What I Want to Tell You About Tarot

I’ve shared this story a lot before, so if you’ve heard it already, I hope you’ll humour me for a moment.

When I got my first tarot deck, I had very skewed expectations about what would happen when I opened up that card pack.

I had (wrongly) assumed that as soon as I flipped over a few cards, I’d somehow know exactly what they were telling me.

Even though I had no idea what exactly I was hoping to find out. Nor did I consider what kind of messages tarot might even give me.

I had a vague idea that I’d get a glimpse of the future. But I was also in high school at the time, keeping a relatively routine schedule between going to a co-op in the morning, classes in the afternoon, and a part-time job after school.

What kind of big reveal was I hoping for? I had no idea. My life was pretty predictable at the time.

But I wasn’t questioning myself at the time, or thinking much about the how or why of tarot.

And unfortunately, the pressure I’d put on myself to feel like something was immediately happening meant that I got off on the wrong foot with my tarot deck.

It took many years for me to come back to tarot again – this time with more patience, maturity, and determination to really understand what tarot is all about.

I know I’m not the only one who’s had an experience like this. When aspiring tarot readers excitedly open their first tarot deck and then can't figure out how to know what the cards are supposed to be telling them, they are left fumbling in the dark, feeling like they aren't "intuitive" enough to read tarot.

And over the last few years, I’ve worked with a number of tarot students who put way too much pressure on themselves to go from 0 to 100 as tarot readers, expecting that they should be able to figure it out right away, and then feel deflated when their readings didn’t flow or feel clear.

What I wish for every tarot reader who’s struggling with these doubts is this:

1. Tarot is contextual. Whatever question or concern a querent is bringing to the session can play a huge role how the cards are interpreted – it’s not always just about “seeing what comes up.” It can take time to learn how to put tarot cards into different contexts in order to answer various questions and spread positions.
    
2. Taking the time to learn how to put tarot cards into different contexts can be one of the most important things you do as a tarot reader. The more possibilities you can see with a tarot card, the more confident you become as a reader. Because eventually, you’ll feel ready for nearly any kind of question.
   
   
3. That being said, not every question is appropriate for tarot. Not every tarot spread is right for every reading, and not every question needs a spread. A tarot reader has to be able to determine how to best focus a question and how to approach the reading, and that means developing common sense and good judgment along the way. And then trusting yourself to apply that judgement when the time comes. 

4. The images on tarot cards are where I take my information from when I perform a reading. I don’t let my own passing thoughts come into play. I look at the cards and whatever messages I deliver come straight from what’s on the table.
   
   This takes off the pressure to provide a “psychic” experience to the sitter. It also helps the reading stay grounded in tangible imagery that I can show to my querents to help them understand where my answers are coming from.

If you’re feeling like your tarot readings are uneven, or you’re sometimes grasping in the dark for insights with your cards, I hope my words here offer a helpful reminder to keep going, as well as some tips about what to focus on when you feel stuck.

Want even more tips? Check out my free resources here to find your next step. You can sign up for free guides, masterclasses, and more. 

Until next time,

Liz