When you first start reading Tarot...

Wildfyre

The best advice I can give is to find what works best for you. If you learn by writing, keep a journal. If you are more of an audial learner, perhaps get a small tape recorder and record your thoughts.

Some people can just jump right in an start reading for others right away, and some take a while to get comfortable with both themselves and their cards.

I read from my cards all the time, sometimes several times a day. Others can go for weeks without touching their deck.

Just find whatever works best for you, and trust it.
 

Thirteen

Twilight_Falling said:
Thanks for all the great advice. Why only once a month once you really start to get a feel for the cards though?
Allow me to clarify--when I say only one spread a month, I'm refering to:

(1) Large spreads like the Celtic Cross or Zodiac. Ones that cover different aspects of your life rather than just answering a specific question (most such spreads cover hopes and fears, home enviornment, near future, etc.). Once you've got a feel for the cards, you won't need to do a large, general spread for anyone (yourself included) more than one a month (reason why below).

If we're talking small spreads, then that's different.

(2) Regarding small spreads that you used to answer specific questions: If you ask a question about your love life, and then, a week later, you need to ask a question about your job then you can certainly do more than one spread. One spread for the love life, one spread for the job. But if you're asking about your love life, and you don't like the answer, and want to ask the same question (or something similar) next week...don't. Give it a month before you ask again.

The reason why is because the answer you get from almost any spread has a range of about 30-60 days. So you're just going to make the cards mad at you if you ask the same question over and over again and force them to give you the same, unchanging answer.
 

Twilight_Falling

Thirteen said:
Allow me to clarify--when I say only one spread a month, I'm refering to:

(1) Large spreads like the Celtic Cross or Zodiac. Ones that cover different aspects of your life rather than just answering a specific question (most such spreads cover hopes and fears, home enviornment, near future, etc.). Once you've got a feel for the cards, you won't need to do a large, general spread for anyone (yourself included) more than one a month (reason why below).

If we're talking small spreads, then that's different.

(2) Regarding small spreads that you used to answer specific questions: If you ask a question about your love life, and then, a week later, you need to ask a question about your job then you can certainly do more than one spread. One spread for the love life, one spread for the job. But if you're asking about your love life, and you don't like the answer, and want to ask the same question (or something similar) next week...don't. Give it a month before you ask again.

The reason why is because the answer you get from almost any spread has a range of about 30-60 days. So you're just going to make the cards mad at you if you ask the same question over and over again and force them to give you the same, unchanging answer.

Thanks much for the clarification and the advice in general!
 

seaweed

Hi Twilight_Falling,

Have you seen the book Tarot Tells the Tale yet? Thinbuddha mentioned reading for mythological characters and this is book is right up that alley. It gets rave reviews from many people here and some pretty big people in tarot for it's practical/friendly prose, fun and useful advice from many perspectives.

Here's Aeclectic's reviews of it: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/books/tarot-tells-the-tale/

Here's the author's web page to read a sample: http://www.jamesricklef.com/Book_KTR.html

(It's a 2003 book & I've found it orderable through both Borders and Amazon for about $16.95.)
 

geministar

I just want to start by saying that I love reading Thirteen's posts. They are really helpful and I love learning from you.

I often look up Thirteen's meanings of the cards in the "Learn" section of the site.

When I first started to learn tarot I pulled a one-card daily draw. I still do it. This way I can look up the meaning of the card, find what I myself see in the card, think about it during the day, and apply it to my day. Write it all down in my journal.

I dont do celtic cross spreads. I usually look for small spreads with a maximum of 6 cards. I dont do spreads that often. A daily draw is more my thing. I just read for myself but the only readings I do for other people is here in the reading circles.

Also, I like to read books. A good workbook at the moment is "21 ways to read tarot" by Mary Greer. Have a look in the Books section if you would like to know more about it.