, but when you are drawn to a particular deck, you will find that they are the easiest cards to learn.

I was recently introduced to a professional Tarot reader who confirmed to me that in fact, my personal spirit guide is of Native American origin. So this explains my affinity with these cards. The funny thing is that even though I know how much information can be obtained from a Tarot reading, I was still astounded when she asked me if there was a Native American connection in my life and did I feel drawn to Native American drawings/ornaments, artefacts… Hmm, I guess the answer to that would be yes, lol.

Anyway, my reason for sharing about this deck was that when I took out my cards today to do my reading, I spent a few moments beforehand going through my Tarot ritual and ended up reading again the excerpt from the SIA Medicine song, which is included with the deck. It’s not normally a part of my ritual, but obviously for some reason today I was destined to read it. Who knows what it will bring to my life? But as it’s so beautiful I thought I would share it with you all.

SIA MEDICINE SONG

Grant our children life and happiness

Send forth the good south winds

Send forth your breath over the waters that our world may be beautiful and

our people may thrive.

Far off, over there, Sun Father awakens, and climbs up his ladder leaving his resting place.

May all complete life’s long road, may all grow old.

May our little ones know the sweet smell of the sacred breath of life.

May all our children have maize that they may complete their journey.

Sit down, remain here, we give our best gift, our best thoughts.

We inhale the sweet smell of the sacred breath through our prayer plumes.

And be the way, if you are interested in the Native American way of life or their customs and culture, you might like to visit the First People website.  They have some wonderful information on there and I confess to spending far too long in awe at the artwork on display.

The Empress is the archetype of Mother Nature, reflected in her natural and lush surroundings. Any new endeavours happening when this card appears will generally go well. But, just like children, they will need care and time to grow.

Whatever you are planning, whether it’s a new career, a house move, or a new romance, don’t expect it to just happen on it’s own. You need to put in the groundwork and pay attention if you want a successful outcome.

While the Empress is sitting in luscious surroundings remember this is the result of the work that has gone before and that continues to keep it that way.Beautiful gardens require tending daily to make sure they don’t become overgrown with weeds, or the plants don’t die from lack of water.

The same is true for our journeys through life. As the Fool reaches the Empress on his journey she is there to remind him to take care and not to expect his aspirations and hopes to come to him without some effort on his part.

When referring to people, the Empress usually reflects female characteristics such as nurturing, fertility, motherhood, etc. However, she can also be a reflection of the softer side of a man, or may represent his ideal woman.

If the Empress appears reversed in a reading, it’s a sign that you are blocking your endeavours. Perhaps you are too entrenched in the small details and unwilling to let your ideas grow outside of yourself. Remember that mothers can sometimes be too possessive and protective of their children and this can be equally true when we are making future plans.

I heard from an old friend today who has set up his own Tarot blog . It will be cool to compare notes with someone who is probably experiencing the same problems as me when it comes to being knowledgeable about the workings of computers and the internet. For those who think learning about Tarot is hard, you should really consider trying to learn about computers and websites!

Unfortunately, my Tarot readings don’t offer me any insights into the running of an online website but luckily I have friends who can help out in that department. It’s strange that a simple Tarot reading has led to such a whole new life direction for me. Of course, the Internet is a fascinating place, but for Tarot? I’d never have really considered it before setting up this site.

Now I enjoy reading the many different blogs that are out there. Of course, that leads to problems when I should be concentrating on keeping you all up to date with information on this site and instead I get sidetracked reading everyone else’s websites.

The great thing about all the different Tarot websites is that you can search for just about any aspect of Tarot and find a site that is dedicated to just that one area. Whether you’re looking for information on reading the cards, or finding out about new spreads, or checking out all the different decks available, or anything else that you want to know, you can be sure that there will be a Tarot website just waiting to share the answer with you.

Related Posts:

• Rider Waite Tarot Cards

First of all, let me reinforce the message that reading Tarot cards isn’t something that requires a special gift. You don’t have to be psychic or have any sixth sense. All you need is the right attitude and the desire to learn.

You can’t put a time frame on how long it will take for you to learn to understand the different card meanings and how those meanings can change depending on their position in your Tarot spread, or even depending on what question you asked in the first place. The reason for this is that Tarot journeys are personal. No two people will have the same Tarot journey though we all share the same starting point – the desire to learn.

Please, don’t get hung up on thinking that you can learn Tarot by reading some book, committing to memory the meanings of each of the cards and how to do different spreads. Tarot involves feelings and intuitions and these can’t be learned. The cards will speak to everyone differently.

Because Tarot reading is so personal its important that you take the time to get to know your cards. No matter how long you’ve been using Tarot in your life, if you get a new Tarot deck, you will want to spend time getting to know that deck and bonding with it.

If you’re not in tune with your cards, then they can’t give you the messages you need to hear. You’ll misinterpret their messages and think they’re a waste of time or worse still take the wrong course of action because you thought they were advising one thing while in reality they were advising something else.

For those of you who’ve downloaded, “A Fool’s Journey“, you know already how much importance I put on this. Reading Tarot cards isn’t something that can be rushed. Even if you’re only pulling a single card, that card deserves the same care and attention as if you were doing a major 21 card spread.

If you’re just setting out on your Tarot journey, then take these basic steps first to prepare you for that journey.

• Set aside some time to go through your cards and try to feel what they represent. Don’t even think about looking at a reference book at this time. Just look at each card, hold them, turn them over, take note of the colors, the images, etc.
• This doesn’t have to be done in a single sitting. Some cards you will want to hold onto longer than others. Take as long as you need to.
• Once you feel you have a basic understanding of your cards, you can open up your reference book and check if your interpretation matches with that of the author. You’ll be surprised by how often it does.
• If your feeling about a particular card doesn’t match the interpretation given by the reference book, go with your own instinct. You will soon find that in your readings, it is usually your interpretation that is correct, not the books!
• Develop a ritual that you follow each time you do a Tarot reading. It’s important that your mind is clear of outside influences and setting up your personal ritual is a great way of doing this. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy or exotic. It might be that you choose a particular room, or a particular way of shuffling your cards, or  lighting a candle, or any one of a thousand other ways you can personalize your time with your cards.
• Practice. You can’t expect to learn Tarot overnight. And actually why would you want to? Discovering how to read Tarot cards is a deeply rewarding, and very moving experience. Don’t be tempted to rush it as you risk missing the small pleasures that come from the learning experience itself.

When the High Priestess appears in a Tarot reading, it is a signal that some aspect of the situation is not all as it appears on the surface and you need to discover the hidden knowledge that lies underneath.

If you are not usually the type to take notice of your feelings and instincts, then perhaps now is the time to learn to do so. Maybe you are just beginning to feel that there is more to your world than the everyday routines?

Remember, that the Major Arcana of the Tarot reflect the Fool’s journey through life. The High Priestess is the beginning of his recognition that the universe has many aspects and not all of them can be seen with the naked eye.

It may be that something in your past life is affecting the current situation and you are unaware of its influence. You need to reflect deeply to discover the underlying issues before you can move on.

The High Priestess appeared in the reading that led me to start this site and certainly there was no reason on the surface why I would do so. But it has been a rewarding and learning experience for me and ultimately allowed me to move even further forward in my understanding of the Tarot cards.

If the High Priestess appears reversed in your reading, this is a warning that you are not listening to your inner voice. You are placing too much emphasis on the outer world’s assessments of your situation and relying on logical, rational thoughts.

Your unconcious mind is trying hard to tell you something, but you are not listening. It’s all well and good to attend to any duties and obligations you may have in this world, but you must ensure you leave time in your life for your own needs.

Related Posts:

• Tarot Card Meanings – The Magician
• Questions About Tarot Card Meanings

Anyway, I thought about writing about it myself, but the article was pretty good so I decided I’d just reprint it here.

Few things are as misunderstood as Tarot Cards. For all of the negative associations surrounding divination and Tarot Cards in particular, there is little direct connection between these negative ideas and the reality of working with the cards. Dispelling a few myths may prove useful to our examination of the validity of Tarot.

Myth #1 – Tarot Cards are “Evil”

The first, and biggest myth is that they are anti-Christian or “evil.” People who believe this tend to believe the cards “work” because they are infused with some sort of dark power. This myth, like all myths, contains a tiny grain of what used to be truth that has been twisted beyond recognition. In reality, it was the Christian church that in the middle ages stamped out Paganism, its chief competitor, by demonizing it and all things associated with it. People were told that their old horned fertility god (think of Pan) was the most evil being in all of creation, and the Devil was invented. Christianity is certainly anti-Pagan, and to the extent that Tarot cards are perceived as Pagan, many Christians feel compelled to condemn or ostracize Tarot cards and Tarot card readers without really understanding why.
Tarot Card readers, on the other hand, have no such beef with Christianity. Most of us don’t consider Tarot to be an element of our religion in the first place (though we may consider it of spiritual value) and can’t understand what all the drama is about. Some confusion often arises due to the inclusion of a Death card and a Devil card, two hot button items when seen through a religious lens. For now, it is enough to note that the Tarot interpretations of these symbols are not the interpretations that many people are used to.

Myth #2 – Tarot is a Scam

Another powerful myth is that Tarot is some kind of shifty scam, a Three Card Monty of sorts that by definition is a con game designed to use fraud to get people’s money. Sadly,
there are dishonest hustlers in every profession; doctors, lawyers, contractors, florists, you name it, there are unqualified people posing as qualified professionals charging money for substandard service or services that are never delivered in every industry and field. Tarot is no different, but is no more susceptible to infiltration by dishonest individuals than any other profession or service area.

The main argument, it appears, is that Tarot readers may present themselves as something they are not, “psychic,” or “fortune tellers,” that a skeptic may decide simply can not be “true.” At the heart of this issue is the difference between what being psychic means to different people who either claim it or perceive the claims of others. It all depends on your answer to the question, “What does it mean to be psychic?”

Myth #3 – Tarot Cards are Magic

Virtually no one who has any knowledge or experience with Tarot Cards believes that the cards themselves are magic. There is a superstition out there that no one should touch your cards except for yourself, and naturally collectors who spend hundreds of dollars on individual decks are going to hesitate before allowing anyone to handle them (especially since people are inclined to begin shuffling cards once they hold them!).

Some people believe that items can pick up and retain energy from different people or situations, and this applies to their Tarot decks as much as anything else. In my experience, most people who harbor any true anxiety about others touching
their cards are new to the idea of Tarot, and haven’t studied the cards or taken the time to
understand what Tarot is about. The example of a person who knows nothing about cars, kicking the tires on the showroom floor comes to mind. Tarot cards aren’t magic. They are cardboard.

Myth #4 – Tarot Readers are Witches

The truth is, some are. I’ve been surprised, however, by how many people still think that witches have some sort of religious connection to “Satan.” That isn’t true either. Regardless, there is no official religious affiliation for Tarot. Some Tarot readers are Jewish or Christian; others are something else, or nothing at all. In fact, there are many Tarot decks out there that are geared toward one religion or another, combining the symbolism and images of a particular religious tradition with the traditional meanings of Tarot to create something that illuminates both traditions.

Myth #5 – You have to be psychic to read Tarot Cards

Absolutely not! Anyone can read Tarot cards, it’s just a matter of memorizing some basic meanings and getting used to the different cards in the deck. Of course, some of us believe that everyone is psychic, but to examine such a notion, we would have to decide what it actually means to be psychic. Suffice it to say, for now, that for some people, Tarot feels as though it serves as a psychic tool.

In conclusion, we can understand what Tarot Cards are much better if we first understand what they are not. They are neither evil nor a scam, they are not magic in and of themselves and you do not have to be a witch or a card carrying “psychic” to read them. If we can establish that much, we are free to examine the beauty and power of this amazing tool.

Perhaps, it’s just ease of reading, but I do tend to do a 3 card spread on a daily basis, a five card spread whenever I feel the need to readjust my life in some ways, or seek advice of a general nature, and more complex readings such as the Celtic Cross, I use only when I have a need for something very specific and /or important.

I thought it might prove useful to you to see an example of a real life spread that I recently did for myself. By providing my own interpretation of this reading, you can compare it to how you might have read the cards.

And do remember, that your reading and interpretation of these cards would be just as valid as mine or someone else’s. I didn’t have a specific question in mind when shuffling the cards. I simply wanted to know where I was going wrong as I felt my life wasn’t moving in the direction I wanted it to.

Justice

The first card (which relates to the past) was Justice. There’s not a great deal you can do about the past. It’s gone and you can’t change it. But often what we believe has caused or influenced our present situation isn’t necessarily so.

The Justice card relates to matters of fairness, not necessarily of a legal nature. Perhaps you have wronged someone or have been wronged and the fallout is what is influencing your present situation.

Queen of Pentacles

The second card relates to the present and how you see your situation as of this moment in time. In my case, the second card in the spread was the Queen of Pentacles. The family ‘manager’, is certainly fitting for me, as she probably is for a lot of women. But remember, this card relates to your viewpoint, not necessarily the actuality of the present situation.

Eight of Swords

The third card relates to aspects of the situation of which you may not be aware. Often it’s what is lying beneath the surface that is the key to unlocking the answers we seek. Unfortunately, if you don’t know what it is, your chances of rectifying it are pretty slim to say the least.

For me, this is the card that I take most time over. It’s the root of the problem and in order to fully take advantage of the messages from the advice card, I need to know I’m dealing with the real problem, and not what I think is the problem.

Temperance

The fourth card offers the advice you need to deal with your current situation effectively. If you follow the advice of this card, the outcome card is more likely to be realised.

Nine of Cups

The final card in the spread reveals the likely outcome of your question. If this is a positive card, then (assuming you’ve followed the ‘advice’ card) all is good. However, even if this is a negative card, then by following the advice of the fourth card you can limit any negative aspects of this card.

Putting Them Together

The first surprise for me was how far back my current situation has been influenced. I felt that recent events had played the most important role in my current situation. But the presence of the Justice card, shows that my current situation has come about as a result of certain events that took place over 5 years ago.

While I won’t bore you with the details, it was a very complex, very traumatic period in my life. However, I believed I had resolved all the issues in my life surrounding this period and therefore it had no bearing on my current position.

As already stated, the Queen of Pentacles is an accurate reflection of my current viewpoint of the situation. As a single parent, I have total responsibility for all aspects of running my life and taking care of my grandaughter who lives with me. As such I need to be capable in all aspects of runnning a household. Everything from sorting out the finances to repairing the plumbing comes down to me.

The Eight of Swords tells me that I am bound by my own limits, and not by anything external to my life. I may like to think that I am tied by the responsibilities I have, but in actual fact, it’s my own fears and prejudices that are at the root of my problem.

I confess this wasn’t the card I would have like to have seen here. It’s not easy to admit that you are your own worst enemy. It’s so much easier to blame someone or something else! The card forces me to acknowledge that any decisions made now would most likely be wrong as they’d be based on fears of my own making and not of any real possibilities.

Thankfully, the advice of Temperance reminds me to slow down and reconsider my position. Admittedly, this is something else which I find hard to accept. I do tend to think through matters carefully but I don’t often do ‘reconsiderations’.

Usually, I’m prone to go with the first solution I come up with, without giving myself time to consider other options. Temperance is telling me I need to curb this side of my nature and certainly need to look at all possible scenarios before I commit to any particular one.

Luckily, for me at least, the final outcome is a happy one. Assuming that I do take the advice and don’t just dive in head first, then the decisions I make will result in a much happier and more fulfilled life.

The Nine of Cups is often referred to as the ‘Wish’ card so as a final outcome there really isn’t a better card that could replace it.

As you can see, the five card spread can provide a lot of information. Personally, I don’t like to use the more complex spreads when there’s no real need for them. That’s a personal preference and for you it may be different.

Do choose a spread that is suited to the questions you are asking and that way you’re more likely to get the right answers.

The book that I started with was ‘Tarot Plain and Simple‘ by Anthony Louis. Actually, it’s not the book that I started with, I tried several others. But it’s the book that helped me understand the importance of putting my own judgement first, above what any reference book might say.

The language is simple and it follows a logical sequence. Plus, there are a couple of sections on astrology and numerology linked to the tarot. Personally, I haven’t delved too much into those sections as yet, but I’m sure that I will in time as I move further along in my Tarot journey.

Tarot Spreads

Louis provides several tarot spreads that can be used including the Celtic Cross Spread. This is one of the most difficult of the Tarot spreads, but definitely worth taking the time to learn as it can provide the most definitive answers to your questions.

Tarot Meanings

The book doesn’t just provide the meanings associated with each card. It also gives advice on what the card might mean in certain situations or in relation to certain people. He also provides ‘reversed’ meanings, though not everyone attributes significance to cards which are reversed, other than the fact that you may have put them away wrongly the last time you used your deck.

Tarot Insights

As I’ve already mentioned, there are sections on how the Tarot can be combined with astrology and numerology, but Louis also provides other useful insights. For instance,  how the cards and suits relate to different colours, elements, seasons, people, etc. as well as some particular key words and phrases.

Tarot Plain and Simple

Louis’ book may not be for everyone. But for those of you who have asked for my opinion, then I highly recommend it.  If you want to read other customer reviews then check it out on Amazon. You can also click to ‘look inside’ the book once you’re there.

I love the fact Amazon allows you to do that. Admittedly they don’t let you see the whole book, (you wouldn’t buy it if you could), but you can check out enough to see whether it’s right for you.

Whichever guide book you choose, do remember that it is just that – a guide to the Tarot. You are the one who is reading the cards and it is your interpretation of the cards and how they relate to the question asked that is of most significance.

Maybe you have talents and knowledge that you haven’t realised you can use in the particular situation to which you are seeking answers. If that’s the case, then you need to reflect because the chances are that you already hold the answer. Remember, the Magician isn’t referring to anything mystical, simply making use of the already proven laws of nature and reminding you to use these to your advantage.

You need to take close observations of what is going on around you and remain open and flexible to how you can manipulate these forces of nature.  Being adaptable to change will be necessary if you want the final outcome to be to your wishes.

The Magician is one of my favourite cards. Simply because he represents everything that I can be and/or do with my life. It’s a reminder to me that ultimately, if I choose, I have the power to change my world.

Whereas, the Fool has no idea of what he can become, and even if he did, he wouldn’t know how to do it, the Magician is fully aware of the power he holds. This is the strength he possesses.

If referring to a person, the Magician is most likely to represent a male personality, though not always so. Whoever it is though will be someone who knows how to utilise the skills and knowledge at their disposal, scientists, surgeons, engineers, inventors…

The Magician Reversed

If the Magician appears in your reading in the reversed stance, then you aren’t taking full advantage of all the skills and talents that you possess. Or maybe you are pretending to know more than you really do? If you need more training in a particular skillset in order to achieve your goals, then you need to apply yourself wholeheartedly to acquiring it. You can’t make use of something you don’t have. Not even with the help of the Magician by your side.

Some Posts That May Be Of Your Interest

Tarot Card Meanings – The Fool – I’ve already spoken about the meaning of  Tarot cards, in relation to the Major Arcana, which is where the Fool belongs. But as that was only a brief overview, and as my search stats tell me that people coming here are looking for a more  detailed explanation of each of …

How to Learn The Meaning of Tarot Cards – Learning the meaning of Tarot cards isn’t as difficult as you may at first think. I remember thinking when I first started my own Tarot journey that I would never be able to read the Tarot without my handy reference guide at my side. However, the best piece of advice I …

Major Arcana – The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards, starting with the Fool (0) and ending with the World, (21). Each card depicts a scene, mostly featuring a person or several people, with many symbolic elements present. The Major Arcana are usually regarded as relating to matters of higher purpose or deep …

Related Posts:

• Tarot Card Meanings – The High Priestess
• Questions About Tarot Card Meanings

A lot of people now do their shopping online, and there’s good reason. Let’s face it, no queues, no traffic jams, no surly shop assistants, greater choice, …. I could go on but you get the picture. And buying Tarot cards is no different. In fact, if you choose to buy your Tarot cards from somewhere like Amazon, you get to know a whole lot more about the particular deck you’re considering than you would if you just simply went into a store to buy them.

I’ve created a video that shows you how to get the most out of searching for tarot cards at Amazon before you go ahead and buy tarot decks from anywhere else. Now please bear in mind that making videos isn’t really my thing, but Amazon is so helpful when you’re looking to buy anything at all, that I thought it worthwhile to at least try.

Tarot on Amazon

Just don’t expect these to all be posted one after the other. I am a great believer that the meanings ascribed to each Tarot card as laid down in guide and text books are simply given to help provide a foundation. If you’re serious about taking your Tarot journey to a higher level, then I strongly encourage you to learn to listen to the cards yourself. Rely on your own judgement and you’ll find not only will your tarot card readings be much more accurate, but you’ll learn the meaning of tarot cards much quicker if you’re not constantly turning pages in a reference book.

The Fool

It’s fitting to start with The Fool because he’s the first card in the deck. He also appeared in the reading that led me to start this site in the first place so I guess it’s doubly fair that he should lead the way.

In the Rider Waite deck, The Fool looks as though he’s just about to walk off the edge of a cliff. Blissfully unaware of any danger ahead of him, he is setting forward on a journey with no concerns about how it might turn out.

When The Fool appears in a Tarot card reading, it’s a sign that the questioner is also about to set out on their own journey into a completely new phase of their life. It may that an unexpected opportunity will appear without warning, or perhaps a major decision needs to be made that will result in your life taking a completely different direction to that which it’s been heading up till now.

Either way, you need to simply ‘go with the flow’. The Fool is a reminder that sometimes we need to just get on with something instead of worrying about where it will lead or how it will turn out. Have faith and trust that this new direction in which you are heading is the right one.

Sometimes, as with anything new, there is a feeling of uncertainty. You may be confused and perhaps caught off your guard but don’t be put off by this. The Fool is letting you know that it’s time to move in a new direction and leave the past behind.

I’ve also had this card appear just before being asked very unexpectedly to go on a trip. It was through work, and while I do sometimes have to travel in relation to my job, this particular trip wasn’t related to my usual duties so I was quite surprised and more than a bit nervous as to the reasoning behind it. As it turned out, the trip was more beneficial on a personal than a work sphere. But do be aware that sometimes, The Fool can signify a physical journey that you may not have previously considered.

The Fool Reversed

Although some Tarot readers believe that a reversed Tarot card has a different meaning than it’s upright counterpart, I don’t subscribe to this view. However, the important thing once again, is that if you feel a reversed image is relaying a different meaning to you, then it probably is. Personally, I think if a different meaning was meant to be portrayed, the deck would have presented a different card.

If you do believe that a reversed card holds a different meaning, then The Fool reversed is signifying that you need to be wary of taking a risk, instead of advocating it.  You may be blindly optimistic in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary. Don’ t make any impulsive decisions as your judgement could well be clouded as this time.

However, the best piece of advice I was given was to begin by considering my own thoughts on each card before I looked up the meaning in the book. Of course, this is much easier when you have a deck such as Rider Waite, because the images and symbolism are very simple. But once you have a general feeling for each card it doesn’t take long to gain a much more in depth understanding of each Tarot card meaning.

I have recently been helping a friend develop her own Tarot talents and she was surprised at just how easily this helped her to quickly learn the meaning of each Tarot card and also how the interpretations were influenced by the position of the cards in relation to each other.

It’s also helpful when you get your first Tarot deck and go through it to make a record of the feelings you associate with each card. You will find over time that these notes will become of more use to you than any Tarot reference book you may have bought.

Each morning, pick one Tarot card and consider what you think it’s message is for the day ahead. Write this down in your notebook and then simply go about your daily business without giving it any more thought. At the end of the day, look at the card again, reflect on what you had written and see if the events of the day bear any correlation to the card meaning as you understood it.

Again, make a note of anything that happened that day so that in future if you pick that same card, you will be able to see patterns associated with particular Tarot cards. Not only does this help you learn and interpret the meaning of Tarot cards, but it helps to build up your confidence and trust in the messages the cards are relaying to you.

It’s worth noting that while Tarot cards share basic meanings and symbolisms across all different Tarot decks, they are not necessarily the same for each card. Some of the images in the Rider Waite Tarot deck for example, suggest a very different meaning to the images in the Native American Tarot deck, which I currently use. This is why it’s more important to rely upon your own intuition and listen to your own inner voice than relying upon the information given in a reference book.

The Tarot card meanings given in reference books are a guide. You can learn the meaning of Tarot cards by reading any number of books on the subject, but when you come to read the Tarot cards you will find it very difficult to associate any real understanding with those meanings. And understanding what the cards are saying is the real reason for learning Tarot in the first place.

Unfortunately a lot of the printable Tarot cards available online, just weren’t really all that suitable for printing. Images on a computer aren’t always the best images for printing. In order to get them to display properly in a web browser they are set up very differently to how they would be set up on an actual, real life, piece of paper. Although I don’t know all the technical aspects of web images I do know that none of the images I found, that said they were ‘printable Tarot card images‘, actually looked any good when they were printed out.

Of course a lot will depend on the quality of your printer, but for the most part, it comes down to the actual images themselves.

And as the Rider Waite deck is obviously copyrighted, then finding images that meet all the requirements for you to be able to download a full deck, and print them off for your own use is a pretty difficult task.

Many of the available tarot cards to print are so small that once you  resize them, the images become distorted and so using them for a Tarot reading is next to impossible.

For those of you who have downloaded my free book ” A Fool’s Journey – A Simple Guide to The Tarot“, you will know that the printable images accompanying the book, are in fact named the ‘Colman Smith’ deck. And this is precisely because the name ‘Waite’ is copyrighted when used in conjunction with the Tarot.

It’s very important that when you are searching for a set of printable Tarot cards, that you check out whether the images are in fact suitable for printing. Don’t be tempted to simply download images that you see displayed on a website, no matter how good they may look. Once you download them to your computer, resize them to a useable size, and print them on to card, you will find that much of the visual impact is lost.

As Tarot relies heavily on the symbolism associated with the images, any loss of quality when you print out your cards will inevitably have an impact on the quality of your readings.

Follow these few simple steps when printing out Tarot cards you find online.

• Make sure the images are already of the right size. If you have to increase the size of the images before printing, then you will suffer a loss of quality.
• Print your cards onto good quality paper or card. Using a cheaper version may cause the ink to run or colours to bleed into each other.
• Make sure your printing options are set correctly, for the paper/card you are using.
• Laminate your cards once you have printed them. This helps not only to preserve your images but also makes them ‘feel‘ more like a real Tarot deck.

And if you do find any Rider Waite printable Tarot decks then please let me know so I can share them with my readers.

In the past, only the really wealthy could afford to hire an artist to create a deck of tarot cards. It was a painstakingly slow process as the artists had to draw and paint the images onto the card surfaces. Some of the designs were very intricate and ornate.

Nowadays, if you want to purchase a deck of tarot cards, you could find hundreds of different tarot decks available around the world and all of them very reasonably priced. Yet, the Rider Waite cards continue to be the most popular.

As a traditional first choice, the Rider Waite tarot is supported by many books and guides which provide simple, easy to understand explanations for card meanings,the variety of card spreads and the suitability of each spread for different questions and occasions. The artwork is simple, compelling and it is very easy to develop an intuitive meaning for each of the cards.

One thing to remember is that the different images on a tarot deck will give different meanings to that particular card. This means that readings done with different tarot decks will usually result in different cards being drawn for the same question, yet the answers will ultimately remain the same.

Many tarot card decks have been created based on different themes. Angels, animals, avatars, the universe…,  are just some of the themes that have been used. The beauty of the Rider Waite Tarot deck is in the simplicity of the images used. These images make reading the cards very easy which is what makes them ideal for the true novice right through to the advanced reader.

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But are they actually any good? Are all these free Tarot readings for real? Or are they simply a way to try and persuade you to spend some money on the paid variety? Hint: if you answered ‘no’ to that last question, you’d be wrong.

Despite that fact, I still do them, and I’m betting that most of the people who fill in their details, concentrate on their questions, and choose their Tarot cards ever so carefully, are all too aware that the answers provided are not really a true reflection of what a genuine Tarot reading would provide. In fact, often there are no answers given. Instead, just a breakdown of the meaning of each card you have chosen is given to you, and you are then left with the choice of figuring out how to put it together yourself, or paying the site owner for the privelege.

However, as long as you understand that the offering of free Tarot card readings online is nothing more than a harmless way to hopefully encourage you to spend some money by purchasing a reading from one of their Tarot readers, then I see nothing wrong with the service offered.

If you’re wondering why I would put one here on Rider Waite Tarot, it’s simple. When I first became interested in the Tarot, the first place I looked for information was online. And of course, you can hardly miss Tarot.com if you’re searching for anything related to the Tarot.  But I stuck with that site because it offered more than just Tarot. I still have my daily dose of Tarot; Horoscope; I Ching; Numerology, and Feng Shui, delivered to my inbox each day.

But please, if you do opt to have a free reading done, (whether from this site or anywhere else), don’t be fooled into thinking that the reading is going to be anything more than a bit of fun. And make sure before you agree to sign up for a paid Tarot reading online that you check out the source very carefully.

A very dear friend of mine paid for a Tarot reading from a website he found while surfing the Internet and was so pleased with it, that he recommended the Reader to another friend. Unfortunately, after she paid and recieved her reading, they were somewhat disappointed to discover the two readings were identical, except for changing ‘he’ to ‘she’ where appropriate! Lesson learned.

Do enjoy the fun aspect of having a free Tarot reading done while you’re busy surfing the Internet, but do remember that ‘fun‘ is all it’s meant to be. If you have friends who also enjoy the Tarot cards, then set up a small group where you can provide free readings for one another, either on a regular basis, or just when you feel like it.

This way you get to help each other as you travel through your own Tarot journeys, and the readings will be more valuable and insightful than any randomly generated set of cards. Although it’s more fun if you can meet in person when performing your readings for each other, it’s not a necessity.  I have numerous friends who will call on the phone and ask me to perform a reading for them and vice -versa.

The best free Tarot readings are those done either by yourself or by someone who knows you. Because these are the only Tarot readings that are truly ‘free’. Although you may not be charged a financial amount for the online Tarot readings, the hidden agenda (hopefully persuading you to part with your money), is what drives the cards picked and the responses given, and not the question you asked.

When I first started reading the Tarot I often found myself spending more time referring to my Tarot book for guidance on what each position represented, as well as the meaning of the particular cards. Obviously, my readings took a long time and didn’t feel real to me.

However, over time, I found that certain spreads were more suited to certain situations and thought it might be useful to share what I have found to be the top 3 considerations when choosing your Tarot card spread.

• The nature of the question you are asking
• Your level of experience
• Time

Questioning the Tarot Cards

It’s a common misconception that a Tarot card reading can tell you what is going to happen. It cannot. Tarot cards can only give you insight into what is going on and offer advice that can help guide you to a certain outcome. Obviously, if you choose to ignore the advice they offer, or if you misinterpret the insight they give, the outcome will be much different.

For that reason it’s always best to choose the simplest Tarot card layout that can give you the help and insight you need. Often times, a simple 3 card spread is enough. Remember, while most Tarot books refer to the 3 card Tarot spread as relating to “Past, Present, Future”, this doesn’t have to be the case. You can assign any value to the positions. I often use this layout for a daily reading, ascribing ‘morning, afternoon, evening’ to the positions.

Do remember that you can lay the cards in any direction you feel is most comfortable to you. Tarot reading is a very personal activity and the more personal you make it, the more you will get from your readings.

If your question is very specific and you are looking for detailed insight, then a more complex layout would be better. The ‘Celtic Cross‘ is perhaps the most well known of all Tarot Card layouts. It is very popular with good reason.

This spread is very useful when you are asking a specific question of your Tarot cards. Although initially it can be hard to master, it is worth persevering with for the level of insight it can offer into your questions.

Over time, just as you come to learn the meanings of each card, you will come to learn the significance of each position and how each card relates to those around it.

While I wouldn’t recommend less experienced Tarot readers using the Celtic Cross when giving readings for others, I do hope you take the time to use and practise this layout when reading for yourself.

The image on the left shows the layout and describes the meaning of each position within the spread, but obviously a good Tarot book will be able to offer a much more detailed explanation. As most Tarot decks come with only a small booklet outlining the meaning of the individual cards, it is worth investing in a detailed Tarot manual which will provide you with a good basis for learning the Tarot.

Tarot Experience

Like everything in life, reading Tarot cards becomes easier the more you do it. You learn to trust your own intuition as you bond with your Tarot cards. And yes, you do develop a bond with them. While many Tarot enthusiasts will have a number of different Tarot decks, they will often be more akin to using one in particular, or they will find that certain decks are better suited to different types of questions, eg love, work, family, etc. just as certain spreads are more suited to different types of questions.

In my own journey I found that intially I placed too much emphasis on what the books said rather than learning to trust my own judgement about what the cards seemed to be saying to me. While it is important to learn the meanings of each card, it is equally important to learn what those cards mean to you.

A useful tip is to develop a Tarot ritual that you engage in each time you use your cards. This doesn’t have to be anything complicated but it will help you to focus on your question and decide which Tarot spread is going to more suited to the question you wish to ask.

At the beginning of your Tarot journey you will probably spend more time using simple 1 or 3 card layouts but as your confidence and experience grows, you will soon move on to the more in-depth spreads such as the Celtic Cross. As you move further on, you will find that you will be able to develop your own spreads and this allows you to gain even more insight from your Tarot cards as these spreads are uniquely yours and speak to you in a way that other spreads cannot.

Time

The amount of time you have available for your Tarot reading will obviously have an influence on which Tarot spread you choose. But it shouldn’t be the main consideration when choosing a Tarot layout. If you want detailed insight into a very specific question and the Celtic Cross would be the best suited spread to use, but you only have 5 minutes before you have to get ready for work, then leave the reading till later.

Always allow enough time for your Tarot readings so that you are relaxed and can focus entirely on your cards and what they are telling you rather than worrying about catching up on your other tasks. If you are not focused then the choice of which Tarot spread to use will be of no significance because you will not be receptive to the messages given anyway.

I have found that the more personal I have made my Tarot journey, the more easily I have been able to become attuned to what the cards say to me. This has meant that readings I do, whether for myself or others, have become more accurate and more able to help when offering guidance and insight. Which of course, is why we all turn to the power of the Tarot initially.

I came across a very interesting article today which I thought was worth sharing with you. It asks whether Tarot cards are still relevant in today’s world of technological breakthroughs.

Obviously, for those of us who use Tarot cards on a regular basis, there is and always will be a place for them in our lives. But it’s always worth asking the question.

Enjoy the article.

In a world increasingly jaded by technology and progress, it’s easy to scoff at people who blindly entrust their lives to a deck of cards. We tell ourselves, we are rational, clear-headed people, so how can randomly shuffled cards spread on the table possibly answer all our life’s questions.

Tarot cards have had a crucial and inseparable influence in mysticism and the occult. They first arrived sometime in fifteenth century Italy, but it was not until late 17th or 18th century that tarot cards began to be used in divination. The tarot cards that we know today have gone through a long and evolution, from the pictures, symbolisms, procedures, purposes, and meanings. It is interesting to note that tarot cards were originally used in a game, with 21 trump cards, four queens, and a fool added to a normal deck, which totals to 78 cards in all. But it is unclear exactly how tarot branched out from a simple mind-diverting game into the fragile business of looking back into past lives, foretelling the future, and answering questions.

Archetypes

The highly-respected psychologist Carl Jung has always considered tarot as an alternative psychotherapy. For him, the rich imagery inherent in every tarot card represents archetypes of human personality and situations. Archetypes are basic models or prototypes of people that embody a defined set of characteristics. The Emperor card, for instance, can be thought of as representing the patriarch or the father figure.

Over the years, we piece together various archetypes according to our needs. These archetypes are embedded in our unconscious and thus they can affect our actions and thoughts without our knowing. Consequently, our choices of tarot cards when we pick them out from that “innocent” deck reveal our feelings, attitudes, and even fears towards such figures in our lives. For instance, we may not know it, but we have always shied from responsibilities and commitment in lives whenever there is a father figure looming in the background, etc.

Tarot cards offer an alternative language system through which we can access our Unconscious. Therefore, we do not just randomly pick tarot cards, or blindly entrust our lives to them. Every moment of our lives, we lay ourselves bare with the choices we make, even for something as papery as tarot cards.

The Missing Tarot in The Skeptic’s World

Tarot readings then should not be dismissed as just some pretend psychic business exploiting a person’s gullibility. The art of tarot cards is subtle, delicate, yet powerful. It is energised by centuries of symbolism and meaning created, expounded, and developed by people who dared to see beyond. For them, the Arcane that lies on the fringes of human experience holds the secrets we need to survive.

Before we question the legitimacy of tarot cards, we should first look into the person who wants to inquire about himself/herself. Will they see to believe, or believe to see?

About The Author

This article was written by Neoli Marcos for PsychicGuild: online provider of free tarot card info and interpretation.

http://www.psychicguild.com/tarot_reading_free.php http://www.psychicguild.com/tarot_about.php

Many professional Tarot Card readers have multiple sets of cards that they use. For the beginner however, it is best to simply choose a deck which appeals to you and which is relatively simple to use. Simplicity is often why many beginners elect to buy the Rider-Waite deck.

Tarot cards images are symbols which have an underlying meaning and touch the subconscious of the reader. Some cards will touch different people in different ways and under different situations.

Cost is often an issue when considering buying your first Tarot deck. Many people wonder if they should pay a lot of money for something they are not too sure of. In all honesty I believe that cost is secondary to whether or not you feel an affinity with a particular set of cards. Buying a cheaper set that you do not feel comfortable with, simply so you can save some money, will inevitably impact upon any results you get when using them.

Because the Rider Waite deck is so popular a new set of these cards can be picked up very cheaply from places like Amazon. There are numerous images of these cards that you can view to see if you think they will be suitable for you.

Tarot cards are simply a tool you can use to help you find answers to questions which you may have about your life in all its different aspects. However, although they are a tool, they are a very personal tool and what is good for one reader may not be good for you.

Taking the time to choose your Tarot cards carefully will ensure you get many years of faithful service from them.

The Rider-Waite tarot deck is the most popular Tarot deck in use today in the English-speaking world. Over the years it has been known in such various guises as the Rider-Waite-Smith, Waite-Smith, Waite-Colman Smith or simply the Rider deck.

The images were drawn by artist Pamela Colman Smith, to the instructions of academic and mystic A. E. Waite, and published by the Rider Company. While the images are deceptively simple, almost child-like, the details and backgrounds hold a wealth of symbolism. The subjects remain close to the earliest decks, but usually have added details.

Significantly, Waite had the Christian imagery of older tarot cards toned down—the “Pope” card becoming the “Hierophant”, the “Popess” becoming the “High Priestess”. The minor arcana are also fully illustrated with designs created by Pamela Colman Smith. The chief aesthetic objection to this deck is the crude printing of colours in the original: other decks, such as the Universal Waite deck, simply copy the Smith line drawings, but with more sophisticated coloring.

The cards were originally published in December 1909. In 1910, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot by A.E. Waite was published, giving readers an overview of the traditions and history behind the cards, as well as critcising various interpretations that had been made previously. He also provided extensive descriptions of their symbols, along with 78 black and white plates of each card in the deck.

Ideal for beginners,the Rider Waite Tarot cards are loved just as much by more experienced and professional tarot card readers. Whether you fall into the beginner category or not, I hope you’ll take the time to look around the site, and discover more about the Rider Waite deck and Tarot in general.

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