Tarot Reading

What is Tarot Reading?

Tarot reading is a divination practice (also known as cartomancy) that uses a deck of cards to gain intuitive insight into life. Today, people use tarot cards for more than just fortunetelling. It’s a popular tool used to develop intuition, explore the self, and predict outcomes. People seek the wisdom of the tarot for personal guidance and answers to questions about their lives, relationships, and careers. Many tarot decks are full of vibrant illustrations that provide deep and detailed answers even to the simplest of questions. Whether for personal or professional use, tarot is a way to connect with the collective human experience as told in the cards. 

The History of Tarot Reading

Originally used as playing cards, tarot decks were used to play a game similar to Bridge called Tarocchi. This game was played by the wealthy aristocrats of Europe in the 15th century. Before the dawn of the printing press, each card was painted by hand, making it an extremely expensive deck of cards. By the late 1700s, people began studying the deck as more than just a game. 

The French occultist Jean-Baptiste Alliette was the first known person to make a living as a tarot reader. In 1785, he published a book titled How to Entertain Yourself With the Deck of Cards Called Tarot, in which he explains his tarot methodology. His first deck was created in 1788 and is recognized as the first tarot deck made specifically for occult divination purposes. 

In 1909, the Rider-Waite-Smith deck was published by two British members of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. It is arguably the most popular tarot deck ever created. The mystic A.E. Waite oversaw academic interpretation and worked with illustrator Pamela Colman Smith to determine what kind of imagery and symbolism should be present on each card. There are 78 fully illustrated cards in the deck, and although some of the images are simplistic, the art is abundant with symbolic references and impressive detail.

How Tarot Reading Works

As an occult creation and practice, tarot reading was developed to engage the intuitive abilities of an individual and pull information from unseen places within. People often find a deep connection with the cards and their symbolism, with each one depicting some aspect of what it means to be human. The tarot represents a collection of universal experiences and lessons we all learn along our life journey. Although the meanings are seemingly endless within tarot, and people spend years memorizing and learning the symbolism, the reading process only follows a few steps:

How Tarot Reading Works
Shuffle:	The tarot reader shuffles the deck, ensuring all of the cards are distributed in random order.
Question:	The focus of the reader shifts to asking a question out loud while they continue to shuffle the cards, stopping when their intuition tells them to.
Draw:	The deck is then cut in half or thirds and the reader will draw a specific number of cards — at least one but sometimes up to 10 or more.
Interpret:	The tarot reader will then interpret the card meanings and present them as an answer to the initial question.

Common tarot spreads

Before a tarot reading, the spread will be decided by the reader or by request from whoever is receiving the reading. The spread can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. For those who like to participate in personal daily practice, the single-card spread is a nice way to check in before your day begins. Readers can spend some quiet time setting intentions as well as thinking about the symbolism and potential influence of whichever card comes up. 

Another layout is the three-card spread. The simplicity of this option allows the reader to easily see how each card relates to the other and builds upon the progression from the first card to the third card. A few ways to use this spread:

• Past, Present, Future
• Choice A, Choice B, Choice C
• You, The Relationship, Your Partner

A step up in complexity would be the five-card spread. This layout allows the reader to gain even further insight into the question being asked. Five-card spreads are also easily customizable — yes, you can make up your own spread! Here are some ideas:

• Past, Present, Future, Cause, Outcome
• You, Your Partner, The Relationship, Positives, Negatives
• Pros of Option A, Pros of Option B, Cons of Option A, Cons of Option B, Deciding Factor

Those looking for a large spread to either answer a question or explore a topic openly may want to give the 10-card Celtic cross spread a try. This can be a little complicated for beginners, so you may want to consider scheduling a reading with a professional tarot reader for your first try.

Here’s how it’s set up and used according to A.E. Waite himself:
1. Present:	The first card is drawn and laid down. It reveals the present influence that is affecting the querent or situation.
2. Cross:	The second card is laid horizontally over the first. This is an issue that “crosses” the querent for better or worse.
3. Crown:	The third card is placed above the first and second. It “crowns” the querent and represents the ideal outcome or the best of what is possible in the situation.
4. Beneath:	The fourth card is laid below the first and second. This is the foundation or basis of the situation at hand.
5. Behind:	The fifth card is placed to the left of the first and second. It represents what lies behind the querent and influenced the situation in the recent past.
6. Before:	The sixth card is placed to the right of the first and second. This is what lies before or in front of the querent, a near-future influence.
7. Self:	The seventh card is placed on the bottom of what will be a vertical line of cards to the right of the cross that has been created. It represents how the querent sees and feels about themselves in the current situation.
8. Environment:	The eighth card is placed directly above the seventh. This card represents the querent’s position within their social circles and how friends and family influence them.
9. Hopes/Fears:	The ninth card is placed above the eighth. It reveals the querent’s hopes and fears around the situation at hand.
10. Outcome:	The tenth card is placed above the ninth. This represents the likely outcome of all that was discovered within the previous cards.

The standard tarot deck

Standard Tarot decks are made up of 78 cards. The deck is split into two groups: the Minor Arcana and the Major Arcana. The Minor Arcana contains all 56 suit cards, which are wands, swords, cups, and coins. Each suit has cards numbered ace through 10, a page, a knight, a queen, and a king. The Major Arcana contains 22 cards numbered 0 to 21. They’re also called the trump cards.  Below we’ll take a look at the images and meanings of the Major Arcana cards:

Frequently Asked Questions