Q: I’m looking for a book that will help me dive deeper into the world of tarot. Do you have any suggestions?
A: Yes! There are many great websites & books for people who want to learn more about reading tarot cards. Here are just a few for you to start with.
Q: Is there a special way I should take care of my tarot cards?
A: You can cleanse your deck in whatever method you have used for other divination tools. Some prefer to use stones, one specific element they have an affinity for, or the simple go to of smudging… smudge all the things. It is up to you and what you feel is right for your deck in how to store them. Trust your instinct and care for your tools the way you wish.
Continue reading “Two Minute Tarot: Charging, Cleansing, and Storing”
Q: The same card keep popping up in all of my spreads, and I think it’s throwing my readings off. What does this mean?
A: A signifier card is not necessary for a tarot reading. Everyone has their own opinion about signifiers, their use, and how to choose them. A signifier represents the person who the reading is for, either yourself, or to use them as a placeholder for a person that isn’t “there” for their reading.
Continue reading “Two Minute Tarot: What’s this Signifier Thing?”
Q: Is there a special way that I should lay out my tarot cards?
A: There are may ways to lay out your tarot cards to find the answers you seek. Some common spreads include the following. The Daily Pull – This is a single card pulled for knowledge about the day. The Spread of 3 – This can be: Past, Present, Future or First, Second, Third. The Celtic Cross – an intricate 10 card spread in the shape of a celtic cross. And my favorite, The WTF – which is a fairly straight forwad 6 carder.
Honestly there are a vast number of varieties of tarot spreads. Take some time to google tarot spreads and look at all of the different images. Likewise you can also pull additional cards and ask for clarification during a spread if needed. Again with rules smules…
This Two Minute Tarot was originally presented by April Kane for White Oak Grove CUUPS August 4, 2019. ©2019 April Kane
Q: How does the tarot deck know what I want?
A: Having a question is the best way to do tarot. It can be something as simple as: What should I look for today? Should I take the job offer? What do I need to know? You can ask as abstract or as focused of a question as you desire. Just keep in mind that sometimes the question you ask, is not always the one that is answered. You may have a question lingering in your subconscious that needs the answer more than whatever you asked. Sometimes the cards actually know more than you realize.
Continue reading “Two Minute Tarot: Asking Your Deck Questions”
Q: Is there a special way I should be shuffling my tarot cards?
A: When doing any tarot reading, it is helpful to clear your mind to the best of your ability. If you know it is a difficult thing for you to do, you may want to take a few preparatory deep cleansing breaths first. While shuffling the cards, I prefer to ask for assistance and guidance (use your spirit of choice) to offer the reading that is requested and needed. I personally tend to favor the number 3 and will shuffle 3 times, cut the deck into 3 portions, and shuffle 3 more times. How you shuffle and/or cut your deck is completely up to you. There is no WRONG or RIGHT way to do it! Through trial and error you will know what works for you and when the cards are ready for you to read them.
This Two Minute Tarot was originally presented by April Kane for White Oak Grove CUUPS August 4, 2019. ©2019 April Kane
Q: What are card rumors and misconceptions I should avoid?
A: Don’t fall into the trap of accessing popular modern dogma to your tarot readings. Just because they used a specific card attribute in a movie doesn’t mean that they got it right.
Upright vs Reversed: Generally is what it is… for example if the upright card means you should jump into this new venture with both feet, the revered may mean don’t count your ducks before they have hatched. Not all tarot card readers read reversed cards differently.
Death means someone will die!!!! No, no that is not what that card means… Yes, it does mean the end of something, but mortal death is rarely what it is alluding to. Upright can be there is a clear ending to a situation while reversed tends to mean that you are at a crossroads and need to make a decision.
The Lovers- bow-chicha-bow-wow! No, stop that… The Lovers appearing for you does not mean a new partner, blah blah blah. What it most likely means is that there is some sort of duality and the cooperation is needed to help.
Oh crap it’s The Devil!!! Yes, there is cause for alarm with this card, no you are not going to Hell. Well, even if you are, I’m not qualified to judge you. Upright this card may mean frustration with a situation. You have the means to free yourself if you are willing to do the work. Reversed can mean you need to look more internally than externally to figure out what is boxing you in.
This Two Minute Tarot was originally presented by April Kane for White Oak Grove CUUPS August 4, 2019. ©2019 April Kane
Q: How do I know what the cards are trying to say. Is there a guide I can use to know what they mean in general until I am more comfortable with them?
A: There are general concepts that equate to specific cards. Most importantly though, listen to your intuition and look for patterns in your readings. If you get drawn specific cards repeatedly when asking the same sort of questions, you may have your own associations that differ from these.
Ace cards tend to key into timing:
Minor Numbers:
This Two Minute Tarot was originally presented by April Kane for White Oak Grove CUUPS August 4, 2019. ©2019 April Kane
Q: What do the different suits of my tarot deck mean?
A: In short, Staves/Rods/Wands equate to topics dealing with inspiration, creativity, tasks, goals, beginnings, growth. They are associated with the element and astrological signs of FIRE. Cups/Chalice are generally equated with emotions, relationships, feelings, desires, emotions, internal. They are associated with the element and astrological signs of WATER. Swords are the tool of reason, truths, observations, actions, struggles, intellect. They are associated with the element and astrological signs of AIR. Finally Coins/Pentacles tend to refer to material goods, home life, career, manifestations. They are associated with the element and astrological signs of EARTH.
This Two Minute Tarot was originally presented by April Kane for White Oak Grove CUUPS August 4, 2019. ©2019 April Kane
Q: What is the difference between the tarot cards with numbers, and the cards named for people?
A: There are generally 78 cards in a tarot deck; and I say generally because some decks are only the Major Arcana or sometimes liberal with a few additional cards. The tarot deck is broken down into Major and Minor Arcana. There are 22 Major Arcana cards (usually numbered 0-21) and 56 Minor Arcana cards which are spread over 4 different suits Ace through 10, and Page, Knight, Queen, and King. The most common used are Staves (or Wands), Cups, Swords, Coins (or Pentacles).
Think of the Major Arcana as major happenings, milestones, events, and energy that one can use or call upon. The Minor Arcana can be viewed as smaller (daily) happenings, details, or events. The Minor lends insight into the steps needed to reach goals or changes that need to be made.
You can do a tarot reading with just the Major Arcana, but most will not do one with only the Minor Arcana. The Major helps to clue you into the large events that may be supported by the Minor.
This Two Minute Tarot was originally presented by April Kane for White Oak Grove CUUPS August 4, 2019. ©2019 April Kane
Q: Now that I have a Tarot Deck, what should I do with it?
A: Once you have your deck, now you need to get familiar with it. Remember that it is helpful to learn about your deck and look at the cards before you jump in and start reading for your friends. Do your homework!!!
My favorite way to do homework is this:
Take your new tarot deck, the book that came with it, a writing utensil, and paper…
You are going to start with the Major Arcana. If you are not familiar with what that is- your book will have it labeled. They are the cards that are not part of the 4 suits that your deck utilizes.
Locate the first card in the book and locate that card in your deck.
Write down your conclusions on paper. Now move onto the next card.
Work through at least the Major Arcana. Even if you have read tarot for decades, this process is helpful especially for decks that don’t follow the typical symbols or imagery you may be familiar with. It is also a great tool at handling your deck and getting it familiar to you.
Beyond this task, a daily card pull and study can be helpful as well. You can ask, What do I need to know today? or What do I need to focus on today? Pull your card and reason out what the card is telling you and why. It is helpful to write this down you may need that information later in your day and not necessarily when you pull your card.
This Two Minute Tarot was originally presented by April Kane for White Oak Grove CUUPS August 4, 2019. ©2019 April Kane
Q: There are so many Tarot Decks, how do I choose?
A: Honestly, you can select whatever deck calls out to you. Some people think that you cannot purchase your own decks, they must be gifted to you… Personally, pish posh to that! If you wait for someone to gift you with one or wait for the perfect deck to hop in your hands you may end up waiting your whole life.
The most infamous tarot deck – Rider-Waite – tends to be the one people gravitate to first especially if you pick up an extended How To book along with the deck as most books work off of that deck.
Divination is a form of knowledge, so lift yourself up by your bootstraps and go get one. Even if the first deck you get doesn’t end up being “perfect” for you, get out there and get learning. It is through trial and error that we find out what does work best for us.
This Two Minute Tarot was originally presented by April Kane for White Oak Grove CUUPS August 4, 2019. ©2019 April Kane
Q: Where did Tarot come from?
A: There is no agreed upon date when tarot cards as we know them came into existence. There is a theory that the origins came into being in the late 14th century with cards used in a game where they person would need to make a poetic story from the cards dealt. It is also around the same time and elsewhere in the world that playing cards depicting royalty were made using the four suits of staves, coins, cups, and swords instead of what would become hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades.
We jump a few centuries to the late 18th and the cards have become more widespread and there is a written work created by Antoine Court de Gébelin. He wrote on an analysis of tarot (and many other things throughout the wold in his nine volumes) and attributed their being stemming from a holy book that came from Egypt and appeared in Europe thanks to Gypsies. Despite his baseless conclusions, the Europeans ate up every word of the mystical tarot.
Ten years later Jean-Baptiste Alliette, a known French Occultist released the first tarot deck that was specifically made for divination and wrote a book on how to use the cards as a divining tool.
Moving into the Victorian age, near every well to do family had a tarot deck due to the explosion into mysticism and the afterlife. Most house parties had entertainment that included a séance, tarot, tea leaf, or palm readings.
The most recognizable tarot deck- the Rider-Waite Tarot was first published in 1909. Arthur Waite worked with artist Pamela Colman-Smith to create the infamous deck. Over 100 years later, it is still one of the most recognizable decks and the one that most people use for imagery and symbolism references.
This Two Minute Tarot was originally presented by April Kane for White Oak Grove CUUPS August 4, 2019. ©2019 April Kane
Q: How do I learn to read Tarot Cards?
A: Learning to read the tarot can include going off of the symbology of the cards and what you interpret them to mean, memorizing the book that comes with your tarot deck (everyone seems to have their own opinion with overarching similarities), journaling a daily diary with a meditation on the card and what impressions you get from it, reading books on tarot, taking classes on tarot (paid and free versions are available all over the internet), or diving in through dabbling.
Whatever method you have for your knowledge, tarot in many ways is very subjective. There is an overarching similarity in themes of cards, ie. The World, Death, numerical symbology, etc. however it is up to the reader with the impressions they are receiving with the reading that will likely influence how a card is or is not read. Also, it is the knowledge of the reader that _____ card means _____ that governs what is interpreted. Not all decks are created equally if you only go off of the words of the deck author.
Trust your instincts with the cards and know that there is no “one way” to make tarot work for you. Go forth and TAROT!
This Two Minute Tarot was originally presented by April Kane for White Oak Grove CUUPS August 4, 2019. ©2019 April Kane
White Oak Grove CUUPS 