a beginner’s guide to reading tarot

We’re talking tarot, folks.

Humans have been dancing with divination since time immemorial, but the oldest surviving set of tarot cards, known as the Visconti-Sforza deck, dates to 16th-century Italy.

The tarot was adopted for purposes of fortune telling in France around 1780 and hit pay dirt in 1909 when Libra mystic Arthur Edward Waite commissioned Pamela Colman Smith, AKA Pixie, to illustrate the widely circulated and wildly popular Waite-Smith or Rider-Waite deck.

Tarot reader Philippe St Genoux tells us, “Tarot doesn`t predict the future. Tarot facilitates it.”

To that end, the brilliant astrologer and tarot reader Elise Wells of Planet Poetica is on a literal deck to facilitate the future with a beginner’s guide to reading tarot.

Tarot deck cards

“The cards are your friend,” shared Wells. She notes that it’s okay—and even encouraged — to have and use more than one tarot deck.

“I like to have a traditional deck, such as a Rider-Waite, and alternate with a deck that is a little more abstract. It will give your readings dynamism and dimension to use different decks and oracles at once.”

Tarot cards list

Some of Wells’s favorite tarot and oracle decks include Pagan Otherworld Tarot by Uusi, Primordial Tarot, Primordial Tarot by Sergio Toppi, The Wild Unknown by Kim Krans and MAAT Tarot by Julia Cuccia Watts.

How many tarot cards?

A standard tarot deck has 78 cards, 22 Major Arcana cards, and 56 Minor Arcana cards.

Major tarot cards in a tarot deck

In a classic tarot deck, the 22 Major Arcana cards are the most significant. These cards, beginning with the footloose and fancy free energy of The Fool and the number 0 and building to the cumulative wheel of The World, represent the archetypal human experience.

When they appear in a reading, these cards offer us a vantage point on the bigger picture and represent the trials, traumas, and triumphs of growth and transformation.

Tarot cards meanings

Wells notes that the cards are vital and fluid, and their meaning shifts in accordance with our needs and circumstances.

“The cards are not fixed. The Tower might mean something on Monday and something quite opposite the next time you pull it.

She shared that, when it comes to reading, context and questions matter as much as the content.

“It’s like the river you never step in twice: every time, you are different and the river is different; and so it is with the cards. Stay up, flexible, light, dip your toes in the water, and watch the world open up to you with its charms.”

How to learn tarot cards

“This is practical magic,” said Wells, “Go with what is simple, clear, and works for you.”

She notes that all tarot readings are an appeal to the subconscious, a force that “speaks in colors, numbers, nursery rhymes, synchronicity, humor, dreams, feelings, patterns, and symbols. Pay attention to those things.”

Wells encourages novice and seasoned readers to create their own language of meaning.

“It’s important not to cut yourself off from your own initial ‘READ’ of a card/cards. It’s not about memorizing text and learning what everyone else thinks that card means.”

Meaning of tarot cards

She underscores the importance of letting your own intuition lead your interpretation.

“Don’t look at any written interpretations until you have invented something to chew on yourself.”

She compares looking at cards to looking at artwork or an environment.

“Focus on what YOU see. Approach each card as if you are traveling through that landscape. Look at the card, the imagery, until you start to ‘see’ it. Give it time to saturate and reveal itself.”

Wells notes that often, the messages in the cards reveal themselves more fully hours or days after an initial reading.

“Don’t be afraid to be surprised, delighted, and laugh at the uncanny-ness of the truth of the cards. For me, it’s never felt like a confrontation with the truth but rather a revelation that begins with being open.”

How to read tarot cards

“Trust yourself, trust the cards,” shared Wells. “They have never led me down the wrong path, ever. They are a reflection and an extension of our own energies. They are a beloved tool. It’s up to you how you use that tool.”

Wells shared that a tarot reading can be enhanced by ritual.

“This can be as simple as putting a few drops of oil or water on a surface and laying the cards out on that. Lighting a candle also works. One of my favorite things to do is to knock on the deck as I would the door to a friend’s home. I personally kiss my decks twice before I put the cards away. Any simple action to signal to yourself, the cards, and the powers that be that you are ready and present to communicate/translate/interpret/intuit.”

She notes that the cards are sacred and if you treat them with respect, they will deliver it unto you.

“Cleanse them with smoke, salt, or a few drops of water. Let them sit in the sunshine or chill outside under the moon for a night. Let them breathe, recharge, and res,t and they will work better for you and with you.”

Tips for picking cards

“Picking cards is an art form in and of itself,” shared Wells. She recommends the following approaches for selecting or calling out cards.

• Try shuffling and see if any cards slip, jump, or stick out; they can be “waving” to you.
• You can use your non-dominant hand to pick cards, as that non-primary paw is thought to be ruled by your subconscious mind.
• You can close your eyes and pick a card that feels warm or hot to you, or you can also simply spread all the cards in a circle in front of you and play with picking.

Tarot card readings with easy spreads for beginners

“By using or inventing a spread, you are giving structure and meaning to your questions, and in return, you will receive structured guidance. I usually don’t pick at random or without some question, tension or crossroads,” shared Wells.

Sometimes, Wells will ask the cards, “What do you want to tell me about this situation, or person?” and build from there into specifics.

Examples of further inquiry include:

• -THIS (card) will show me how to proceed
• -THIS (card) is my blind spot
• -THIS (card) is something that is ready to be shared
• -THIS (card) is a gift that is on its way
• -THIS (card) is the shadow and THIS (card) is the light

Simple tarot spreads

Wells regularly uses the following spreads:

Yes or No question

“If I have a yes or no question, I will pull a single card, and it is often enough to
give me an answer. Don’t be afraid to pull additional cards to ‘clarify’ if you need more
information or another angle.”

Deciding between two choices

“If I am trying to decide between two different things or paths, I will pick a card that represents each option. For example, when I was deciding where to move, I would pull a card or two for each region that I was considering to get a sense of what each place held for me. Again, not a prediction, just potential.”

Three-card past, present, future spread

Among the most classic tarot configurations is a three-card pull where each card represents where you’ve been, where you are, and where you are going.

Five-card tarot spread

“I love the traditional ‘world’ 5 card spread, with a card representing each of the four cardinal directions and then the 5th card in the middle as you or your spirit. Here you acknowledge yourself in the crux of matter and spirit, and also what is above, below, behind, and ahead of you.

Seven-card chakra spread

A great way to look at what you have going on is a 7-card spread where each card represents one of your seven chakras, starting at the root and working up to the crown.

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Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture and personal experience. To book a reading, visit her website