Learning Tarot?

[Home & Garden Witch]

Can anyone recomend some websites or books that are beneficial in learning to read tarot?

This is one area I'd love to learn! My husband gave me a beautiful tarot deck for my birthday, but I am not sure where to even begin!!

(That's actually how I found this website, doing a websearch for Tarot Reading!!!)

[FaerieGothMommy]

I highly recommend the book "step-by-step tarot" by Terry Donaldson.

I have learnt a lot about the tarot from following the exercises in the book, and he is really honest with what he says.

[MoonDragn]

Begin by memorizing the little booklet that comes with the tarot deck. After you understand the standard meanings study each card and write down what feelings you get when you see it. It does not have to match the meaning of the card, just what you feel like when you see the card. Do this for every card and you will develop a personal meaning set for the card which will be more accurate than the standard meanings of the cards.

[FaerieGothMommy]

One of the excersices in the book i use is...

Take a card and place it in the middle of some paper, now before trying to interpret the card and remember "proper" meanings, jot down quickly what you get from the card, what feelings, thoughts everything, as quickly as you can.
Then study the card, and think of a particular time in your life that reminds you of that card. This helps in making personal and emotional links with that particular card. Do this with every single card.

Then it's best to get one book only with fully extended meanings of each card, go through every card again with the book you've chosen and read through the extended meanings for them, also incorporating what you wrote down and the feelings you got from the card.

I've found doing this, makes a lot of difference, and you get more from the cards when you look at them.

[Raven Reed]

I found this (http://www.learntarot.com/) site helpful when I was first learning.

[Home & Garden Witch]

Thank you very much for the suggestions and the links!!

[Rhianna813]

Hey I think they are starting a new round of Tarot Classes right here at Mystic Wicks! There should be an announcement in this forum or check the Circle of Teaching forum.

Rhianna

[Home & Garden Witch]

Thank you Rhianna! I just went and signed up actually! I'm excited to learn!

[Rhianna813]

Thank you Rhianna! I just went and signed up actually! I'm excited to learn!

Yeah! I am thinking about signing up but I want to check my shedule first to see if I have enough time to commit for a few weeks.

Rhianna

[AuroraSilvermist]

Links:
www.LearnTarot.com (http://www.learntarot.com)
www.paranormality.com (http://www.paranormality.com/tarot_meanings.shtml)
www.Aeclectic.net (http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/)
www.ReadTarot.com (http://www.readtarot.com/)

You might want to consider looking for tarot groups at YahooGroups (http://groups.yahoo.com). Look for groups that have active participation and are set up for beginning readers. There are tons! Just browse until you find something that fits you.

Books:

Tarot for Your Self by Mary K. Greer

There are a LOT of good books, but this one is a workbook, and I found it very helpful not only for getting to know the tarot, but getting to know yourself a little better in the process.

Decks:

The Robin Wood Tarot
The Universal Waite
Hansen-Roberts Tarot
The Gilded Tarot (get the book with it--it's very good!)

Those are just a few decks that are really good for beginning readers. I would say, pick a deck that has imagery based on the Rider-Waite interpretation of the tarot, because MOST books and information you find on learning the tarot will focus on Rider-Waite style imagery.

Good luck on your tarot journey! :D

[Nellie]

This question has been buggin me for a while now....what happens if you look at a card & see something totaly different from the interpretation in the book. I mean tarot cards are all suppose to have the same meaning regardless of the type/art work, so does that mean that if you don't see what the books say then you're wrong??

[LisaT4P]

No, Nellie. You're not wrong! :) That is the hardest part of learning tarot, is knowing when the book meanings are relevant and when you should trust your intuition. People who have been reading for years still have trouble with this one.

My opinion on the matter is to write down what you feel, but also double check the book. See which one makes more sense to you. If you can't decide, consider both as accurate, tell your client / querent both and let them decide which has more relevance for them. I usually do this by saying something like, "Well, the books will say that this card means such-and-such, but I'm getting a strong feeling of this-and-that."

Keep learning! It all comes together like a plan eventually. :)

[LisaT4P]

Begin by memorizing the little booklet that comes with the tarot deck. After you understand the standard meanings study each card and write down what feelings you get when you see it. I would do this the opposite way. :) Go through your deck & write down what you see & feel first, and then double-check against the book meanings.

LWBs especially are difficult to learn from because they offer very limited information. Get yourself a good book on tarot such as Tarot Reversals by Mary K. Greer or 78 Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack. Those will be much more helpful.

My best advice for beginner is WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN! All your daily cards, thoughts on them, every reading you do (for yourself or others) should be written down for review later down the road. I can't tell you how helpful it is to look back on your notes & see how far you've progressed in your understanding. I can't stress writing it down enough!

[Nellie]

Thanks Lisa for your prompt reply. I've just started picking a card each morning & seeing how it applies to my day in order to learn the cards more. Not written anything down though, so will definitely start. Saw another link which you started - the daily draw. Think that will give me the incentive to keep it up each day & write what I feel.

[Home & Garden Witch]

Thank you everyone for all of the wonderful advice!!

I've been using the book, but sometimes I get a good intuition that the book isn't word for word right!