by Colleen Lindstrom
(Associated Content)
Recently, I purchased a set of Tarot cards from a second-hand book store. I knew a bit about Tarot readings, but it had been a while since I'd conducted one. I went online in search of various Tarot spreads and card meanings. After a couple of days' worth of studying, I decided to start doing readings for friends and acquaintances. Sharing my experience is part of the fun, and hopefully this will help someone out there enjoy the power of Tarot Card Readings!
Where to begin:
When you first purchase your deck of cards, spread them all out on a table or the floor to shuffle them up. Gather them together and re-shuffle with your hands, like you would an ordinary set of playing cards. (It's best to not use a card shuffler since the whole goal here is to "season" your cards by touching them. The more you use your cards, the more attached and familiar you will begin to feel with the deck. This will tone your psychic abilities and give you more powerful readings.
Next, choose a Tarot Card Spread, which will tell you the pattern in which to lay out your cards. These range from a very basic 3-card spread to a much more involved 32 card spread. My favorite is the Celtic Cross spread, which involves 10 cards. This is the one I will reference in this "How To" review.
Now, have the person whose cards you are reading relax and focus on their question or problem. Give them a few minutes to do so - they may request that you leave the room, or they may want to listen to music. Do whatever will help them clear their minds and relax.
When they are ready, have them state their question or concern briefly to you. Have them shuffle the deck themselves a few times, until they are ready to choose their cards. Some people like to pull random cards from the deck, others like to cut the deck and deal in order from the top. You can use either method you'd like. Personally I've found the readings to be more accurate when the cards are randomly chosen from the deck.
As the cards are pulled, have the person lay them down on the table in the order of the spread you've selected (see picture for reference). Once all of the cards are laid out on the table, you can begin the reading. Here is a brief overview of the card meanings, as related to the picture "Celtic Cross 10 Card Spread".
Card 1 = Central Issue or Present
Card 2 = Problems/obstacles
Card 3 = Root of the issue
Card 4 = The Past
Card 5 = Best that can come of situation
Card 6 = Near Future
Card 7 = You & your personality
Card 8 = Others & how they effect situation
Card 9 = Your hopes & fears
Card 10 = Probable Outcome
Flip the first card over - being careful to not flip it onto it's reverse side upside-down. Reversed cards hold different & important meaning, so you don't want to cause a card to be reversed when it originally wasn't. Read & interpret the cards one at a time. Your deck of cards probably came with a small booklet that gives a brief description of what each card means. If you would like expanded meanings for each card, an excellent website to visit is www.aeclectic.net On this website, you can type in the name of the specific card to get full information on it's meaning.
When interpreting the meaning of the cards, tune in to the person's question, and relate the meaning of the card at hand to their individual situation. Here's a brief example:
Yesterday, I did a fast reading for an expectant mother, and used the 10 card Celtic Cross Spread. She had no specific question, just wanted an analysis of her current situation in life. It was a pretty amazing and spooky reading! I was shocked when I turned over the very first card in the "present" position. It was the Empress card, depicting a picture of a pregnant empress! Sometimes, the meaning of the cards is not quite so literal. Here is what Aeclectic Tarot has to say about this card:
"The Empress Card is one of the easier trumps to read. She is Mother. Generally, Mother in a good sense - patient, loving, giving, generous." The mother whose reading I was generating was not much of a believer until after seeing this card. She (and I as well) was amazed at the accuracy of her cards. The rest of her reading went on to reveal the need for patience, keeping in good health, and growing within the love of her family. She has a very close-knit family, and her cards explained that her life is full of support from them.
I also did a reading for a girl whom I am friends with. She had questions about romance and love. I did a 5 card spread for her, which revealed three upside-down cards. The entire reading warned her that selfish, egotistical, juvenile and closed-minded behavior is impeding her love life as well as her life in general. It advised her to take control of her life, or otherwise remain "trapped" in her present dilemma. Seeing as how I know this person, I was very easily able to relate the cards to her situation. She is currently in a household where her every move is watched and she is unable to live freely.
When a card is upside-down, it usually has the reversed meaning. For example, her "Present" card was the reversed Devil, which warns of entrapment or imprisonment - a symbol of her current situation.
Here is the basic 5 card reading and what each card stands for:
Card 1 = Present
Card 2 = Past
Card 3 = Future
Card 4 = Reason for situation
Card 5 = Potential Outcome/Solution
Tarot card readings can provide valuable insight into a person's life, as well as guidance for them to take appropriate steps in improving their situation. Below, I will list some great websites to reference as you learn. I hope you find this information to be useful on your journey towards discovery!
For pictures of various card spreads:
http://www.extonbiz.com/Spreads.html
For information on card meanings:
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/
and
http://www.ata-tarot.com/resource/cards/