Tarot Foundations 31 Days to Read Tarot With Confidence

Page 2| Tarot Foundations: 31 Days to Read Tarot With Confidence

© www.biddytarot.com

Tarot Foundations: 31 Days to Read Tarot With

Confidence

First Edition

Publication date September 2012

Published by: Brigit Esselmont

www.biddytarot.com

Version 1.0 ©Copyright 2012 Brigit Esselmont

Notice of Rights

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in

any form or by any means, without the prior written

permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief

quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Images from the Radiant Rider-Waite Tarot Deck

reproduced by permission of U.S. Games Systems, Inc.,

Stamford, CT 06902 USA. Copyright ©2006 by U.S. Games

Systems, Inc. Further reproduction prohibited.

Notice of Liability

The author and publisher have made every effort to

ensure the accuracy of the information herein. However,

the information contained in this book is sold without

warranty, either express or implied.

Neither the author and Biddy Tarot, nor its dealers or

distributors, will be held liable for any damages caused

either directly or indirectly by the instructions contained

in this book, or by the software or hardware products

described herein.



W E L C O M E

So, you want to learn to read Tarot, but you

keep putting it in the ‘too hard’ basket?

Or maybe you just don’t know where to begin.

Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

When I first started to learn to read Tarot, I felt

overwhelmed by the idea of learning 78 Tarot

card meanings and being able to bring them all

together into a coherent and insightful Tarot

reading.

But just as Lao-Tzu said, “A journey of a

thousand miles begins with a single step.”

So I am here to help you take that first step

towards becoming a successful and confident

Tarot reader, and to ensure that you cover as

much ground as possible in just 31 days.

The idea is simple. Over the next 31 days, you

will learn the basics of how to read the Tarot

cards. By the end of this program, you’ll not

only have knowledge of how the Tarot cards

work, but you’ll also have the tools and

techniques that will help you to put that

knowledge into practice.

What’s more, you will have developed your

own connection with the Tarot cards. One

reader wrote:

“More than telling the reader what Tarot is,

Tarot Foundations gives a thorough, grounded

outline which guides the way to discovery of the

Tarot from a personal perspective. It is about

getting to know the cards through experience

rather than “this is what the book says it is.”” –

Elspeth from Trinidad

Whether you decide to read Tarot for yourself

or become a professional Tarot reader, Tarot

Foundations: 31 Days to Read Tarot With

Confidence will start you on your journey.

How to Use This Workbook

This workbook uses a ‘learn then do’ approach.

It is broken down into 31 days and for each day

you will find two main sections:

Lesson – this section introduces the topic or

concept that we will focus on for the day.

Activity – this section includes at least one

activity for you to apply what you have learned.

While this workbook has been designed to be

worked through over 31 days, feel free to

proceed at your own pace. Some days are more

‘chunky’ than others, so you might choose to

take your time with them and do just one or

two ‘Days’ in a week. Other days may be

quicker to work through and you might choose

to do one or two in a day. It’s totally up to you.

Some Days are also set up as a starting point

and are there to show you a method of study

that you can incorporate into your ongoing

learning process, beyond the next 31 days. This

is as much about the next 31 days as it is about

setting yourself up for life-long learning of

Tarot. So, by the end of the 31 days, you will

have a solid grasp of how to read Tarot a clear

path forward for your future Tarot studies.

While you may be tempted to skip some Days, I

recommend that you do each Day in order.

Each Day is like a stepping stone to the next

Day. Even if you are already familiar with a

particular step, go back to square one and start

learning again – take your time, be patient, and

learn. You’ll be amazed at how much you gain

through this process. And the more you put

into it, the more you get out of it.

Finally, to make it easy to navigate through this

Workbook and to find the sections you need,

use the hyperlinks throughout the document.

Most importantly, HAVE FUN!



Learn and Connect With Other

Tarot Enthusiasts

You don’t have to study Tarot in isolation!

There are hundreds of other Tarot students

working through this Workbook just like you.

To help you to learn from one another, I have

created a FREE online community on the Biddy

Tarot website. You are invited to join other

readers of Tarot Foundations to learn from and

connect with each other as you progress

through this 31-day program.

Step into the Tarot Foundations (TF)

Community Garden to:

Practice the Tarot Foundations

activities online and share your insights

Read other people’s activities and

insights

Ask questions and get feedback

Support each other and cheer each

other on

Find ‘study buddies’

All at no extra charge!

This is an exclusive, invitation-only community

open to all readers of Tarot Foundations and

can be accessed at:

http://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-

foundations/community/

Your special password is “Foundations”.

http://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-foundations/community/






A B O U T B R I G I T

Hi, I’m Brigit and I am a

professional Tarot reader,

blogger, self-published

author and mentor.

My website,

www.biddytarot.com, is

one of the most popular

Tarot resources online

with free and in-depth Tarot card meanings,

Tarot tutorials and tips, eBooks and guides, and

professional Tarot readings.

I started reading Tarot when I was 18. I had

been to see a Tarot reader before embarking

on a 6 month trip to Europe. She had predicted

I would meet my first ‘real’ boyfriend while

travelling... and I did! Impressed by what she

could see in the Tarot cards, I thought, “Hey, I

could do that.”

My mum bought me my first deck of Tarot

cards (despite her being a complete non-

believer) and I set about familiarising myself

with the cards and their meanings, and

practising a few Tarot readings.

I began collecting copious amounts of notes

about each Tarot card and worked my way

through a Card A Day (you’ll learn this on Day

20). Wanting to share my knowledge with

others, I started my first website in 1999 and

later created my first eBook. In 2009, I updated

the eBook and re-titled it, “The Ultimate Guide

to Tarot Card Meanings.”

Over time, more and more people found my

website and began using the Tarot card

meanings for their own Tarot studies and

readings. Now, over 150,000 visitors come to

Biddy Tarot every month.

I also started to read the Tarot cards for the

general public in early 2000. I began by offering

free Tarot readings on the Free Tarot Network,

working with my mentor, James Ricklef. After

building up my confidence and experience, I

became ‘professional’ in 2001. And in 2006, I

was accepted as the youngest Professional

Member with the Tarot Guild of Australia.

As a professional Tarot reader, I see it as my

responsibility to provide ethical and insightful

Tarot readings to my clients. I treat my clients

with respect and I treat my work with

professionalism.

To me, the Tarot is an excellent tool for

analysing problems and identifying solutions.

And so I use it in this way. I don’t make whacky

predictions about winning lottery numbers and

I don’t have a crystal ball. I am simply a

professional reader who gets to the heart of

the matter and who offers insight for a path

forward.

I also believe that anyone can read the Tarot.

You don’t have to be ‘fifth generation psychic’

or see auras around people. You can be ‘just

anyone’ so long as you are open to connecting

with your intuition and the energy around you.

In my opinion, Tarot can be learned. It doesn’t

have to be a ‘gift’.

So I want to wish you well in this journey. Tarot

is an amazing tool as you will soon discover

through this Workbook. Enjoy!

http://www.biddytarot.com/

http://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-guides/ultimate-guide-to-tarot-card-meanings/



http://www.freetarot.us/

http://www.jamesricklef.com/

http://www.tarotguild.org.au/

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.biddytarot.com

http://www.biddytarot.com/blog

http://www.facebook.com/biddytarot

http://www.twitter.com/biddytarot



T A R O T F O U N D A T I O N S : 3 1 D A Y S T O R E A D T A R O T W I T H C O N F I D E N C E

Day 1 Learn About the Tarot

Day 2 Select a Tarot Deck

Day 3 Cleanse and Care for Your Tarot Deck

Day 4 Invest in 2 to 3 Good Tarot Books

Day 5 Start a Tarot Journal

Day 6 Understand Your Learning ‘Systems’

Day 7 Get to Know Your Tarot Cards

Day 8 Learn to Create Keyword Charts

Day 9 Learn about the Minor Arcana

Day 10 Learn about the Suit of Cups

Day 11 Learn about the Suit of Pentacles

Day 12 Learn about the Suit of Swords

Day 13 Learn about the Suit of Wands

Day 14 Learn about the Court Cards

Day 15 Learn about the Major Arcana

Day 16 Understand Basic Numerology

Day 17 Interpret the Symbolism in the Tarot

Day 18 Interpret the Stories in the Cards

Day 19 Make a Tarot Card Profile

Day 20 Draw a Card a Day

Day 21 Meditate with Your Tarot Cards

Day 22 Connect the Cards

Day 23 Create Tarot Card Combinations

Day 24 Do a Basic Tarot Reading

Day 25 Use Easy Three-Card Tarot Spreads

Day 26 Interpret a Tarot Reading Like a Professional

Day 27 Trust Your Intuition

Day 28 Discover Timing Through Tarot

Day 29 Avoid the Six Mistakes of Reading Tarot for Yourself

Day 30 Draw on Tarot Resources and Communities

Day 31 Practice Your Tarot Reading Skills

CONGRATULATIONS! After 31 days of learning Tarot...

You are familiar with the Tarot card meanings; You can interpret a three-card Tarot reading like a professional; You are connected with other Tarot enthusiasts; and You have started your lifelong journey to develop your Tarot knowledge.



Table of Contents

Welcome ........................................................... 3

About Brigit ....................................................... 5

Chapter 1 (Days 1 to 5): Getting Started ......... 8

Day 1: Learn about the Tarot ............................ 9

Day 2: Select a Tarot Deck .............................. 12

Day 3: Cleanse and Care for Your Tarot Deck . 14

Day 4: Invest in 2 to 3 Good Tarot Books ........ 17

Day 5: Start a Tarot Journal............................. 19

Chapter 2 (Days 6 to 18): Learning the Tarot

Card Meanings ................................................ 23

Day 6: Understand Your Learning ‘Systems’ ... 24

Day 7: Get to Know Your Tarot Cards ............. 26

Day 8: Learn to Create Keyword Charts .......... 28

Day 9: Learn About the Minor Arcana ............ 32

Day 10: Learn About the Suit of Cups ............. 34

Day 11: Learn About the Suit of Pentacles ..... 36

Day 12: Learn About the Suit of Swords ........ 39

Day 13: Learn About the Suit of Wands ......... 42

Day 14: Learn About the Court Cards ............. 45

Day 15: Learn About the Major Arcana .......... 52

Day 16: Understand Basic Numerology ......... 54

Day 17: Interpret the Symbolism in the Tarot 57

Day 18: Interpret the Stories in the Cards ...... 62

Chapter 3 (Days 19 to 23): Deepening Your

Tarot Knowledge ........................................... 66

Day 19: Make a Tarot Card Profile ................. 67

Day 20: Draw a Card a Day ............................. 72

Day 21: Meditate with Your Tarot Cards ........ 76

Day 22: Connect the Cards ............................. 80

Day 23: Create Tarot Card Combinations ....... 83

Chapter 4 (Days 24 to 29): Learning to Read

Tarot ............................................................... 89

Day 24: Do a Basic Tarot Reading ................... 90

Day 25: Use Easy Three-Card Tarot Spreads .. 95

Day 26: Interpret Your Tarot Reading Like a

Professional .................................................... 98

Day 27: Trust Your Intuition ......................... 106

Day 28: Discover Timing Through Tarot ....... 109

Day 29: Avoid the Six Mistakes of Reading Tarot

for Yourself ................................................... 111

Chapter 5 (Days 30 to 31): Establishing Your

Networks ...................................................... 115

Day 30: Draw On Tarot Resources and

Communities ................................................. 116

Day 31: Practice Your Tarot Reading Skills ... 120

Where to From Here? ................................... 124

Appendix: Tools and Templates ................. 127



CHAPTER 1: DAYS 1 TO 5

GETTING STARTED

So, you want to learn Tarot? You’ll

need a Tarot deck, a journal and a few

good Tarot books to get started.



D A Y 1 : L E A R N A B O U T

T H E T A R O T

Lesson

What is the Tarot?

“The Tarot embodies symbolical presentations

of universal ideas, behind which lie all the

implicit characteristics of the human mind, and

it is in this sense that they contain secret

doctrine, which is the realisation of the few of

truths embedded in the consciousness of all.” -

Arthur Edward Waite

The 78 Tarot cards represent life lessons and

practical advice that can be applied to our lives.

The cards are like symbolic keys that serve to

open up the psyche to new ideas, concepts and

spiritual possibilities.

The 22 cards of the Major Arcana reflect the

archetypal qualities that are present in our

lives. Archetypes are universally understood

symbols or patterns of behaviour that flow

through from the collective to the individual.

The Major Arcana also reflects what is known

as the Fool’s journey – the journey that we take

as we evolve, develop and grow.

The 40 cards of the Minor Arcana represent the

events and activities of our daily lives, the

opportunities and challenges we face, and the

energies that surround us.

And finally, the 16 Court Cards represent other

people, parts of us or a specific event or

situation.

Tarot readings use these 78 cards to form an

understanding of the present energies that will

in turn influence the client’s future.

On a deeper level, the cards offer a way to

access hidden knowledge stored within our

subconscious minds and awaken the deeper

layers of our souls.

How Does the Tarot Work?

Each moment in time has a unique and magical

quality to it. The Tarot serves to capture that

moment in time through the shuffling, laying

out and reading of the cards.

The client or person seeking guidance channels

their energy into the cards, and the Tarot

reader interprets the messages that are

present in those cards. The reading itself

produces certain combinations of symbols,

phrases and images which reflect the state of

the client’s psyche at that given moment, and

provides the inner and outer guidance required

to understand a current situation or to initiate

the next stage of the process.

Thus, the Tarot allows the client to observe the

patterns in their life and interpret them in a

way that will help them to move forward as

desired.

How Can the Tarot be Used?

Tarot serves many purposes. And as with many

things in Tarot, there is no one right way of

using the Tarot cards. It is simply what feels



right to you. (You’ll hear me say that a lot in

this Workbook!)

Tarot cards can be a tool for:

Spiritual guidance

Understanding the present

Learning more about yourself

Exploring mythology and symbolism

Personal growth and development

Having fun with your friends

Solving problems or dilemmas

Earning an income as a professional

Making important decisions

Validating a gut feeling

Connecting with other people’s energy

Daily or weekly guidance

Helping others in emotional distress

Self-examination and psychoanalysis

Connecting with your pets

Empowerment

Meditation and introspection

Fortune-telling and predicting the

future

Developing your psychic abilities or

intuition

Creative thinking

Understanding the Present or Predicting

the Future?

A common assumption is that the Tarot is a

fortune-telling tool that predicts the future.

However, the notion of predicting the future

can be very fatalistic, disempowering and scary

to some. What if you don’t like what is

predicted? Can you change it? Or are you

forever destined to that particular outcome?

Before you start to learn the Tarot, it is

important to reflect on your personal

philosophy and whether you see the Tarot as a

tool for predicting a pre-determined future, or

whether you believe in free will and the ability

to alter your course. This will shape how you

use the cards.

Personally, I see the Tarot as a tool for

understanding the present energies which will

have an influence on the future path. I also

believe in free will so that if you do not like

where you are heading, then you can put in

place strategies to create a more positive or

desirable outcome. You may still be on a

specific path or learning a specific lesson, but

you can make the journey easier. And, as I

often say to my clients, “Forewarned is

forearmed.” Some things may actually be

unavoidable, but at least you can be prepared.

I want to leave you with one of my all-time

favourite quotes, which I include in all of my

Tarot readings:

“When people consult me, it’s not that I’m

reading the future; I am guessing at the future.

The future belongs to [a Higher Being], and it is

only he who reveals it, under extraordinary

circumstances. How do I guess at the future?

Based on the omens of the present. The secret

is here in the present. If you pay attention to

the present, you can improve upon it. And if you

improve on the present, what comes later will

also be better.” - The Alchemist by Paulo

Coelho

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061122416?ie=UTF8&tag=bidtar-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0061122416



Activities

1.1. Identify Your Personal Motivations

Answer the following questions:

What inspired you to learn Tarot?

How do you plan to use the Tarot

cards?

What is your personal philosophy on

the Tarot? What can / can’t the Tarot

do?

1.2. Set Your Tarot Study Goals

Answer the following questions:

By the end of the 31 days, what do you

envision this Workbook will enable you

to do?

How many hours a week will you

dedicate to your Tarot studies?

What other commitments do you need

to make to yourself to successfully

complete this Workbook?

Remember, you can connect with other Tarot

students who are working through this

Workbook at the same time, by sharing your

insights for each activity.

Visit the TF Community at


foundations/community/ (password

“Foundations”) and get connected.






D A Y 2 : S E L E C T A T A R O T

D E C K

Lesson

For the novice Tarot reader, selecting a Tarot

deck can be incredibly overwhelming. There

are literally hundreds and even thousands of

different Tarot decks to choose from, all with

their own symbolism, energy, stories,

mythology and artwork.

Here are eight ways to select a Tarot deck

that’s perfect for you:

1. Look for a Personal Connection

Go to a store and handle all of the Tarot decks

that are on display. What energy do you pick

up from the deck? Is there a personal

connection between you and the Tarot cards? I

know it sounds simple, but choose a deck that

feels right for you and that keeps getting your

attention.

2. Study the Appearance of the Cards

Take a good look at the Tarot cards within the

deck. What is your first reaction to them? Do

the colours and patterns appeal? Are you

drawn to the images and the artwork? Can you

look at the picture and decipher a meaning for

each card? Look at both the Major and Minor

Arcana cards, as sometimes the Minor Arcana

may be rather plain compared to the Major

Arcana. Look at the backs of the cards, too.

3. Find Out What Information is

Available

The majority of Tarot card meanings books are

based on the Rider Waite deck, so if you want a

Tarot deck with a ton of information available,

the Rider Waite deck is the way to go. The

Crowley Thoth deck is also featured in a

number of good Tarot books. For other Tarot

decks, you will often have to rely only on the

Little White Book provided alongside the deck,

or on your own knowledge of symbolism,

numerology, astrology, mysticism, etc. to

interpret the cards.

4. Consider Your Experience Level

If you are new to Tarot, you may prefer a Tarot

deck that is widely referenced in Tarot books,

such as the Rider Waite deck, and that has

simple-to-understand symbols and pictures. If

you are more advanced in Tarot, you may be

drawn to more conceptual Tarot decks, or

those with complex meanings and symbolism.

5. Find a Size That Fits

Different Tarot cards come in different sizes.

This is particularly important for when you

handle and shuffle the cards. If the cards are

too big or too small, they may be too clumsy

for you or your clients to handle. So, before

selecting a deck, handle the cards and practice

shuffling them.

6. Look for Quality

Most Tarot cards will be of a good thickness to

ensure that you can continue using them for

many years. However, there may be some

cheaper reproductions that are not of such a

good quality and the cardboard may tear easily

or become damaged much more quickly. Best



to avoid these cheaper types if you are

planning on using the Tarot cards regularly.

7. Don’t be Afraid to Buy Your Own

Some say that Tarot cards should only ever be a

gift to you. However, I think it is perhaps more

important to find a deck that is a perfect fit, so

don’t be afraid to buy your own Tarot deck

rather than waiting for someone to give one to

you. If you do have a birthday coming up

though, find your perfect Tarot deck and drop a

few hints to your loved ones!

8. Read the Reviews

We are blessed with websites such as Aeclectic

Tarot that provide detailed reviews on almost

every Tarot deck that has ever been made. You

can usually view sample card images, read

objective reviews and find out the

specifications of the Tarot decks.

Where to From Here?

To help you get started, here is a list of some of

the more popular Tarot decks:

Rider Waite including Universal Waite

and Radiant Rider Waite

(recommended for beginners)

Crowley Thoth (recommended for

more experienced Tarot readers)

Osho Zen

Robin Wood

Enchanted Tarot

Golden Tarot

Remember, it’s OK to change Tarot decks later

on. In fact, many Tarot readers use many

different Tarot decks, depending on who they

are reading for or what they feel like on the

day.

For me personally, I have always stuck with the

Rider-Waite deck. I like the symbolism of the

cards and the ability the deck has to create an

insightful yet practical Tarot reading for the

client. I currently use the Radiant Rider Waite

deck because I love the bright colours. You’ll

see these cards used throughout this

Workbook.

Activity

2.1. Buy Your Tarot Deck

If you haven’t already, buy your first Tarot

deck. Go to your local esoteric store and ask to

view and handle the Tarot decks available.

Select a Tarot deck that feels right to you.

Or purchase your Tarot deck online at:

Amazon.com

Llewellyn.com

Tarotopia

http://www.aeclectic.net/

http://www.aeclectic.net/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/091386613X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bidtar-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=091386613X

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1572814136/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bidtar-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=1572814136






http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&x=0&ref_=nb_sb_noss&y=0&field-keywords=tarot%20deck&url=search-alias%3Daps&_encoding=UTF8&tag=bidtar-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957

http://gan.doubleclick.net/gan_click?lid=41000000028894147&pubid=21000000000398339

http://www.tarotopia.com.au/tarot-cards



D A Y 3 : C L E A N S E A N D

C A R E F O R Y O U R T A R O T

D E C K

Lesson

Cleansing your Tarot deck is essential for

connecting with your cards and maintaining a

strong energy in your Tarot readings.

When to Cleanse a Tarot Deck

If you have just bought a Tarot deck, it is highly

recommended to cleanse your deck before you

start using the cards. Even with a familiar and

well-used deck, regular cleansing can be

beneficial.

Generally, you’ll know when you need to

cleanse your Tarot cards – there’ll be that

niggling feeling that something isn’t quite right

with the connection between you and your

cards. Here are some examples of different

situations when you will most likely feel

compelled to cleanse your Tarot cards:

Other people have touched your cards.

You’ve bought a new or second hand

Tarot deck.

You’ve done a particularly draining

Tarot reading.

You haven’t used your Tarot cards for

quite some time.

You or your Tarot cards have been

exposed to a lot of negative energy (for

example, a particularly negative client

or a challenging situation in your own

personal life).

Your Tarot readings are beginning to

feel unclear and you are often drawing

a blank with the cards.

Your cards have fallen all over the floor

or had some other sort of accident.

You simply want to reconnect with

your cards.

How to Cleanse a Tarot Deck

There are many different techniques that you

can use to clear negative energy and cleanse

your Tarot deck. The important thing is to

choose the technique(s) that feel right to you

and to the situation (e.g. you might use one

technique in between each reading and

another technique to cleanse on an annual

basis).

Below are a number of different ways to clear

and cleanse a Tarot deck:

Sorting and Shuffling

Firstly, sort your cards in order, starting with

the Major Arcana, then into each of the suits of

the Minor Arcana. While you’re doing this, look

briefly at each card and remember the special

message it has to offer you in your readings.

You can also use this time to check that you

have every card in your deck (a few years back,

I found that I had been missing the Ace of

Swords for quite some time without even

realising it!).

Once your cards are sorted and in order, start

shuffling and reinvigorating your cards with

your energy. You might like to shuffle seven

times, put your cards in a big messy pile and



randomly select cards, or simply use a shuffling

technique that is comfortable to you.

Meditation

Hold your cards

in both hands,

close your eyes

and relax. Allow

your mind to be

free of any

thought and

just ‘be’ with your cards. You may then like to

visualise the Universal energy being drawn

through you and to your cards, surrounding

your cards in a protective white light. Those

with an understanding of Reiki may like to use

this mode of energy healing to cleanse their

cards by channelling their healing Reiki energy

through the cards. This is personally my

favourite as it is easy to do in between readings

and it helps me focus and concentrate on my

next client.

Moon Bath

The full moon is an excellent source of energy

for your cards. On a full moon, you can simply

place your cards in a window or even outside to

bathe in the moonlight. Alternatively, many

people use this time to conduct a special ritual

or to cite different incantations for cleansing

their Tarot cards.

Salt Burial

Salt can be used to draw out negative energy

from your cards, just like you would use salt to

draw out the moisture from a food item in

cooking. First, wrap your Tarot in a plastic bag

as tightly as you can. Then take an airtight

container that is larger than your Tarot deck,

place your wrapped cards inside and then

completely surround your cards with salt on all

sides, above and below. It is imperative that

this is an airtight container as salt not only

gathers the energies from a Tarot deck well, it

also gathers any moisture that might be in the

air, potentially damaging your cards. Keep your

cards buried in the salt for at least a few days

or a week before taking them out and disposing

of the salt.

Fresh Air

Just after a rain shower or even in the warmth

of the sun, place your cards outside to take in

the fresh air and draw in the cleansing rays. Of

course, keep in mind the practicalities and be

careful not to place them in a windy position or

somewhere where you may end up doing more

damage!

Smudge Stick

Burn some dried sage or rosemary (or use a

store-bought smudge stick) and simply pass the

cards through

the smoke

several times.

You can also

cleanse any

crystals that

you use during

the process.

Elemental Clearing

Elemental clearing brings your awareness to

using different techniques that are aligned with

each of the four elements used in Tarot. For

example, for Earth clearing, use the Salt burial;

for Water clearing, use the Moon Bath or

sprinkle a little water on your cards; for Fire

clearing, pass your cards over a candle; for Air

clearing, use a smudge stick. You may like to go

through each of the four elements for a more

comprehensive cleansing.

Caring for Your Tarot Cards

Now that you’ve cleansed your Tarot deck,

here are a couple of ideas on how to care for

your cards:



Store your cards with a quartz crystal

which is a wonderful absorber of

energies. If you want to keep your

crystal ‘clean’ too, then use any of the

cleansing techniques above.

Place your Tarot cards at a specially

made altar in between readings.

Use baby wipes to keep your cards

clean and to remove any stickiness

between cards.

Keep your Tarot cards wrapped in a

special cloth or stored in a special Tarot

box. Different colours have different

vibrations, so choose a colour that best

suits your needs (see right).

Remember that your Tarot cards are very

special and should be treated accordingly.

Activity

3.1. Cleanse Your Tarot Deck

Whether you have just bought a new Tarot

deck or you already have one, use any of the

techniques above to cleanse your deck. Make it

a regular practice from here on.

Use this time to also choose a special place to

store your cards.

Using Colour Energy to ‘Charge’ your

Tarot Cards

Different colours can generate different

energy. Use the following as a guide for

what energy you want to use to charge

your Tarot cards:

Black – shadows and the unknown

Blue – spirituality and peace

Brown – earth and groundedness

Green – nature and fertility

Pink – love and beauty

Purple – higher knowledge

Red – energy and vitality

White – purity

Yellow – joy and happiness



D A Y 4 : I N V E S T I N 2 T O

3 G O O D T A R O T B O O K S

Lesson

While it is important to eventually develop

your own interpretations of the Tarot cards and

methods for using the Tarot, it can be helpful

to start with a couple of good books on Tarot to

use as a reference.

Don’t be tempted to buy a heap of Tarot books.

You will tend to get distracted, which will only

slow down your progress in learning the cards.

All you need is just 2-3 high quality and

insightful books to get you started.

What to Look For

There are so many Tarot books available,

however only a small percentage are really

worth the investment.

When looking for your first Tarot book,

consider the following questions:

Do I connect with the author’s writing

style and interpretation of the cards?

For the types of readings I plan to do,

will this book help me interpret the

cards?

Does the book explain the Tarot card

meanings in depth, or does it just use

keywords or key phrases? What is most

helpful to me?

Does the book include practical advice

on how to read the cards, use Tarot

spreads, connect with the client, etc.?

Does the book use the same (or similar)

Tarot deck that I use?

If you’re buying online you can often preview

the book at Amazon.com or

http://books.google.com/. Or, if you’re buying

in a local store, take some time to flick through

the pages.

If you’re interested in reading other people’s

reviews, I recommend Amazon.com or

Aeclectic’s Tarot book reviews.

My Personal Recommendations

Below are the books I most recommend to

beginner Tarot readers as general reference

guides.

The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card

Meanings eBook by Brigit Esselmont

My eBook, The Ultimate Guide, provides over

330 pages of in-depth Tarot card meanings, tips

and techniques to help you learn the Tarot

cards. I have drawn together

many different interpretations

of the Tarot cards, including

upright and reversed Tarot

card meanings and

interpretations for specific

types of readings (e.g. relationships, career,

spirituality, etc.). This is a ‘must-have’ for Tarot

beginners and professionals alike.

Learning the Tarot by Joan Bunning

One of the first places I

started when I was learning

the Tarot card meanings was

Joan Bunning’s Learn Tarot

website. In her book, she

provides practical

interpretations of the 78

Tarot cards and 19 lessons on how to read the

cards. Her book captures all of this information

in the one resource and is an excellent starting

point for any beginner.

Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom by

Rachel Pollack

This book is often referred to as the “Tarot

bible” for its extensive insights into the Tarot

cards. Rachel Pollack draws on both the

traditional symbolism of the cards and the

more modern psychological aspects of the


http://books.google.com/


http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/books/




http://www.learntarot.com/





cards to help the reader truly appreciate the

deeper meaning of the Tarot. This is a must-

read for all Tarot readers.

Tarot for Your Self by Mary K Greer

This is an oldie but a goodie!

Mary K Greer is one of the

gurus of Tarot and in her

book, Tarot for Your Self, she

has created something more

like a workbook or Tarot

journal which includes meditations, rituals,

spreads, mandalas, visualisations, dialogues,

charts, astrology, numerology, affirmations and

healing all designed to allow you to experience

Tarot for yourself in a hands-on way. This book

is an excellent learning tool for those who are

new to Tarot as well as the advanced

practitioner.

The Tarot Revealed: A

Beginner’s Guide by

Paul Fenton-Smith

The Tarot Revealed

provides practical

interpretations of the Tarot

cards with real-life examples, but this time it is

pitched towards Tarot beginners. Paul Fenton-

Smith helps to interpret the cards, without

needing to understand the more esoteric

concepts that are often related to the cards.

Where to Purchase Tarot Books

Online

Amazon.com

Llewellyn.com

Tarotopia (Australia)

Local Stores

Bookstores

Esoteric shops

Your local library (free!)

Activity

4.1. Choose 2 to 3 Tarot Books

Either visit your local store or get

online and flick through a couple of

Tarot books to get a feel for them.

Select 2 or 3 books that resonate with

you and your learning goals.

Familiarise yourself with the

information that each book provides.

While not the ‘be-all and end-all’, Tarot

books can help to lay a foundation from

which to grow.





http://gan.doubleclick.net/gan_click?lid=41000000028894147&pubid=21000000000398339

http://www.tarotopia.com.au/tarot-cards



D A Y 5 : S T A R T A T A R O T

J O U R N A L

Lesson

What is a Tarot Journal?

A Tarot Journal is a place where you can record

your personal thoughts, insights, observations

and notes about each of the Tarot cards to help

expand your Tarot knowledge and skills. Your

Tarot Journal may also include Tarot readings

that you have done and Tarot spreads you have

used or created contains your own notes about

each Tarot card, readings you may have done,

and spreads you have used or created yourself.

Why Bother with a Tarot Journal?

The benefits of keeping a Tarot Journal are

enormous. Not only are you learning from texts

and other standard resources throughout the

course of your Tarot study and journal writing,

but you are also applying your own personal

experience to your learning journey. Relating

your own experience to the Tarot increases

your ability to develop the breadth and depth

of understanding the Tarot. A true

understanding of the Tarot cards will not stem

from simply reading numerous texts, rather it

will stem from gut instincts and personal

intuition.

Not only will a Tarot Journal help your ability to

read the Tarot, but it will also aid in your

spiritual development. Each card holds a

personal message that can be used for daily

meditation. Each card can be seen as vital on

any given day and can truly help you in finding

out who you are and what your purpose is.

Understanding the Tarot in this way can inspire

you and take you to new levels if you allow it.

I started a Tarot Journal early on in my Tarot

studies and I believe it was a critical part of

strengthening my personal connection with the

Tarot cards. Not only did I use it to record

everything that I had read about for each Tarot

card, I also used it for my Card a Day exercise

(which you’ll learn on Day 20). It enabled me to

build off the ‘book’ interpretations and develop

my own personal interpretations of the cards. I

also recorded my own Tarot readings, which

meant I could go back to them months later

and see how the cards transpired – invaluable

for learning ‘real life’ meanings for the cards.

Choosing a Format for Your Tarot

Journal

When choosing a Tarot journal, consider

where, when and how you will record your

ideas and observations.

Notebook

A notebook is perfect if you prefer hand-writing

your journal or if you want to take it around

with you. You can either purchase a blank

notebook or diary, or a specially designed Tarot

Journal.

Computer-Based Journal

If you prefer to type and save as you go, you

may want to try a computer-based journal such

as The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings

– Companion Workbook. This is an interactive

PDF document that uses a structured format to

record your thoughts on each Tarot card. You

http://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-guides/workbook/




can either print it out and write in it, or type on

your computer.

Blog

Blogs are becoming increasingly popular and

offer the opportunity to share your Tarot

Journal with others. To set up a free blog, check

out WordPress.

Using Your Tarot Journal

There are many ways in which you can use your

Tarot journal. Here are just a few:

Learning the Tarot Cards

Perhaps one of the most common methods for

learning the Tarot cards with a Tarot journal is

to use the Card a Day exercise. We’ll cover this

exercise in depth later on, but at a high level,

you can use your journal to record your

thoughts on individual Tarot cards, drawn for

each day. Capture aspects such as keywords,

initial impressions, gut feelings, symbols,

traditional meanings, personal experiences,

and so on.

Recording Tarot Readings

Once you start to use the Tarot cards for actual

Tarot readings, you can use your journal to

note which cards you drew and how you

interpreted those cards. At a later stage, you

can come back to your journal entry and

update your notes with how the situation really

played out and what this taught you about the

Tarot cards and their meanings.

Designing Tarot Spreads

I love designing Tarot spreads, so if you’re like

me, you may like to use your journal for

keeping track of the various spreads that you

have created. You could also include what

influenced you or inspired you when you

created your spread. Of course, if you’re very

new to the Tarot, you might want to keep this

for later.

Free Writing

You can use your journal as a structured

learning tool as suggested above, or instead

you can use it as a place to jot down your

thoughts as they come to you. Free writing may

include writing stories about the cards, finding

quotes that resonate with a specific card,

drawing pictures or images that you associated

with the cards, or developing mind maps on

certain cards or themes. You may also want to

relate day-to-day occurrences with the cards as

they happen. The possibilities are endless!

When to Write in Your Tarot Journal

It is best to keep regular entries in your Tarot

Journal in order to maintain your interest and

your studies. Of course, this is dependent on

your time available and your commitment to

learning the Tarot. Every day may be ideal for

one person, while every week may be ideal for

another.

Don’t wait for the ‘perfect’ place to write your

journal. Carry around a small notebook so you

can write whenever an idea enters your head.

If you are constantly waiting for the perfect

time to write, you may be waiting quite a while

and a lot of ideas will be missed!

An Alternative to a Tarot Journal

One of my readers, Rob Hinkson, sent in this

excellent idea for recording your insights for

each Tarot card. Instead of using a Tarot

journal or workbook, why not record your

insights directly onto each Tarot card?

I just had to include what he wrote, word-for-

word, because I love his passion and

enthusiasm. Here’s what he suggests:

“Encourage students to buy Giant Rider-Waite

so they can make flash cards out of them. The

cards are large enough to help the student to

http://wordpress.com/




really see the artwork and helps tell the story

that Pamela Coleman-Smith was trying to

convey on each card.

“Encourage students to get blank white stickers

from their local stationery store and stick them

on the back of the cards and write down all the

meanings and include their own personal

intuitive meanings on the back of every card.

“This GIANT deck just might become a student’s

MOST IMPORTANT Tarot deck for learning!!

The cards are GIANT so there is enough room to

write down more meaningful information on

the cards as you're learning and growing in

tarot. The student is actually writing their own

Tarot card meaning book and mini journal by

doing this exercise.”

Activity

5.1. Create a Tarot Journal

Select a Tarot journal. Write your name in it,

set up the pages, add your favourite images or

colours – make it yours.

Make a personal commitment as to how you

will use your Tarot journal and when/how

often.

5.2 Create Your Personalised Tarot

Cards (Optional)

If you like the sound of Rob’s idea, purchase

the Giant Rider-Waite deck and place blank

white stickers on each card. Have these cards

handy throughout the next two weeks as we

work through learning the meanings of the

Tarot cards.




C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S !

You have now completed the first 5 days.

By now...

You have a Tarot deck that you love and that is truly yours

You have 2 or 3 Tarot books that you can refer to

You have a Tarot journal to record your thoughts and

develop your understanding of the Tarot




LEARNING THE TAROT

CARD MEANINGS

Learn how to interpret the 78 Tarot

cards, using keywords, symbolism,

numerology and stories.



D A Y 6 : U N D E R S T A N D

Y O U R L E A R N I N G

‘ S Y S T E M S ’

Lesson

Learning ‘Systems’

Learning the Tarot card meanings requires both

structured, rational learning systems, and more

fluid, intuitive learning systems. Both are just

as important as each other and need to be

nurtured for optimum creativity and learning.

Rational learning provides a solid foundation in

the theory and structures that sit behind Tarot,

and allows you to share a common

understanding with other Tarot readers.

Intuitive learning, on the other hand, makes

the Tarot your own and helps the cards come

alive for you on a personal level. It is also what

connects you to the Universal or collective

knowledge that exists.

To learn Tarot in 31 days, I have developed a

learning system that balances both rational and

intuitive learning.

Rational Learning Systems

Rational learning involves understanding the

various structures that are used in the Tarot,

and learning the traditional meanings of the

Tarot cards.

The rational approach encourages you to learn:

The names of each Tarot card

Keywords for each Tarot card

Traditional meanings for each Tarot

card

Elemental associations (i.e. Air, Earth,

Fire and Water), particularly for the

Minor Arcana

Numerological associations

Symbolic associations

Astrological associations1 (not covered

in this eBook)

To take advantage of rational learning, ensure

that you have a number of reliable and

trustworthy Tarot resources on hand to refer to

as you study the Tarot. You may also like to

1 Astrological associations are not covered in the eBook due to the complexity of astrology. To learn more about astrological associations in Tarot, I recommend this guest post at the Biddy Tarot blog, Super Tarot or Tarot Eon.

record what you learn in your notebook or

journal and refer to it later on.

Intuitive Learning Systems

Intuitive learning is about learning to trust your

intuition and being dynamic in your

interpretations of the cards. It is one thing to

be able to recite all keywords of the 78 Tarot

cards, but to deliver accurate readings, you will

need to be able to go with your gut feeling and

align the card meanings to fit the situation.

While the intuitive approach is more fluid and

unstructured, there are activities you can do to

increase your intuitive understanding of the

cards. For example, you will learn to look at the

imagery of the card and gauge your initial

reactions to the card, and you will learn how to

align your personal experiences with the cards.

Drawing upon your knowledge of symbolism

and the structure of Tarot, you will be able to

develop a ‘story’ with the cards and create your

own interpretations.

To make the most out of intuitive learning,

ensure that you have a notebook or journal on

hand and write down ideas as they occur to

you throughout the day. It’s very important to

have paper available to write things down. This

http://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-astrology-golden-dawn/

http://supertarot.co.uk/astrology/index.htm

http://taroteon.com/tarot-tutorial/showing-the-structure-behind-the-astrological-associations/



is because the ideas you get spontaneously are

very easily forgotten.

Activity

6.1. Use a Rational and Intuitive

Approach to Learn About One Tarot

Card

Select one card at random from your Tarot

deck.

Look at the card from a rational perspective –

what is the name of the card, what number

does it represent, what symbols do you see in

the card? What do your books say about this

card? Using this information, record what you

think the card means.

Then, look at the card from an intuitive

perspective – what are your initial impressions

of the card, how does the card make you feel,

what images do you see in your own mind

when you examine the card, what words come

to mind. Using this information, record what

you think the card means.

Compare your interpretations. What was the

difference? Which approach was more

accurate? Which approach felt easier for you -

the rational approach or the intuitive

approach?

By the way, have you visited the TF

Community Garden yet? Remember,

you can connect with other Tarot

students who are working through this

Workbook at the same time, by sharing

your insights for each activity.

Visit the TF Community at


foundations/community/ (password

“Foundations”) and get connected.

Rational learning provides a

solid foundation in the theory

and structures that sit behind

Tarot, and allows you to share

a common understanding with

other Tarot readers.

Intuitive learning, on the other

hand, makes the Tarot your

own and helps the cards come

alive for you on a personal

level. It is also what connects

you to the Universal or

collective knowledge that

exists.








D A Y 7 : G E T T O K N O W

Y O U R T A R O T C A R D S

Lesson

Overview of the Tarot Cards

The Tarot deck is made up of 78 cards. There

are 22 cards in the Major Arcana, from the Fool

(0) to the World (21). There are 56 cards in the

Minor Arcana, divided into 4 Suits. For each

suit, the cards are numbered Ace to Ten and

there are 4 Court Cards (Page, Knight, Queen

and King).

Familiarising Yourself With Your Tarot

Cards

The very first step in learning the Tarot cards is

familiarising yourself with each and every Tarot

card in your deck. You need to be able to

recognise and name each card.

To begin the process, take the first card in your

deck and study it. Look up the name of the

card, and then look at the image. Mentally take

note of the key features that link the card to its

name.

For the Major Arcana cards, repeat the name of

the card in your mind as you examine the

image.

For Minor Arcana cards, identify the key

symbol of the cup, pentacle, sword or wand.

Note that in these cards, the card number

corresponds with the number of those symbols

within the card (e.g. the Two of Cups features

two cups).

For the Court Cards, take note of what a Page,

Knight, Queen and King look like.

Repeat this process until you can select a card

at random and name it straight away.

Familiarisation Takes Time

Don’t be surprised if you can’t remember all of

the Tarot cards straight away. It can take

weeks, months or even years to recall or

recognise some cards.

Don’t worry; this isn’t because you’re losing

your memory! Some cards take a while to

appear in readings and tend to take a back

seat, while other cards continually reappear,

falling out of the deck and coming up in every

reading you do.

This happened to me. I had been using my

Tarot cards for a year or two for personal

readings and study and while I thought I had

familiarised myself with all 78 Tarot cards, I



soon realised there were some cards I had

never really paid attention to. Suddenly, the

Five of Swords came up in readings, and I

thought, “Where did this card come from?” I

barely recognised it and was surprised to find a

card that I wasn’t really familiar with. I used it

as an opportunity to get much closer to that

specific card and understand what its

significance was, both on a general level and a

personal level.

So, put in the effort now to familiarise yourself

with your Tarot cards, but also know that this

familiarisation process occurs over a period of

time as you work more and more with your

Tarot cards.

Activity

7.1. Familiarise Yourself With Your Tarot

Cards

Go through the process of familiarising yourself

with each of the Tarot cards. You may need to

work through the deck several times before

you are fully confident in naming each card.

Test yourself. See how quickly you can find the

following cards in your deck:

Seven of Swords

Nine of Pentacles

Queen of Cups

Chariot

Ace of Wands

And can you name the Tarot cards on the right?



D A Y 8 : L E A R N T O

C R E A T E K E Y W O R D

C H A R T S

Lesson

Keyword charts provide an effective means for

learning the Tarot card meanings quickly and

easily. Not only do you learn during the process

of preparing your own keyword charts, you can

also quickly refer to these charts as you do your

Tarot readings.

Why Keywords?

The beauty of Tarot is that it is so deep and so

complex. Yet our brains are not wired to take in

such complexity, especially at an early stage of

learning. No doubt it was hard enough trying to

recognise each and every one of the 78 Tarot

cards from Day 7?

Keyword charts for the Tarot card meanings

offer a way to simplify the learning process and

to create a point of focus for each card. With

each keyword that you generate, there is an

opportunity to feed into a much deeper

network of phrases, stories, concepts, ideas

and meanings.

For example, the keyword ‘sorrow’ for the

Three of Swords opens a pathway to many

other keywords and phrases associated with

that card – grief, loss, sadness, feeling as if the

world has turned against you, a heavy heart,

etc. Just one keyword holds the power of a vast

array of concepts and phrases.

Of course, Tarot card meaning keywords are

only a small portion of the meaning of any

particular card. Always remember that Tarot is

alive and dynamic and therefore the meanings

for the cards continue to change, develop and

grow, depending on the situation. Don’t be

limited to learning only the keywords, but do

use it as a platform into other methods for

interpreting the cards.

Why Keyword Charts?

As a Tarot beginner, preparing your own Tarot

keyword charts helps you become instantly

familiar with each of the Tarot cards.

Once you have created your chart, you then

have a quick-reference guide that you can

easily refer to when you are doing your Tarot

readings. This is much faster than having to

flick through all of your favourite Tarot card



meanings books and websites to find the right

meaning.

Creating your own keywords is an effective way

to refresh your memory of each card and

perhaps even learn something you didn’t

already know about a particular card. Plus, if

you start to work through the keywords for

different types of readings, Tarot decks or

spreads, you expand your Tarot knowledge

even further and it proves to be a very valuable

exercise.

You can work with an existing list of Tarot card

keywords like what I have included in the

Appendix however to accelerate your learning,

I strongly recommend creating your own

keyword charts as it facilitates the learning

process.

How to Make a Keyword Chart

As we move through the next six Days in this

Workbook, I’ll be asking you to create your own

keyword charts for the Tarot cards. In

preparation for this, today I want to walk you

through how to actually create a keyword

chart.

Don’t worry, you don’t need to start creating

keyword charts right now (that would be a little

full on at this stage of your learning!), but it is

important to get a grasp of how to go about

this task.

Step 1: Group the Tarot Cards

First, decide how you want to group the Tarot

cards. For example, you may set up your Tarot

card keyword chart using some or all of the

following categories:

Major Arcana Tarot cards

Minor Arcana Tarot cards

Each Suit (e.g. Cups, Pentacles, Swords

and Wands)

Court cards (Page, Knight, Queen and

King)

Numbers (i.e. from Ace to Ten)

Symbols and/or colours that are

common across the Tarot cards

(recommended for more experienced

readers or once you have completed

charts for the previous groupings)

Choose whatever groupings make sense to you

and that will be easy to refer to as you

interpret each Tarot reading.

In this Workbook, we’ll be preparing keyword

charts for each Suit and the Major Arcana. If

you find a lot of value in this activity, then you

can also create keyword charts for the other

groupings (Court cards, numbers and symbols)

Step 2: Choose Keyword Categories

Second, consider adding different categories of

Tarot keywords for each Tarot card. That is, in

addition to listing the common Tarot keywords

for each card, you may also want to consider

other categories of Tarot keywords such as the

following:

Reversed Tarot card keywords

Keywords for different types of

readings, such as relationships and

love; work, career and finances;

spirituality; and health and well-being

Keywords for different Tarot decks (e.g.

Rider-Waite, Goddess, Thoth, etc.)

Keywords for different positions of

your favourite Tarot spread. For

example, for the Celtic Cross, list the

Tarot card meanings keywords for each

position of the spread

Again, choose whatever groupings make sense

to you. If you are just starting out with learning

the Tarot, then start with general keywords

before moving on to more advanced

categories.



In this Workbook, we’ll stick to the upright

keywords to keep it simple but again, if you

find a lot of value in this activity, consider

expanding your keyword categories to cover

some of those listed above.

Step 3: Create a Keyword Chart

Template

Next, create a keyword chart template so that

you can easily populate it with your selected

Tarot keywords. You could use a table format

in Word or Excel, create a hand-written chart,

or even use a mind map such as the FreeMind

mind mapping tool.

In your template, you may want to include

Tarot card images, numerological or

astrological associations and even hyperlinks or

page references to your favourite Tarot card

meaning websites or books in case you want to

review more detailed Tarot card meanings.

To help get you started, you’ll find blank

keyword charts in the Appendix.

Step 4: Generate Keywords for Each

Card

Over the next week, you will be working

through the Minor and Major Arcana, learning

the meanings and generating keywords for

each card.

To generate keywords for each card, follow

these steps:

1. Start with the first card in your selected

group (e.g. the Ace of Cups).

2. Find the card in your deck and begin to

study it. What words or phrases come to

mind? What images stand out? What is

your general feeling from the card?

3. Write down every thought, idea, word,

phrase or sentence that comes to mind.

4. Look up the card meaning in your Tarot

books. Search for common words or

themes and write down the keywords that

stand out to you.

5. Review your list and select 3-4 keywords

or phrases that collectively represent the

card. Enter these keywords into your

keyword chart.

6. Rinse and repeat.

Continue to work through each Tarot card until

you have developed your very own Tarot card

keyword chart. Check out the completed

keyword charts in the Appendix as examples.

You may also find that as you learn more about

the cards, you will want to update and modify

your keyword chart.

Once you are happy with the final product,

write up your keyword chart and include it in

your Tarot Journal or laminate it and keep it

with your Tarot cards for a quick-reference

tool.

You can also create a poster to put up

somewhere prominent at home. Every day, run

through each Tarot card and each set of

keywords, to help commit those meanings to

memory.

http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

http://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/







Activity

8.1. Create a Keyword Chart Template

In preparation for the next six Days, create your

own template for your keyword charts,

following Step 1 to 3 above.

Or, simply use the templates provided in the

Appendix.

Do not fill in the Keyword Charts – just create

the template. Over the next six Days, we will

go through each card and will populate the

keyword chart.

Tarot card meaning keywords offer a way to simplify the learning

process and to create a point of focus for each card.

With each keyword you generate, there is an opportunity to feed

into a much deeper network of phrases, stories, concepts, ideas

and meanings.



D A Y 9 : L E A R N A B O U T

T H E M I N O R A R C A N A

The Minor Arcana consists of four suits – Cups,

Pentacles, Swords and Wands.

Each suit consists of fourteen Tarot cards,

including ten numbered cards (Ace through

Ten) and four Court Cards (the Page, Knight,

Queen and King).

The numbered cards reflect everyday life

situations while the Court Cards reflect people,

personalities or events.

While the Major Arcana reveal events that will

naturally occur due to laws of the Universe, the

Minor Arcana reveal events that naturally occur

due to laws of human nature. Therefore, the

Minor Arcana highlight the more practical

aspects of life and can refer to current issues

that have a temporary or minor influence.

Do not mistake the term ‘Minor’ to mean that

the Minor Arcana is unimportant. The fourteen

cards of each suit are of great significance. As

Karen Hamaker-Zondag discusses in her book,

Tarot as a Way of Life: A Jungian Approach to

the Tarot, the number fourteen often occurs

symbolically in the context of religion. The

number seven is a sacred number in many

different cultures. In its twofold manifestation,

seven makes fourteen. Additionally, there are

fourteen rungs of the ladder of Osiris (the

ladder which joins Heaven and Earth) for it

brings together spirituality and everyday life.

This suggests that there is something more

meaningful in those aspects of our lives we

deem ‘ordinary’.

In a Tarot reading, a Minor Arcana card will tell

you about what is happening in the client’s life.

It may be a specific event that is occurring or an

issue that is on the client’s mind.

If a reading is predominantly made up of the

Minor Arcana Tarot cards, you are dealing with

day-to-day issues which will not necessarily

have a lasting influence on your life. These

issues are passing through, presenting you with

an opportunity to learn from these experiences

(look to any Major Arcana cards to identify and

understand these lessons and how they may

impact your life in the long-term).

Elemental Associations

Each Minor Arcana suit corresponds with a

different element and is therefore

representative of different aspects of day-to-

day life (see the table over the page).

Suit Element Keywords

Cups Water Emotions, feelings, creativity

Pentacles Earth Finance, material possessions, career

Swords Air Power, intellect, thoughts

Wands Fire Inspiration, spirituality, ideas





The elemental associations provide more

context for understanding each of the Suits.

This becomes particularly important when you

are learning the Tarot card meanings and when

you’re interpreting a reading.

Elements can be combined with numerology,

symbolism and stories within the cards to

determine the card meaning (without having to

refer to a book).

Elements also help to build a story from the

cards in a Tarot reading. For example, if the

majority of the cards in a reading are Cups

cards, you know you’re dealing with emotions,

feelings and relationships. Or if the Suit of

Pentacles is missing, then a more practical

approach may not be required.

We’ll explore the Suits and elements in more

detail over the coming days.

Activities

9.1. Associate the Suits with Your Daily

Activities

List the main activities you engaged in during

the past week. How would you categorise these

activities according to the Minor Arcana suits?

For example:

I learned Tarot – Wands

I had dinner with good friends – Cups

I completed a major project at work –

Pentacles

9.2. Give Advice According to the Suits

Imagine you are giving a friend some advice

about creating a budget / finding love / making

a career move. What would you tell him or her

from the perspective of each Suit?

For example, going on a holiday...

Cups – Go with your closest friends,

people who you really love spending

time with.

Pentacles – Make sure you save up

enough money so you can enjoy the

trip.

Swords – Do your research before you

go. You’ll need to choose which places

to visit.

Wands – Be spontaneous when you

can.

Once you have learned more about the Suits

from Day 10 to 13, come back to this activity

and add to your answers. Try it out with

different scenarios.

While the Major Arcana reveal events that will naturally occur due to laws

of the Universe, the Minor Arcana reveal events that naturally occur due

to laws of human nature.

Therefore, the Minor Arcana highlight the more practical aspects of life

and can refer to current issues that have a temporary or minor influence.



D A Y 1 0 : L E A R N A B O U T

T H E S U I T O F C U P S

Lesson

The Suit of Cups is representative of the

element of Water. Water represents the

subconscious, psychic awareness, intuitive

feelings and the emotional realm.

Thus, Cups deal with the emotional level of

consciousness and are associated with love,

feelings, relationships and connections. Cups

are about displays of emotion, expression of

feelings and the role of emotions in relation to

others. The Cups Tarot cards indicate that you

are thinking with your heart rather than your

head, and thus reflect your spontaneous

responses and your habitual reactions to

situations. Cups are also linked to creativity,

romanticism, fantasy and imagination.

The negative aspects of the Suit of Cups include

being overly emotional or completely

disengaged and dispassionate, having

unrealistic expectations and fantasising about

what could be. There may be repressed

emotions, an inability to truly express oneself

and a lack of creativity.

The people represented by the Suit of Cups (i.e.

typically the Court Cards) are emotional,

artistic, humane and creative. They are

connected with their emotional selves and will

draw energy from what they feel within. They

are said to correspond to the water signs in the

zodiac (Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio) and to

water as a symbol of the subconscious mind

and reason.

The Suit of Cups traditionally represents

summer or the number of months. For

example, the Three of Cups could represent

either summer or a period of three months. If

using an ordinary deck of playing cards, Cups

correspond to the Suit of Hearts.

Should a Tarot reading be predominantly Cups

cards, you are seeking solutions to what are

primarily emotional conflicts, love matters and

feelings.

Activities

10.1. Familiarise Yourself with the Suit of

Cups

Take out all of the Cups cards in your Tarot

deck and lay them in front of you. Begin to

study each card, looking at the imagery and

taking note of your initial thoughts and

feelings.

Now, test yourself. Go through each card and

make sure that you can name each one.

10.2. Prepare a Suit of Cups Summary

Using the Tarot Suit Summary template

provided in the Appendix:

Record the element associated with

the Suit of Cups.

Write down the keywords or key

phrases you would associate with the

Suit of Cups (e.g. emotions).

List what you would see as the positive

aspects of the Suit of Cups (e.g. love,

happiness, and feelings) and the



negative or shadow aspects (e.g.

jealousy, being over-emotional).

List what types of day-to-day activities

and events you would associate with

the Suit of Cups (e.g. starting a new

relationship, counselling a friend).

Identify what personality types and

characteristics are associated with the

Suit of Cups (e.g. caring, nurturing and

loving).

Collect images or pictures from

magazines, photos or the internet that

you would associate with the Suit of

Cups and stick them into the box

provided (or start on a blank page).

Keep this Tarot Suit Summary on hand as you

work through the next activity and as you

progress through this Workbook.

10.3. Create a Keyword Chart for the

Suit of Cups

(Note: Creating a Keyword Chart is one of those

‘chunky’ activities I mentioned at the beginning

of this Workbook. You may like to break this up

over a number of days, or do a first cut now

and come back to it later.)

To create your Cups Keyword Chart, use either

the keyword chart template you created on

Day 8 or the template provided in the

Appendix.

Go through each Cups card and create your

own keyword chart using Step 4 from Day 8.

Embody the spirit of the Cups cards by taking

note of your feelings and emotions as you

familiarise yourself with these cards.

Select the first Cups card and begin to

study it. What is your general feeling

from the card? What emotions come to

mind? What is this card trying to tell

you?

Write down every thought, idea, word,

phrase or sentence that comes to

mind.

Look up the card meaning in The

Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings

or your other Tarot books. Search for

common words or themes and write

down the keywords that stand out to

you.

Review your list and select 3-4

keywords or phrases that collectively

represent the card. Enter these

keywords into your keyword chart.

Rinse and repeat with the next card in

the Suit of Cups.

The Suit of Cups is representative of the element of Water. Water

represents the subconscious, psychic awareness, intuitive

feelings, and the emotional realm.

Thus, Cups deal with the emotional level of consciousness and are

associated with love, feelings, relationships and connections.






T H E S U I T O F P E N T A C L E S

Lesson

The Suit of Pentacles is representative of the

element of Earth. Earth covers the more

mundane material things of life, including

work, business, trade, property, money and

other material possessions. Earth also indicates

grounding and stability.

The positive aspects of the Suit of Pentacles

include manifestation, realisation, proof and

prosperity. This Suit represents the practical,

realistic and material side of human nature,

bringing with it a stable, secure and structured

environment. Given the association with Earth,

the Suit of Pentacles represents a stabilising

force that promotes balance and harmony.

Pentacles deal with the physical or external

level of consciousness and thus mirror the

outer situations of your health, finances, work,

and creativity. They have to do with what we

make of our outer surroundings, how we create

it, shape it, transform it and grow it.

The negative aspects of the Suit of Pentacles

(i.e. when the Pentacles cards appear reversed)

include being possessive, greedy and overly

materialistic, over-indulging and not exercising,

not effectively managing one’s finances, and

being overly focused on career to the

detriment of other life priorities. Often what is

required to counteract these negative aspects

is a return to nature to ground oneself and

rediscover what is truly important. In addition,

there may be blockages in being able to

manifest ideas and plans resulting in a lack of

success. Better goal-setting and planning is

required.

Pentacles represent the Earth signs of Taurus,

Virgo, and Capricorn. Pentacles people (as

typically seen in the Court Cards) are practical,

career-minded, down-to-earth and generous.

They are tactile beings and like to experience

the physical, tangible world. They are

connected through the senses and seek

pleasurable and sometimes indulgent

experiences.

When referring to timing in a Tarot reading, the

Suit of Pentacles traditionally represents winter

or years. In a deck of playing cards, Pentacles

corresponds to Diamonds.

Should a Tarot reading be predominantly

Pentacles cards, you are seeking solutions to

what are primarily material conflicts, financial

matters and concerns with career and work.

Activities


Pentacles

Take out all of the Pentacles cards in your Tarot




feelings.





11.2. Prepare a Suit of Pentacles

Summary




the Suit of Pentacles.



Suit of Pentacles (e.g. money).


aspects of the Suit of Pentacles (e.g.

career, wealth and manifestation) and

the negative or shadow aspects (e.g.

controlling behaviour and over-

emphasis on material wealth).



the Suit of Pentacles (e.g. creating a

budget or starting a business).



Suit of Pentacles (e.g. pragmatic and

grounded).




Pentacles and stick them into the box






Suit of Pentacles

To create your Pentacles Keyword Chart, use

either the keyword chart template you created

on Day 8 or the template provided in the

Appendix.

Go through each Pentacles card and create

your own keyword chart using Step 4 from Day

8.

Embody the spirit of the Pentacles cards by

holding your cards and actually touching the

pictures (Pentacles are very tactile). Take note

of the sensations that are generated by this

action as you familiarise yourself with these

cards.

Select the first Pentacles card and

begin to study it. What words or

phrases come to mind? What images

stand out? What is this card trying to

tell you?

The Suit of Pentacles is representative of the element of Earth. Earth

covers the more mundane material things of life including work,

business, trade, property, money and other material possessions.

Pentacles deal with the physical or external level of consciousness

and thus mirror the outer situations of your health, finances, work,

and creativity. They have to do with what we make of our outer

surroundings, how we create it, shape it, transform it and grow it.





mind.






you.






the Suit of Pentacles.






T H E S U I T O F S W O R D S

Lesson

The Suit of Swords is representative of the

element of Air. Air represents the realm of the

intellect and the process of thinking and

communicating. Air provides originality,

versatility, freedom and free-flowing thoughts.

The Suit of Swords is associated with action,

change, force, power, ambition, courage and

conflict. Just as a sword is double-edged, so too

are the Swords cards in the Tarot deck. For

example, action can be both constructive

and/or destructive, sometimes resulting in

positive change, or in aggression and violence.

Of all the suits, the Suit of Swords is considered

to be the most powerful and, at times,

dangerous.

The Suit of Swords deals with the mental level

of consciousness that is centred in the mind

and the intellect. Swords mirror the quality of

mind present in your thoughts, attitudes, and

beliefs. The Suit of Swords symbolises the fine

balance between intellect and power and how

these two elements can be used for good or

evil. As such, the Swords must often be

balanced by spirit (Wands) and feeling (Cups)

to maximise their potential.

The negative aspects of the Suit of Swords (i.e.

when the Swords cards appear reversed)

include anger, guilt, harsh judgement, a lack of

compassion and verbal and mental abuse.

Swords represent the Air signs of Aquarius,

Libra and Gemini. Swords people (as typically

seen in the Court Cards) are intelligent,

thoughtful, rational, logical and excellent

communicators. They are rational beings and

like to experience the world by understanding

and analysing what is occurring around them.

On the flipside, Swords people can be ruthless,

domineering, confrontational and rigid.


Suit of Swords traditionally represents autumn

or weeks. (For example, the Seven of Swords

may refer to seven weeks or autumn.) In a deck

of playing cards, Swords corresponds to

Spades.


Swords cards, you are seeking solutions to

what are primarily mental struggles, conflict

and arguments, and decisions that must be

made. Also, there could be many arguments or

even violence at present. While Swords can

carry with them many negative or very strong,

forceful messages, Swords serve also as a

warning to be more cautious of what is

occurring around you.

Activities


Swords

Take out all of the Swords cards in your Tarot




feelings.





12.2. Prepare a Suit of Swords Summary




the Suit of Swords.



Suit of Swords (e.g. thoughts).


aspects of the Suit of Swords (e.g.

clarity of mind and intelligence) and

the negative or shadow aspects (e.g.

hurtful words and aggressive

behaviour).



the Suit of Swords.



Suit of Swords (e.g. intellectual and

decisive).




Swords and stick them into the box






Suit of Swords

To create your Swords Keyword Chart, use



Appendix.

Go through each Swords card and create your


Embody the spirit of the Swords cards and take

note of the thoughts and words that come to

mind as you familiarise yourself with these

cards.

Select the first Swords card and begin

to study it. What words or phrases

come to mind? What images stand

out? What is this card trying to tell

you?



mind.

The Suit of Swords is representative of the element of Air. Air

represents the realm of the intellect and the process of thinking and

communicating. Air provides originality, versatility, freedom and

free-flowing thoughts.

The Suit of Swords is associated with action, change, force, power,

ambition, courage and conflict.








you. Review your list and select 3-4





the Suit of Swords.






T H E S U I T O F W A N D S

Lesson

The Suit of Wands is representative of the

element of Fire. Fire reflects movement,

change and life force. This element projects

self-expression, creativity, courage and

enthusiasm. Fire also promotes a warm glow

within each of us that provides security and

inspiration.

Wands have to do with primal energy,

spirituality, inspiration, determination,

strength, intuition, creativity, ambition and

expansion, original thought and the seeds

through which life springs forth. Wands deal

with the spiritual level of consciousness and

mirror what is important to you at the core of

your being. They address what makes us tick –

our personalities, egos, enthusiasms, self-

concepts, and personal energy, both internal

and external.

Wands are also indicative of all things that you

do during the day to keep you busy, be it

working at the office, home or the great

outdoors. Wands have to do with movement,

action and initiatives and the launching of new

ideas. They may be indicative of a never-ending

‘Ideas List’ or ‘To Do List’, when you have many

projects on the go to keep you busy.

Wands represent the Fire signs of Leo,

Sagittarius and Aries. Wands people (as

typically seen in the Court Cards) are energetic,

charismatic, warm and spiritual.

The negative aspects of the Suit of Wands (i.e.

when the Wands cards appear reversed)

include illusion, egotistical behaviour, self-

importance, and impulsiveness, a lack of

direction or purpose, or feeling meaningless.


Suit of Wands traditionally represents spring or

days. In a deck of playing cards, Wands

corresponds to Clubs.


Wands cards, you can be sure that you are

seeking solutions to issues that are based

mainly in the realm of thought, or that are in

the first stages of development. You may also

be seeking greater purpose and meaning in

your life and will want to understand more

about what motivates and energises you.

Activities


Wands

Take out all of the Wands cards in your Tarot




feelings.



13.2. Prepare a Suit of Wands Summary






the Suit of Wands.



Suit of Wands (e.g. energy).


aspects of the Suit of Wands (e.g.

inspirations and ideas) and the

negative or shadow aspects (e.g.

impulsiveness and recklessness).



the Suit of Wands.



Suit of Wands (e.g. passionate and

energetic).




Wands and stick them into the box






Suit of Wands

To create your Wands Keyword Chart, use



Appendix.

Go through each Wands card and create your


Embody the spirit of the Wands cards and take

note of the energy you feel as you familiarise

yourself with these cards.

Select the first Wands card and begin

to study it. What energy do you feel?

What words or phrases come to mind?

What is this card trying to tell you?



mind.

The Suit of Wands is representative of the element of Fire. Fire

reflects movement, change and life force. This element projects

self-expression, creativity, courage and enthusiasm. Fire also

promotes a warm glow within each of us that provides security

and inspiration.

Wands have to do with primal energy, spirituality, inspiration,

determination, strength, intuition, creativity, ambition and

expansion, original thought and the seeds through which life

springs forth.








you.






the Suit of Wands.

13.4. Give Advice According to the Suits

(Optional)

Now that you have learned more about the

Suits, return to Activity 9.2 where you were

asked to give advice according to the Suits. Add

to your previous answers and try the activity

again with new and different scenarios.






T H E C O U R T C A R D S

Lesson

Court Cards are part of the Minor Arcana and

include the Page, Knight, Queen and King of

each Suit (16 cards in total).

Court Cards seem to be the most difficult group

of cards to master. I always ask new

subscribers to my weekly e-newsletter, “What

is your biggest challenge in learning Tarot?”

And you know what the top answer is? You got

it – Court cards.

So that’s why I want to spend a full day on this

group of cards.

The Members of the Tarot Court

First, let me introduce you to the different

members of the Court and what each

represents at a high level.

Pages

As people, Pages often represent young,

energetic people who are at the very beginning

of their personal journey. They are still

developing a sense of self but they approach

new challenges with fervent energy and

excitement. Pages look forward to the

opportunity of learning and practising new

skills.

On a physical level, Pages can represent young

children through to young adults. However,

don’t be limited by thinking a Page can only

represent someone who is under 30. Pages can

also represent those who are young at heart or

who are discovering a new aspect of

themselves.

I had a client aged in her 60s. She had asked

about changing jobs and moving to a new

university. The Page of Wands appeared in her

reading and I saw it as a clear sign that the

move would enable her to develop her skills in

a new area of expertise and to reignite her

passion for her work. As it turned out, this new

opportunity meant that she could work on a

new project that was outside her usual area of

expertise. So, she was fully embracing the

energy of the Page, without having to be

physically ‘young’ herself.

As events, Pages are often seen as messengers

and come to you with a new opportunity or an

invitation. Pages encourage you to go for it and

give you the green light for a new project or

initiative. Pages often appear when you are on

the cusp of a new idea (Wands), a new feeling

(Cups), a new way of thinking (Swords) or a

new job or career pursuit (Pentacles). They

symbolise a new stage in life.

Knights

As people, Knights are highly action-oriented –

more so than the Pages. The journey of the

Knight is already underway and the Knight is

more focused on keeping that journey going.

Knights are also slightly more mature than a

Page. They have enough experience under their

belt to know what they’re doing, but the

trouble is that they do not have the full life

experience that the King and Queen have. Thus

Knights are prone to being extremists. Such

excessive feelings and behaviour can be either

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positive or negative depending on the

circumstances.

For example, the Knight of Swords has an

excess of ambition. Once he has his mind set

on a goal, he will do anything and everything to

achieve that goal. However, the downside is

that he will rush into things and may potentially

railroad others to get what he wants. He

doesn’t have the maturity of the King of Swords

to be able to take a moderate approach, and

thus he can end up charging down the wrong

path if he’s not careful.

Always consider both sides of a Knight - does

he represent a helpful or harmful approach?

What is in excess and what needs to be in

moderation?

The Knight of Pentacles is a good example. On

the one hand, he is reliable, dependable and

hard-working. But on the other hand, he can be

boring and ‘routine’. It also comes down to

what situations or relationships he finds

himself in. If he is working in a hierarchical firm,

then he’s a perfect fit. But if he is working in a

creative advertising agency, for example, he

may not be as successful.

On a physical level, Knights can represent

adults aged between 20 and 35 (more or less).

Remember, though, not to be limited by this

age bracket.

As events, Knights reflect change, movement

and action. They are never still but are

constantly on the move, looking for the next

big opportunity.

Queens

As people, Queens represent someone who has

matured and who has a deeper understanding

or herself and others. The Queens tap into the

feminine energy of nurturing and caring for

others, and give way to creating a more

sustainable approach to life. She provides

nourishment and sustenance that will keep her

ideas and actions going.

Queens typically express their Suits from the

inside. They have mastered the power of gentle

persuasion, setting the tone without imposing

their point of view. It reminds me of the saying,

“Behind every great man there is a great

woman.” She gently and subtly influences,

without being seen to be too pushy or

domineering. In this way, Queens can be seen

as the most powerful because they influence

without anyone really knowing.

One of my clients was going through a divorce

and she wanted to know how she could best

support her son through the process. The

Queen of Wands came up. To me, this was

about her needing to provide positive energy to

her son, supporting him and keeping optimistic

even while she was dealing with some very

trying times. It wasn’t that she needed to lie

and pretend that everything was OK, but she



did need to protect him from any negativity

during the divorce process. This certainly

resonated for her and gave her a path forward.

On a physical level, Queens often represent

people aged between 30 and 50 who have a

good amount of life experience under their

belt. Queens typically represent women, but

can also highlight the more feminine qualities

of a man. I know it sounds cliché, but I have

often seen a number of Queens come up in a

reading about gay relationships.

As events, Queens represent creativity and

ideas coming to fruition. Queens are also very

feminine and nurturing cards, reflecting the

rites of passage for women, from embracing

sexuality to motherhood and to taking care of

others.

Kings

Kings are considered to be the most mature of

the Court Cards. They have travelled through

life successfully and are now at the pinnacle of

experience and understanding. Thus, the Kings

represent the fully developed personalities of

each of the Suits.

As people, Kings have full control over the

feelings, emotions, thoughts and actions that

form part of his personality. As such, they are

stable and solid, and are highly capable of

directing the flow of their energy to achieve

their visions and goals. They like to manage,

direct and stabilise the energy associated with

their Suit.

Kings like to be seen as the providers, taking

responsibility for others’ well-being. Kings want

to make a difference and have an impact on

the world. They draw upon the various

elements of their personalities to make their

mark.

I often see Kings come up in “Finding Love”

readings, for the most ideal type of partner.

On a physical level, Kings often represent older

males aged 40 and above. While not all Kings

have to be male, these Court cards do

represent dominant masculine energy –

someone who controls and directs and who

wants to be in command.

Pages conceive ideas, Knights act upon ideas,

Queens nurture ideas and now Kings develop

those ideas to an established and stable state.

Thus, as an event, Kings signify the growth and

maturity of an idea or concept right through to

completion.

To find out more about the individual card

meanings of the Court cards, please refer to

The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings or

my website.

Court Cards in a Reading

The main reason why Tarot students find it

challenging to interpret Court cards in a Tarot

reading is because it is often unclear about





whether they refer to people, personalities,

situations or events.

Take a look at your Court cards. What is the

one common theme across of them all? They

all feature a single person, right? So, that must

mean that Court cards predominantly refer to

people and personalities.

But, sometimes, a Court card may also allude to

a situation or the ‘personality’ of a situation.

Let’s take a deeper look at what this really

means.

As People And Personalities

On a whole, Court cards represent people and

their respective personalities and

characteristics. They provide clues as to how a

person thinks, feels and acts, and what truly

motivates them.

Court cards show a side of the client that is

being expressed or that is seeking expression. It

may be part of the client’s personality that is

drawn upon regularly, or that needs to be

nurtured and developed.

For example, the appearance of the Page of

Swords in a career reading may indicate that

the client needs to adopt a more curious

mindset to be successful. Or, if the client has

already been asking lots of questions and

seeking out facts, its appearance confirms that

the client is doing everything they need.

The Court Cards have often been linked to the

Myers-Briggs Personality Trait Indicator (MBTI).

Myer-Briggs is based around the theories and

ideas of Carl Jung and is now a very well-

respected method of gaining a deeper

understanding about personality types and

motivational factors.

According to the MBTI tests, there are 16

different Personality Types which, interestingly,

corresponds to the 16 Court Cards in the Tarot.

If you have worked with MBTI before, you may

like to draw your own conclusions about which

MBTI profile fits with each of the Court Cards

and note it in your Tarot Journal. At this stage,

there is no single universal system of

correspondences between the 16 court cards

and the 16 MBTI types.

In more traditional Tarot books, Court Cards

are also given physical attributes such as hair

and eye colour, gender and age (e.g. male,

brown hair, blue eyes, attractive, mature, etc.).

However, in my experience, I find that this is

very limiting and often inaccurate. Many times,

Queens come up for men, Kings come up for

women, Pages come up for older people and so

forth.

In this way, Court cards also reflect levels of

maturity. For example, the Page, who is often

viewed as a young, immature person, doesn’t

have to be under the age of 21, but may

indicate someone who is young at heart, naive,

or unfamiliar with a particular situation.



Maturity level can also point to the various

stages of a journey. The Page represents the

start of a journey, while the King represents the

conclusion of a journey, complete with life

lessons and a deep understanding.

OK, so we know Court cards represent people

and their personalities, but how do we know

who these people are? Is it the client? Is it

someone else? Who else?

More often than not, Court cards will represent

the client and the personality they bring to a

particular situation.

Sometimes, a Court card will refer to an

external party, but this is often only the case

when the card appears in an ‘external’ position

in a Tarot reading (i.e. where you are assessing

external influences on the situation).

As a Situation or Event

There are times when it just doesn’t make

sense for the Court Card to represent a person

or part of their personality. Thus, sometimes

Court Cards can represent a situation or an

event that takes on a personality of its own.

For example, the appearance of the Page of

Cups often indicates an invitation or an offer

that brings a lot of joy and excitement. Or the

King of Wands suggests a situation where you

are maturing your goals and visions in life.

Court cards can also represent situations where

the client is bringing part of their own

personality to that situation.

For example, the Queen of Wands appears in

relation to, “What is happening at work?” We

know that the Queen of Wands is a sociable

and outgoing personality, and so it is likely that

the client is bringing this energy to work,

creating a situation that is conducive to

networking and building new relationships.

Or, the Page of Swords appears in relation to a

new relationship. We know that this Page is a

curious and eager young fellow, and so it is

likely that, again, the client is bringing this

energy to the relationship and the relationship

is in that new, energetic phase where each

person is getting know the other.

How Others Interpret the Court Cards

If you want to read more about the Court

cards, I strongly recommend reading Louise

Richard’s guest post on the Biddy Tarot blog, “A

Personality Approach to the Court Cards”. I

learnt a lot from her perspectives of how to

interpret these cards.

I also asked my Facebook fans how they

interpreted the Court Cards in a reading. Here

are a few different approaches:

“Sometimes I see them as the emotions they

represent or the level of understanding of a

situation. More often I see the Page and the

Knight more as possible events, like a

homecoming, moving, or a message.”

“Personally, the Court Cards represent people,

without fail! I have given myself goose bumps

from the accuracy!”

“I usually try to match it to a person. If I can't

find a person who matches I try to take on the

attributes of the card.”

“The querent's question or which spread I am

using, clues me in to whether it is a person,

trait, or an energy. Overall, I trust my intuition.”

http://www.biddytarot.com/court-cards-personality/

http://www.biddytarot.com/court-cards-personality/




Elemental Associations of the Court

Cards (Optional)

(Note: This section is optional reading.

Understanding the element associations may

help to build your understanding of the Court

cards by offering another point of view.

However, it may also add another level of

complexity to the cards. So, if you have

capacity for more information, read ahead. But

if not, leave this until another time.)

Just as the four Suits of the Minor Arcana are

associated with the elements, so too are the

four Court card types.

Page – Air (intellectual, rational, logical,

clear-sighted)

Knight – Fire (passionate, active,

courageous, energetic)

Queen – Water (emotional, intuitive,

sensitive)

King – Earth (practical, down-to-earth,

materialistic)

Thus each Court Card has a dual elemental

association – one element associated with the

type of Court card and one element associated

with the Suit (see table to the right).

Knowing the elemental associations adds

another layer to your interpretations of the

Court Cards. For example, the Page of Wands

represents a combination of Air (Page) and Fire

(Wands) - someone who is action-oriented and

ideas-driven.

Court Cards that have two of the same element

are very strong in that element. For example,

the Page of Swords has a strong connection

with the element Air as both the Page and the

Suit of Swords are associated with Air.

Therefore, this card is highly intellectual,

curious and clear-sighted.

Court Cards that have complementary

elemental associations (Fire/Earth and

Air/Water) are balanced in their approach to

life, well-rounded, flexible and adaptable. The

King of Wands, for example, is a charismatic

figure who has long-term vision but who can

also bring others on his journey. He is someone

others warm to and who is very well-rounded.

Court Cards with opposing elements

(Fire/Water and Earth/Air) are often polarised

individuals with dual personalities and shadow

selves. They can be extremely unpredictable

but this isn’t always a bad thing. The Knight of

Cups, for example, is romantic and charming,

but he is prone to fantasy or bouts of

moodiness.

Fire/Earth and Air/Water have little effect on

each other and are considered neutral.

Note that these elemental associations work

not only in the context of the Court cards, but

also in Tarot readings where there is an

interaction between elements.

Suit Page (Air) Knight (Fire) Queen (Water) King (Earth)

Cups (Water) Air/Water Fire/Water Water/Water Earth/Water

Pentacles (Earth) Air/Earth Fire/Earth Water/Earth Earth/Earth

Swords (Air) Air/Air Fire/Air Water/Air Earth/Air

Wands (Fire) Air/Fire Fire/Fire Water/Fire Earth/Fire



Activities

14.1. Match the Courts with Actual

People

Randomly select four Court cards. For each

card, think of at least three people you know or

three celebrities who share similar

characteristics to the Court Card.

14.2. Develop Court Card Profiles

Select another four Court Cards. For each card,

jot down your thoughts on each of the

following:

Character strengths

Character weaknesses

Personal mantra

Possible career and/or life path(s)

Associated situations

For example, for the Page of Pentacles:

Character strengths – practical and

well-planned

Character weaknesses – conservative

and risk averse

Personal mantra / advice – manifest

your dreams

Possible career/life paths – small

business owner, accountant, business

graduate, life-long student

Associated situations – starting a new

job, turning an idea into a project

14.3. Have a Conversation with the

Courts

Select another four Court Cards. Create a

conversation between two of the Court Cards,

drawing on their personalities and likely

behaviours. Imagine one Court Card is going on

a holiday. What would they say to each other?

What advice would they give?

Then, create another conversation with the

remaining two Court Cards. This time, imagine

the two Court Cards are working together on a

major project. Would they work well together,

or would there be trouble? How would they

solve problems between each other?

14.4. Give Advice as a Court Card

Would

Select the last four Court Cards. For each Court

Card, consider what advice they would give and

how they would respond to the following

scenarios:

You have just got engaged to someone

you met only a few months ago.

You want to move interstate.

You have had a falling out with a family

member.

You need to choose between two jobs.

For example, you are starting a new business.

Knight of Wands – “Follow your passions and

do what you love.”

King of Pentacles – “Make sure you have built a

business plan and have solid financial backing.”

Page of Cups – “Look out for new opportunities

or invitations to social events. What about

social media?”




T H E M A J O R A R C A N A

Lesson

The Major Arcana (also known as the trump

cards) form the foundation of the Tarot deck.

They comprise twenty-one numbered cards

and one unnumbered card (the Fool). They

represent a path to spiritual self-awareness and

depict the various stages we encounter as we

search for greater meaning and understanding.

Accordingly, they hold deeply meaningful

lessons.

The Major Arcana represent the structure of

human consciousness and hold the keys to life

lessons passed down through the ages. The

imagery of the Major Arcana is filled with

wisdom relating to multiple cultures and

esoteric traditions, including the Egyptian,

Buddhist, Hindu, Sufi, Hebrew and Christian

religions. It is important to study these images

and contemplate their messages. Look beyond

the simple keywords and traditional meaning

and seek out your own personal meanings as

the more you understand their symbolism, the

deeper you will understand what they

represent.

In his book Pocket Guide to Tarot (1996), Alan

Oken suggests that the twenty-two Major

Arcana cards are like the mandalas of the

Tarot. Mandalas are detailed images painted

onto canvas and used as spiritual study and

meditation aids by the Tibetans.

The Major Arcana cards can also represent Carl

Jung’s archetypes – consistent, directing

patterns of influence that are an inherent part

of the collective unconscious of our human

nature. These themes mark, portray and

symbolise stages in our psyche whereby we

aim to become balanced and integrated

individuals. Along this journey we encounter

challenges, face adversity, make difficult

decisions and fight opposing forces. Each step

of the way brings us closer to enlightenment.

This is often referred to as the journey of the

Fool2.

In a Tarot reading, Major Arcana cards typically

point to life lessons that are being learned at

the time. In explaining one of these cards, start

with, "The life lesson now is..." and then go on

to describe the Major Arcana card. For

example, with the Emperor you might say, “The

life lesson now is about control and structure.

What do these two concepts mean to you right

now? Do you need more of it or less of it? Is it

an opportunity or a hindrance?” Use the

questions in the “Get to Know Yourself with the

Major Arcana” exercise in the Appendix.

When a Tarot reading is predominantly made

up of Major Arcana cards, you are experiencing

life-changing events that will have long-term

effects. There are important lessons that you

must pay attention to in order to progress

further in your spiritual and personal quest.

2 If you are interested in reading more about the journey of the Fool, I highly recommend Karen Hamaker-Zondag’s book Tarot as a Way of Life: A Jungian Approach to the Tarot. Or, visit Joan Bunning’s website at http://www.learntarot.com/journey.htm




http://www.learntarot.com/journey.htm



If many of the Major Arcana cards are reversed,

however, it indicates that you are not paying

attention to important life lessons and must

return to the lesson of the previous card before

moving forward.

It is possible to conduct a Tarot reading using

only the twenty-two Major Arcana. This

method is typically used for Tarot readings

relating to spiritual self-awareness or where

you require deep insight from the collective

unconscious. You can read more in my blog

post, “Major Arcana Tarot Spreads”.

Activities

15.1. Familiarise Yourself with the Major

Arcana

Take out all of the Major Arcana cards in your

Tarot deck and lay them in front of you. Begin

to study each card, looking at the imagery and


feelings.



15.2. Create a Major Arcana Keyword

Chart

To create your Major Arcana Keyword Chart,

use either the keyword chart template you

created on Day 8 or the template provided in

the Appendix.

Go through each Major Arcana card and create

your own keyword chart using Step 4 from Day

8.

Start with the Fool. Find the card in

your Tarot deck and begin to study it.

What words or phrases come to mind?

What images stand out? What is your

general feeling from the card?



mind.






you.






the Major Arcana.

15.3. Get to Know Yourself with the

Major Arcana (Optional)

Answer each question in the “Get to Know

Yourself with the Major Arcana” questionnaire

in the Appendix. Record this in your Tarot

Journal.

The Major Arcana represent the structure of human consciousness and hold the keys to life lessons passed down through the ages.

They represent a path to spiritual self-awareness and depict the various stages we

encounter as we search for greater meaning and understanding. Accordingly, they hold

deeply meaningful lessons.

http://www.biddytarot.com/major-arcana-tarot-spreads/





D A Y 1 6 : U N D E R S T A N D

B A S I C N U M E R O L O G Y

Lesson

Every card in the Tarot deck has a

numerological association. The numbers used

in the Tarot are based on the principles of

numerology and represent a material and

spiritual evolutionary process that begins with

the number 1 and ends with the number 10.

For the Pip Cards in the Minor Arcana (i.e.

those cards from Ace to 10 in each of the four

Suits), this is relatively straight-forward. Aces

are associated with 1, and then each card is

numbered 2 to 10. For the tens, you can either

treat it as a 10 or as a 1 (1+0). Court Cards do

not typically have a numerological association.

In the Major Arcana, you may need to add the

single digits together to create the appropriate

numerological association. For example, the

Wheel of Fortune is labelled 10. To find its

associations you would add 1+0=1. Its

association is therefore 1.

Using Numerology in Tarot

Numerology can be used to interpret a single

card or an entire reading. Most traditional

Tarot card interpretations already take into

account the numerological association. For

example, the Ace of Wands is about new

beginnings and determination, while the Ten of

Swords is about an ending.

For a complete Tarot reading, numerology can

be used to detect certain themes by

interpreting how many of each number appear

in the reading. For example, the presence of

three 4s in a reading indicates fruition or the

manifestation of an idea along with a

foundation where things can grow. Or, if most

of the numbers in a reading are 1s, 2s, or 3s,

then you know the client is at the beginning of

a cycle, or if most of the numbers are 7s, 8s, 9s

or 10s, then the client is nearing the end of a

cycle.

Even with just a basic understanding of

numerology, you can deepen your

understanding of the Tarot cards considerably.

The Meanings of Numbers in Tarot

Here are the general meanings of each of the

numbers used in the Tarot.

One

New beginnings, opportunity, potential, drive,

ideas, inspiration and aspiration. One deals

with that which is about to take form.

Many 1s in a reading indicates that a situation

is about to begin or is in the early stages of

development.

Two

Balance, duality, a crossroad or choice,

partnership, assimilation, sharing, receptivity,

diplomacy, gentle persuasion, application,

agreement and insight.

Many 2s in a reading indicate a waiting period

where there will be partial success but more

will be revealed later. It can also indicate a

reconciliation or reunion.



Three

Initial achievement of goals, growth,

creativity, abundance, expression,

communication and friendships. The number

3 is the cementing factor of 1 and 2 and goes

through to 4 to bring about that which is

desired and envisioned.

Multiple 3s in a reading indicate group

activities or situations involving more than

one person. They can also indicate delay but

with the promise of future success.

Four

Structure, foundation, stability, stagnation,

manifestation, practical application, formation,

concentration, organisation and planning. It is

the result of a well-built foundation and proper

application. It is what comes as a result of

desire and imagination (i.e. the energy of 1, 2

and 3).

Many 4s in a reading indicate fruition or the

manifestation of an idea along with a

foundation where things can grow.

Five

Instability, conflict, loss, opportunity for

change, new cycle, change, expansion and

recreation.

In a reading, many 5s indicate change,

challenge and fluctuation. They also indicate

material prosperity but spiritual poverty if not

properly balanced.

Six

Communication, problem-solving, cooperation,

balance, relaxation, adjustment, harmony,

compassion, social consciousness, domesticity,

love, care, comfort and concern.

Many 6s in a reading indicate adjustments in

thoughts, attitudes or conditions. They also

represent the ability to transcend difficulties.

Seven

Reflection, assessment, motives, spirituality,

wisdom, perfect order, observation,

investigation, meditation, discovery and

knowledge. Seven represents faith – faith in the

things that cannot be seen but nevertheless

exist. Through life experience, understanding

the ultimate truth develops and faith in the

unknown is attained.

In a reading, many 7s indicate a period of

introspection or solitude.

Eight

Movement, action, change, rebirth,

regeneration, re-evaluation, capability, spiritual

fortitude, success, recognition,

accomplishment and attainment. Eight is

associated with power that springs from within

and enables one to accomplish that which one

sets out to do.

Many 8s indicate a positive change of mind or

status.

Nine

Fruition, attainment, bringing things to a

conclusion, completion, fulfilment, selflessness,

magnetism, idealism and giver of wisdom or

inspiration.

Many 9s in a reading mean that situations or

events are nearing completion or have just

been completed and another plateau awaits.

Even with just a basic

understanding of numerology,

you can deepen your

understanding of the Tarot cards

considerably.



Ten

Completion, end of a cycle and renewal. Ten

can also become 1 (1+0 = 1) and therefore the

tens represent the same things as the Aces but

on a higher level.

Many 10s in a reading can indicate endings

which will soon transform into new beginnings.

Activity

16.1. Map the Numerological Journey

Select one suit to work with. Take out all the

pip cards in that Suit (i.e. from Ace to 10) and

lay the cards out in order in front of you (see

example to the right).

Now, apply your knowledge of the Suit (e.g.

Cups = emotions, relationships, creativity) and

your knowledge of numerology to map the

journey from the Ace through the Ten.

Note down 2-3 keywords or phrases for each

card using only what you know about the Suit

and the numerological association.

For example:

Ace / Cups – New beginnings in love

Two / Cups – Partnerships and

romance

Three / Cups – Socialising with friends

Four / Cups – Establishing emotional

stability

Five / Cups – Emotional losses and

disappointment

Six / Cups – Harmony in relationships

Seven / Cups – Assessment of

opportunities

Eight / Cups – Moving on from past

emotions

Nine / Cups – Emotional satisfaction

Ten / Cups – Fulfilling relationships

Once complete, revisit your keyword chart and

add any new keywords to your chart.

If you have time, repeat for the other suits,

including the Major Arcana.



D A Y 1 7 : I N T E R P R E T T H E

S Y M B O L I S M I N T H E

T A R O T

Lesson

“A symbol is a reminder, something that

evokes the echo of an inner experience in the

beholder. The deeper and more significant the

experience, the more powerful the symbol. It

may take the form of an image, a sound, a

word, an action, an object, anything that has a

concrete existence in the physical world” (Wald

Amberstone, co-founder of the Tarot School).

The experiences that are brought on by

particular symbols may be unique to the

individual or shared across a group, society or

culture. Symbolic meanings are generated from

past experiences, be it within the lifetime of an

individual, or the history of a society or culture.

In the Tarot, symbolism is very powerful and

contributes significantly to the traditional card

meanings and the dynamic interpretations of

the cards in specific readings. Symbols help to

tell the ‘story’ within the cards and often bring

together many different and seemingly

unrelated elements within the one card.

Learning the Tarot through symbols works well

for those who are highly visual and think in

pictures and images. The symbolism in the

cards can also provide a focal point for

meditation and opening the third eye.

Common Symbols Used in Tarot

Symbolism in the Tarot is plentiful. Here are

the meanings behind some of the more

common symbols used in the Tarot cards.

Angels

Angels represent a special message that is sure

to catch your attention. This is a moment of

Divine intervention, so make sure you listen.

Also know that something, somewhere,

somehow is being done at that moment to help

that situation. The angels have taken note and

are working on it.

Castles

Castles typically

symbolise protection,

stability, accumulation,

wealth and reward.

They show that while

there may be a long and

difficult journey, the

reward or the outcome

will be worthwhile. You

are slowly but surely working towards a

personal goal that will bring a great sense of

achievement when you finally reach it.

Castles are often built to protect their

inhabitants. Thus, castles can indicate a

defensive mentality, set structures and specific

ways of doing things. They also represent firm

foundations and the need to create a solid

foundation for our ideas and thoughts before

they can manifest into something big.

Chains

Chains indicate connection to something,

servitude, bonds and self-limitation.

Children

Children represent innocence, youth, purity

and naivety. From a very literal perspective,

children may represent family or the presence

of young people.

Circle

Circles represent eternity or cycles that are

constantly turning and evolving.

Clouds

Clouds often symbolise the element of Air and

therefore are associated with thought, intellect

and abstract thinking.

http://www.tarotschool.com/NatureOfSymbols.html




Clouds represent a transitory, short-lived state.

Clouds come and go, changing shape as the

wind blows. Thus clouds signify that nothing is

certain.

Rain clouds bring a sense of doom and gloom,

yet remember that every cloud has a silver

lining.

Clouds may also indicate timing, based on

seasons. Dark clouds may reflect winter while

light clouds or no clouds at all may reflect

summer.

Colours

Black – Endings, the completion of a cycle, a

void, termination, evil and darkness

Blue - Tranquillity, truth, thoughtfulness,

peace, and calmness

Brown - Earthy connection, feeling grounded,

and stability

Gold - Vitality, strength, success, wealth,

courage and confidence

Green - Abundance, prosperity, growth,

healing, fertility, and jealousy

Orange - Courage, pride, ambition, enthusiasm,

and energy

Pink – Compassion, tenderness, harmony,

affection, love, and romance

Purple – Psychic insight, vision, spirituality,

higher knowledge, and self-esteem

Red - Passion for life, lust, willpower, courage,

energy, strength, anger, power, and sexual

desire

White - The soul, innocence, purity, naiveté,

faith, cleansing, peace, protection, and healing

Yellow - Vitality, positive energy, friendship,

enthusiasm, joy and happiness

Crown

Crowns symbolise attainment, mastery and

public recognition. Crowns also represent the

material world and focus on the rational,

logical mind.

Cups

Cups are symbolic of water, which in turn is

symbolic of emotion, love, creativity and

pleasure. Often, cups indicate opportunities,

particularly of an emotional nature.

Dogs

Dogs are representative of a loyal friend, helper

or close companion.

Fish

Fish represent an idea or thought, often from

the realm of the subconscious.

Fruit

Fruit are symbolic of fertility and ideas and

plans coming to fruition.

Gardens

Gardens offer the ability to enjoy the beauty of

nature in peace and comfort. Gardens are also

safe and relatively private, providing space for

retreat, relaxation and contemplation.

Gardens represent the fact that people have

the power not only to control nature, but also

to improve it through nurturing and caring for

the earth. Think of a beautifully landscaped

garden that is both aesthetically pleasing and a

sustainable food source.

Gardens are also living metaphors of

perfection. They represent cultivation and

growth, all leading towards a natural paradise

of perfection.

Hands

The right hand is representative of the

conscious mind and masculine energy. The left

hand is representative of the subconscious

mind and feminine energy.



Infinity Symbol

The infinity symbol looks like a figure 8 on its

side. It symbolises eternal life and shows a

harmonious interaction between the conscious

and the subconscious.

Keys

Keys provide access to otherwise hidden areas,

and therefore can also represent secrets and

protection. On the other hand, keys can

symbolise freedom and liberation.

Leaves

Leaves symbolise growth and vitality.

Light / Lanterns

Light in the form of a lamp or lantern symbolise

spiritual enlightenment, intelligence, deep

‘knowing’, and life itself. It represents the

search for truth and virtue.

Lightning

Lightning is symbolic of a flash of inspiration. It

comes with such power and energy, creating an

often intense experience.

Lion

The lion represents the passionate, primal and

animalistic side of ourselves. It can also be a

sign of nobility, pride, and courage.

Moon

The Moon is a feminine astrological symbol of

the personality and the subconscious mind. It

can also reflect the hidden influences and

forces that are present in our lives, just like the

moon moves the seas and oceans through the

tides.

Mountains

Mountains typically

represent challenges

that may stand in the

way of our goals. A

mountain may indicate

an ideal that you have

or wish to attain. Take

note whether the

mountain is high and

rocky (a greater

challenge but also a

great reward) or if it is more like a rolling hill

(the ongoing challenges we often face on a day-

to-day basis).

Paths

Paths are the way to spiritual attainment and

esoteric knowledge. They represent a journey

or a direction that must be taken to reach a

certain goal.

Pomegranate

The pomegranate symbolises female fertility

and sexuality, the inner Goddess, secret

knowledge and rebirth.

Rainbow

The rainbow is a sign of Universal protection,

happiness and ideal states of being.

Scales

Scales represent balanced judgement and

objectivity. There is impartiality and

equilibrium. The pros and cons are being

weighed up and decisions are being made.

Serpent / Snake

From Biblical origins, the serpent is a symbol of

temptation and secrecy. It also represents

wisdom and knowledge.

River / Stream

A river or a stream symbolises the flow of

conscious awareness.

Sun

The sun is a source of light, life force and

energy. It represents radiance, warmth and

vitality.



Thrones

Thrones represent maturity and domination

over the chosen realm.

Towers

Towers represent man-

made structures and

belief systems which

are often built upon a

false or weak

foundation.

Water

Water symbolises the

subconscious and the

emotions.

Wreath

A wreath represents victory and

accomplishments.

Personalising Symbols

Obviously, symbols carry common or shared

meanings. So, if we see a lion, we know that it

means passion and primal energy.

But symbols also carry personal meaning.

As a child, I had a soft toy that was a lion. He

was like my protector and would make me feel

better when I was sick or would give me

courage when I felt scared. So, a lion, to me,

represents protection and courage.

But what if you had been on an animal safari in

Africa and had a near-death experience with a

ferocious lion?! You might see the lion as a

symbol of fear and overwhelming power.

One of my readers, Rob, shared this very

personal story about the Tower card:

“When I first started doing Tarot readings for

myself, I was frightened to have the Tower card

come up in a spread. I used to let out a gasp!

For me, it’s the card for 9-11 when two jet

planes were hijacked and smashed into our

world trade centre (Twin Towers) buildings. I

live an hour from Ground Zero. This terrorist

attack changed my life, my neighbours, and my

country. A sense of our freedom was lost.

Sudden change, disaster, upheaval.

“Later on, as I became more educated in Tarot,

I began to see the Tower as a part of life and

it’s not so frightening anymore. And that's

positive!”

So, in addition to learning about the shared

meanings of symbols in Tarot, it is also

important to explore your personal meanings.

You’ll find an exercise on this later.

Using Symbols in a Tarot Reading

Symbols can be used in a Tarot reading in a

number of ways.

You can use the shared meaning of a symbol to

delve deeper into the meaning of a Tarot card.

For example, the lion in the Strength card tells

us that this is about primal energy and passion.

Or you can use your own personalised meaning

of a symbol. This is particularly useful during a

reading when a particular symbol catches your

eye. This is often a sign that your inner voice is

talking to you and has used the symbol to

channel a personal message to you.

So, if I were to notice a lion in the cards, I might

be drawn back to my childhood, to feelings of

protection.

You can also use personalised symbolism with

your client during a Tarot reading. Ask your

client, “What does this symbol mean to you?

What have been your personal experiences to

date, or what does this symbol mean to you

now? Does it bring joy, fear, sadness, anger?

What emotions does it generate?”

Don’t be afraid to ask your client questions

during a reading. Often this is what is most

powerful as it facilitates a deeper



understanding within the client themselves

about the key messages of the reading.

Activity

17.1. Assign a Personal Meaning to

Selected Symbols

Choose a symbol from the list above (e.g. a

castle). Write or draw the symbol on a blank

piece of paper.

For the next few minutes, write down

everything that comes to mind about that

symbol. It might be keywords, memories,

songs, other symbols, stories, fairy tales,

dreams and/or personal experiences. Let your

mind run free, without judgement.

Then, based on your brainstorm, choose 2-3

keywords based on your personal association

with the symbol selected. You may like to work

through each symbol, building your very own

Symbolic Keyword chart.

17.2. Identify Symbolic Themes Across

the Cards

Choose either a new symbol (e.g. clouds) or use

the same symbol as above. Now, go through

your deck and find all of the Tarot cards that

feature this symbol.

What are the similarities in the

divinatory meanings of these cards?

What are the differences?

How does the symbol appear in each

card? (e.g. Is the castle far away in the

distance, or is it in the foreground?)

And how does this influence the card’s

meaning?

Are there other symbols that are

common across the selected cards?

For each card selected, write down your new

insights for the meaning of that card.

“A symbol is a reminder, something that evokes the echo of an

inner experience in the beholder. The deeper and more

significant the experience, the more powerful the symbol. It may

take the form of an image, a sound, a word, an action, an object,

anything that has a concrete existence in the physical world”

(Wald Amberstone, co-founder of the Tarot School).




D A Y 1 8 : I N T E R P R E T T H E

S T O R I E S I N T H E C A R D S

Lesson

Did you know that each Tarot card holds a

unique and individual story? On first glance, it

might appear like a static picture. But as you

explore each card in more detail, you will begin

to notice various stories and tales emerging

that reveal deeper insights about that card’s

meaning.

Stories have always been a primal form of

communication. They are timeless links to

ancient traditions, legends, archetypes, myths,

and symbols. They connect us to a larger self

and universal truth.

Learning to interpret the story in a Tarot card is

one technique that I have found to be

incredibly useful and very simple. In fact, even

now, I find that if I draw a blank during a

reading, I will start to tell the story of the card

and as I do, additional insight begins to emerge.

Revealing the Story in the Cards

In any good story, a scene is set and then

something happens – a conflict, a setback, a

challenge, or sometimes simply good fortune.

Eventually there is an outcome or resolution,

and, to end, there is a moral to the story.

Using these same principles, we can begin to

reveal the stories that sit behind each of the

Tarot cards.

So let’s break it down with the scene, action

outcome and moral for each story within the

Tarot cards.

Scene

Be literal. Describe exactly what you see in the

picture.

Who is in the picture?

What is in the picture?

Where is the picture situated?

Action

Ask yourself open-ended questions about what

is happening in the picture. For example,

“What is the man reaching out to?” or “Where

are the children going?” Look closely at the

picture.

What is happening?

Who is doing what?

Is there conflict or harmony? What has

created the conflict or harmony?

What might have happened before the

snapshot? And after?

Outcome

This is where you may need to be a little more

creative in your responses.

What is the result of the actions taken?

Is it a positive outcome or a negative

outcome?

What might happen next?

Moral

What is the moral of the story?

What is the deeper meaning to the

story?

What you will find is that often your story is a

mixture of fact and fiction. You will be



describing what you see but also interpreting it

based on your intuition and creative mind. The

stories you tell may be different to the stories

other people tell about the same card.

That’s the beauty of the Tarot – it’s all about

trusting your intuition and going with your gut

feeling about what YOU see in the cards.

A Working Example

To show you how to reveal the story in the

cards, let’s work with the Three of Wands.

Scene

Here, we see a man standing with his back

towards us, atop a grassy hill. He is holding on

to three sprouting sticks or wands. He is

dressed in red and green robes, wearing some

sort of bandana around his head.

The man is looking out over a large body of

water where there are three sailing ships

travelling along. In the far background, there

are mountains.

Action

This man is a business entrepreneur. He

watches the ships pass along the trading route

from a high above on his hill. He is already

highly successful in business but is continually

on the lookout for expansion and growth (i.e.

the sprouting wands). He knows there are

challenges ahead (i.e. the mountainous terrain

in the background) but he looks to these

challenges with excitement and anticipation.

Outcome

As a result of his desire to grow his business,

this man has achieved international success

and business is booming. Nothing is impossible

for him right now!

Moral

By expanding your horizons, you can create

growth and wealth in your own life.

Creating Meaning from Stories

Once you have developed your story for a

particular card, then you can create meaning

from that story.

You can use the story to develop specific Tarot

card meanings and keywords. For example,

with the Three of Wands, we now know that

this is about growth and expansion, business

and enterprise. We can add these

interpretations to our notes about the card.

Alternatively, you can use the story during a

Tarot reading. Telling the story to the querent

may help to convey the deeper meaning of the

card. Or it may provide a useful analogy for the

querent. Sometimes, the story may be actually

playing out in the querent’s life, giving insight

into what may happen next.

Use the story to ask the querent questions. So,

with the Three of Wands, ask the querent what

ships he/she has sailing? What projects are on

the go? What challenges are up ahead? What is

growing and expanding? Where do new

opportunities lie?



Or, use the story in the card to give a kick-start

to your intuition. I find this particularly helpful

if I am initially uncertain about how to interpret

a card in a Tarot reading.

Let’s say the Three of Wands showed up in

regards to, “Where is my relationship with Joe

heading?” I might be a little stumped as to why

this card is appearing here, so I start to tell the

story to see where it will go.

“OK, we can see this man standing here, two

feet on the ground, not going anywhere just

yet. But he is looking out across the sea to

another land, another territory. There is a lot of

promise and hope there. He’s thinking about

where is best opportunities lie, not just for now

but in the future.

“Are you thinking about a longer-term future

with Joe? Are you considering taking the next

step with him and embedding your

commitment with him even more?

“And look, see those hills in the background?

You know there are going to be some

challenges ahead, but you’re will to deal with

them as they arise.”

Ah, phew! You see? All we needed to do was to

start relaying the story and suddenly our

intuition kicks in and does the rest.

Activity

18.1. Create Your Own Stories in the

Tarot Cards

Randomly select 3 Tarot cards.

For the first card, use the Scene – Action –

Outcome – Moral formula to build a story from

the card.

Now that you’ve got the hang of it, write a

fairytale story using the second card. Start

with, “Once upon a time...”

And with the last card, write a story about

yourself, using your present day circumstances.

It might be about your work, a relationship, an

event, or a bit of make-believe!

Stories have always been a primal form of communication.

They are timeless links to ancient traditions, legends,

archetypes, myths, and symbols. They connect us to a larger

self and universal truth.




You have now completed 18 days of learning Tarot.

By now...

You can name each Tarot card

You have 2-3 keywords for every Tarot card

You ‘get’ the Court Cards

You can build your own interpretations by looking at the

symbols, numbers and stories within each card

The cards are beginning to feel like your friends




DEEPENING YOUR

TAROT KNOWLEDGE

Learn techniques such as Card Profiling, a Card-A-

Day, Meditations and Card Combinations to

deepen your relationship with the Tarot cards

and expand your knowledge.



D A Y 1 9 : M A K E A T A R O T

C A R D P R O F I L E

Lesson

Over the past couple of weeks, you have been

learning the basics of the Tarot card meanings.

You have 2-3 keywords for each card and you

know how to interpret the numbers, symbols

and stories for each card. You’re already well

on your way to being able to read Tarot

confidently!

Now it’s time to get into the detail for each

card with a number of hands-on and in-depth

exercises.

Our first in-depth exercise is to create a series

of Tarot Card Profiles by studying a specific

card in detail, learning its traditional meanings,

its elemental associations, its symbolism, and

its story.

What You’ll Need

Tarot Card Profile template. Use the

Tarot Card Profile template provided in

the Appendix, or purchase a copy of

the Companion Workbook which

includes templates for all 78 Tarot

cards, as well as the ability to type and

save your work on your computer.

Your favourite Tarot Books.

Remember those 2 or 3 books you

chose at the start? Have them on hand!

Other Tarot resources. You’ll find my

online Tarot card meanings helpful, as

well as any other resources you have

available.

Your Tarot cards.

5 Steps to Creating a Tarot Card Profile

Step 1: Select a Tarot Card

This is the easy bit! You might want to

randomly select a Tarot card or you may want

to take a more structured approach beginning

with the first card of the deck (the Fool) or the

first card in one of the Suits.

Step 2: Study the Tarot Card

Look at the Tarot card and study it in detail for

5 minutes.

What is your first impression of the card? How

do you feel when you see the card? What

thoughts or feelings immediately come to

mind?

What images stand out to you? Are there

people in the card and what are they doing,

thinking or feeling? What symbols are

represented? What colours do you notice?

Look at the details of the picture. What did you

miss on first glance? How does this change

your view of the card?

Take note of your initial thoughts and

observations – we’ll use them later for the

Tarot Card Profile.

Step 3: Read about the Tarot Card

Look up the Tarot card in at least 2 or 3

resources (e.g. books and websites) and read

about the traditional meanings of the cards.

You may notice that each resource has a

slightly different angle. What meanings





resonate best for you? What make the most

sense?

Again, take note of what stands out to you

from reading these resources.

Step 4: Complete the Tarot Card Profile

Now it’s time to prepare your Tarot Card

Profile. You can use the template provided in

the Appendix or, if you have the Companion

Workbook, use that.

Here are some tips on how to complete each

section.

Card and Date

Write down the Tarot card you have selected

and the current date.

Element

Take note of the element associated with the

card and what it means for that card. You’ll find

these in Days 9 to 14.

We haven’t covered the elemental associations

for the Major Arcana as these are complex and

often a point of contention between readers. If

you want to read more, I recommend Raven’s

Tarot website.

Numerological Association

Note the number associated with the card and

what it means. See Day 16 for numerological

associations.

Keywords

Refer back to Day 8 on how to create keywords

for each card. You may already have your

keywords from Days 9 to 15 (Minor and Major

Arcana).

Key Phrases or Favourite Quotes

Exploring and reflecting upon common quotes

can be a great way to bring the key messages

of your Tarot cards alive.

I recommend working with your keywords and

even key phrases associated with each Tarot

card. Then, head on over to a quotation

website such as www.brainyquote.com or

www.thinkexist.com and start searching for

related quotes!

Alternatively, you may choose to let the quotes

come to you. As you read various books, keep a

note of inspirational quotes that add meaning

to your Tarot cards, and jot them down in your

Tarot Card Profile over time.

Consider, too, what expressions, sayings, or

clichés are suggested by the image on the card.

For example, “Don’t cry over spilt milk” for the

Five of Cups or “The darkest hour is before

dawn” for the Ten of Swords.

Story and Description

The Tarot card description is your opportunity

to explore the symbolism and imagery in a

specific card. Furthermore, the Tarot card will

often depict a ‘story’ that then informs the

general meaning for the card. It is important to

pay attention to these visual elements.

Study the specific Tarot card again for a few

minutes. What do you notice?

Is there a person in the card? What does their

expression tell you? What direction are they

facing? What are they doing?

What symbols are used in the card, and what

do these symbols mean?

What colours are used in the card, and what do

these colours signify?

Now, look at what is happening in the card.

What ‘story’ is being told?



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General Tarot Card Meanings

This is really the ‘core’ of your Tarot study –

understanding and interpreting the Tarot card

meanings.

Begin with your own observations of the card

that you noted earlier when you first looked at

the card. What was your first impression of the

card? How did you feel when you saw the card?

Which images stood out to you? What do you

think these mean?

Take an even closer look. What characters,

symbols, or colours have you missed? How do

these change your view of the card?

Next, research the Tarot card meanings in your

resources (books, eBooks, online, etc.). What

card meanings stand out to you? What feels

most relevant?

Consider, too, the positive side as well as the

negative or ‘shadow’ side of the card. All cards

have both sides to them (yes, even the Tower

can be a positive card!).

Finally, consider a personal experience, a Tarot

reading or a person you know who reminds you

of the card you are studying.

Jot down your initial thoughts. Then,

throughout the day / week / month / year,

spend some more time reflecting on how the

card relates to your personal experiences over

that period of time.

Use your Tarot readings, too, to explore the

meaning of the card. What significance does

the card have in a particular reading, or a series

of readings? For example, I found that the

Three of Cups reversed nearly always came up

in readings where there was an affair or a third

party involved in a relationship. I now attribute

that specific meaning to the card.

Context-Specific Meanings:

Generating context-specific meanings for each

card can enhance your Tarot reading skills

immensely. For your specific card, write down

what that card means for career, work,

finances, relationships, personality types,

health and well-being, spirituality and any

other area that is important to you.

Career, Work and Finances:

What does the card mean if you are

searching for work? What does it tell

you about your current work situation?

What career paths may be associated

with the card?

What does the card tell you about your

financial situation?

Personality Types:

Imagine you ‘are’ the card (either the

person in the card or the general

essence of the card). What does it feel

like to be this card?

Write a 1-2 paragraph bio of the card,

or even write a letter to the character

in the card.

What would it be like to meet this

person/card?

What are the positive and negative

qualities?

Relationships and Love:

What does the card mean if you are

searching for love? In a relationship?

Trying to fix a relationship?

What does the card tell you about

other types of relationships in your life

(e.g. friends, family, colleagues, etc.)?



Spirituality:

What is the deeper spiritual message or

lesson of the card?

What does this card tell you about your

own spiritual journey?

Wellbeing and Health:

What does the card tell you about your

general health and well-being? What

might be some specific health issues

associated with the card?

(As an ethical Tarot reader, do not give specific

health advice or diagnoses, unless qualified.

You can, however, recommend that the client

visits the doctor to get a possible issue checked

out.)

Step 5: Review

Review your card profile. Know that you can

continue to come back to it, to refer to it, and

to build on it.

The Tarot Card Profile in Practice

One of my readers, Cheryl Tracy, undertook

this exercise with the Four of Pentacles and

recorded her insights, which she was happy to

share below:

“I enjoyed this exercise because it took me

deeper into the meaning of the card and helped

me enliven it with a personality. For me it was

like profiling a person so I felt a little like a

criminalist from CSI.

“Playing with the images within the card; its

colours, looking for connections in other ‘4’

cards and putting them together was fun. I

discovered things I hadn’t noticed before.

“For example, the wide expanse of blue (for me)

has to do with water, emotions and

communication. (That’s because I’m into

dreams and dreaming.) I’d never applied

‘communication’ to this card before doing this

exercise but doing so helped me make a lot

more connections in readings than I had been

making before. I had always simply looked as

the sky as an indication that a lot of the energy

in this card was ‘mental’ (air.)

“Thanks for opening my mind to a new way of

looking at and doing the cards. That’s one of

the things I love about tarot, there’s always

more to learn and discover.“

See the next page for Cheryl’s Tarot Card

Profile for the Four of Pentacles.

Activity

19.1. Create a Tarot Card Profile

Randomly select a card and create a Tarot Card

Profile for the card, using the process described

above.

If you find value using this process, I

recommend that you incorporate this activity

into your ongoing Tarot learning (i.e. after the

31 days are over), gradually working through

each card of the Tarot deck.





D A Y 2 0 : D R A W A C A R D

A D A Y

Lesson

Rather than relying only on theory, you now

have the opportunity to call upon your

personal experiences and intuition to deepen

your understanding of the Tarot cards.

The Card a Day exercise is one of my personal

favourites and, I believe, was most helpful in

bringing the cards to life in my own Tarot

studies.

A Card a Day in 4 Steps

Step 1. Select a Tarot Card

First, decide how you would like to select a

Tarot card for each day.

Random pick – Ask what you need to know for

the day ahead and select a random card from

your deck. You’ll get the benefit of learning the

Tarot cards as well as getting specific insight for

the day ahead.

Ordered pick – If you’re keen to work

methodically through the Tarot deck, you may

wish to look at each card in order. For example,

you might begin with the first card of the Major

Arcana and move through until you reach the

end. This has the benefit of being able to cover

each and every Tarot card (provided you stick

with it for 78 days, of course!).

It also doesn’t have to be a new card every day

– it could be each three days, each week, etc.

Step 2: Study the Tarot Card

Once you have selected a Tarot card for the

day, look at the Tarot card and study it in detail

for 5 minutes.

What is your first impression of the card? How

do you feel when you see the card? What

thoughts or feelings immediately come to

mind?

What images stand out to you? Are there

people in the card and what are they doing,

thinking or feeling? What symbols are

represented? What colours do you notice?

Look at the details of the picture. What did you

miss on first glance? How does this change

your view of the card?

What do you know about the card? What

keywords have you already selected? What do

you know about the corresponding astrological

sign, the Major or Minor Arcana, the Suit, and

the numerological and elemental associations?

Take note of your initial thoughts and

observations. Write down:

The first 5 words or phrases that come

to mind as you look at the card.

One sentence that describes what is

happening in the picture.

The main emotion expressed in the

card.



If this image was on the front of a

greeting card, what would the message

inside say?

Step 3: Go About Your Day, Being

Conscious of Your Tarot Card

Go about your day as you usually would, and as

you do, be very conscious of certain situations,

events or people that may have something to

teach you about your selected Tarot card.

For example, if you selected the Page of

Swords, you may look out for people who are

incredibly curious and energetic in what they

do. Or you may identify a particular situation

with the Page of Swords – the start of a new

project, an opportunity to speak publicly, etc.

You may even choose to be the card you have

selected. Again with the Page of Swords, you

may choose to ask lots of questions, exploring

what it feels like to be that card. Write down

how this made you feel afterwards and if you

noticed anything you would not normally

associate with the activity.

Make sure you carry around a notebook to

note down your experiences and observations

throughout the day.

Step 4: Write Down Your New Insights

About the Tarot Card

By the end of the day, you will have a number

of specific and personal experiences, situations

and even people that you have seen

throughout the day that encapsulate the key

messages of your selected card.

At the end of the day, return to your notes

about your Tarot card, and add your new

insights. Be specific. What happened? Who was

involved? What did you personally experience?

How did the card and the situation make you

feel?

Combine the insights you have received into

one or two sentences.

For example, the Page of Swords represents

someone who is curious, energetic and eager

to move forward with a new project.

Personalise it with what you have learned

throughout your day.

Build the Card a Day into your usual daily

routine, and you’ll find your Tarot knowledge

accelerates!

The Card a Day Activity in Practice

One of my readers, Cheryl Janzen, tried this

activity out for herself. Despite having studied

the Tarot already for six years, she gained a lot

of personal value by doing the Card a Day

activity. She shares her insights below:

“The activity is wonderful and provides a

personal in-depth meaning to each Tarot card.

While the Tarot Card

Profiles represent a more

structured, theoretical

approach to learning the

Tarot, the Card a Day

exercise is more an

intuitive, personal

approach to learning.



“At first glance, I would have never thought of

the interpretation as such. Doing this exercise

each day not only assists with learning tarot

card meanings, but it enables one to lead a

richer, more fulfilling life. It opens your mind,

perhaps giving you 'inside' information. I felt

like I had just finished an insightful counselling

session. With more clarity of mind and

affirmation of my path, I actually slept better

than I had for weeks. It was as if my higher

mind proclaimed "way to go - you chose the

untrodden path that is your divine right, and

you are a much happier person for it."”

Cheryl chose to randomly select a Tarot card,

asking, “What do I need to know for the day

ahead?” She drew the Nine of Cups. Here is

what she noted in her own words as she

followed the steps outlined above.

The first 5 words or phrases: Be grateful, keep

emotions in perspective, be realistic, and

appreciate all you have right now.

One sentence that describes what is

happening in the picture: The figure sits proud

on a bench in a protective stance, after

considerable hard work and emotional turmoil;

he has sufficient faith in himself to take a risk

and step off the beaten path to attain his

dream.

The main emotion expressed in the card:

Fulfilment

If this image was on the front of a greeting

card, what would the message inside say:

"Every adversity, every failure, every heartache

carries with it the seed on an equal or greater

benefit." - Napoleon Hill

My first impression of this card is self-

satisfaction. The thoughts and feelings that

immediately come to mind are a happy ending

(shown by the character’s smile and proud

stance, and the sunny-yellow background).

The image that stands out to me is the crossed

arms of the character. I wonder if he has

closed off his heart to some extent, perhaps

through being overly protective and possessive

of his achievements.

The symbol that grabs my attention is the red

hat - the colour representing his passion, and

the style representing the prosperity that has

been attained.

At first glance, the detail that I missed was the

bench, representing his solid establishment.

This detail does not change my view of the

card, rather it confirms my impression.

New insights about this card at the end of my

day: While in quiet contemplation at a family

dinner this evening, I realised that I mirrored

the figure in the Nine of Cups with my crossed

arms protecting my heart and closing off any

discussion regarding my family’s devotion to

traditional religion versus my spirituality and

metaphysical studies. I am content and at ease

sitting on this bench. I am proud that I stepped

off the path to walk my own journey. The Nine

of Cups affirms my path and feelings of

satisfaction.



In closing, Cheryl noted how the Card a Day

activity helped her to develop an even stronger

understanding of this Tarot card:

“The textbook meaning of the tarot cards is a

fantastic guide for interpretation. For instance

the colours of the card provided clues, such as

the blue representing the extent of emotions

surrounding the issue, the red representing my

passion for my chosen path, and the yellow

representing the self-fulfilling outcome.

“However, ultimately intuition and open-

mindedness provided an accurate reading. This

activity teaches me the value of keeping a non-

judgmental attitude and open mind when

reading the tarot cards.”

How will the Card a Day activity help you?!

Activity

20.1. Draw a Card a Day

Use the process described above and draw a

Tarot card for the day. Take note of what you

have learned in your Tarot journal or notebook.

Again, if you find value using this process, I

recommend that you incorporate this activity

into your ongoing Tarot learning (i.e. after the

31 days are over), gradually working through

each card of the Tarot deck.



D A Y 2 1 : M E D I T A T E W I T H

Y O U R T A R O T C A R D S

Lesson

Meditation offers a way to go even deeper into

the meaning and symbolism of each Tarot card

as it allows us to bypass the conscious mind

and dive into the subconscious mind and

connect with the higher self. By relaxing our

mind and letting go of our constant thought

processes, we open up the pathway to our

subconscious mind and begin to tap into a

higher level of knowledge and insight. We allow

our intuition to guide us and in doing so, we

build a much deeper understanding of the

meaning of the Tarot cards.

A Tarot meditation typically begins with a

general relaxation of the body and the mind,

before going deeper into the image of the

selected Tarot card and exploring the messages

of the imagery.

Tarot Card Meditation in 7 Steps

Step 1: Select a Tarot Card

If you are using the Tarot card meditation to

simply learn the Tarot card meanings in more

detail, then randomly select a Tarot card or

select a card you want to connect more deeply

with.

You can also select a Tarot card based on a

particular topic that is important to you right

now. For example, if you are single and want to

bring love into your life, you may select the

Two of Cups or the Lovers. Or, if you were on a

path of spiritual development, you may select

the Hermit.

Step 2: Set up the Environment

Choose a time and a place where you will not

be disturbed for at least 20 minutes. Make sure

you’re comfortable, the phone is off the hook,

and all other distractions are out of the room.

You might like to play a meditation CD or

simply have silence. You could burn some

essential oils and dim the lights.

Sit in an upright position. (Lying down will most

likely just put you to sleep!) And have your

Tarot card in front of you.

Step 3: Focus on the Breath

Once you are comfortable, bring your attention

to your breath.

Breathe in through your nose and as you do so,

notice the sensation of your breath on your

nostrils. Take a deep breath in, and then

breathe out, through your nose, again focusing

on the sensation in your nostrils.

Continue breathing and focusing your attention

on the sensation of the breath.

At this stage, if you notice any random

thoughts coming into your mind, just observe

them and then imagine them floating away like

clouds. Bring your attention back to your

breath.

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Step 4: Relax

Now, shift your attention to your body. As you

breathe in, feel the oxygen entering your body

and filling you with pure energy. And as you

breathe out, imagine relaxation simply flowing

through your body.

Scan your head, neck, shoulders, arms, torso,

hips, legs and feet, and feel the relaxation

flowing through all the way down to your toes.

Now, you are relaxed and at peace.

Step 5: Focus on your Tarot Card

Bring your attention to the Tarot card in front

of you. Gaze softly at the Tarot card and take in

five deep breaths. Again, if you notice any

thoughts coming into your mind, just observe

them and then imagine them floating away like

clouds. Bring your attention back to your

breath and the Tarot card in front of you.

Imagine the card growing larger and larger until

the figures and the imagery are almost life-size.

See yourself stepping into the card. Look

around you. What do you see? Who is in the

card with you? What objects are present?

What colours stand out to you?

Take a moment to touch an object in the card

and feel its texture. What do you hear? Take a

deep breath in and smell the air. Is there

something edible in the card? Taste it.

Now, imagine yourself as one of the figures in

the card. Become that person or that

archetype. What does it feel like, being this

person? What does this character think and

feel? How do they move and behave? What is

their attitude towards the present

circumstances?

Begin to speak as if you are that character.

What do you have to say? What is your

message? What advice do you have to offer?

Take another look around you. What makes

you feel good? What gives you energy?

What, if anything, makes you feel anxious,

concerned or upset? Notice any sensations in

your body at this point and release any tension

that may have formed.

Look for the different objects and symbols in

the card now. How can they be used? What are

they here for? What is their symbolic meaning?

Look around you one last time. What do you

see now that you didn’t see before?

Your work is almost complete. Step out of the

figure and then step out of the Tarot card.

Watch as the card becomes smaller and

smaller, returning to its normal size.

Step 6: Awaken

Acknowledge the work that you have done, and

know that you can return to this place of peace

and insight at any time.

Begin to bring your attention back into the

room, taking in two deep breaths and feeling

the energy returning to your feet, your hands

and your body.

Open your eyes (if they were closed), feeling

refreshed and energised.

Step 7: Take Note of Your Insights

Immediately after your Tarot card meditation,

take note of what you saw, heard, thought or

felt during the meditation. Enter this directly

into your Tarot Workbook or notebook.




Additional Ways to Meditate with Your

Tarot Cards

If you are working with a Major Arcana card,

you might like to use some of the questions

from the “Getting to Know Yourself with the

Major Arcana” exercise in the Appendix.

For example, if you’re working with the Chariot,

include the following questions in your

meditation as you step into the character:

What drives you? What motivates you?

What are you so fiercely determined to

achieve right now?

You may also prefer a more structured

meditation based on the card you are studying.

Here are two good online resources that you

can draw from for your guided Tarot card

meditation:

http://hermetic.com/heidrick/tarot_m

editations.html

http://www.guidedtarot.com/

Mantras are also an effective way to create a

focus point and to concentrate your insights.

Select one keyword for the card you are

studying and repeat it over and over in your

meditation. For example, the keyword for the

Fool may be “Beginnings”. Repeat “beginnings,

beginnings, beginnings” to deepen your insight

into what this means for you and for the card.

You may even like to set up the scene in the

card in real life, and meditate on the energy

that is created. For example, for the Ace of

Cups, place your cupped hand under running

water and experience what it feels like. Clear

your mind and be wholly present with the

physical experience.

Tarot Meditation in Practice

Here’s a personal story from Louise, who

comments regularly on my Tarot blog:

“I have done a lot of these tarot meditations

over the years, and have found the insights

from them often profound. Sometimes they

take me in a slightly different direction to

before, or they show me a new aspect I had yet

to consider. I still remember a lot of them, years

and years later, whereas often a book

interpretation is forgotten as soon as the book

is placed back on the shelf!

“I’d like to share one of these meditations with

the Four of Swords. It wasn’t that the figure in

the card spoke to me, or anything moved or

changed or came to life, but when I went into

the meditation my eye was

drawn to the black line that

runs down the centre of the

stained glass window in the

card. Then I was shown the

black line under the Knight’s

tomb, and really, that was

it! Sounds really simple and

uneventful, and would be

easy to dismiss as useless

and pointless, but it proved beneficial to my

understanding because I hadn’t paid attention

to these black lines before!

“I came out from this meditation and thought

“humph! That wasn’t very impressive”, but

instead of dismissing this detail as trivial or

unworthy, I began to really start to work with

it. This meditation was many, many years ago

now, and to this day I still remember the

“lesson of the black line”! My inner teacher

showed me that no detail on the tarot should

be overlooked, no detail is arbitrary! The black-

line is important to a deeper understanding of

the card, for it separates the saint from his

kneeling subject in the window picture, and

with very close observation it can be

distinguished that the letters PAX appears

above the head of the saint, the old roman

http://hermetic.com/heidrick/tarot_meditations.html

http://hermetic.com/heidrick/tarot_meditations.html

http://www.guidedtarot.com/

http://www.biddytarot.com/blog/



word for peace. The saint has peace; the

kneeling follower is separated from it by a thick

black line! Similarly, the Knight is separated

from his fourth sword by a thick black line

under his ‘tomb’, and it shows us that the

Knight and the follower in the window do not

have inner peace, but they are trying to find it.

“I guess all it really did was confirm the book

reading of the card, but it has given me a

personal understanding which got into my

brain at a much deeper level. I haven’t

forgotten it, and the thick black line always

jumps out at me on this card. It confirmed the

meaning in a personal way, and showed me

that our inner world CAN teach us. After all, the

word intuition when broken down is inner-

tuition, the inner teacher.”

What will your Tarot meditation tell you that

you don’t know already about the cards?

Activity

21.1. Meditate on a Tarot Card

Select a Tarot card and work through each of

the seven steps outlined above, making sure to

note your insights following the Tarot card

meditation.

If you find value using Tarot meditations, you

may like to use it on a more regular basis when

you want to go much deeper into a card or you

are unsure about what a particular Tarot card is

telling you.

Meditation offers a way to go even deeper into the meaning and symbolism

of each Tarot card as it allows us to bypass the conscious mind and dive into

the subconscious mind and connect with the higher self.

We allow our intuition to guide us and in doing so, we build a much deeper

understanding of the meaning of the Tarot cards.



D A Y 2 2 : C O N N E C T T H E

C A R D S

Lesson

The fourth exercise for deepening your

understanding of the Tarot card meanings is

focused on connecting the Tarot cards with one

another and identifying patterns and themes

across various groupings of the cards.

This exercise will not only help you learn the

Tarot card meanings, it will also help you to

develop skills that will rapidly improve your

Tarot reading abilities, particularly when it

comes to being able to tie together all of the

cards in the one reading.

Connecting the cards involves looking for

themes and stories within particular groups of

cards.

Let’s take a look at the various ways in which

we can group the Tarot cards and the insights

we can gain by taking a journey through each

of those groups.

Journey Through the Major Arcana

Lay out all of the Major Arcana cards in order,

starting with the Fool and ending with the

World.

Refresh your memory first with the keywords

for each Major Arcana card. You already have

your keywords for each card, so use these

keywords as a way to understand the evolution

from the Fool to the World.

Now, thinking about what you know of each

card, how does the energy flow from one card

to the next? What is the journey that is being

made from the Fool to the Magician to the High

Priestess? Look at the journey in terms of

different life stages evolving and developing.

Where do you think you currently sit in your

own life?

For example, the Fool starts his journey with a

clear mind and no preconceptions of what lies

ahead. His energy evolves into the Magician,

who has found a way to manifest his goals

using the resources available to him. After a

period of manifestation, he soon turns that

energy inward, accessing the inner knowledge

that is represented by the High Priestess. And

so the journey continues...

This is also known as the ‘Fool’s journey’ which

represents the different stages through one’s

life, from the new beginnings and freedom of

the Fool through until the completion of the

World. The Magician through to the Chariot

represents the Fool’s journey through the

material world. Strength through to

Temperance represents his journey through

the emotional world. And the Devil through to

the World represents his journey through the

spiritual world. You can read more at

http://www.learntarot.com/journey.htm.

Journey Through the Minor Arcana Suits

Select one Suit to focus on and then lay out the

cards of that Suit, from Ace to the Ten.

http://www.learntarot.com/journey.htm



Now, refresh your memory about the meaning

of the Suit you have selected. For example,

Cups are about emotions and relationships.

Then, refresh your memory about the

meanings of the numbers from Ace to Ten,

using what you learned on Day 16.

Bring together your knowledge of the Suit itself

and basic numerology in order to discover the

story within the cards. Start with each Ace and

follow it through until the Ten, which

represents the end of the story. How does it

flow or not flow, change or remain constant

throughout all the cards? Take note of the

story you begin to see as you connect the

cards.

Now, do the same exercise, but start at Ten as

the beginning and work your way to the Ace as

the ending. How does the story change? Is it

simply in reverse motion, or is another story

revealed?

Imagine the sequence of the cards as a movie.

What would the story line be?

Journey Through the Numbers

Pull out all the Tarot cards of the same number.

For example, select all the Twos in your Tarot

deck. You may also like to include the Major

Arcana cards (e.g. if selecting Twos, select also

the High Priestess, Justice and Judgement

cards).

Drawing on your knowledge of basic

numerology (see Day 16), identify how the

meaning of that number is expressed in each

card. What are the commonalities across the

cards with the shared number? What are the

differences? How does each Suit impact or

alter the meaning?

So, going back to the example of all of the Twos

(and using just the Minor Arcana this time), we

notice that it is only the Two of Cups that

features two people, whereas the other cards

feature only one person each. We know that

Cups is about relationships and connections

with others, so it is not surprising to see two

people on this card. Yet for the Pentacles,

Swords and Wands cards, it is more about two

objects, rather than two people.

Notice, too, that each card features mountains

in the background, symbolic of the challenges

that will appear later down the track. For the

Two of Swords and the Two of Wands, the

mountains lie across a body of water – perhaps

an indication that the challenges will come

after a journey or a transition that may be fluid

in nature.



Select Cards Based on a Topic or

Theme

This would have to be one of my favourite

exercises. It is one I regularly do for my Tarot

blog when I create the Top Ten Tarot Card

posts (see more at

http://www.biddytarot.com/category/top-ten-

lists/).

Choose a topic or a theme that is relevant to

everyday life. It might be change, decision-

making, travel, career success, health, sex or

break-ups – don’t be afraid to be creative!

Now, lay out all 78 Tarot cards in front of you

and start selecting out which cards most align

to your chosen theme.

What brings these cards together? What are

the commonalities? And how are these cards

different? What do they each tell you about the

topic?

Have fun with this exercise and play around

with various ideas and card meanings. You’ll

find that there is a lot more to your Tarot cards

than meets the eye, and you’ll see how

practical Tarot cards can be!

Select Cards With Similar Symbols

This last exercise is similar to the one you did

on Day 17 when you selected a symbol and

found Tarot cards with that symbol.

Do it again, but this time choose a different

symbol. Lay out all the cards and then select

those cards that have shared symbols, such as

flowers, crowns, clouds, angels or female

archetypes. Just look at how many cards have

clouds in them (see right)!

What does the symbol mean to you and how

does it affect the cards’ meanings. How does

the meaning of the symbol change, depending

on the card?

Activity

22.1. Find the Connections in the Cards

Select at least two of the methods above and

look for the connections within the Tarot cards.

Make sure you note your observations as you

go along.

You may also like to come back to this exercise

later on to keep developing your skills and

understanding.

http://www.biddytarot.com/category/top-ten-lists/

http://www.biddytarot.com/category/top-ten-lists/



D A Y 2 3 : C R E A T E T A R O T

C A R D C O M B I N A T I O N S

Lesson

When I was writing The Ultimate Guide to

Tarot Card Meanings, creating various Tarot

card combinations for each and every Tarot

card was one of my favourite activities. It got

me to think quite creatively about the cards

and to look at the various aspects associated

with each.

Developing meanings for Tarot card pairs

enables you to see the interactions between

different cards in a way that may strengthen a

specific meaning, add some ‘light and shade’ to

a meaning, or give it a different meaning

altogether. It is an activity that can be enjoyed

by Tarot beginners right through to Tarot

experts, adding a completely new dimension to

the practice of Tarot reading.

The practice of Tarot card combinations also

develops your skills as a reader to look at the

dynamics between cards and to create a true

‘story’, encouraging a more integrated view of

Tarot card reading. It prepares you for the

three-card Tarot spreads that we’ll learn on

Day 25 and for more complicated Tarot

spreads.

How to Create Your Own Tarot Card

Combinations

Working with Tarot card combinations requires

you to first select a pair or group of Tarot cards

and then to develop the meaning and

interpretation for those Tarot cards when

combined.

Select Your Tarot Card Combinations

There are two main ways to select your Tarot

card combinations – a ‘conscious’ selection of

the cards or a random draw.

A ‘conscious’ selection means that you draw

one Tarot card from your deck and then

consciously choose another Tarot card that

aligns with your selected card.

Consider the general meaning of the card you

are studying, and ask yourself:

What other Tarot card reinforces the

card’s meaning? What makes it

stronger?

What other card opposes the card’s

meaning? What makes it weaker?

What other cards give this card a

completely different meaning?





For example, I randomly select the Four of

Wands. This card often denotes celebrations in

the home or family, or a stable relationship.

Now, a card that may reinforce the Four of

Wands is the Ten of Cups – a card of a happy

home life filled with love and harmony. The Ten

of Cups simply makes the Four of Wands even

stronger in its positive message.

A card that may oppose the Four of Wands is

the Three of Swords – a card of grief, sorrow

and loss. A family celebration may end in a loss

(e.g. news of a pregnancy, soon followed by

news of a miscarriage). Here we see that initial

positivity of the Four of Wands being weakened

by the Three of Swords.

And finally, a card that may give the Four of

Wands a different meaning is the Eight of

Wands – a card of travel. This combination may

indicate an overseas celebration, such as a

wedding in a tropical location. It still embodies

the general meaning of the Four of Wands, but

this combination now offers a different angle

on the traditional meaning.

Don’t worry if the combinations don’t come to

you straight away. One Tarot beginner, Karen,

openly shared her challenges with finding

opposing card combinations:

“Choosing an opposing Tarot card was more

difficult for me. The Tarot cards did not jump

right into my mind without any effort. This time

I took my Tarot deck and went through them

one at a time, considering both the upright and

reversed meanings. I found several Tarot cards

that could be considered as opposing to the

original card. I also found myself matching up

more Tarot cards in reinforcing and opposing

pairs.”

So, if you do get stuck, go through each card,

one at a time, until you start to find more

meaningful combinations.

Once you get into the ‘groove’ of selecting

cards and matching them with other card

combinations, it becomes a lot easier and is a

fun activity to do.

If you start to find this task quite easy, then

consider doing a random draw. A random draw

means that you randomly select two cards

from your deck and then start working with

developing the meaning associated with that

pair of cards. This can be a lot more difficult

because the cards may initially not make a lot

of sense. However, it does encourage you to

look deeper into different card pairings and to

be a little creative in your interpretations.



For example, I drew the Sun (a positive,

energetic card) and the Four of Swords (a

passive, restful card). On first glance, it would

seem that the passive nature of the Four of

Swords opposes the active nature of the Sun.

However, upon further reflection, I would

interpret this as a sign that rest is needed now

in order to re-establish the energy of the Sun

card. Perhaps this is a good time for a holiday

or doing something you really enjoy, to

promote relaxation and fun.

Delve Deeper Into the Combined

Meaning

Once you have made your initial selection of

the pair of Tarot cards, delve deeper into the

combined meaning for those cards.

Start with interpreting each card separately

and then combining those meanings (similar to

what we have already done in the examples

above). What do these two cards mean

together? What does the first card mean and

what does the second card mean? How do

these two meanings combine? Do they

reinforce each other or oppose each other?

Next, consider the following interactions

between the cards:

Suits – for example, how does a Cups

card (emotions) interact with a

Pentacles card (practical matters)?

Minor / Major Arcana – how does a

Minor Arcana card (day-to-day events)

interact with a Major Arcana card (life

lessons)? Or a Major with a Major? Or a

Minor with a Minor?

Numbers – for example, how does a

Two (a partnership) interact with a

Nine (nearing completion)?

Symbols – what symbols are common

across the selected cards and what

does this signify?

People – how do the people featured

on the cards interact with one

another? For example, is it a male and

a female? Or is it a Page and a King? Do

they face one another or turn away?

What does this signify?

Let’s take a look back at the examples from the

first step, when we selected the cards.

The Four of Wands and Ten of Cups is

interesting from the perspective of

numerology. The Fours symbolise stability and

certainty, while the Tens symbolise completion.

The pairing of these cards may indicate a solid

relationship progressing to the next or ultimate

level of commitment (marriage, family, etc.).

Look also at the people in each of these cards.

Both feature a couple. In the Four, the couple

faces us whereas in the Ten, the couple stands

with their back to us. Could this represent a

journey, perhaps, of coming forward with a

relationship and finally reaching a place of

peace where the couple can finally sit back and

enjoy the moment of completion?

The Four of Wands and the Three of Swords is

interesting from the perspective of Wands

pairing with Swords. Wands (fire) and Swords

(air) are both considered active and support

each other. This turns the original

interpretation on its head and suggests that

perhaps the flow of events goes the other way.

From loss and sorrow comes happiness and

stability, thus the loss actually supports the

eventual happiness.

The Four and Eight of Wands pairing is also

interesting from the Suits perspective. This

time it is a combination of Wands and Wands,

strengthen the concept of energy and forward

movement. This would likely add to the party

atmosphere of an overseas wedding!



And finally, the Sun and the Four of Swords. If

we look at the people in these cards, we notice

a stark contrast, from the young boy in the Sun

to the older man in the Four of Swords.

Perhaps this is then about leaving behind the

‘adult’ and embracing the inner child in

yourself, by taking a break from work and

engaging in more fun and enjoyable activities.

If you would like to take it even one step

further, you can do so by exploring card

combination meanings for different contexts.

For example, what would the Four of Wands

and the Ten of Cups mean in a relationship

reading? In a work reading? In a spiritual

reading? In a family reading? In a financial

reading? This will really start to test your

creative abilities!

Overall, Tarot card combinations will facilitate

more effective Tarot reading skills, enabling

you to draw upon the various layers and

interactions that exist within a Tarot reading.

Not only will you be able to interpret what each

card means in a reading, you will be able to

draw relationships between each card and

create a much more comprehensive and

insightful reading for your client.

Tarot Card Combinations in Practice

I recently posted two Tarot cards on my

Facebook page and invited readers to comment

on possible interpretations. The cards were the

Moon and the Seven of Swords.

It was wonderful to see so many different

responses to the same two cards – a further

reminder that it really comes down to what

YOU see in the cards, rather than what a book

tells you to see in the cards.

Here are some of the responses:

“There is something happening without your

acknowledgement or consent. The Moon card

suggests that the action or incident is

happening under your nose while the Seven of

Sword card is trying to tell you that someone is

doing something behind your back.”

“Since the Moon is the card of illusions, I would

interpret this as the querent is subconsciously

concerned, worried, or fearful that someone in

their life is cheating or stealing from them even

though that is not what is actually going on.”

“Paranoia or unseen treachery.”

“In a love reading I would say it is a very

emotional and spiritual betrayal that the

querent never dreamed a loved one would be

capable of doing. Financially, it represents theft

and profit from a trusted colleague or friend.

The person receiving the reading may have

sensed something was wrong, but believed it

couldn’t be possible. This could also represent

serious criminal activity from a loved one, such

as murder, robbery and assault, with the

querent as the victim.”

“To me, these cards combined suggest self-

betrayal or self-sabotage. The Moon card

governs our intuitions, fears, and unconscious

thoughts, the dim and murky dreamlike

margins of our own minds, our own selves.

There's an element of the shadow self in this

card. Combined with the Seven of Swords, with

its implications of betrayal, deception, and




escape, I would interpret these cards to mean

that on some deep, hidden level the querent is

working against his or her own best interests.”

Activity

23.1. Create Your Own Tarot Card

Combinations

Using the method above, create your own

Tarot card combinations.

To help get you started, I have selected five

Tarot cards for you to work with (see right).

Find another Tarot card that reinforces the

selected card, and another card that opposes

the selected card. I have filled in the first one

for you.

Keep note of your Tarot card combinations for

future reference in your Tarot Workbook or

journal. You can use this to quickly refer to

when you see those combinations come up

again in your readings. The reading itself may

also highlight further Tarot card combinations

that you have not yet discovered.

Card Reinforcing Pair Opposing Pair

Four of Swords Four of Cups – in quiet meditation Nine of Swords – tormented by inner thoughts

Two of Pentacles

Star

Queen of Wands

Ace of Cups






By now...

You have personalised your understanding of the Tarot

cards

You understand each Tarot card individually and as part

of a bigger system through patterns and connections

The cards are beginning to feel like a part of YOU

You have a number of in-depth Tarot card exercises

that you can include in your lifelong journey to learn

Tarot




LEARNING TO READ

TAROT

Apply your knowledge of the Tarot cards as you

learn to read Tarot. Discover how to conduct a

Tarot reading, use simple three-card Tarot

spreads, build a story from the cards, and

determine the timing of events.



D A Y 2 4 : D O A B A S I C

T A R O T R E A D I N G

Lesson

By now, you have gained a solid understanding

of the Tarot cards and their meanings.

Congratulations!

Having created this foundation, you are now

ready to learn how to use your Tarot cards for

accurate and insightful Tarot readings, which is

why you came here in the first place, right?!

Today, we focus on the basic elements of a

Tarot reading, applying a step-by-step

approach which can be used in a Tarot reading

for yourself or others.

This approach is based on my fifteen years’

experience as a professional Tarot reader, yet it

isn’t the only way to read Tarot. If you find

other methods that work for you, then go for

it! What’s most important is that you work with

the cards in a way that is comfortable for you.

Step 1: Prepare

Set up the right environment, prior to a Tarot

reading by doing some, or all, of the following:

Remove distractions. Switch off the phone and

any other potential distractions. Find a quiet,

undisturbed place and ask others who are not

involved in the reading to leave the room.

Close the door.

Set up a beautiful space. Lay out a special cloth

or table-cloth, light a candle, or place objects

(such as crystals, talismans, or other spiritual

figures) nearby that have special meaning to

you.

Put on some music. I strongly recommend

meditation music by Jeffrey Thompson. He uses

sounds that access certain brainwaves to

create a higher level of consciousness – perfect

for a focused Tarot reading.

Centre yourself. Shut your eyes and take a few

deep breaths. Focus on the sensation of the

breath, either through your nostrils or your

mouth. Hold your cards in your hand as you do

this.

Have pen and paper on hand. If reading for

yourself, record your insights throughout the

reading. If reading for a client, offer them the

use of pen and paper in case they wish to write

down any aspects of their reading. Or, record

the reading using a microphone and laptop,

and provide the audio file for later.

Step 2: Frame the Question

Asking the right question can make or break a

good Tarot reading. The more targeted the

question, the more specific and insightful the

answer.

So what constitutes a good question?

Generally speaking, a good question is one the

client can act upon. For example:

What do I need to know about...?

What do I need to do to achieve...?

What is standing in the way and how

can I best overcome this?

How can I improve my ability to...?

What role do I play in so-and-so’s

life/issue?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/entity/Dr.-Jeffrey-Thompson/B000AQ2OO4/?ie=UTF8&tag=bidtar-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957



Thus, if the initial question is something like,

“Will I get married this year?” you might

rephrase it to, “What do I need to know about

getting married this year?” or “What do I need

to do to improve my chances of getting married

this year?”

Sometimes, however, your client won’t have a

specific question in mind. They may come to

you with a long and detailed story to share, but

they may not be clear in their own mind about

what it is they want to know. I have certainly

received requests that are hundreds of words

long, with no specific question at the end.

In these cases, you don’t have to box the

situation into a perfectly worded question, but

you do need to be clear about what it is your

client wants to know. If they have told you all

about their most recent break-up, from the

moment when it all fell apart to the most

recent chance encounter with one another, you

need to find out whether your client wants to

get back with their ex, heal their heart and

move on, or understand why the relationship

failed in the first place (or something

completely different). Don’t make the mistake

of assuming that just because they’ve told you

about a break-up they want to know if a

reunion is possible.

Don’t be afraid to note down multiple

questions within the same topic, either. This is

actually an important part of being able to

design your own Tarot spreads. So, if someone

has told you about their break-up, you may like

to incorporate different questions or aspects

into your Tarot spread. For example, you may

include positions such as, “What lead to the

end of the relationship?”, “What is the one key

lesson from the break-up?”, “How can you best

heal from this experience?” and “What do you

need to know about a future reunion?”.

Finally, be conscious of inappropriate

questions, including questions about:

Other people’s lives. For example, “Will

my partner leave his wife?” or “Will my

son find a girlfriend?”

Medical or legal issues on which you

are not qualified to advise. For

example, “Am I pregnant?” or “Will I

win the court case?”

Doomsday topics. For example, “When

will the world end?” or “When will I

die?”

For these types of questions, I recommend that

you either find a way to rephrase the question

using the techniques above, or suggest a

completely different question.

You can read more about what questions you

should or should not ask the Tarot in my blog

post “What NOT to ask the Tarot.”

Step 3: Select a Tarot Spread

Once you are clear on the question(s) being

asked, you can then choose a spread that will

best answer your question(s) and that will give

you the information you are searching for.

Perhaps the most popular Tarot spread is the

Celtic Cross – a 10 card spread that is used for

many different questions. However, this is also

one of the most challenging and misused. If you

are just starting to learn to read Tarot, my

advice is to begin with a three-card spread.

Surprisingly, less is more, and you will begin to

see that you can gain a huge amount of insight

from just three Tarot cards. On Day 25, you will

learn about the various three-card spreads you

can draw from.

Alternatively, you may opt for no spread at all,

in which case you simply draw three cards to

begin with, and then draw further cards as

different questions or topics come up in the

reading. This approach can be helpful if the

http://www.biddytarot.com/how-to-design-your-own-tarot-spread/

http://www.biddytarot.com/third-party-readings/

http://www.biddytarot.com/what-not-to-ask-the-tarot/



initial question is quite general, as it allows you

to hone in on the most important issues. That

said, I recommend that you don’t draw more

than five cards without having a spread or at

least some idea of what each card relates to.

This will help you to keep your reading more

focused and on target.

Personally, I’m a sucker for Tarot spreads! I

love structure and I love knowing exactly what

each card relates to. While I have a number of

pre-defined Tarot spreads on my website, I

often create my own spreads for each client so

that I can really target their specific issues and

concerns. Every now and then, I push myself

outside of my comfort zone and opt for no

spread at all, but limit myself to three cards. I

do enjoy the change, but I still lean towards

actual Tarot spreads. Try each method out and

see what works for you.

Step 4: Shuffle and Lay Out the Cards

There are many ways to shuffle the cards. You

can use just one method or a mixture of

methods. Here are just a few:

Overhand shuffle. This is the most

common way of shuffling a deck of

cards. Holding the deck in one hand,

use your other hand to shuffle the

cards from one side to the other of the

main deck.

Cutting the deck. Cut the deck into a

number of different piles and then

bring those piles back together again.

Messy pile shuffle. Lay the cards face-

down on the table and then use your

hands to spread out the cards in a big,

messy pile. Then, bring the cards back

together into one pile.

If you are working with reversed Tarot cards

(which I don’t recommend until you have

mastered the upright cards), there are a

number of ways you can introduce reversed

cards to your Tarot deck. Firstly, cut the deck in

two and turn one pile 180 degrees (that is,

upside-down with the cards still facing

downwards) and then shuffle. Continue doing

this until you are satisfied the cards are well

reversed.

Alternatively, you can place your cards in a

messy heap and shuffle them around until

some are upside-down. Gather them up again

to form a neat pile.

Personally, I have the client shuffle the deck

with the overhand shuffle, cut the deck into

three piles, turn one pile 180 degrees (as I work

with reversals), put them back into one pile and

then shuffle them one last time.

When it comes to laying out the cards, you first

need to decide whether you will lay the cards

facing you or the client.

If you deal the cards to face you, it makes it

easier to read the cards. Often, an image will

catch your eye and tell a particular story, which

you can then convey to your client. I also

believe that as the reader, it is important that

you are seeing the cards as they are being laid

out, rather than your client, since it is you who

is interpreting the cards.

If you deal the cards to face your client, they

can see the images and symbols themselves

and may become more engaged in the reading.

This strategy can be useful if you want to



include your client in interpreting the cards. For

example, before you explain what the card

means, you may have them look at the imagery

and tell you what they notice or feel when they

see the card. Often, the card has messages not

only for the reader to convey to the client but

also for the client to pick up on themselves.

Even if the client has no knowledge of the

Tarot, getting them to look at and interpret the

pictures can be an invaluable way of them

accessing their own subconscious messages.

There are a number of ways in which you can

select the cards for the Tarot reading, after

having shuffled the deck.

Work from the top of the deck. Select

the first card from the deck and

continue to select the next card in this

manner.

Fan the deck and select the cards.

Push the cards out to resemble a large

fan, and then request the client selects

cards at random, using their left hand

(thus tapping into the subconscious

mind).

Cut the deck and select the cards. If

using a three-card spread, cut the deck

into three and turn over the top card

from each pile.

Personally, when I read online, I use the first

method, but when I read face-to-face, I use the

second method as it engages the client more in

the reading. Choose what works best for you.

Step 5: Interpret the Reading

Interpreting the Tarot reading is really the

‘guts’ of what this is all about. So, rather than

overwhelm you with the details now, I’m going

to give you a simplified version here and on

Day 26, we’ll go into a lot more depth into how

to interpret a Tarot reading.

OK, so your Tarot cards are now laid out in

front of you...

First, scan the reading for general patterns

across the cards. Look for a prevalence of

Major Arcana cards, Minor Arcana, particular

Suits, numbers, court cards, symbols, etc.

Consider the significance of these patterns and

what it means for the Tarot reading overall,

using your knowledge from Chapter 2 in this

Workbook.

Now, interpret the meanings of each card,

relating it to the respective position in the

spread and integrating it with the other cards

in the reading. Use your knowledge of the

individual card meanings, but also use your

knowledge of Tarot card combinations (see Day

23).

For example, you get the Four of Wands in the

Past position and the Five of Wands in the

Present position. In the past, there has been a

celebration and a sense of comfort, but this has

now given way to conflict and discord. See,

you’re already starting to tell a story!

Quick Tip: Reading a Cut Deck

As you or the client cuts the deck

into three piles, notice the size of

each. The left-hand side represents

the past, the centre is the present

and the right hand side is the future.

The larger the pile, the greater the

focus and the better the outcome.

If the Past pile is large, the client is

thinking about the past. If the Future

pile is large, then things will get

better.



Finally, summarise the key points in the

reading and answer the question. Tell the final

‘story’ from the cards and check back to the

original question to make sure you have

provided an answer. It also helps to empower

the client with recommended actions that will

help the client create the outcomes they want.

Now, that’s the quick version. Sit tight for Day

26 when you’ll learn more about interpreting a

Tarot reading like a professional.

Step 6: Get Feedback

The best readings allow for dialogue between

the reader and the client. It creates an

exchange and flow of information, providing

further insight to the client and giving you

confidence to trust your intuition. So, use this

dialogue to track your progress throughout the

reading and afterwards.

Getting feedback not only helps you to gain

confidence, but it also helps to build your

intuition by confirming those funny feelings

that you might get throughout the reading.

Simple ways to check in during a reading are:

“How does that sit with you?”

“Does this resonate?”

“Am I on the right track here?”

After your reading is complete, you may want

to ask for specific feedback on the reading and

whether it was helpful or not.

If at all possible, I strongly recommend getting

in touch with your client several months later

to see how the situation transpired. It always

helps to bring your cards to life and it shows

your client that you care about their wellbeing.

Step 7: Record your Reading

In the beginning stages of your Tarot study, I

recommend that you record each Tarot reading

you do in your notebook or journal. Note the

date, the question you asked, the spread used,

the cards drawn and the insights you generated

from your reading. See the Appendix for the

Three-Card Reading Template.

Come back to your notes after several weeks or

months and add any additional insight that

came to light. Think about how you might re-

interpret the cards to better suit the situation.

Consider also taping your reading as you go. If

reading for yourself, this is a good way to

practice articulating your reading out loud.

Activities

24.1. Set Up Your Tarot Reading Space

Find a space where you will conduct your Tarot

readings. You may like to decorate the area

with your favourite spiritual items and to

conduct your own cleansing ritual for the space

(see Day 3 for some ideas).

24.2. Practice Shuffling Your Cards

I know this sounds so simple, but it took me

several months to get used to my first Tarot

deck and to a point where I wasn’t dropping

the cards every second shuffle!

So, practice shuffling and also laying out the

cards, using the different methods suggested

above.

24.3. Practice a Tarot Reading

While we haven’t yet covered how to interpret

a Tarot reading in depth, you know enough

about the individual cards to conduct a reading

from start to finish. Practice the steps outlined

above and do your very first Tarot reading!



D A Y 2 5 : U S E E A S Y

T H R E E - C A R D T A R O T

S P R E A D S

Lesson

Three-card Tarot spreads offer a quick and easy

way to apply your knowledge of the Tarot card

meanings to ‘real life’ situations, without

having to worry about complicated or

elaborate Tarot spreads. Three-card spreads

can also be highly effective at eliciting a quick

answer to a simple question or problem - even

the most complex situations can have simple

answers.

Below, you’ll find a number of easy three-card

Tarot spreads that you can use to practice your

Tarot reading skills and to deliver accurate and

insightful Tarot readings. You may also like to

add your own three-card Tarot spreads as you

read on different situations. Feel free to mix

and match between the suggestions below to

create your own three-card Tarot spreads.

I have also provided an easy-to-use Three-Card

Tarot Spread template in the Appendix so that

you can work through your Tarot reading and

interpret the underlying story behind the cards.

Understanding a Situation

Past / Present / Future

What will help you / What will hinder

you / What is your unrealised potential

The nature of your problem / The

cause / The solution

Current situation / Obstacle / Advice

Situation / Action / Outcome

Context of the situation / Where you

need to focus / Outcome

What you think about the situation /

What you feel / What you do

Where you stand now / What you

aspire to / How to get there

What you aspire to / What is standing

in the way / How to overcome it

What you can change / What you can’t

change / What you are not aware of

What worked well / What didn’t work

well / Key lessons

Understanding Relationships

You / The other person / The

relationship

What you want from the relationship /

What they want from the relationship /

Where the relationship is heading

What brings you together / What pulls

you apart / What needs your attention

Making Choices and Decisions

Strengths / Weaknesses / Advice

Opportunities / Challenges / Outcome

Option 1 / Option 2 / Option 3

Option 1 / Option 2 / What you need to

know to make a decision

The solution / An alternative solution /

How to choose

Understanding Yourself

Mind / Body / Spirit

Your conscious mind / Your sub-

conscious mind / Your super-conscious

mind

Material state / Emotional state /

Spiritual state



You / Your current path / Your

potential

Stop / Start / Continue

What the Universe wants you to be /

The personal qualities required /

Specific action required

Three-Card Tarot Readings in Practice

To help you see what a three-card Tarot

reading might look and feel like, here are two

sample Tarot readings.

You / Your Current Path / Your Potential

For this reading, I am asking, “What do I need

to know about my career as a Tarot reader?”

And I am using the “You / Your current path /

Your potential” spread. Here are the cards I

drew:

Me – Nine of Cups

My current path – Two of Swords

My potential – Three of Pentacles

The Nine of Cups shows that reading Tarot is

something I truly love doing. It brings me a lot

of joy and happiness and it is meeting many of

my needs and desires. My wishes are indeed

coming true!

The Two of Swords shows I am facing a difficult

decision and I am lacking clear direction. This is

very insightful as I am currently debating

whether or not to quit my day job and to

pursue Tarot as my primary source of income. I

am most definitely in two minds about what to

do!

And finally, the Three of Pentacles shows that

there is a lot of potential to work with others to

create something even bigger in my business. I

can work with other professionals in the field,

customers of my business and Tarot students.

There is huge potential to teach others and to

share my personal learning (which is what this

Workbook is all about!).

Option 1 / Option 2 / What you need to

know to make a decision

The first reading highlighted an issue around

making an important decision. So, I have

selected another three-card spread to delve

deeper into whether or not I should quit my

day job.

Here are the cards I drew:

Stay in my day job (Option 1) – Ace of

Cups

Quit my day job (Option 2) – Eight of

Swords

What do I need to know to make a

decision – World

I have to be honest – these cards take me by

surprise and are almost opposite to what I

expected. Nonetheless, it’s important to

embrace what the cards have to say.

The Ace of Cups shows that if I stay in my day

job, I may actually find that I am very happy in

my job. The Ace signifies the potential of a new

source of happiness, so it would be worthwhile

seeing what is around the corner.

The Eight of Swords suggests that if I were to

quit my day job, I may end up feeling very

trapped. I seem to be missing an important



detail here and I may end up losing my

freedom rather than gaining it.

What is interesting is that I thought the cards

would have been the opposite – the Ace of

Cups for following my dream and quitting my

day job and the Eight of Swords for being stuck

in my day job. I certainly have something to

learn here.

Finally, the World indicates that I need to

complete something before I can move on to a

new phase. I have this niggling feeling that I

need to continue with my day job until I know

for sure that it is time to quit. It feels as if a

cycle does need to be finished before I can

move on. So this is good advice.

Of course, my interpretations are only guides.

You may see a very different story in these

cards. How would you interpret them if you

were my Tarot reader?

Activity

25.1. Do a Three-Card Tarot Reading

Select one three-card spread from the list

above and do a Tarot reading for yourself.

Don’t forget to work through the process you

learned on Day 24 and use the Three-Card

Tarot Spread template provided in the

Appendix to work through and record your

reading.

25.2. Interpret the Sample Readings

(Optional)

If you have some extra time and energy up

your sleeve, provide your own interpretations

of the two Tarot readings above. How much do

your interpretations differ? What extra insight

can you gain into the two situations?

25.3. Create Multiple Stories (Optional)

Pull three cards from your Tarot deck and start

creating various different stories using those

three cards.

Imagine you were doing a relationship reading,

what story would you tell from the cards

drawn? And what about for a career reading?

And a spiritual reading?

Don’t be afraid to let loose and come up with

elaborate plots, twists and turns! This is your

chance to get creative and practice those story-

telling skills!



D A Y 2 6 : I N T E R P R E T

Y O U R T A R O T R E A D I N G

L I K E A P R O F E S S I O N A L

Lesson

Anyone can lay out a handful of Tarot cards,

look up the meanings in a book and deliver a

basic Tarot reading. However, if you want to

deliver highly accurate and insightful Tarot

readings, you need to be able to interpret your

Tarot reading in a way that tells the story that

sits behind the cards.

In today’s lesson, I will share with you my

personal method for creating accurate and

insightful Tarot readings. Of course, this is only

one point of view and there are many different

ways to interpret a Tarot reading. However, my

method will help you move beyond simply

regurgitating the traditional Tarot card

meanings in your readings, to creating

meaningful and personalised ‘stories’ within

your Tarot readings. You’ll be reading like a

Tarot professional in no time!

While we touched on this method on Day 24 as

part of doing your own basic Tarot reading,

today we’ll go into much more detail around

each step.

You’ll find a quick-reference card on the next

page for interpreting a Tarot reading like a

professional, including how to go about each of

the four steps.

It may seem a lot to take in at first, but trust

me, once you start working with this method,

each step will just flow into the other, easily

and effortlessly. It’s just like riding a bike!

Let’s get into it, shall we?

Step 1: Scan the Reading

Before you delve into the detail of each Tarot

card in your reading, scan the reading.

You want to know, “What are we dealing

with?”

Do a general scan of all of the cards drawn.

Notice the various patterns and common

themes that exist across the cards in your Tarot

reading. Look for where there is an over-

representation of certain families of cards or

symbols, and where there is an under-

representation. Explore the key influences

across the Tarot reading.





Here are a number of different patterns that

you can look out for in your initial scan.

Obviously, not every pattern will come up in

every reading, but look out for those that do.

Major Arcana Cards

The Major Arcana cards make up just over a

quarter of the Tarot deck, so if half your

reading or more consists of Major Arcana

cards, then you can be sure that life changes

are at play and the client is in the process of

learning a number of important life lessons.

There are factors that are often beyond

control, yet awareness of the lessons they

teach can be incredibly empowering.

Often, by concentrating on the messages

within the Major Arcana cards, you will have at

least half of your story or answer already.

Minor Arcana Cards

While the Major Arcana reveal events that will

naturally occur due to laws of the Universe, the

Minor Arcana reveal events that naturally occur

due to laws of human nature. Therefore, an

over-representation of the Minor Arcana in a

reading will highlight the more practical aspects

of life and can refer to current issues that have

a temporary or minor influence.

Minor Arcana Suits

Scan the reading to see if one Suit is more

dominant than the others.

Cups indicate that the focus is on

relationships and emotions.

Pentacles indicate that the focus is on

practical matters, work and finances.

Swords indicate that the focus is on

intellectual matters and the approach

taken will be more pragmatic and

logical.

Wands indicate that the focus is on

energy, passion and motivation.

On the flipside, look for what Suits are under-

represented or not present at all. What energy

is missing from the situation? For example, if

doing a relationship reading and no Cups

appeared, you may be concerned that there is

a lack of true emotion here.

Court Cards

A dominance of court cards in a reading

typically indicates the presence and influence

of others with regards to the question and/or

situation at hand.

Two or more Pages can indicate that there are

willing and able people who are here to help.

Two or more Knights show that there are

others who are trying to pursue their own

goals, and this may be either assisting or

hindering the client.

Two or more Queens suggest that there are a

number of women involved who are either

trying to support or control the situation.

Quick Tip – Getting to the

Bottom of a Tarot Reading

After you lay out a Tarot

reading, look at the Tarot card

that is on the bottom of the deck

to draw additional insight for

the client.

The bottom card alludes to the

hidden aspects that are

influencing the situation at hand

and gives deep insight into the

subconscious mind of the client.



Two or more Kings represent a very strong

power or level of authority that may be pulling

you in multiple directions. The outcome will

rely upon dealing effectively with authority.

Numerological Associations

Look at whether there are any repeated

numbers in the reading and refer to the lesson

on Day 16 to understand the relevance of each

number.

Also look for patterns of numbers as a stage of

development. For example, multiple aces,

twos, and threes mark a situation is in early

stages of development; multiple fours, fives,

and sixes indicate that a situation is in the

middle phases of development; multiple

sevens, eights, and nines appear when a

situation is nearing completion or resolution;

and finally, multiple tens show that events are

coming to a close and a new cycle is about to

begin.

Upright and Reversed Cards

When a reading is predominantly made up of

upright cards then you know that the energy is

flowing freely and the situation will continue to

develop in a constructive manner.

When a reading consists of mostly reversed

cards, then the energy is blocked and there are

multiple obstacles and setbacks being

experienced. The client is likely to be

confronted with delays and ongoing

frustrations, often as a result of not having

dealt with something from the past.

Of course, if you are just starting out with

Tarot, then you will probably not be reading

with reversals, in which case just ignore this

potential pattern.

Colours and Symbols

First, soften your gaze and notice what colours

stand out to you most from your Tarot cards.

Refer to the colour meaning chart on Day 3 to

understand what the dominant colour refers

to.

Next, look to see if there are any common

symbols or objects across the cards. Do you see

a prevalence of clouds or castles, for example?

Refer to Day 17 to understand the symbolic

significance of these objects. Note both the

similarities and the differences in the objects.

For example, are the clouds all light and fluffy,

or are some dark and stormy? What is the

significance of this?

Step 2: Establish a Point of View

Once you have scanned the reading for general

patterns, the next step is to establish a point of

view by looking at the key messages in the

cards.

You want to know, “What is the high level

story?”

Interpret the Cards with Keywords Only

Start by interpreting the reading using

keywords only. Yes, that’s right. Keywords only.

Go through each card in the reading and say

out loud the keywords (or phrases) for those

cards.

For example, take the following Past-Present-

Future reading:

Chariot - willpower, determination and

assertiveness.



Five of Swords - a falling out and a lose-

lose situation.

Judgement - learn from your mistakes.

Now, combine these keywords with the

positions of each card in the reading. Create

short and succinct sentences, such as the

following:

In the past, there was will,

determination and assertiveness.

In the present, there is a falling out and

a lose-lose situation.

In the future, there will be an

opportunity to learn from your

mistakes.

See?! We’re already seeing a story emerge

from these cards!

Focus on Critical Positions

If you are using a larger spread (say, more than

five cards), then focus your attention on the

critical positions that will help tell the story.

Typically I pay extra attention to “Future” or

“Outcome” cards to see where the client is

heading or what the answer to the question is.

Or, if the reading shows an unfavourable

outcome, I look to the “Advice” cards to

understand what the client can do to minimise

the negative impact.

As you work with different spreads, you will

start to notice which positions in each of the

spreads give you the most telling information in

the reading.

Articulate an Initial Point of View

After having assessed the key messages in the

reading, articulate your initial point of view. Is

he going to leave his wife or not? Is the

decision to move interstate really a viable

option? Is the job offer going to come through

or not?

Be ready to articulate to your client whether

the Tarot cards indicate if the client will achieve

their aspirations or not, and if not, why not.

Ask yourself, if I had to provide a yes/no

answer right now, what would it be? Often

your immediate reactions to the reading will be

the most accurate, particularly if you are able

to bring silence to your critical mind.

Step 3: Dive into the Cards

Once you have scanned the reading for general

patterns and have established an initial point of

view, then you are ready to interpret each

Tarot card, relating it with the position in the

Tarot spread and the others cards drawn in the

reading.

You want to know, “What is really going on?”

Interpret the Individual Cards

Draw on the Tarot card meanings that you have

developed through the exercises in this book.

While you will have your favourite Tarot books

as back-up, use your personal notes first to

create a more intuitive reading.

The key here is to avoid using generic Tarot

card meanings and instead tailor the message

of each Tarot card specifically to your client’s

situation. By now, you already have a point of

view and an overall story, so you should be

well-prepared to personalise and customise the

Tarot card meanings in your reading, rather

than just reciting the standard meanings.

As you go through each card, keep listening to

your intuition and allow your inner voice to

guide you to the most meaningful

interpretations and messages within the cards.

If you draw a blank with one or more of the

cards in the reading, leave it and move on. You

may find that the card will make more sense

after you have explored the messages of the

other cards in the reading. Or, it may simply be



‘filler’ in the reading and the other cards that

stand out to you will play a more significant

role in telling the story. Alternatively, if you are

unsure about the meaning of a particular card,

ask the question “What is this card trying to tell

me?” and pull another card to answer it.

Explore the Interactions Between the

Cards

Here’s how to create highly specific and

intuitive readings – don’t just look at each

individual card. Explore the interactions

between the cards. Look at how the energy

flows between the cards in your reading, and

how the figures and objects interact between

one card and another.

Does the central figure look towards one side

or the other? If so, what (or who) is being given

attention and what is being ignored?

Is the central figure looking front-on? Perhaps

there is a choice that must be made between

two options, as represented by the cards on

either side.

Do the figures on either side look towards the

central figure? This may be a sign that the

central figure is the one believed to have the

answers.

Take the following 3-card spread:

The Chariot faces head on, yet he is pulled by

two opposing forces, represented by the two

sphinxes. On the one hand, he can remain

stuck where he is (i.e. as the figure in the Eight

of Swords remains still), or on the other hand,

he can move forward, leaving behind that

which is troubling him (i.e. as the figure in the

Eight of Cups heads in the opposite directions

to the other cards).

In a relationship reading where one card is

drawn for each person involved, look at how

the figures in those cards relate with one

another. Are they looking at each other? Are

they looking away? Are they gesturing to one

another? What are their reactions to each

other? This will often tell you a lot about the

dynamics that are present within the

relationship.

Look at this next example spread for a

relationship between a mother and daughter:

The mother appears as the nurturing and

caring Empress, while the daughter appears as

the Fool, ready to explore the world. But look

at what stands in between them – conflict and

tension! Both have pure intentions – the

mother to care for her daughter, and the

daughter to find herself on a new path – but

they are at loggerheads because they are

failing to see eye-to-eye and they are not even

trying to understand each other’s point of view.

The daughter desperately wants to retain a

connection, given that the Fool remains looking

towards the Empress in this layout.

Studying the interactions between the cards

can be helpful not only in the scanning phase

but also in the detailed interpretation phase. So



keep this technique up your sleeve throughout

the reading as it will prove to be very useful.

Step 4: Summarise and Answer the

Question

After exploring the patterns across the cards

and the meanings of each individual card, it is

time to summarise the key messages and tell

the ‘story’ of what you see in the cards. You

want to know, “What’s the answer?”

Summarise the Key Messages

This is your moment to provide an integrated

view or overall summary of what’s happening

in the client’s life and what they need to know

to move forward. Take your client on a high-

level journey of where they’ve come from,

where they are now and where they’re

heading. Identify the problem, the solution and

the outcome or the answer.

Summarise in one paragraph or a 60-second

spiel what you see in the Tarot cards overall.

Revisit the Question and Provide an

Answer

Check back on the original question and

provide an answer based on the cards.

I really mean it when I say check back on the

original question. So often we get to the end of

a reading and think, “Phew, all done!” yet we

have missed an important detail of what the

client wanted to know in the first place.

And check in with the client – “Does this

provide you with the answers you need? Is

there anything else we need to explore here?

Can I clarify anything?”

Empower the Client with

Recommended Actions

Ensure that your client leaves the reading

feeling empowered and energised to create

positive change. Look to the cards and provide

recommended actions the client can take to get

the desired outcomes.

If your reading is quite negative and you are

struggling with how to empower the client,

read my guest post, “The Secret to Creating

Empowering Tarot Readings from Negative

Cards.”

To wrap up the reading, I often ask the client to

draw one last card to provide some final insight

on the situation or guidance on what the

current life lesson is. You can also use Oracle

cards for this purpose.

Using these simple Tarot reading techniques,

you will very easily move from a reading where

you simply recite the individual Tarot card

meanings to a reading that provides your client

with an integrated view of the Tarot cards and

that is specific and personalised to their needs.

I know it seems a lot to take in initially, but

trust me, this is like riding a bike. At first, it

takes a lot of concentration and conscious

thought, but the more you practice, over and

over, the more natural it becomes. Nowadays, I

can quickly move through each step without

really having to think much about what I am

doing. And that, indeed, is the sweet spot

where your conscious mind takes a back seat

and your intuition comes to the fore!

So by now, you should be well-equipped to tell

the ‘story’ behind the Tarot cards and to

provide your clients with highly accurate and

insightful readings!

http://www.tarotdude.com/2012/01/16/the-secret-to-creating-empowering-tarot-readings-from-negative-cards/





Tarot Circle Readings

If you would like to see more Tarot readings in

practice, then check out the Tarot Circle posts

on my blog. This is where I provide my

interpretation of someone else’s Tarot reading.

While I don’t necessarily follow each and every

step, you will see the different methods I use

for interpreting each reading. What’s more,

you can see how other people have interpreted

the same reading. It is an excellent learning

tool.

Activity

26.1. Interpret Your Tarot Reading Like a

Professional

Practice makes perfect. Select another 3-card

spread from Day 25 and do a Tarot reading for

yourself, using the 4-step method outlined

above. Write a one-paragraph story at the end

of your reading that includes the key messages

and the final answer.

Again, use the Three-Card Tarot Reading

template in the Appendix to work through and

record your reading.

http://www.biddytarot.com/category/tarot-circle/

http://www.biddytarot.com/category/tarot-circle/



D A Y 2 7 : T R U S T Y O U R

I N T U I T I O N

Lesson

Intuition is a process that gives us the ability to

know something directly without analytic

reasoning, thus bridging the gap between the

conscious and subconscious parts of our mind.

Carl G. Jung, a well-known psychotherapist and

spiritualist, theorised that intuition:

Is a natural part of all of us;

Works within us to help us understand

ourselves;

Enables us to understand others; and

Connects us to a larger metaphysical

awareness that spans the whole of

time and space called the collective

unconscious.

Yet trusting one’s intuition remains one of the

biggest challenges in learning Tarot. Here’s

what just a few of my Facebook fans had to say

about learning to trust their intuition:

“The main problem that I had with Tarot was

knowing when to let go of the books and to

follow your own GUT feel.”

“For me it was letting go of the rules and

allowing my intuition to guide me. When I first

started I got stuck worrying about how I

“should” be reading the cards.”

“My biggest challenge was believing in myself.”

Learning to trust your intuition is imperative if

you are to go from being an amateur Tarot

reader to a professional reader. Anyone can

look up the meanings of the Tarot cards and

select whichever interpretation suits them

best. But it takes a truly confident and intuitive

reader to begin to read between the lines and

weave a story amongst the cards. This is when

Tarot truly comes to life and we begin to access

insightful information from the cards.

Developing Your Intuition In Between

Readings

Developing and trusting your intuition takes

time. But the more you connect with your

intuitive self, the easier it becomes and the

more natural it feels.

Here are a number of practical methods for

developing your intuition in between Tarot

readings.

Practice Silence

One of the best techniques I learned from one

of my favourite books, Eckhart Tolle’s Power of

Now, was to quieten the mind and listen for

the silence. This is highly effective in clearing

away all of that ‘chatter’ in our minds, to allow

for our inner voice to come through. Before

every Tarot reading, I stop to listen to the

silence.






Meditate on a Tarot Card

Just as you learned on Day 21, you can

meditate with your Tarot cards to access your

subconscious knowledge of that card.

Select one Tarot card and place it in front of

you. Allow your mind to clear, and then

observe what images, feelings, energies, etc.

come to you during this time. Try to forget

about traditional meanings, and instead focus

in on what you are sensing in this card.

Listen to your Dreams

Dreams are an excellent source of

subconscious information. By keeping a dream

journal, you can begin to see the patterns

between your dreams and your reality. If you

have a pressing question, meditate on it just

before falling asleep, and in the morning when

you wake up, write down what your dreamt.

No doubt you will have the answer to your

question.

Using Your Intuition During a Tarot

Reading

Using your intuition during a Tarot reading is

one of those things that works well when

you’re not really trying to do it. And when you

are trying to be intuitive, it often makes it a lot

more difficult or forced.

So, first and foremost, relax, breathe and pause

before you start a Tarot reading. (Here are

another 21 ways to get in the zone for a Tarot

reading.)

Pay Attention to Your First Reactions

Listen carefully to what you ‘hear’ during a

Tarot reading. A phrase or a word may

suddenly come to mind without any real

explanation, or you may literally hear a voice

that gives you a message.

Pay attention to what you see in a Tarot card or

a reading. Where is your eye drawn to? What

colour, object, person or shape is grabbing your

attention? What does this tell you about the

reading or the situation?

Sense your emotions during a reading. Do you

feel genuinely happy and joyous when you see

the cards in front of you? Or do you have a

strange, nagging feeling that something isn’t

right? What’s your personal state of mind?

What might this be telling you about your

client’s situation?

Different people will pick up different energies

from a reading. Some people are clairaudient

(hearing), some are clairvoyant (seeing) and

some are clairsentient (feeling). You might be

one of these or many of these. Simply pay

attention to all possible senses for subtle

messages during a reading.

Call It As You See It

Sometimes a message will come to you during

a reading that may not make any sense to you.

Trust it. Say what you see, even if it seems ‘out

there’. Have faith in the cards. Just because you

may not understand what you are being

shown, there is a reason why you are seeing,

hearing or feeling it. Relax, take a breath and

the message will come to you.

And anyway, what’s the worst thing that could

happen? You could be wrong. It’s OK.

Acknowledge it and move on.

What’s worse is if you do sense something and

you never mention it, only to find out months

later that your intuition was indeed right.

Don’t censor your thoughts!

Use the “No Spread” Spread

Rather than using a defined Tarot spread, next

time you have a question, just start with one

card. Concentrate on the card and what it is

telling you, and then use it to shape the next

question. Continue doing this until you feel

http://www.biddytarot.com/get-in-the-zone/





clear about what it is you need to do about

your concern.

Read more about this method in my blog post,

“The No-Spread Tarot Spread.”

Practice Reading Aloud

It may feel a little strange at first, particularly if

you are reading for yourself, but interpreting

your Tarot reading aloud will help you

immensely in developing and trusting your

intuition.

Often, when we verbalise something, the

words and the thoughts come more freely.

Say what you see in the cards - what stories

you see, what messages you pick up on, what

you are feeling at the time, what you are

hearing in your mind. Speak up!

Even better, grab a microphone and record

yourself doing a reading. This is also an

excellent way to keep track of your readings.

As an online Tarot reader, this is one aspect I

miss! However, on the odd occasion when I do

readings face-to-face, I can just feel the energy

rushing through me as I interpret the reading

out loud. The words just flow and I find myself

completely connected to a Higher Power and

my intuition. My eyes light up, my hands start

waving and I am completely ‘in the zone’!

Get Feedback

One of the best ways to give you confidence

and trust in your own intuition is to find out if

your ‘hunch’ was on target or not.

During a reading, create a dialogue with your

client, checking in to see if your intuitive

feelings are right or not. You might want to say

something like, “I’m seeing this – does this

resonate?” or “I’m getting this – does this have

meaning for you?”

After a reading, find out if your interpretation

matched reality. Check in with your client a few

days after the reading and, if possible, a few

months after.

The more positive feedback you get, the more

likely you are going to trust that niggling feeling

you have during a reading, no matter how

whacky or ‘out there’ it might be.

Activity

27.1. Pick a Card, Any Card

Select a card randomly from your Tarot deck.

Now, using your intuition only, interpret the

card and what it means for you for the rest of

the day. Don’t even think about picking up a

book for this activity!

Out loud, verbalise what you see, what you

hear and what you feel in the card laid out in

front of you. (Even better, record yourself.)

Don’t hold back. Say every thought as it occurs

to you. As you finish speaking one thought,

listen for the next one.

What images stand out to you? What thoughts,

memories, phrases, feelings, and messages

does it elicit?

What jumps out at you? What does it say to

you?

Keep speaking aloud as different messages

come to you, freely and without judgement. It

doesn’t matter if you go off on a tangent – go

with it, see where it takes you.

After a few minutes, stop and note down the

key messages from your intuitive reading of the

card.

Now, if you want to find out if your intuition is

indeed accurate, take note throughout your

day how these intuitive feelings manifest.

Check back in at the end of the day, and see

how well your intuition has guided you.

http://www.biddytarot.com/no-spread-spread/



D A Y 2 8 : D I S C O V E R

T I M I N G T H R O U G H

T A R O T

Lesson

One of the most common types of question in

Tarot readings is “When?” When will I find true

love? When will I find a job? When will I have

children? People want to know when

something will happen and they look to Tarot

readers to accurately predict the timing of

these important events. However, for the Tarot

reader, timing an event using the Tarot cards

can be incredibly daunting and challenging!

Today, I’ll show you a few Tarot timing

techniques to help you pinpoint when an event

will occur, using the Tarot cards.

Using Divinatory Meanings of the Tarot

Cards

Personally, my most preferred method for

determining the timing of an event in Tarot is

to look at the divinatory meanings of the cards

and use them to create a ‘story’ rather than to

pinpoint a specific time. The story focuses not

only on the ‘when’ but also on the ‘how’ by

understanding both when something will

happen and what may need to occur before

that particular event will happen.

For example, your client asks, “When will I

meet my future husband?” and you draw the

Five of Cups. Your response may be, “When

you first get over a past relationship that has

led to disappointment.” Or, your client asks,

“When will I get a promotion?” and you draw

the Three of Pentacles. Your response may be,

“When you demonstrate your ability to work

effectively in a team.”

Reversed Tarot cards can also be very telling in

timing questions and often indicate that an

event is unlikely to occur until the client has

made some important changes in their lives.

Personally, this is my preferred approach when

reading the Tarot cards because it empowers

the client to make positive change in their life

and to achieve the outcome they desire. It

assumes that each person has free will, rather

than a predetermined destiny, and that their

actions will dictate their future.

Additionally, it assumes that the event may or

may not occur, depending on what the client

chooses to do, again reinforcing the concepts

of free will and empowerment.

Using the Suits and Elements

Using the suits and respective elements of the

Tarot cards can help you pinpoint a more

specific time in your Tarot readings. For

example:

Wands – Days or Spring

Swords – Weeks or Autumn

Cups – Months or Summer

Pentacles – Years or Winter

For the Pip Cards (i.e. those numbered Ace to

Ten), simply combine the suit and the number

of the card. For example, the Five of Wands

indicates five days or, more broadly, Summer.

For the Court Cards, the timing of the event

may depend on another person; however you

can still gauge an approximate indication of

time using the suits.



You will find that these associations vary

depending on the reader. For example, some

readers associate Swords with months instead

of weeks. My advice is to select one set of

associations and stick with it for now. As you

gain more practice, you may want to

experiment with other sets of associations. As

with many Tarot techniques, go with your gut

instinct and what feels right for you.

Using Tarot and Astrology

I am certainly no expert in Astrology, so I’m not

even going to attempt to try to explain how to

combine Tarot and Astrology for timing events.

Instead, I recommend taking a look at Paul

Hughes-Barlow’s approach. It is highly detailed

and can effectively pinpoint even the specific

hour for when an event is predicted to occur.

I have tried this in a number of my professional

Tarot readings and have found it to be hit and

miss. I usually pitch it as an indicative time

period and by no means a definite time period.

That said, clients really love the ability for the

Tarot cards to be so specific in terms of future

timing.

At a more basic level, the Tarot suits can be

used to determine the associated astrological

signs.

Swords = Gemini, Libra, Aquarius

Wands = Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

Cups = Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Pentacles = Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

To find out more about the astrological

associations with the Tarot cards, read Richard

Palmer’s guest post, “Delving Into Tarot and

Astrology in the Golden Dawn Tradition.”

Incorporating Timing into your Tarot

Readings

So, now you know a few techniques to

interpret the Tarot cards to determine the

timing of an event, but how do you incorporate

this into your Tarot readings? There are a

couple of options.

Firstly, you can simply include, as part of your

overall reading, a card to focus on ‘when’. For

example, as part of a potential relationship

reading, you may include one card on ‘when’

the client may find the right partner.

Secondly, you may focus an entire Tarot spread

on ‘when’. You could use a yearly forecast

spread, drawing one card for each month.

Or, try the following four-card Tarot spread

which is useful for understanding what needs

to happen before a specific or desired event

will occur.

The desired event will happen when…

Card 1 – You realise…

Card 2 – You accept…

Card 3 – You acknowledge …

Card 4 – You do…

I also recommend the Courtyard Spread by Alec

Satin.

Activity

28.1. Conduct a Timing Tarot Reading

Select a question that is related to the timing of

an event. For example, “When will I finish my

current project?” or “What do I need to know

about when I will move house?”

Work through each of the timing methods

above and record your results. Keep these

readings handy so that you can compare the

actual timing of the event to what you saw in

your cards.

http://supertarot.co.uk/astrology/timing.htm

http://supertarot.co.uk/astrology/timing.htm



http://tarot.alecsatin.com/courtyard-tarot-spread/

http://tarot.alecsatin.com/courtyard-tarot-spread/



D A Y 2 9 : A V O I D T H E S I X

M I S T A K E S O F R E A D I N G

T A R O T F O R Y O U R S E L F

Lesson

Whether you’re a professional Tarot reader or

a Tarot beginner, at one point or another

you’re going to want to read the Tarot cards for

yourself. I mean, why not? You know how to

use the Tarot cards now and you know the

power that they hold in providing guidance and

insight into many areas of your life. You might

be facing a major personal issue or wanting to

explore a part of yourself, so you turn to your

Tarot cards to help you.

But do you know how to read for yourself in a

way that is accurate and objective? Are the

Tarot readings you do for yourself professional

and ethical?

Reading Tarot for yourself can end up being

very confusing and inaccurate, especially when

you may be making some critical mistakes on

how you read and interpret the Tarot cards.

Here are six common mistakes that are made

when reading Tarot for yourself, and how you

can avoid them.

Mistake #1: You do a Tarot Reading

When You’re Highly Emotional

Your boyfriend just rang to break up with you

and now you want to draw a few Tarot cards to

see if you will get back together. You’ve just

lost your job in a major restructure and you

want to know when you’ll get a new one.

You’ve just had a major argument with your

best-friend and you want to know if you’ll ever

be friends again.

In all of these situations, your emotions are

running high and you’re probably very worked

up about what has happened. Reading Tarot

for yourself in these types of circumstances is

much more likely to result in an inaccurate or

misdirected reading, especially as you’re so

emotionally invested.

What you want is to be able to remain

objective, calm and focused during a personal

Tarot reading, so if something has just

happened and you are still feeling very

emotional about it, either wait until the initial

reaction passes or consult an objective third

party such as a professional Tarot reader.

Mistake #2: You Keep Drawing Extra

Tarot Cards as ‘Clarifiers’

Sometimes, it makes sense to draw an extra

Tarot card in a reading to clarify a particular

card. For example, you draw the Two of

Swords, which is about making a decision

between two options, so you draw another two

cards to understand what those options are.

That’s fine – it makes sense and it helps the

cause.

But sometimes you draw a clarifying card, and

then another, and another until you finally see

something you like. What happens is that you

end up with so many different Tarot cards and

different messages that you become confused

and unclear about what the cards are actually

trying to tell you. Or, you end up dissatisfied



with the cards drawn because they don’t tell

you what you want to hear.

So, when reading Tarot for yourself, commit to

drawing clarifying cards only when you really

need to or when it makes sense. And even

then, only draw one or two extra cards.

Mistake #3: You Do Multiple Tarot

Readings on the Same Topic

One of the biggest mistakes I see other Tarot

enthusiasts make is that they read over and

over again on the same topic. “First I did a

Celtic Cross to see if we’d get back together,

and then I did a Past/Present/Future Tarot

spread, and then I did another Celtic Cross just

to make sure. Then the next day, I did a

Horseshoe spread plus my daily love card…”

and so on. No wonder people end up so

confused about what the Tarot cards are trying

to tell them!

Whenever any of my clients request a Tarot

reading on the same topic within a short period

of time, I strongly recommend that they do not

go ahead with it. Instead, I suggest they come

back in a month or wait until something

changes.

It is the same with reading Tarot for yourself.

Make a commitment now to read once and

once only on your particular topic. Take note

of the Tarot reading then put it away and come

back to it later. Wait for at least a month

before reading on the same topic, or at least

until something significant changes.

Mistake #4: You Research Multiple Tarot

Card Meanings for the One You Want

Unfortunately, there is not just one meaning

for each Tarot card. If there were, you could

get a computer to do your readings for you.

Instead, there are multiple aspects to each of

the Tarot cards, which is what makes them so

rich and complex.

However, the trouble is that it also opens up

the possibility of researching lots of different

Tarot card meanings until you find the meaning

that you want. When reading for yourself, you

might ignore the most common meanings for a

Tarot card, but you hone into just one sentence

or one angle that gives the message you want.

Resist the temptation to go trawling for a

Tarot card meaning that fits your hopes and

desires. Instead, go with your gut. What does

your gut tell you about what this Tarot card and

Tarot reading mean? What is your initial

reaction? Note it down and then move on.

Don’t get stuck on trying to find the perfect,

most convenient meaning.

Mistake #5: You Use a Complicated

Tarot Spread

You want to know whether or not you should

go to the wedding, so you turn to the Tarot

spread that is the most popular – the Celtic

Cross. But suddenly you’re finding out about

what happened in the past, what other people

think about the situation, what you’re hoping



for, what your underlying fears are, etc. All you

really wanted to know was whether or not you

should go!

I don’t know why, but so often, the Celtic Cross

is taught as one of the first Tarot spreads to

use. Yet this spread is highly complex and often

inappropriate for the question in mind.

Go back to basics! A one-card Tarot reading is

amazingly powerful, particularly if you truly

meditate on that card and go deep into its

meaning and significance. And for many

questions, you simply need only a few Tarot

cards and you will have your answer. So avoid

using long and complicated readings which only

open up the path for more confusion and

convoluted interpretation.

Mistake #6: You Interpret Your Tarot

Reading the Way You Want

The hardest thing about reading Tarot for

yourself is that you can end up with a

‘convenient’ but highly subjective

interpretation of the Tarot cards. When you are

already emotionally invested in a situation, you

will have your own perspectives and beliefs

that will shape your interpretation of the Tarot

cards a certain way. In fact, it can be very hard

to remain objective and professional about

your own Tarot reading, particularly when you

have such a vested interest.

There’s nothing wrong with interpreting your

own Tarot cards, but you may want to also

seek the opinion of an objective third party.

To get a second opinion, post your Tarot

reading on a forum like Aeclectic Tarot, ask a

Tarot friend or colleague, or engage a

professional Tarot reader to help interpret your

Tarot reading.

Reading Tarot for yourself can be incredibly

powerful and insightful, if you do it correctly.

By avoiding these six mistakes, you will be well

on your way to creating accurate Tarot

readings for yourself.

Activity

29.1. Set Boundaries for Reading for

Yourself

Knowing what you know now, what do you

commit to do and not to do when reading Tarot

for yourself? Where will you draw a line in the

sand?

http://tarotforum.net/

http://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-reading-interpretation/







By now...

You can do a basic Tarot reading with a three-card spread

You can interpret a Tarot reading like a professional

You can predict the timing of events using the Tarot cards

You have set your personal boundaries for using the Tarot

cards




ESTABLISHING YOUR

NETWORKS

Further your Tarot studies by tapping the web of

Tarot websites, blogs, communities, networks and Meetup groups with other like-minded people



D A Y 3 0 : D R A W O N

T A R O T R E S O U R C E S A N D

C O M M U N I T I E S

Lesson

When I first started learning Tarot in the 1990s,

the internet had only just taken off. Even then,

I was amazed at how much I could learn about

the Tarot by joining forums and email lists and

reading Tarot websites.

Nowadays, we are treated to a vast array of

Tarot resources online, most of which are free.

From Tarot beginners to Tarot experts, the

internet offers so much information to help you

learn the Tarot.

What’s more, you can access multiple Tarot

communities online and offline. The best way

to continue your Tarot learning is to connect

with other like-minded individuals, so I

encourage you to establish your Tarot

networks.

So, today, I’m going to take you through my

favourite websites and blogs for learning Tarot

and a number of different Tarot associations

and communities that you can be a part of.

Click on each link to view.

Tarot Websites

Biddy Tarot | Tarot Card Meanings – The Biddy

Tarot website is one of the most popular

resources for tarot card meanings on the

internet, with over 150,000 visitors each

month. This free resource provides detailed

upright and reversed Tarot card meanings –

perfect when you are researching the cards or

need an outside opinion on a particular card.

Aeclectic Tarot – This is one of the most

comprehensive Tarot websites, featuring Tarot

book and deck reviews, Tarot card meanings,

and Tarot eBooks.

Learning The Tarot – Joan Bunning’s site was

one of the first websites I turned to when I

started learning Tarot. It is based around the

Rider-Waite deck and includes detailed Tarot

card meanings, self-taught lessons and nearly

one hundred different spreads.

Tarot Guild – The Tarot Guild offer Tarot

classes, a blog, radio and Tarot readings. It

represents a large community of Tarot

enthusiasts and experts.

Tarotpedia – This is a community-contributed

encyclopaedia dedicated to all things Tarot.

American Tarot Association’s Tarot Card

Meanings – This is another helpful resource for

discovering the Tarot card meanings.

The Tarot School – I would highly recommend

this website to those wanting to learn more

about the Tarot. You can subscribe to regular

emails which have great Tarot topics, join a

teleclass or learn online.

Super Tarot – A simple yet informative and

friendly site with lessons on reading tarot and

using astrology in tarot.

Beyond Worlds Tarot - I have only just recently

discovered Blog Talk Radio, a free online radio

that broadcasts programs on any and every

topic possible. The great thing is that even if


http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/


http://www.tarotguild.com/

http://www.tarotpedia.com/wiki/Main_Page

http://www.ata-tarot.com/resource/cards/

http://www.ata-tarot.com/resource/cards/

http://www.tarotschool.com/

http://supertarot.co.uk/

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/beyondworlds

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/



you missed a scheduled program, you can

listen to it at a later stage.

One of my favourite programs is Beyond

Worlds Tarot, led by Donnaleigh de LaRose.

Every week or so, she hosts a radio show on

different Tarot topics, making it an excellent

(free) platform for learning about the Tarot.

You can also have it downloaded to your iPod

as a podcast. It’s a little ‘chatty’ but the content

provides excellent (and free) learning material.

Tarot Blogs

Biddy Tarot Blog – This is my own Tarot blog

with regular posts on reading Tarot, Tarot card

meanings, book reviews and more. With every

post, you’ll learn something new and practical

to apply to your Tarot reading practice.

78 Notes to Self – Ginny Hunt provides

personal interpretations of the tarot cards

using a journaling technique, and often goes in-

depth into various Tarot topics.

Tarot Lady Blog – I love Theresa’s style –

practical tips to help you read Tarot. You’ll find

interviews, Tarot reading techniques, book and

deck reviews, guest posts and more.

Practical Tarot Blog – Barbara Moore is a well-

known Tarot author and reader, and shares her

down-to-earth and, you guessed it, practical

Tarot advice on her blog.

Mary K Greer’s Blog – Mary K Greer is one of

the most famous Tarot writers and maintains

an (irregular) blog here featuring techniques,

thoughts and reviews.

Alec Satin’s Blog – Alec Satin is a New York

based Tarot reader, coach and consultant and

he posts on relevant Tarot topics such as

spreads, timing techniques and more.

Bonnie Cehovet’s Blog – Bonnie maintains a

very regular Tarot blog including posts on Birth

Cards, and Tarot book and deck reviews.

Tarot Dude – I particularly enjoy this blog

because of the exercises Tarot Dude posted,

using Mary K Greer’s “21 Ways to Read a Tarot

Card” book. Very hands-on and practical.

Inactive Blogs

The following blogs are currently ‘inactive’

meaning that there is no new, fresh content.

But, I strongly recommend trawling through

the existing content as you will learn a huge

amount from these excellent resources.

Tarot Eon Blog – The blog’s author, Doug, goes

into a wonderful level of depth on how to read

tarot cards, elemental associations, philosophy,

history, and interviews with other tarotists and

philosophers.

Tarot Elements – A well-designed and

comprehensive Tarot blog with tips on Tarot

reading, spreads, card meanings and more.



http://www.biddytarot.com/blog/

http://78notes.blogspot.com/

http://blog.thetarotlady.com/

http://practicaltarotreadings.com/blog/

http://marygreer.wordpress.com/

http://tarot.alecsatin.com/blog/

http://bonniecehovet.wordpress.com/

http://tarotdude.com/blog/

http://www.taroteon.com/

http://www.tarotelements.com/



Online Tarot Communities

Aeclectic’s Tarot Forum – An excellent

resource, this Tarot forum consists of

thousands of members and provides a fantastic

forum for all your Tarot questions. Highly

recommended.

Tarotholics Anonymous - This group on

Facebook does not necessarily provide card

meanings but is an open, friendly, and

accessible forum. If you have a question or

want to bounce ideas around, this is the place

to do it.

You can also search Facebook for other Tarot

groups. If you haven’t already, “Like” the Biddy

Tarot Facebook page here.

Yahoo! Groups – If you are eager to learn about

the Tarot or would like to communicate with

others who have similar interests, emailing lists

are good sources of information! Simply run a

search at Yahoo! Groups for Tarot and find a

list which suits you.

Tarot-Town – This is a social online community

of over 8,000 members who all share an

interest in Tarot. It requires a paid

membership, but ensures access to Tarot

classes, forums and reviews.

Tarot Guild – This is a membership site which

allows you access to webinars, classes, forums

and other resources to learn Tarot.

Local Tarot Communities and

Associations

All Locations

Meetup Groups – Meetup Groups are set up all

over the world and allow like-minded people to

get together regular and share their passions

and interests. Search for “Tarot” in your local

area.

North America

American Tarot Association – The American

Tarot Association offer Tarot courses and

numerous seminars and gatherings across

America.

Tarot Canada – Connect with other Canadian

Tarot enthusiasts

Australia and NZ

Tarot Guild of Australia – Australian-based

Tarot organisation with monthly Tarot

workshops and events in Melbourne, Sydney,

Brisbane and Adelaide.

Association for Tarot Studies – An international

Tarot association registered in Melbourne,

Australia. The Association for Tarot Studies

organises various Tarot events locally.

Tarot Aotearoa – Tarot association based in

New Zealand.

Asia

Tarot India – India-based Tarot network with

Tarot courses available.

Europe & UK

Tarot Association of the British Isles – British-

based Tarot organisation.

L'Associazione Culturale Le Tarot - A Tarot

cultural association based in Italy.

Tarotverband – German Tarot association.

http://www.tarotforum.net/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Tarotholics/



http://groups.yahoo.com/

http://www.tarot-town.com/

http://www.tarotguild.com/

http://www.meetup.com/

http://www.ata-tarot.com/

http://tarotcanada.org/

http://www.tarotguild.org.au/

http://association.tarotstudies.org/

http://www.tarot.net.nz/index.htm

http://www.tarotindia.com/

http://www.tabi.org.uk/

http://www.letarot.it/

http://www.tarotverband.de/



Activity

30.1. Review and Bookmark Three Tarot

Websites

Choose at least three Tarot websites and check

them out. Bookmark them and familiarise

yourself with what sort of information is

available.

30.2. Subscribe to Three Tarot Blogs

Choose at least three Tarot blogs and sign up

for either the RSS feed or email updates. You’ll

then be able to get blog posts direct to your

RSS reader or Inbox, providing you with regular

Tarot goodness.

30.3. Join Your Local Tarot Community

Either find a Meetup Group or sign up to your

local Tarot association. Start participating in

regular workshops and discussions involving

the Tarot cards.



D A Y 3 1 : P R A C T I C E Y O U R

T A R O T R E A D I N G S K I L L S

Lesson

Now that you have mastered the Tarot card

meanings and you are working on your Tarot

reading skills, it’s time to practice reading for

others.

There are lots of ways you can practice your

Tarot reading skills. Here are just a few:

Read for Yourself

Reading the Tarot for yourself is a quick and

easy way to gain more practice in Tarot

reading. You are always available, you can give

yourself feedback, you can steal a few glances

at your Little White Book (with all the card

meanings) and you don’t have to worry if you

get it ‘wrong’.

However, reading Tarot for yourself can be

hard! You might be more ‘biased’ or less

objective in your interpretations and you

usually know yourself too well to ‘reveal’

anything new.

Personally, I rarely read Tarot for myself

because I always seem to make up the most

favourable interpretations! However, if it is

purely to learn the Tarot cards, then I think it’s

a great way to practice.

Just remember those Six Mistakes of Reading

Tarot for Yourself from Day 29 and set some

personal boundaries for yourself.

Join the Free Tarot Network

I used to read for the Free Tarot Network a

number of years ago, and later moved into

both a mentoring and administration role with

the Network.

This was, by far, one of the best ways I found to

practice and improve my Tarot reading skills.

You are allocated a mentor, who will review

your readings and provide helpful guidance.

And you can specify how many Tarot readings

you can provide per day / week. The Free Tarot

Network is also associated with the American

Tarot Association, so you know you’re working

with good people!

To join, go to

http://www.freetarot.us/tarotreaders.html.

There is a small administration fee to join, if

you’re not already a member of the American

Tarot Association.

http://www.freetarot.us/

http://www.freetarot.us/tarotreaders.html



Add Your Profile to the Biddy Tarot Free

Readers Page

In an effort to help the Tarot community, I

provide the opportunity to post the details of

any avid Tarot beginners who want to practice

their Tarot reading skills.

Tarot students can provide free Tarot readings

to the public via email, in exchange for

feedback from their clients.

You’ll find the webpage here:

http://www.biddytarot.com/free-tarot-

readings/

If you would like to add your free Tarot reading

service on this page, contact me with your

name, a brief bio (written in the third person –

similar to what you see on the webpage), your

contact details, and a small photo of yourself

(optional). Please note that this is only

available to those Tarot readers who are

offering a completely free service, and a small

administration fee is required to set up your

profile.

Join Phuture.me

Join the phuture.me team as an amateur Tarot

reader. Visitors to the website use the digital

Tarot deck to select their own cards and get a

reading. They can then request a free

interpretation and are obliged to provide

feedback on your reading.

If you’re up for it, send George an email with a

short bio and your contact details.

Visit the Reading Exchange at

Aeclectic Tarot Forum

The Aeclectic Tarot Forum is jam-packed with

Tarot enthusiasts just bursting with ideas,

questions, and insights. Better yet, visit the

Reading Exchange where you can offer to read

Tarot for others. The best part about reading

for people on the Reading Exchange is that they

are typically Tarot students themselves and will

be able to provide you with specific, quality

feedback on your practice Tarot reading.

The only catch is that you need to either have

25 posts already in the forum (so get typing!) or

become a paid subscriber of the Forum (around

$30 a year).

Search for Other Reading Exchanges on

Google

There are many Tarot forums where you can

offer Tarot reading exchanges – perhaps not as

busy or well-frequented as Aeclectic, but

available all the same. Simply go to Google and

search “Tarot reading exchange”.

Offer Free Tarot Readings on

YahooAnswers

There are two main options here. First, you can

post your own ‘question’ which might be along

the lines of “Who wants a free Tarot reading?”

Or second, search for the word “Tarot” and

you’ll often find people asking for free Tarot

readings or advice on how to interpret their

own Tarot reading. While I can’t guarantee the

quality of the questions being asked (nor the

age of the person asking!), it can be a quick and

easy way to provide a free reading to someone

who wants it.

http://www.biddytarot.com/free-tarot-readings/

http://www.biddytarot.com/free-tarot-readings/

http://www.biddytarot.com/contact/

http://phuture.me/tarot/tarot-reading

http://phuture.me/help/contact-us

http://tarotforum.net/



Create Your Own Fictional ‘Client’

Read for imaginary people. I know of a Tarot

student who reads for ‘George’, a middle-aged

(and very attractive) man who has lots of

relationship dramas and other concerns that he

needs help with!

Create your own ‘George’ (or ‘Georgia’) along

with a short bio and life history. Read on all

sorts of topics that may be important for your

fictional client.

Alternatively, pretend a celebrity has asked for

a reading and practice on them. Or select a

character out of a book or a favourite TV show.

James Ricklef (Tarot expert) does this very well

with fairy-tale characters.

Start Your Own Website

Back in 2001, I started my own Tarot reading

website and offered free Tarot readings to

build up my experience. Ten years later, I now

have a thriving online Tarot reading business!

Setting up a website is now so easy and can

literally be done in minutes. All you need is a

domain, a cheap hosting provider (like

Bluehost) and the latest version of WordPress,

and voila, you’re online and ready to offer free

readings! Sure, there’s a bit more to it than

that (like Search Engine Optimisation and

website promotion), but you can work on that

over time.

Read for Your Pets

No, I am not kidding. Your pets can be your

most loyal clients when you’re starting out!

Just read how one Tarot student started

reading for her pets and gained deep insight

into their needs.

In fact, I recently discovered other people who

read Tarot for their pets...

“I unintentionally read for my cat. I was looking

at my cat while shuffling and the reading was

completely off my situation, but 100% true to

my cat! I don't remember all the cards but they

were three and the first was the Ten of Swords,

the last was the King of Wands. Basically he

was bandaged as he'd been to the vet over an

injury that needed stitches. It was his first time

and absolutely hated it. The last was, of course,

him getting back to his normal catty self :)”

“I tried this recently funnily enough. I knew that

my dog was not her usual self and pulled a card

to see what might be the trouble. I pulled the

Six of Wands which in this case told me that she

was not feeling appreciated and not getting

enough attention that she was used to. This

dog has always been put on a pedestal but

lately I had been rather busy, so it rang true.

Tarot amazes me sometimes.“

Activity

31.1. Choose One Method for Practicing

Your Tarot Reading Skills

Choose one way that you’ll use to practice your

Tarot reading skills. You might sign up for an

online opportunity, or simply create your own

‘George’. Then, get practicing!

http://www.jamesricklef.com/

http://sungoddesstarot.blogspot.sg/2012/06/pet-whisperer.html

http://sungoddesstarot.blogspot.sg/2012/06/pet-whisperer.html





By now...

You are familiar with the Tarot card meanings

You can do a basic Tarot reading and tell a ‘story’ in the

cards

You are connected with other Tarot enthusiasts to

further develop your Tarot knowledge



W H E R E T O F R O M H E R E ?

Congratulations on devoting at least 31 days to

your Tarot study!

By now, you can easily interpret the Tarot cards

in simple readings for yourself and others. You

are well on the way to becoming a Tarot

expert!

However, the journey does not end here.

There are certainly ways to become an expert

faster than traditional teaching might dictate,

but there’s no getting around putting your time

in.

So, where to from here?

1. Realise That ‘Expert’ is a

Relative Term

In most instances, you don’t need to be the

world’s foremost expert on something to

benefit from what you know. Being expert

enough means knowing enough or being good

enough to accomplish your goals, however

modest or grand they may be.

If your goal is to read Tarot for understanding

yourself, then you only need to know so much

about the Tarot cards to do that. You don’t

need to know about Kabbalistic systems or

astrological associations. Just being able to tell

a story from the images in the cards is enough.

Similarly, if your goal is to read for others, then

focus on how you connect with others and tell

their story through the cards.

Focus on your goal and what you need to learn

to achieve that goal.

2. Learn from Books and

Experience

There’s a time for learning and a time for

practicing. A true expert needs to have both

expertise (book learning) and experience (real-

world practice).

Spend time learning the

Tarot card meanings

with a book like The

Ultimate Guide to Tarot

Card Meanings, but also

spend an equal amount

of time reading Tarot for

yourself and others.

There’s a balance between learning and doing.

Most people spend far too much time doing

one or the other. If you’ve been mostly

learning, it’s probably time to start doing. If

you’ve been practicing without the results

you’re looking for, it’s time to learn more and

time to focus.

3. Learn and Connect With Other

Tarot Enthusiasts

You don’t have to study Tarot in isolation!

There are hundreds of other Tarot students

working through this Workbook just like you.

To help you to learn from one another, I have

created a FREE online community on the Biddy

Tarot website. You are invited to join other

readers of Tarot Foundations to learn from and

connect with each other as you progress

through this 31-day program.

Step into the Tarot Foundations (TF)

Community Garden to:

Practice the Tarot Foundations

activities online and share your insights

Read other people’s activities and

insights

Ask questions and get feedback

Support each other and cheer each

other on

Find ‘study buddies’









All at no extra charge!

This is an exclusive, invitation-only community

open to all readers of Tarot Foundations and

can be accessed at:


foundations/community/

Your special password is “Foundations”.

4. Focus

When you start learning something new, it’s

easy to become daunted by everything you

have to master to reach your final goal.

Tarot is no exception. With 78 Tarot cards and

a raft of different scenarios and possible

meanings, the concept of doing an accurate

Tarot reading without a book by your side

seems near impossible.

This is why focus is critical.

First, it helps you pay attention to the task at

hand so you don’t become paralysed by the

thought of everything to follow.

Second, you have to focus so you can ignore all

the possible distractions that are always

waiting to take you off your path.

So, in your Tarot studies, focus on just one Suit,

or just the Court Cards, or just three-card

spreads, or just reading on love and

relationships. Start small and then grow from

there.

5. Don’t Be Afraid to Make

Mistakes

Fear of failure is often one of the biggest

obstacles on the road to learning new things.

You have to be willing to make mistakes in

order to learn and grow. That’s what practice

is. The sooner you get comfortable with making

mistakes, the quicker you’ll learn your new

skill.

This is also critical in learning to trust your

intuition. You have to start listening to your

intuition and going with it. You probably won’t

be accurate 100% of the time, but at least you

will learn from your mistakes and your

‘guesses’. It is much better to guess at

something than to hold back and regret it later.

6. Take Care of Yourself

A balanced Tarot reading requires a balanced

Tarot reader!

So, take care of yourself. Give yourself time

away from the Tarot cards. Meditate and keep

your mind clear and calm. Be in sync with your

body and mind’s needs. Don’t read when

you’re tired or stressed. And surround yourself

with supportive people.

7. Learn from the Experts

Want more Tarot tips from the experts? You’ll

love these 15 tips from the best Tarot experts

on how to learn Tarot:

http://www.biddytarot.com/how-to-become-

a-tarot-expert/

8. Keep Learning

The learning cycle never ends! There are so

many different angles and aspects to the Tarot

that you can learn into to deepen your

knowledge and improve your Tarot reading

skills.

You now have some excellent learning tools,

particularly those from Chapter 3, that you can

include in your future studies.

I have also purposefully not included any

material on reversed Tarot cards. I am a BIG fan

of reversals but I strongly believe that you need



http://www.biddytarot.com/how-to-become-a-tarot-expert/

http://www.biddytarot.com/how-to-become-a-tarot-expert/



to master the upright meanings first before

starting to learn about reversals. That said,

when you do feel ready, you can read a lot

more about reversed Tarot cards on my blog or

discover the meanings of reversed cards in The

Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings.

A Final Word from Brigit

Thank-you so much for allowing me to be part

of your Tarot journey. I wish you the very best

for your path ahead.

Be sure to stay in touch.

My website, Biddy Tarot (www.biddytarot.com)

is, of course, a great online resource for Tarot

card meanings, and tips and techniques on

reading the Tarot cards.

Visit and subscribe to my Tarot blog

(www.biddytarot.com/blog) for regular posts

about how to read the Tarot and increase your

Tarot knowledge and expertise.

And, in the near future, I also plan to release

even more Tarot eBooks to help others to read

Tarot. Check back regularly at my website

(www.biddytarot.com).

If you have any questions or simply want to get

in touch, feel free to email me at

[email protected].

And finally, a word of gratitude.

This eBook wouldn’t be what it is without the

invaluable input of the Biddy Tarot community,

including a handful of amazing, generous spirits

who kindly reviewed the eBook prior to its

release, those who offered creative ideas for

the title of this eBook and those who offered

their support in many other magical ways.

To all of my readers, visitors and friends out

there, thank you for your continued support. I

am truly grateful for your energy and am

blessed to have you as part of the Biddy Tarot

community.

Warm regards,

Brigit

http://www.biddytarot.com/category/reversed-tarot-cards/




http://www.biddytarot.com/blog


mailto:[email protected]



APPENDIX:

TOOLS AND

TEMPLATES

Use these Tarot tools and templates to

facilitate your learning



Tarot Suit Summary



Suit of Cups Keyword Chart

Tarot Card Keywords Tarot Card Keywords

Ace of Cups

Eight of Cups

Two of Cups

Nine of Cups

Three of Cups

Ten of Cups

Four of Cups

Page of Cups

Five of Cups

Knight of Cups

Six of Cups

Queen of Cups

Seven of Cups

King of Cups



Suit of Pentacles Keyword Chart


Ace of Pentacles

Eight of Pentacles

Two of Pentacles

Nine of Pentacles

Three of Pentacles

Ten of Pentacles

Four of Pentacles

Page of Pentacles

Five of Pentacles

Knight of Pentacles

Six of Pentacles

Queen of Pentacles

Seven of Pentacles

King of Pentacles



Suit of Swords Keyword Chart


Ace of Swords

Eight of Swords

Two of Swords

Nine of Swords

Three of Swords

Ten of Swords

Four of Swords

Page of Swords

Five of Swords

Knight of Swords

Six of Swords

Queen of Swords

Seven of Swords

King of Swords



Suit of Wands Keyword Chart


Ace of Wands

Eight of Wands

Two of Wands

Nine of Wands

Three of Wands

Ten of Wands

Four of Wands

Page of Wands

Five of Wands

Knight of Wands

Six of Wands

Queen of Wands

Seven of Wands

King of Wands



Major Arcana Keyword Chart


Fool

Justice

Magician

Hanged Man

High Priestess

Death

Empress

Temperance

Emperor

Devil

Hierophant

Tower

Lovers

Star



Chariot

Moon

Strength

Sun

Hermit

Judgement

Wheel of Fortune

World



Getting To Know Yourself with the Major Arcana





Tarot Card Profile



Card a Day Template



Three-Card Spread Template



Suit of Cups Keyword Chart (Complete)


Ace of Cups Love, compassion, creativity, overwhelming emotion (Rx) Blocked or repressed emotions

Eight of Cups Escapism, disappointment, abandonment, withdrawal (Rx) Hopelessness, aimless drifting, walking away

Two of Cups Unified love, partnership, attraction, relationships (Rx) Break-up, imbalance in a relationship, lack of harmony

Nine of Cups Wishes fulfilled, comfort, happiness, satisfaction (Rx) Greed, dissatisfaction, materialism

Three of Cups Celebration, friendship, creativity, community (Rx) An affair, “three’s a crowd”, stifled creativity

Ten of Cups Harmony, marriage, happiness, alignment (Rx) Misalignment of values, broken home or marriage

Four of Cups Meditation, contemplation, apathy, re-evaluation (Rx) Boredom, missed opportunity, being aloof

Page of Cups A messenger, creative beginnings, synchronicity (Rx) Emotional immaturity, creative block

Five of Cups Loss, regret, disappointment, despair, bereavement (Rx) Moving on, acceptance, forgiveness

Knight of Cups Romance, charm, ‘Knight in shining armour’, imagination (Rx) Unrealistic, jealousy, moodiness

Six of Cups Reunion, nostalgia, childhood memories, innocence (Rx) Stuck in the past, naivety, unrealistic

Queen of Cups Emotional security, calm, intuitive, compassionate (Rx) Emotional insecurity, co-dependency

Seven of Cups Fantasy, illusion, wishful thinking, choices, imagination (Rx) Temptation, illusion, diversionary tactics

King of Cups Emotional balance and control, generosity (Rx) Emotional manipulation, moodiness, volatility



Suit of Pentacles Keyword Chart (Complete)


Ace of Pentacles Manifestation, new financial opportunity, prosperity (Rx) Lost opportunity, lack of planning and foresight

Eight of Pentacles Apprenticeship, education, quality, engagement (Rx) Perfectionism, lacking ambition or focus

Two of Pentacles Balance, adaptability, time management, prioritisation (Rx) Disorganisation, financial disarray

Nine of Pentacles Gratitude, luxury, self-sufficiency, culmination (Rx) Over-investment in work, financial setbacks

Three of Pentacles Teamwork, initial fulfilment, collaboration, learning (Rx) Lack of teamwork, disregard for skills

Ten of Pentacles Wealth, inheritance, family, establishment, retirement (Rx) Financial failure, loneliness, loss

Four of Pentacles Control, stability, security, possession, conservatism (Rx) Greed, materialism, self-protection

Page of Pentacles Manifestation, financial opportunity, new job (Rx) Lack of progress and planning, short-term focus

Five of Pentacles Isolation, insecurity, worry, financial loss, poverty (Rx) Recovery from financial loss, spiritual poverty

Knight of Pentacles Efficiency, routine, conservatism, methodical (Rx) Laziness, boredom, feeling ‘stuck’

Six of Pentacles Generosity, charity, giving, prosperity, sharing wealth (Rx) Debt, selfishness, one-sided charity

Queen of Pentacles Practical, homely, motherly, down-to-earth, security (Rx) Imbalance in work/ family commitments

Seven of Pentacles Vision, perseverance, profit, reward, investment (Rx) Lack of long-term vision, limited success or reward

King of Pentacles Security, control, power, discipline, abundance (Rx) Authoritative, domineering, controlling



Suit of Swords Keyword Chart (Complete)


Ace of Swords Raw power, victory, break-throughs, mental clarity (Rx) Confusion, chaos, lack of clarity

Eight of Swords Isolation, self-imposed restriction, imprisonment (Rx) Open to new perspectives, release

Two of Swords Indecision, choices, truce, stalemate, blocked emotions (Rx) Indecision, confusion, information overload

Nine of Swords Depression, nightmares, intense anxiety, despair (Rx) Hopelessness, severe depression, torment

Three of Swords Painful separation, sorrow heartbreak, grief, rejection (Rx) Releasing pain, optimism, forgiveness

Ten of Swords Back-stabbed, defeat, crisis, betrayal, endings, loss (Rx) Recovery, regeneration, fear of ruin, inevitable end

Four of Swords Contemplation, recuperation, passivity, relaxation, rest (Rx) Restlessness, burn-out, lack of progress

Page of Swords Talkative, curious, mentally restless, energetic (Rx) All talk and no action, haste, undelivered promises

Five of Swords Conflict, tension, loss, defeat, win at all costs, betrayal (Rx) Open to change, past resentment

Knight of Swords Opinionated, hasty, action-oriented, communicative (Rx) Scattered thought, disregard for consequences

Six of Swords Regretful but necessary transition, rite of passage (Rx) Cannot move on, carrying baggage

Queen of Swords Quick thinker, organised, perceptive, independent (Rx) Overly-emotional, bitchy, cold-hearted

Seven of Swords Betrayal, deception, getting away with something, stealth (Rx) Mental challenges, breaking free

King of Swords Clear thinking, intellectual power, authority, truth (Rx) Manipulative, tyrannical, abusive



Suit of Wands Keyword Chart (Complete)


Ace of Wands Inspiration, power, creation, beginnings, potential (Rx) Delays, lack of motivation, weighed down

Eight of Wands Speed, action, air travel, movement, swift change (Rx) Delays, frustration, holding off

Two of Wands Future planning, progress, decisions, discovery (Rx) Fear of unknown, lack of planning

Nine of Wands Courage, persistence, test of faith, resilience (Rx) On edge, defensive, hesitant, paranoia

Three of Wands Preparation, foresight, enterprise, expansion (Rx) Lack of foresight, delays, obstacles to long-term goals

Ten of Wands Burden, responsibility, hard work, stress, achievement (Rx) Taking on too much, avoiding responsibility

Four of Wands Celebration, harmony, marriage, home, community (Rx) Breakdown in communication, transition

Page of Wands Enthusiasm, exploration, discovery, free spirit (Rx) Setbacks to new ideas, pessimism, lack of direction

Five of Wands Disagreement, competition, strife, tension, conflict (Rx) Conflict avoidance, increased focus on goals

Knight of Wands Energy, passion, lust, action, adventure, impulsiveness (Rx) Haste, scattered energy, delays, frustration

Six of Wands Public recognition, victory, progress, self-confidence (Rx) Egotism, disrepute, lack of confidence, fall from grace

Queen of Wands Exuberance, warmth, vibrancy, determination (Rx) Shrinking violet, aggressive, demanding

Seven of Wands Challenge, competition, perseverance (Rx) Giving up, overwhelmed, overly protective

King of Wands Natural-born leader, vision, entrepreneur, honour (Rx) Impulsiveness, haste, ruthless, high expectations



Major Arcana Keyword Chart (Complete)


Fool Beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, a free spirit (Rx) Naivety, foolishness, recklessness, risk-taking

Justice Justice, fairness, truth, cause and effect, law (Rx) Unfairness, lack of accountability, dishonesty

Magician Power, skill, concentration, action, resourcefulness (Rx) Manipulation, poor planning, latent talents

Hanged Man Suspension, restriction, letting go, sacrifice (Rx) Martyrdom, indecision, delay

High Priestess Intuition, Higher powers, mystery, subconscious mind (Rx) Hidden agendas, need to listen to inner voice

Death Endings, beginnings, change, transformation, transition (Rx) Resistance to change, unable to move on

Empress Fertility, femininity, beauty, nature, abundance (Rx) Creative block, dependence on others

Temperance Balance, moderation, patience, purpose, meaning (Rx) Imbalance, excess, lack of long-term vision

Emperor Authority, father-figure, structure, solid foundation (Rx) Domination, excessive control, rigidity, inflexibility

Devil Bondage, addiction, sexuality, materialism (Rx) Detachment, breaking free, power reclaimed

Hierophant Religion, group identification, conformity, tradition, beliefs (Rx) Restriction, challenging the status quo

Tower Disaster, upheaval, sudden change, revelation (Rx) Avoidance of disaster, fear of change

Lovers Love, union, relationships, values alignment, choices (Rx) Disharmony, imbalance, misalignment of values

Star Hope, spirituality, renewal, inspiration, serenity (Rx) Lack of faith, despair, discouragement



Chariot Control, will power, victory, assertion, determination (Rx) Lack of control and direction, aggression

Moon Illusion, fear, anxiety, insecurity, subconscious (Rx) Release of fear, unhappiness, confusion

Strength Strength, courage, patience, control, compassion (Rx) Weakness, self-doubt, lack of self-discipline

Sun Fun, warmth, success, positivity, vitality (Rx) Temporary depression, lack of success

Hermit Soul-searching, introspection, being alone, inner guidance (Rx) Isolation, loneliness, withdrawal

Judgement Judgement, rebirth, inner calling, absolution (Rx) Self-doubt, refusal of self-examination

Wheel of Fortune Good luck, karma, life cycles, destiny, a turning point (Rx) Bad luck, negative external forces, out of control

World Completion, integration, accomplishment, travel (Rx) Lack of completion, lack of closure

Documents

Tarot Foundations 31 Days to Read Tarot With Confidence