Must Have Items for a Beginner's Divining / Tarot Space

[Pargatho]

[This thread was inspired by the "what's on your table" thread.]

Hi all!

If you didn't read it, I'm returning to the scene after being away for years and I'm super excited to be back! Right now I only have one deck (Radiant Rider-Waite Smith) but two more are coming in the mail by Amazon soon (Whimsical and Gay).

My tarot space is just my kitchen table right now, but I'm going to buy myself a nice table to do my readings on. So basically I have a blank space to start building from. So starting with the table...

What type of table should a beginner buy? How big? What type of wood? What color? What do you all recommend?

also...

What decorations are must-haves for you for a Beginner's Divining Tarot table? What are no-no's?

I look forward to hearing what you all have to say! Thanks for being so welcoming back and thanks in advance for your advice.

Namaste.

 

[Gwynydd]

I love hearing about people's reading spaces I mostly read on my bed and it's my dream to have a table, or better yet, a room.

 

[lantana]

Ultimately, whatever works for you! There's no requirement to a reading space, just craft a place where you feel comfortable and at ease.

I'd say a normal desk would be good, as it's a decent amount of space and you can use the table for other things as well. However, I don't know what kind of reader you plan to be. Online? Face to face service in your home? Just personal? Are you doing huge spreads? Get whatever table you think will fit your needs.

If you use a spread cloth, the type of wood and color won't really matter, but if you're like me and you like taking pictures of your readings you might want to consider a color and finish that looks nice against your decks. Some people like dark wood, I like lighter colors. If you aren't using a spreadcloth, maybe take a deck to a store and see how they look on different finishes.

As for decorations, if you aren't doing professional readings for others they can really be whatever you need to get "in the zone" and feel comfortable. I like having candles, crystals, and incense in my space, for example. Some people want some books and a journal nearby. Others want nothing but the cards. Whatever feels right to you!

 

[JDusk]

I love hearing about people's reading spaces I mostly read on my bed and it's my dream to have a table, or better yet, a room.

Haha, same.

Must-haves for a reading space: a flat surface large enough to spread cards on (say - Celtic Cross size?) in a reasonably peaceful environment. I do keep a small journal nearby to record the reading, as well.

But really - use whatever makes you happy and comfortable! Wood, color, and decorations are 100% personal preference. Eg., candles might help some people set the mood, but other people might worry about setting their cards on fire if they jump enthusiastically (just me?). You can look up some divination correspondences for wood type and color if that is important to you, magically.

 

[Pargatho]

I plan on doing readings online for people at my desk. The reading desk would be to my left and I'm in a swivel chair. So I rotate counterclockwise, look at the cards. Divine. Rotate clockwise and type.

 

[EmpyreanKnight]

Must-have items for a simple beginner are the Tarot decks he/she's currently studying (or which he finds inspiring), a spread cloth, and some helpful books. That's a good bare minimum I think.

 

[Redfaery]

Must have items? At least one Tarot deck, and any flat surface that can be comfortably used to spread the cards. Everything else is extra.

 

[EmpyreanKnight]

Lol I guess that's as bare as one can get, especially if one can work with just the LWB (which might not even be necessary at all)

 

[JylliM]

No right or wrong beyond the bare essentials of a flat space, light, and cards, but if you want this space to be special, you need to put something special into it.

I personally like to light a candle and maybe some incense for readings that I want to take extra seriously, so I have candles and incense holders on my reading table.

I also have some crystals - really just for beauty and atmosphere - plus some other objects which I like and which seem to connect with something beyond the mundane.

Notebooks and tarot books, if you use them, are also good to have on hand.

Whatever you enjoy having around you, and which will set this space apart, are good things to include.

 

[Trogon]

The only suggestions I would have are that the table needs to be sturdy so it doesn't wobble around every time you touch it. The table also needs to be the right height ... too low and I'll find myself bending over it too much and hurting my lower back - too high and I'll be hurting my shoulders to shuffle, lay out the cards and write notes. And, as others have mentioned, it needs to be large enough to comfortably accommodate your largest spreads.

I use my dining room table which is heavy oak. But there's a lot of clutter right now, so I don't have much room to set the other things around that I like, such as my crystals or incense burner. But I'm getting by okay for now.

[ETA] Oh yeah, and a coaster to set your cuppa, or beer, or whatever libation you're enjoying.