We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
Have you ever experienced a tarot reading? They're super insightful, sensitive, and kinda reassuring all at once. And they make you think, "Hey, I wanna read my own tarot!"
Then, you make your spread and cross-reference each card meaning from the booklet, but you still can't — for the life of you — make sense of it. Seriously, how do tarot readers effortlessly interpret every little detail in a way that tells your story?
It can seem intimidating and overwhelming to enter the world of tarot. But remember, tarot is an *intuitive* tool. It's more approachable than we think!
To help you get started, here are 21 basics of reading your own tarot cards:
1. Choose a deck with imagery that resonates with you — gifting superstitions be damned — because when you're reading the cards, there's a lot of symbolism involved.
2. The Rider-Waite deck is a classic deck that's great for beginners (most tarot decks are actually based on it), but there are so many other options out there.
3. Once you've chosen your deck, get familiar with each card. As in literally spend some one-on-one time with them.
4. An easy way to do this? Daily card pulls! Basically, you shuffle, pull one card a day for some guidance, and reflect on that card's meaning throughout the day.
5. And don't just try to memorize the traditional meanings of the cards or think of each card as having a strict definition.
6. Remember, tarot is a tool to access higher intuition — so use yours to interpret the cards!
7. But it's still good to understand some of the basic traditional symbolism. BC unlike movies suggest, the Death card doesn't mean you're gonna die — it usually signifies a transformation.
8. So, first things first, the tarot deck is divided into two groups: Major and Minor Arcana. (Fun fact: 'Arcana' means secrets or mysteries.)
9. In the Minor Arcana, there are four suits — totaling 56 cards — numbered from ace to 10 and four face cards. Each suit corresponds to an element and its ruling area of life. Typically, these cards point to day-to-day or short-term events.
10. In the Major Arcana, there are 22 cards. When a Major Arcana card appears, it usually represents a life or thematic lesson you're experiencing.
11. Of course, every deck is different. So different decks have their own take on imagery and suits, though they generally are variations of the typical symbols.
12. You may have noticed that most of the cards are numbered — and, yeah, they mean something. Tarot has numerological associations, which will help you read the cards.
13. Onto spreads! They add structure and guidance to your readings by laying out the cards in a way that better organizes the information.
14. Some spreads are better suited for different purposes than others. So try to pick one that fits your question!
15. Of course, you can find decks that come with their own guidebooks and break down how to interpret the decks!
16. When you're ready, ask thoughtful questions that can offer constructive responses beyond just "yes" or "no."
17. For instance, beyond asking if something will happen, also consider how you can make it happen.
18. Then, focus on your question, shuffle the deck, and pick the cards you feel drawn to — and the ones that fly out at ya, too!
19. Make sure your space has good vibes before you begin. You can create an altar or just shut your bedroom door!
20. Speaking of focus, you'll want those good vibes internally, too, so you can be mindful when you're reading your cards.
21. Lastly, make sure to show your tarot deck some TLC! Bless it, charge it, and cleanse it — energetically or physically — as needed.
And there you have it! So now go on and trust yourself and your intuition to begin doing your own tarot card readings!
