Flip a Witch
- Witchness Protection
- Jan 25, 2021
- 4 min read
Tarot Learning Tips
Tarot is difficult to learn and I am by no means an expert, but I hope these tips and resources will give you a starting point or give you some other ideas. Tarot was the first thing I engaged with as a witch. It is always scary accurate and meaningful. It helps get to the roots of my problems or give me sound advice.
How to Start Learning Tarot
Obtain a Deck (or more)
Buy a Guide
Study, Study, Study
Practice, Practice, Practice
Choosing a Deck
Tarot is powerful and each deck has a personality. Sometimes your personality and the deck clash. Just like when Harry Potter’s wand chose him, you want your deck to choose you -- that doesn’t mean you can’t shop around. There are two ways a deck can come to you. Firstly, you can receive it as a gift. The belief here is that the Universe has led the deck to you. There is an old witch’s tale that this is the only way one can obtain a deck. This is untrue. The main argument against that tale is that Tarot decks will call to you (even through an online platform). When it calls, you should answer it. I got mine through my all-time favorite site, yes, Amazon. I have had a yearly habit of looking at tarot decks, but never buying one. It just didn’t feel right till one November morning, I was sitting with my coffee and my laptop and I was scrolling through Amazon. Then I got this uncontrollable urge to check out some tarot cards. That’s when I saw and heard my deck. Ever since, the Wild Unknown deck and I have been one. It tells me my truth and guides me to the future. The art gives me great pleasure and I am instantly calmed when using the deck no matter what is going on in my life. Some people have multiple decks for a variety of questions and that’s ok too. If you find that your deck is incorrect, you are probably clashing with it.
Here are my deck recommendations:
Obviously, I will recommend my own deck, The Wild Unknown deck. The Seventh Spear Rider Waite Smith deck. A deck I don’t recommend due to the card size (might be a good travel deck), but you might be called to is Biddy Tarot’s Everyday Tarot Mini Deck. For a more modern and fun deck check out the Modern Witch Deck. There are so many wonderful options out there, so always be watching for your deck!
Guides Are Wonderful Tools
Most decks come with a small insignificant guide book that will help you understand the symbology and meaning behind each card, but these small books do not go far enough into the world of tarot. I recommend using the provided guide companion everyday for about two weeks. Getting a new tarot deck is like meeting a new roommate. You’ll want to get to know her. Find out what she likes and what she dislikes. Is she chaotic or orderly? What questions to which can she provide clarity? Like a roommate, your energy can disturb her or enlighten her. Take her out on a roommate date and just see what she says. Learn her personality. Below I will outline what I use and recommend some guides that appear to be helpful. Your guide does not need to match your deck. Think of the guide as the deck’s super cool boyfriend. Sometimes opposites attract.
This one is very detailed. Sometimes I want that much detail, and sometimes I’d rather have the action steps spelled out. This guide is great for more advanced users or users with complicated questions. I personally use this one, but not very often. For my normal use, I prefer…
My personal favorite guide. It explains the uses of each spread. It reads reverse and upright cards. It gives common adjectives associated with each position of the card. It’s beautiful, and in order to live mindfully it breaks the synopsis into the card interpretation, reflection questions, and action steps. It makes reading tarot a breeze! 10/10 recommend.
This book seems really interesting to me. I haven’t read it, but I believe the premise is something worth considering. The goal of the book is to teach tarot through magickal practice. Seems like a good one to me! It is primarily set up like a storybook, which will make learning the cards that much easier!
If you’re looking for a guide that dives right into symbology and the meaning of colors, look no farther. It isn’t your traditional tarot guide divided into major and minor arcana, but is instead organized by card meaning, which will be helpful in learning tarot.
Suggested Study Habits
1. Engage 1-2 Cards a Week
This is a good habit to get into. Sleep with the card under your pillow. Keep it with you at all times. Sense its energy. After a week or a few days check your guidebook and see if your impression of the card is in line with the interpretation. Record your results in a journal. There are journals you can buy, but I honestly believe they are a royal waste of money.
2. Flashcards
Each card has impressions associated with it. Your job is to memorize (yes, I know it sucks) them. Brainscape has the major arcana for free and to access the rest of the suits you pay a monthly fee (boo). There are free versions out there like this one from Quizlet. The downside is there are no pictures and it doesn’t separate the reversed and upright cards. The Queen of Tarot provides a basic interactive flashcard. This is probably the best free version.
3. Actually Use The Cards
This one is a given. You have to be able to synthesize the interpretation of the cards into a reading. Check out these 3 card spreads. PS. you can alter them. They are not gospel. Guidebooks typically also have spreads. Even if you don’t have time for an in depth spread, just do one card. Every day. You can read for “What do I need to know today/tomorrow,” “What emotion is prominent in me,” “How can I be better at xyz,” etc.
Well that’s all I have folks. Hope you got some good advice. Like this post and let me know that you think about tarot in the comments! Subscribe to be updated when new posts drop.
Love and Learning,
Madeline XOXO
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