Let the cards talk to you with their colours, characters and expressions.
Where Do We Start?
Tarot is an endless combination of patterns and symbols that translate into messages for us. The question is, where do we begin to interpret them if we are learning? Where do we start when looking for a pattern in the cards?
If you are a beginner, keep these very simple guides in mind. Here are some of the first things to do when you lay out a spread:
- Colour. Look at which colours stand out the most. Are they bright, moody, any colour that keeps showing up? How do you interpret those colours?
- Numbers. It’s significant if you see two or more of the same number in a spread. It can tell you where the questioners progress is, according to the question. Keywords for each number could be:
- One (Aces) is new beginnings, and benevolent protection.
- Two is balance.
- Three is harmony and joy, though Three of Swords contradicts this.
- Four is stability and structure.
- Five is frustration, stuckness, pushing through challenges.
- Six is success, movement, progress.
- Seven is reassessment, reviewing life.
- Eight is transformation and growth, though again, Swords here contradict this.
- Nine is reaching your goal, strength, climax.
- Ten is completion, finishing, the dream coming true.
- Elements. Like in Astrology, the Tarot contains Earth, (coins) Air, (swords) Fire, (rods) and Water, (cups). Note which element is most present in a reading. Think about what it might mean if many cups, (emotions) are present, or lots of fire,(energy, creativity, movement) what would this suggest?
- Arcana. How many Major and Minor Arcana are there in the spread? You do not need to know their meanings, to get a sense of the reading’s importance by looking at this. What do you think makes a reading more powerful here?
Look for Colour and landscape patterns when learning…
Go With The Flow.
Do not worry about getting this quickly, trust me, this takes time, and that is what makes learning Tarot so fun. If you keep practicing and reading for friends, you will see progress and that feels so good!. The main point of this exercise is to learn a formula for putting the cards messages together and being able to seeing the reading’s patterns. This might be a pattern of joyful cards, challenging cards, cards of change. Just being able to see this can give you a spring board to start interpreting the Card’s message for the querent.
Good luck, have fun and be creative!