Memorization

[earth_clover]

I'm having trouble remembering what each of the cards mean. Does anyone have a system of memorizing them that helped them? I'd appreciate anything. Hopefully I don't just have an awful memory!

Clover

[Siarlas]

I'm lucky if I can remember what I've just had for breakfast!

Try concentrating on the card and see what it tells you.
For example, there's one that I can't for the life of me remember which, but it shows someone in one of those little boats, facing away from the viewer. To me, that means that you're about to go on a journey. Now it's up to you whether that means a spiritual journey or a physical journey.

[Mithrea]

I don't know why or if this is feasible for you but the thing that finally got me remembering the meanings was being able to compare the artwork from several different decks. Once I had a few different decks to compare, I found that if the artwork in one deck didn't speak to me, then it would from another and I could recall the imagery from the other deck while I was using them and it would help me remember. If that makes sense.

[earth_clover]

thanks to the both of you. I'm definitely going to try both technigues.

And Mithrea, don't worry. It made plenty of sence to me :)

[fire_Raven]

Clover... i think i've told you about how i memorized before, but i went through and skimmed over the basic meanings of my cards in the book, and memorized them by their picture... then afterword, i flipped trough the deck and said their meaning allowed, and anyof them i couldn't remember i set off in a diff pile, now that i know their basic menaing, i'm going into the more indept meaning, and what the card tells me its trying to say...
just a thought =)

[Witchy Cowgirl]

I'd say don't worry about memeorizing so much.
It's important to connect with the cards and get used to using them, handling, touching and looking at them.
I'm still learning the meanings - but remember that each one is likely to mean something different in each reading.

This is what I did - and am still doing.
I draw a card a day.
(For me in the beginning this was simple for study purposes - not that I have a basic understanding the card a day is more of a meditation or guide for the day.)
I'd take a good look at the card and then read what my book had to say. Next I'd write in my journal - a general descripition, the key works and a generalizaed meaning and how I thought that card would relate to me for that day.

Biggest thing - relax a bit - and enjoy what your doing.:)

[Stacy]

Maaan.. I wish I could use Tarot like you guys, but I'm just not for that! :(

[Demeter]

I learned the Greek myths when I was a kid and now read the Mythic Tarot, which is based on the classical stories ... each of the suits is a particular story (cups = Eros and Psyche, wands = Jason and the Argonauts, pentacles = Daedalus, swords = the tragedy of Orestes), the court cards are heroes and demigods, and the major arcana are gods. The book that comes with the cards is full of psychobabble, but if you skip the self-analysis part and go to the divinatory meanings, and look at how each part of the story relates to those meanings, it makes perfect sense. Then all you have to do is remember the story, or who the god or hero is. That's fairly easy, particularly if you already have a grasp on the myth cycles. They did change the order of some of the major arcana, but I haven't noticed that that made a difference.

I believe there are Norse, Celtic, Arthurian and even a Lord of the Rings tarot where the meanings are likewise clear if you can remember the story.

[Flar's Freyja]

Originally posted by earth_clover
I'm having trouble remembering what each of the cards mean. Does anyone have a system of memorizing them that helped them? I'd appreciate anything. Hopefully I don't just have an awful memory!

Clover

After five years of practicing Tarot, I still couldn't memorize the cards.....I took a brief workshop and learned one thing that helped so much. The lecturer actually taught us to read by connecting with the symbolism of the colors and what the figures were doing in the image on the card rather than strictly focusing on the textbook meanings of the cards. I can't begin to tell you how much that helped. By using this method and meditating on the card, my intuition will tell me what I need to know.

[tarotbear]

Whatever you do PLEASE DO NOT try to know the cards by trying to memorize 'Five Easy Pieces' about each one! I warn my students against this. Yes, I know those of us with experience tend to make is sound so easy and flowing, but we all had to learn it , too, so don't be discouraged.

My first recommendation always is to WRITE IT DOWN. Merely reading something only uses one part of your brain; writing something down uses many parts and that is where 'memorization' comes from. When a card repeats itself in you readings - you will soon rememeber what the cards' meaning is. Also- by writing things down in a journal you can go back and reread them later and see where your interpretaion was right or wrong. Perhaps today you see something different in the card- write that down , too.

My other suggestion is READ READ READ - for anyone! yourself, the milk man, anyone who might be interested. In doing the repetition of readings you will inadvertantly memorise meanings.

This is much better than sitting down with a book and trying to memorise 5 meanings upright and reversed for each card. That's what you did in history class. Do you remember anything from history class? No- as soon as you took the test you promptly forgot it and went on to the next chapter. Tarot you will use over and over and not be cognisent that your are memorizing anything.

[Mnemosyne]

Keeping a journal is an excellent suggestion. Relate the cards to your own life. The best way to learn anything, be it reading to tarot, is to use prior knowledge techniques and make personal connections to the subject. Also, keep on practicing. The more you practice, the more you will learn.

BB

[Dagda Moon~Lily]

Originally posted by Freyja
After five years of practicing Tarot, I still couldn't memorize the cards.....I took a brief workshop and learned one thing that helped so much. The lecturer actually taught us to read by connecting with the symbolism of the colors and what the figures were doing in the image on the card rather than strictly focusing on the textbook meanings of the cards. I can't begin to tell you how much that helped. By using this method and meditating on the card, my intuition will tell me what I need to know.

This is what I encourage as well. Look at the card, what is the person doing?... What could they be feeling? What is the general tone of the card? Take your time to figure out what draws your attention on the card and focus on that and what it may mean to you! I always advise....take the LWB and use it under the leg of uneven furniture....it'll do you more good there. ;)

If you insist on learning a meaning or two...I would then suggest post-it notes. Write one or two single word meanings on a post-it note, one per card...and stick it on the back of the card....you have just created flash cards. :D


~D

[earth_clover]

Thank you all for your wonderful replies! They have been helping wonderfully, as well as a book that I got for the holidays. I'll never hesitate, should I ever have a problem with anything, to write here. Thanks once again!

[Ball-Bhreac Ròn]

sorry for reviving this thread, but I didn't want to start a new one.
I've just bought my first tarot deck, which I love to pieces. The only problem is, the minor arcana pip cards are all exactly the same (a design in the middle, surrounded by the appropriate number of tools). Any suggestions on how I should learn these? And would you recomend trying to learn them all before your first reading, or flipping through a book whilst telling someone about their life?

[Dagda Moon~Lily]

One of the easiest ways I can suggest....Know what the suit definitions are...ex...CUPS-emotions, romance, intuition ....and then memorize number meanings. Then combine the two and from there you can get a feel of where the reading is going.

Number - Meaning

Ones (Aces)- New beginnings
Twos -Relationships, duality, balancing of two

Threes- Synthesis, collaboration, self-expression, expansion, fulfillment – except Swords where this is missing.

Fours- Foundations, stability, status quo

Fives- Change, instability, volatile, necessary to adapt to unpleasant changes

Sixes- Assistance, idealism, perfection, and a change for the better

Sevens- Unexpected change, perception, insight, new awareness and perspective, change brought about by insight

Eights- Control, power and mastery over a situation through self-reliance and autonomy, organization

Nines- Completion and fulfillment of each suit, maximum intensity of each suit in the cycle, completion, fulfillment

Tens- Renewal through a new cycle. Many lessons have been learned regarding the suit in question – mastery.

This information came from: http://www.kenaz.com/notes/tarot_numbers.htm#Meanings of the Numbers


That would be a good jumping off place for a deck like that. ;)

~D

[Witchy Cowgirl]

Originally posted by Ball-Bhreac Ròn
? And would you recomend trying to learn them all before your first reading, or flipping through a book whilst telling someone about their life?

Actually what I would recommend would be doing several readings without your querent present. That why you could use your book as a reference. Then as you became more a-custom to reading you could have your querent present.:)

[Ball-Bhreac Ròn]

Thank you both so much! :)

[Sylv]

Not sure if this would help you, but I'm also new to the Tarot and to learn the minor arcana, I'm taking suit and by suit and finding a song that I think expresses the meaning. I usually check 3-5 sources to get an idea about the card, and then I just start thinking about the songs I love and which ones would match. It's been helping me a lot!