A beginner's guide to tarot

When you first pick up a tarot deck, it can feel both inviting and intimidating: 78 cards, hundreds of meanings and a world where everyone seems to say something different. Yet you don't need to memorize anything or have a special gift to get started. The most useful way to approach tarot is to see it as a tool that helps you think in symbols. In this guide we cover how to begin with tarot, how the deck is structured, your first spreads and the most common mistakes. If you'd like to practice, you can start on the tarot page.

What is tarot?

Tarot is a deck of 78 cards. The cards first appeared in fifteenth-century Italy as playing cards, and in the late eighteenth century they began to be linked with symbolic and esoteric interpretation in France. Today tarot is mostly used for self-reflection, for seeing a situation from a different angle and for thinking things through before making a decision.

Tarot does not predict the future with certainty. Through their symbols, the cards bring to the surface thoughts that are already on your mind. Many experienced readers describe the cards as a mirror: what you see in a card matters as much as what the card says.

The structure of the deck

The 78 cards are divided into two parts.

Major Arcana

The 22 cards running from The Fool to The World describe life's big themes and turning points. Subjects such as love, death, change, justice and fate appear in these cards. When many Major Arcana cards show up in a spread, it is read as a sign that the matter is significant and carries a major theme. You can explore these cards in detail on the tarot cards page.

Minor Arcana

These 56 cards describe the events and emotions of everyday life. They are divided into four suits, and each suit is associated with an element:

Wands: the fire element; initiative, passion and action.
Cups: the water element; emotions, relationships and intuition.
Swords: the air element; thought, communication and conflict.
Pentacles: the earth element; money, work, the body and practical life.

Each suit is made up of numbered cards from the Ace to the Ten, plus four court cards: the Page, Knight, Queen and King. To better understand the link with the elements, you can also take a look at the guide to the elements.

Choosing your first deck

The most popular choice for beginners is the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. The scene on each card gives a visual clue to its meaning, which makes learning easier. The Marseille tarot, with its simpler imagery, leaves more room for intuitive reading. When deciding which to choose, look at the cards: if the images speak to you, you've found the right deck. Fame or popularity is not the measure.

The language of numbers in the Minor Arcana

The numbers on the Minor Arcana cards tell a similar story in every suit. The Ace represents a beginning and a seed, the Two a choice or balance, the Three growth and cooperation, and the Four a foundation or a pause. The Five brings friction and crisis, while the Six offers harmony and healing. The Seven speaks of testing and assessment, the Eight of effort and movement, the Nine of a maturity that is nearly complete, and the Ten of the end of a cycle. Knowing this framework lets you read most cards without memorizing each meaning one by one. You can also explore the symbolic world of numbers on the numerology page.

Starting to read the cards

Instead of trying to memorize every card, try these three steps:

Look at the card's image and write down the first three words that come to mind. What colors, figures and feelings do you notice?
Then read the card's traditional meaning and compare it with your own impression.
Reconsider the card in the context of your question. What might this card be showing me about the matter I asked about?

You don't have to use reversed cards at first. Many readers work only with upright cards to begin with and add reversals once they feel comfortable.

Preparing for a reading

Tarot doesn't require any special ritual, but a short preparation helps you focus. Find a quiet corner, take a few deep breaths and frame your question as one clear sentence. Shuffle the deck in whatever way feels comfortable to you; no method is more correct than another. Once you've laid out the cards, don't rush. When you turn a card over, take in your first impression before you look at the book. When the reading is over, pause for a minute before gathering up the cards and ask yourself, "What did this make me think about?"

Your first spreads

A spread is a set arrangement for laying out the cards. These options are well suited to beginners:

Card of the day: Draw a single card in the morning and pay attention to it throughout the day. You can try this on the card of the day page.
Three-card spread: Can be read as past, present and future, or as situation, obstacle and advice. The three-card spread is ideal for beginners.
Love spread: A layout designed for relationships. Take a look at the love spread.
Yes or no: A quick method for simple questions, which you can try with the yes-or-no spread.
Celtic Cross: A comprehensive ten-card spread. Working with the Celtic Cross becomes more meaningful once you've gained some experience.

How to ask a good question

The clearer the question, the more useful the reading. Instead of asking "Does he love me?", asking "What should I pay attention to in this relationship?" gives you a broader view. Saying "What options do I have in this situation?" rather than "What will happen?" also means the cards leave the decision in your hands. Don't use tarot for serious decisions about health, legal matters or money; these call for expert advice.

Common mistakes

Trying to memorize the cards. Books are a guide, but you are the one who interprets the card.
Fearing cards such as Death, The Tower or The Devil. These cards usually describe transformation, endings or attachments; they don't point to a physical death or disaster.
Asking the same question over and over. Drawing again when you don't like the answer serves your own expectations, not the cards.
Treating the cards as fate. Tarot shows a possible course of events; the decision is yours.

Keeping a tarot journal

The best way to improve is to keep a journal. Write down every card you draw, your question and your first impression. When you look back a few weeks later, you'll see how the cards matched, or didn't match, the events of the day. This is the most effective way to develop your own symbolic language.

Tarot and science

There is no scientific evidence that tarot predicts the future. Even so, for many people tarot is a tool that slows down their thinking and helps generate different perspectives. In this sense it resembles journaling or a conversation built around symbols. Seeing tarot as a form of entertainment and self-awareness is the way to get the most out of it.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a special gift to read tarot?

No. Tarot is a skill that develops as you learn to interpret symbols and use your intuition. Regular practice, keeping a journal and curiosity are all you need.

Which deck should a beginner buy?

The Rider-Waite-Smith deck is the most common choice for beginners because each card carries a scene that illustrates its meaning. The real test is whether the images on the cards speak to you.

Does tarot predict the future with certainty?

No. Tarot is a symbolic tool that shows possible courses of events and the issues worth thinking about. You make the decisions, and for matters such as health, legal issues and money you should seek expert advice.

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