Beginner to Tarot

SunChariot said:

I second that idea. A lot of Tarot is intuition. if you have a lot of memorized things in your mind it can be hard not to think of that first. And when your mind is thinking it makes it hart to tune into intuition. Memorized meanings can be hard to forget.

No I don't think a reading will interfere with what you see or feel in the cards. As long as you remember that what the readers sees and feels in JUST her interpretation of the cards. Not yours. Nothing more than that. The cards talk to each of us differently, so what she sees will not ever be exactly what you see when you are the reader.

Her interpretation of the cards is just that, her interpretation. Yours will be different. The cards speak to each of us differently, according to the reading methods we choose to use, how we think, our personalities, our past experiences which make us who we are inside...So much so that for 3 readers to get the exact same answer, each would likely get different cards to arrive at the same place.

There is not such thing as THE answer to what a card means. It's the art of interpretation and intuition. Almost like a dance if you can see the card meanings as music. There's a flow to them. Meaning has a flow to it. There are 78 cards which can tell you an infinite amount of things. There are not just 78 meanings, period, meaning flows and fluctuates in different circumstances... Each reader will dance with the music of Tarot differently. And yet there can be some truly beautiful dances out there. When we dance from our hearts and souls.

Tarot is an artform, more than a science...

Babs

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I'm glad you expressed this. Again it's opened my mind up as I never looked at readings being the readers interpretation. I guess no one understands this concept unless you learn about tarot yourself.

I go to readings every 6-10 months. I usually go to the one but she was completely booked out until Feb so today's reading is a new lady I haven't seen or been to before. It's good to know going into a reading with this new outlook, however it doesn't mean that her reading and interpretation isn't exactly false or incorrect, it's just another way of her outlook on how she reads the cards with what I'm looking to get out of the reading if that makes any sense, is that right?

So I got the deck today, started writing down what I could see and feel. I only did 4 cards to see if what I was writing was on the right track. I'm completely off, everything I thought I could see and feel wasn't even close to the actual meaning of the cards. Now I feel silly

Deana86 said:

So I got the deck today, started writing down what I could see and feel. I only did 4 cards to see if what I was writing was on the right track. I'm completely off, everything I thought I could see and feel wasn't even close to the actual meaning of the cards. Now I feel silly

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And whose "actual meaning" would that be?

Just for fun, let's consider The Fool. Look at the image. Here is a young man, off on a journey and not paying particular attention to things. On his staff he has all of his worldly possessions--both things pretty typical for those starting on a journey in life or unknown endeavor. His companion is a dog, who appears to be trying to warn him of impending danger--but this is ignored. There is more symbology and archetypal purpose, but let's just look here.

As an archetype, the image has great clarity. Someone relatively naive and hopeful moving along a path in life somewhere. Did you or can you see or 'feel' this message?

Now take a look at a relatively 'common' meaning or interpretation. Taken from Gray (which for at least 20 years was the most commonly used and memorized 'interpretive' text in the western world--and what was a primary factor in popularizing Tarot) we have:

Divinatory Meaning: The subject of the reading is a dreamer, a mystic. He has the desire to accomplish a great goal. He must be careful to make the right choice. If he thinks that “when ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise,” then he is indeed the Fool.

​

Reversed: Folly, indiscretion, thoughtless action. The choice is likely to be faulty.

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Is this "writ from on high" as in some infallible scripture? Think on that. When you look at this card, what are your feelings and impressions?

Deana86 said:

So I got the deck today, started writing down what I could see and feel. I only did 4 cards to see if what I was writing was on the right track. I'm completely off, everything I thought I could see and feel wasn't even close to the actual meaning of the cards. Now I feel silly

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I am not sure there is an "actual" meaning to the cards. One thing I found when starting out (which confused me bigtime) is that I read 30 Tarot books to learn Tarot and no 2 books gave the exact same meaning. Many of the books contradicted each other and some said the exact opposite of others. I was like "what am I supposed to do with THAT???" LOL

You will also start to notice here on AT, if you haven't already, that when someone asks what a card means and we all answer, there are no 2 answers exactly the same.

The book meanings are not law. I think of them more as suggestions to start jogging your memory, to get your mind flowing. But they are not THE answer to the extent that there is not room for anything else.

In truth the range of what each individual card might say in an actual reading is very very broad. After all we have 78 cards that can tell us ANYTHING at all. An infinite # of things from just 78 cards. That means that each has the capacity to say some much more than can ever ever be put down in words in a book.

As well, the meaning of a card when in an actual reading is affected by many many things: the question asked, the position it is in in the spread (if one is used), surrounding cards, etc and so forth. Meaning in actual usage has a flow to it, it can't be pinned down to a few words, where it will ALWAYS mean that and nothing more.

Again, I am from the school that says when your intuition contradicts the book meaning, drop the book meaning and follow your intuition first.

To me, the real question is not IF what you saw in the cards matched the book meanings. But rather IF the answer you saw made sense to the question asked and if it told you something useful. IF it did, then you did a valid reading, even without adding in the book meaning.

I am not saying to never use book meanings. I do believe they are necessary, although some readers use them more than others. But that IF what you saw in the image contradicts the book meaning and both can't be right at the same time, drop the book meaning. Intuition comes first.

I have even had readings where the cards purposely ignored the book meaning and the message was entirely in the card image. If that is the best way to send the answer, that is how it will come. I once asked what I needed to do to relax. Up came a card with the image of a woman taking a bubble bath. The card meaning itself was not relevant. It made no sense in the context. But I knew the answer was to go take that bubble bath. And I did and felt worlds better. That time the cards choose to ignore my regular meaning altogether in favour or sending the entire message through the image. This happens too.

If what you saw in the card does not feel like a vaild answer to you, then consider it as a necessary part of the learning process. Tarot is a lot about intuition,you need to practice with your intiuition and then it grows stronger and stronger and more and more reliable. That makes you a better reading, in the end.

The "actual" meaning of the cards IS what you see in them, its about bringing your intuition to the point where you can trust it to see what it needs to. Not that book meanings are not important, but they are not law. Different books give different answers, different readers develop their own slants on each card's meaning. The actual answer is what YOU see in the card.

As well, we all as readers use our intuition as part of the reading process. For me, if this helps, I do have set meanings for the cards (or 1 or 2 words each). But I do not see my set meanings as the answer at all.

For me they just point the direction where the answer can be found. I consider them like signposts that point out where the answer can be found. But not as THE answer at all. The answer for me comes from the actual card image and what I see in it.

So let's say the question was: "How can I make my relationship with "X" better? And Strength comes up. To me that does not say the answer is to be strong... It says the answer is ABOUT being strong. But being strong is not THE answer. It's more the topic that the cards want to talk about in the reading.

The image is what fleshes it out for me. It says why strength is needed, what I need to use my inner strength to do, how to use that strength in the best ways, what it will lead to if I do.....To me the card just tells me the topic of the reading, the rest (the actual answer from the card) comes from the image.

I don't know if that helps, but that is how it works for me anyway.

Also please do not ever feel silly. A good part of the learning process is to make mistakes. I am not convinced that you even made one above. But you do have to make mistakes to learn. If you don't make mistakes as you learn Tarot, then you're not trying new things. If you're not trying new things, you're not really learning. We learn more from trial and error that from anything else. Especially in this thing called Tarot where there are no right or wrong answers.

You have to learn from experience what works for the individual that is you. And what doesn't. And why and what that says about your personally as the type of reader you are inside. No one else can tell you, as it's a very individual thing. There is no other way to learn but by trying new things. Some will work, some won't but as you learn you'll grow as a reader and improve more and more.

And please believe there is no one here on AT who got to where they are now without making some. No human can be perfect after all. Just don't ever feel silly. We're here for you


Babs

Deana86 said:

Thank you so much on all that info. Very helpful.

It's good to know that there isn't a wrong way of learning or even a right way. I'm so glad i found this forum to help guide me.

I love hearing all this advice, it's opening my mind up more. I appreciate it

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I know how you feel.

AT is a phemomenal place. I can honestly say I learned most of what I know about Tarot here. And perfected my readings in the reading exchanges with fellow readers who could offer advice to help me learn and grow. It's one of the best places to learn.

I truly believe that there is nothing that the members of AT can't answer. I have never yet, in all the years I have been here, seen a question that someone here could not answer....no matter how obscure. It's an amazing source of info. With so many different points of view to learn from.

Babs

Deana86 said:

I'm glad you expressed this. Again it's opened my mind up as I never looked at readings being the readers interpretation. I guess no one understands this concept unless you learn about tarot yourself.

I go to readings every 6-10 months. I usually go to the one but she was completely booked out until Feb so today's reading is a new lady I haven't seen or been to before. It's good to know going into a reading with this new outlook, however it doesn't mean that her reading and interpretation isn't exactly false or incorrect, it's just another way of her outlook on how she reads the cards with what I'm looking to get out of the reading if that makes any sense, is that right?

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I heard once the expression that "Tarot is like visual poetry". I truly believe that is true. It's a lot about symbolism and interpreting it. I believe that whatever it is that answer us through the cards (no one knows for sure what that is, but most readers have their own theories) it seems to adapt itself to who we are inside. It has always seems deeply wise and loving to me. But it also seems to know and understand how we as individuals will interpret something and sends each of us the answer in the form that we will best understand.

Eg if there is a dog a card image and one reader is very afraid of dogs, and a second reader sees dogs a unconditionally loving, if the answer is meant to be about unconditional love the first reader will NOT get that card to give them that message, as whatever sends the messages KNOWS their feelings of fear on the topic would be their overriding emotion on seeing it. They would get a different card to talk about unconditional love, while the second reader likely just get the original card.

The cards talk to each of us in a different way because of who we are inside, and how they know we will interpret something. Because of our past experiences, our personalities, .....

Since we cannot know the language that anther readers cards use to talk to them, we can't really interpret the reading of someone else, imo. What they mean to us is not what they mean to them.

Add to that that many readers, myself included use their intuition much more than any set meanings. There is no way we can know what someone else's intuition is saying to them. But I think the best we can do is trust that the message was sent in the way they can most easily understand. Even if the same cards would make no sense to us, as we don't speak their language.

Not to mention that as readers we are free to actually invent our own meanings and methods at will. The cards are our tool. If we want them to do something for us that they are not currently doing, we can stop and think things out. Think on how to get them to do it and just invent new meanings and methods. I have done this a number of times. I currently use a number of methods and card meanings that are unique to me. And they work great for me. But it naturally means that no other reader will ever likely see just what I do in those cards.


Exactly, it is normal that what the other reader sees in the cards is not exactly what you would see. That's to be expected. It doesn't at all mean the reading is wrong or inaccurate, athough all readers make mistakes sometimes. No human being is perfect.


Babs

SunChariot said:

I heard once the expression that "Tarot is like visual poetry". I truly believe that is true. It's a lot about symbolism and interpreting it. I believe that whatever it is that answer us through the cards (no one knows for sure what that is, but most readers have their own theories) it seems to adapt itself to who we are inside. It has always seems deeply wise and loving to me. But it also seems to know and understand how we as individuals will interpret something and sends each of us the answer in the form that we will best understand.

Eg if there is a dog a card image and one reader is very afraid of dogs, and a second reader sees dogs a unconditionally loving, if the answer is meant to be about unconditional love the first reader will NOT get that card to give them that message, as whatever sends the messages KNOWS their feelings of fear on the topic would be their overriding emotion on seeing it. They would get a different card to talk about unconditional love, while the second reader likely just get the original card.

The cards talk to each of us in a different way because of who we are inside, and how they know we will interpret something. Because of our past experiences, our personalities, .....

Since we cannot know the language that anther readers cards use to talk to them, we can't really interpret the reading of someone else, imo. What they mean to us is not what they mean to them.

Add to that that many readers, myself included use their intuition much more than any set meanings. There is no way we can know what someone else's intuition is saying to them. But I think the best we can do is trust that the message was sent in the way they can most easily understand. Even if the same cards would make no sense to us, as we don't speak their language.

Not to mention that as readers we are free to actually invent our own meanings and methods at will. The cards are our tool. If we want them to do something for us that they are not currently doing, we can stop and think things out. Think on how to get them to do it and just invent new meanings and methods. I have done this a number of times. I currently use a number of methods and card meanings that are unique to me. And they work great for me. But it naturally means that no other reader will ever likely see just what I do in those cards.


Exactly, it is normal that what the other reader sees in the cards is not exactly what you would see. That's to be expected. It doesn't at all mean the reading is wrong or inaccurate, athough all readers make mistakes sometimes. No human being is perfect.


Babs

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Thank you SunChariot

I'm still so confused. So it doesn't matter what I read in books or do research on the card, it's not necessarly correct? Do I stick with what I felt and saw in that card? Or do I have to somewhat contribute meanings from books or internet into my perception of the card? What if my perception is completely off all together? Or if I asked my deck a question, pick the card then my perceptions lead the way my head wants to think it is? I'm so lost lol.

Deana86 said:

Thank you SunChariot

I'm still so confused. So it doesn't matter what I read in books or do research on the card, it's not necessarly correct? Do I stick with what I felt and saw in that card? Or do I have to somewhat contribute meanings from books or internet into my perception of the card? What if my perception is completely off all together? Or if I asked my deck a question, pick the card then my perceptions lead the way my head wants to think it is? I'm so lost lol.

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That's probably pretty normal. LOL I think everyone's confused at first. We're used to learning in a different way. In school, they tell you the answers and those are THE answers. 2+2 =4 and that's it, there's no questioning it.

Tarot, where there is no right or wrong ways, you have to find the answers more from inside you. We're not really trained to do that. In fact we're trained NOT to do that in school and to just repeat set truths rather than looking for our own personal truths inside. Learning Tarot can mean relearning how to do that again.

I would not say that what you read in books is not important. It's actually very very important. I don't think you can learn without reading a number of books. But some of the methods or some card meanings you find in books may be perfect for you, others not at all right for you. Also which books do you want to follow, as books differ on the best ways to do things and on card meanings.

The thing is, the way I see it, no one can tell you which are right for you or not as a reader. You have to learn by trying. It's a trial and error thing for me. You see a method in a book and if it calls you you and you think you like it, then you try it. One of 2 things will happen. It's either a success for you, or it doesn't work well.

If it works well, keep doing it. That means its a good method for you. If not either try to change it or drop it. Keeps notes so you learn from what works from you and what doesn't After a while of this, you develop your method that works well for you personally, by combining all the things you have found from experience to work for you. And that is the method that will work best for you.

It's not so much about what it correct, but what is the correct way for you personally. It varies from person to person.

Honey, your perceptions WILL be off at first. Guaranteed. Even completely off at times. There is no way at all to avoid that. You are going to make mistakes as you learn. No possible way to avoid that. But they WILL come less and less often with practice until one day you won't remember the last time they came. No one is a good reader overnight. It takes time to learn.

I don't think you can avoid the making of mistakes at first, even some real whoppers. LOL A lot of reading Tarot is intuition and intuition gets better and stronger with usage. That means that at the start it;s not yet quite as solid and dependable as it will be later on. You have to work on it to develop it. It's not there in full force from Day 1.

You don't get up after your first piano lesson and play a full concerto flawlessly. You start slow and easy with scales, and yes you make a lot of mistakes at first until you get better and better and then almost never do.

To change the subject, if you want to know if you should stick with what you saw in the card or with the meanings you saw on a book or Internet. Try reading both ways on and see which works best for you. That is the best way to know. If you want to try combining the 2 try that too and see how that works...The best way to know what works for you is to try.

Essentially, once you find what works for you and feels good to you, as far as methods...and you decide that is the method you choose to use then your cards will answer you using that method. After that point, as long as you are clear in your mind about which method you plan to use, the answers will come using that method.

Over the years I have changed methods (and card meanings)quite a large number of times. And as long as I am clear which i plan to use in a reading, that is how the answers come...using that method and those meanings.

Nothing is necessarily correct for all readers. Some things you read in books may be correct for you, but not for someone else. And vice versa. Not to say that what you see iun books is wrong, just that you have to try it and see what works. For you.

You will know what works because it gives you accurate true answers, and the method is fun for you and enjoyable to do, and the meaning resonates with who you are and want to be as a reader.

But again I don't believe you can learn to read without following the books. You have to first learn the rules before you can see if there are any you want to break.

Sometimes when it comes to deciding on the nuances of card meanings, it helps me to stop and think about what i think the purpose of a reading is to me. What kind of ways do I want to help. Or to imagine I am the querent asking the question and which of the 2 answers would I likely find most helpful. If I need to decide between 2 meanings for myself, that is how I do it.

Babs

SunChariot said:

That's probably pretty normal. LOL I think everyone's confused at first. We're used to learning in a different way. In school, they tell you the answers and those are THE answers. 2+2 =4 and that's it, there's no questioning it.

Tarot, where there is no right or wrong ways, you have to find the answers more from inside us. We're not really trained to do that. In fact that tends to be discouraged in school, so it can mean relearning how to do that again.

I would not say that what you read in books is not important. It's actually very important. I don't think you can learn without reading a number of books. But some of the methods or some card meanings you find in books may be perfect for you, others not at all right for you. Also which books, as books differ on the best ways to do things and on card meanings,

The thing is no one can tell you which are right for you or not. You have to learn by trying. It's a trial and error thing for me. You see a method in a book and you try it. It's either a success for you, or it doesn't work well.

If it works well, keep doing it. If not either try to change it or drop it. After a while you develop your method that works well for you personally, but combining all the things you have found from experience to work for you.

It's not so much about what it correct, but what is the correct way for you personally.

Honey, your perceptions WILL be off at first. Even completely off at times. There is no way to avoid that. No one is a good reader overnight. It takes time to learn. [emoji813]

I don't think you can avoid that.. A lot of reading Tarot is intuition and intuition gets better and stronger with usage. That means that at the start it;s not yet quite as solid and dependable as it will be later on. You have to work on it to develop it. It's not there in full force from Day 1.

If you want to know if you should stick with what you saw in the card or with the meanings you saw on a book or Internet. Try reading both ways on and see which works best for you. That is the best way to know. If you want to try combining the 2 try that too and see how that works...The best way to know what works for you is to try.

Essentially, once you find what works for you and feels good to you, as far as methods...and you decide that is the method you choose to use then your cards will answer you using that method. After that point, as long as you are clear in your mind about which method you plan to use, the answers will come using that method.

Over the years I have changed methods (and card meanings)quite a large number of times. And as long as I am clear which i plan to use in a reading, that is how the answers come...using that method and those meanings.

Nothing is necessarily correct for all readers. Some things you read in books may be correct for you, but not for someone else. And vice versa. Not to say that what you see iun books is wrong, just that you have to try it and see what works. For you.

You will know what works because it gives you accurate true answers, and the method is fun for you and enjoyable to do, and the meaning resonates with who you are and want to be as a reader.

But again I don't believe you can learn to read without following the books. You have to first learn the rules before you can see if there are any you want to break.

Babs

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Thank you, makes total sense. I'm about to do my daily card reading on myself so this is my second attempt.

Thanks again it means alot to have so much advice and guidance

Deana86 said:

Thank you SunChariot

I'm still so confused. So it doesn't matter what I read in books or do research on the card, it's not necessarly correct? Do I stick with what I felt and saw in that card? Or do I have to somewhat contribute meanings from books or internet into my perception of the card? What if my perception is completely off all together? Or if I asked my deck a question, pick the card then my perceptions lead the way my head wants to think it is? I'm so lost lol.

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If I can put in my little piece of advice
I spent the best part of a year drawing one card per day and taking at least 5 minutes to note everything about it, it's colours everything that was in the image and what feelings it provoked. Then I went and looked up a meaning as based on traditional ideas from a book. It was interesting to see if my intuition was similar to the 'traditional' meaning.
I think it was Rachel Pollack who said it was a good idea to familiarise yourself with traditional interpretations first, because after all they are the accumulation of many years and many peoples study. In my opinion this is a valid point
The deck I started with and still use is The Morgan Greer. It's a version of the RWS but it's richer colours attracted me more.
I think you would do well also to learn about symbolism, shapes, animals, colours etc.
Anyway whatever the way you do it, have fun