| Oh, goodie! You've decided to buy your first tarot | | | | meanings for each tarot card. If you do not first |
| card deck-I hope you selected a good one-and now | | | | learn to rely on the symbolism and your own intuition, |
| you are wondering how the heck to begin. First...don't | | | | you will inevitably get bogged down and become |
| open the book. That's right. You read that correctly. | | | | disappointed and frustrated. You need to develop |
| Do NOT open the book and start reading. Instead, | | | | confidence in the cards and in yourself. |
| take your tarot deck out of the box and handle it. | | | | As you look at each card individually, make a note of |
| Don't be discouraged if it feels a little odd to you. | | | | the first things that come to mind. Does the person |
| Sometimes your first tarot deck is your worst tarot | | | | on the card look happy or sad, angry or relaxed? |
| deck. You buy a tarot card deck that looks really | | | | How do the colors feel to you? What is the body |
| good, and, yes, some of the images are beautifully | | | | language of the person or people on the card? Did |
| done, but the deck just doesn't speak to you. Or | | | | you notice anything else on the tarot card, any of |
| part of the deck speaks to you and the other part | | | | the smaller things that might speak to you? For |
| does not. For the sake of this article, let's assume | | | | example, is there a bird in the picture, or a butterfly? |
| you have a tarot deck you love, a deck with great | | | | What Suit is the card? Is it a two of swords? What |
| symbolism on the cards, and the tarot cards speak | | | | do swords mean to you? What is the overall feeling? |
| directly to your intuition. Fantastic! Let's begin the | | | | Does the tarot card in your hands give you a feeling |
| journey, shall we. | | | | of wealth or opulence? Does the tarot card in your |
| Do NOT open the book. The first thing you want to | | | | hand give you a feeling of peace and pleasure? Your |
| do is to get a pen and a blank, lined notebook, a big | | | | feelings will guide you. |
| one, and find a nice comfy place to rest for awhile | | | | This process may take days, or even a few weeks. |
| and play with your tarot card deck. You will want to | | | | That's okay. We're not in a hurry. Let it evolve in its |
| be in a place where you will not be interrupted by | | | | own way. By the time you have completed this |
| kids, spouses, telephones, or the mailman. You want | | | | project and looked at each tarot card individually, you |
| to get quiet and relaxed. You want to be at ease | | | | will have quite a nice little tarot card journal that is |
| and sort of in a dreamy or meditative state, a state | | | | unique to you. |
| where you are totally alone with the cards and not | | | | Now you may open the tarot book. As you start this |
| thinking about something else. Shuffle the deck. See | | | | new journey into the tarot cards, you may want to |
| how the deck feels in your hands. Spend time looking | | | | make more notes to incorporate traditional meanings |
| at each tarot card individually. (Do any cards jump | | | | into your personal tarot card journal. Compare how |
| out of the deck?) Make note of those cards. They | | | | the traditional meaning of the tarot cards does or |
| could be Spirit already knocking on the back door of | | | | does not fit into your own tarot card journal. As you |
| your brain and trying to get your attention. | | | | make this comparison, you will learn even more about |
| You may be balking at this notion right now, eager to | | | | the tarot cards and about yourself and how you see |
| look in the book. After all, you purchased the best | | | | the world around you. This will help you learn how |
| tarot book out there. You know this because the | | | | you interpret different symbols. Over time, your |
| reviews were so stellar. Relax. You will thank me for | | | | tarot card journal will evolve, grow, and become |
| this later. This is only the beginning. Great things take | | | | better and better. |
| time. This practice that I am suggesting will teach you | | | | Once you are comfortable with your new tarot deck, |
| how to rely on the tarot cards themselves, rather | | | | you may try a spread. The three-card spread is the |
| than relying on the meanings outlined in the book. | | | | one I suggest for newbies. Spreads open a whole |
| This practice also teaches you to rely on your | | | | new window of vision for you. Yet another journey |
| intuition, and it teaches you to listen to the voice of | | | | down the path. The key is, don't put pressure on |
| Spirit as Spirit speaks to you. During your journey | | | | yourself. Have fun with it. Have fun learning. It's a |
| with the tarot, you will discover that there are many | | | | process, but it is very rewarding. |