Tarot is an ancient system of storytelling that has gone through its own evolution over many centuries. It originated in Italy during the 15th century as a card game for members of the aristocracy of its time. Artists would paint on a set of cards, which were divided into different suits representing the four classes of medieval society. (Also, known today in common card games as spades, clubs, hearts, and diamonds) Over time, the visual and meanings of each card went through many different variations as it grew in popularity.

It wasn’t until the Gypsy era that Tarot started gaining its mystical meaning. Today, one of the biggest misconceptions about Tarot is that it’s used for fortune telling, which is simply not true. Everyone has free will and Tarot is a tool used to help us access our own innate power and knowledge within ourselves. The practice gets to be whatever we make it and how we individually connect with the cards! And that’s the magic of Tarot.

There are no hard and fast rules for how to use a Tarot deck because, after all, it’s all about intuition. The best way to approach Tarot is with a sense of openness, curiosity, and playfulness. The more you explore Tarot, the more comfortable and trusting you will become of your intuition.

Some believe that your first deck should be gifted to you. While everyone loves a thoughtful gift, there is nothing more valuable than rewarding yourself with something for your magical personality. In life we must learn to trust ourselves and our own intuition. So, if you feel called - go for it. You should relish the opportunity to choose your first deck. The most important variable is your unique connection to the deck.

If you’re new to Tarot, I suggest beginning by pulling one card a day for yourself. You can ask a simple question like, “What message do I need to hear today?” or “How can I serve today?” or you can jump in with a more specific question related to a situation in your life. When you pull a card, take some time to reflect on the image and create your own interpretation based on the imagery and your gut reaction. Then, you can dive into your guidebook to read more about the card, deepen your understanding, and clarify your interpretation. Each card has a story, but every person will read it differently. That’s the magic of Tarot!

Once you start to feel more comfortable, you can experiment with spreads. Spreads are simply formats in which Tarot readings are given. The placement of each card will help guide the readings. Reading Tarot isn’t meant to be challenging. Many variations of spreads exist from simple to complex. Some of the most common spreads are 3-Card and 5-Card Spreads.