What should beginners do?

thinbuddha

Personally, I don't believe in the tarot as being a way to tell the future. For me, it is more of a way to dig things out of myself- sort of like brainstorming, only instead of another person feeding you ideas to expand on, a deck of cards is feeding you images- and you make "intuitive" leaps from that. The more you learn about the symbolism of the cards and the systems that are used to read cards, the deeper the meaning becomes for you when you do a spread.

You can use them for this "brainstorming" now, though you will find it a bit cumbersome at first because you may have to look up card meanings.

I like the card a day idea, but if you do this you have to keep in mind that individual card meanings are only part of the story. The way the cards interact with each other can totally change the meanings. I'm not suggesting that you learn this at the same time (it might be overwealming) but you should keep it in mind- once you learn all the card meanings, you still don't know the whole picture.
 

Sophie

I think the tarot is a good tool for divining the past, the present and that future ;). Of course it takes a lot of practice & leaps of imagination. Some things in the future are fixed - these are all the things that come from the outside of you (the closure of a factory causing you to lose your job, the arrival of a long-lost friend, etc.) - tarot can tell you these will happen; but in your own behaviour, in your reaction to these events, in the decisions you take, as ArwenNightStar wrote, you have choices & the future is not fixed. We are not gods, we don't have unlimited choice - but we do have some, often more than we think, and tarot is an excellent instrument to help you explore these choices. It is also good to explore your blockages to decision-making or to following a course you want, and to brainstorm. It is also a rich spiritual tool.

Again - time & practice will do it. A lot of practice, on yourself & on others. Notebooks, readings, reading what others do, participating in the forum. I know one member here- a very good reader, who started a year ago - she learnt a lot by playing the keywords game in the Tarot Games and Fun section. She learnt the leaps of imagination & the fact that there are many meanings to any one card, and some you will only ever discover when you are put on the spot. In reading you start to use your intuition as to what that card, together with that other card, for this person, means today.

Happy travelling!
 

aville

:d

You're all really sincere :d

Anyway, where are the "BNU course for Tarot" and "RWS Study Group " would u please tell me :)

In my country, Tarot isnt popular, they only sell Tarot deck at some anime shops, and anime shop are also rare :p so, they dont even sell books on Tarot, and I think no one could know anything about Tarot here

Tarot - a set of seventy eight cards [and their meaning] includes 22 major cards and 4 suits of 14 cards. -> All what I know about T_T

As you said, I need to get a deck at first, and learn the majors' meaning, and write down wat I see in the card everyday... And what more I need to do to know fairly enough about Tarot? [like all 'f you ^^]

thanks a bunch for your all good advice
 

Milfoil

Helvetica said:
I think the tarot is a good tool for divining the past, the present and that future ;). Of course it takes a lot of practice & leaps of imagination. Some things in the future are fixed - these are all the things that come from the outside of you (the closure of a factory causing you to lose your job, the arrival of a long-lost friend, etc.) - tarot can tell you these will happen; but in your own behaviour, in your reaction to these events, in the decisions you take, as ArwenNightStar wrote, you have choices & the future is not fixed. We are not gods, we don't have unlimited choice - but we do have some, often more than we think, and tarot is an excellent instrument to help you explore these choices. It is also good to explore your blockages to decision-making or to following a course you want, and to brainstorm. It is also a rich spiritual tool.

Again - time & practice will do it. A lot of practice, on yourself & on others. Notebooks, readings, reading what others do, participating in the forum. I know one member here- a very good reader, who started a year ago - she learnt a lot by playing the keywords game in the Tarot Games and Fun section. She learnt the leaps of imagination & the fact that there are many meanings to any one card, and some you will only ever discover when you are put on the spot. In reading you start to use your intuition as to what that card, together with that other card, for this person, means today.

Happy travelling!
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How beautifully put, I agree, the tarot can be used for many things including some grasp of future events (probablilities). What a wonderfull explanation Helvetica. :)

It is so tempting to approach learning tarot with a great deal of gusto and speed at first when really it is a life-long persuit so take your time and learn each lesson well, savour each new bit of information like a delicious chocolate . . . . ;)
 

thinbuddha

Barnes and Noble website:

www.bn.com

They have the "Barnes and Noble University" I think this is what you are refering to? They have a free tarot course that is in session right now (but you can still join).
 

Ace

ArwenNightstar said:
I tell people to draw a card a day. In the morning, write down what you see in the card... what it makes you feel like. Then in the evening, write down what happened in your day. See how what you wrote in the morning corresponds with the card. Then look it up in the Little White Book from your deck.
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For learning the cards, this is a great system. but when READING the cards for others. DON'T use the book! (IMHO)
Ace
 

aville

sorry, I made it my mistake T_T
Moderator please merge this with my topic "what should beginners do?"
sorry all over and over again
 

Trogon

Uh... aville ... I don't mean to seem ignorant, but what country is "HCM"?
 

Trogon

The only things I would add... First; Thirteen's Tarot Basics is full of tons of good information on the cards.

Secondly - as for how long it takes to study ... well, for me, probably the rest of my life. Everytime I get a new deck, I study it and get new insights to the cards ... even new insights to my old decks. Every time I do a reading (for myself or for someone else) it is like studying how those cards fit into the "real world". And I'm constantly going back through what I've learned and refining and expanding it.

Hope that helps
 
feeling bad - 5 pents?? Odd and even numbers in the Minor Arcana