Both!
mollymawk said:
I don't think it's supposed to be either intuition or learning. They're not mutually exclusive. And the more you learn, the more your intuition has to draw on
I think this hits it on the head. Newbies tend to think they HAVE to do it by the books, and some elders think that all books should be tossed out the window. But it's not--not EVER either/or. As mollymawk so rightly put it, they are not mutually exclusive.
Of course, yes, you do what works. Some people can start in a void. Others can't. And just because some can rely entirely on intuition doesn't mean all should. And just because some found that key-to-the-tarot in a book, doesn't mean all will.
From my years learning and reading and teaching and observing others, I've found that it almost always takes a mix. Most times you start with a book, but you quickly learn to rely on intuition AS WELL. Toss in a little help from real people, their advice and observations, and pretty soon, like a symphony, it all comes together.
One instrument rarely creates the music, and one color rarely creates the pictures. Mix, match, use more of this and less of that, until it becomes your own. Never rely entirely on one thing, and never assume that just because something works well, that you should ignore the other.