Learning how to do a tarot reading for yourself is not only enjoyable but also enlightening. When the going gets tough, those with divine guidance get going!
But let’s just say that tarot readers aren’t available in your area, or you are too shy to go out and see one. Luckily, you can do a tarot reading for yourself!
Unlike ordinary tarot reading, though, there are some things to consider when doing it on your own. It may not be obvious, but there are things that you may overlook during the entire ritual.
Here’s how to tarot reading for yourself:
1. Assess your situation
When and why a person would consult tarot cards depends on them. But it is assumed that the problem is pretty severe since they had to resort to divine guidance to help them get through it.
It is also essential that you ask yourself this question: is it that grave you have to do a tarot reading? If it’s about taking a work opportunity away from home, it is probably best to consult your tarot deck.
But if it is something as mundane as whether you should get pizza or hot buffalo wings, then maybe you should reconsider. You wouldn’t want to tick off the heavens by using them as your food picker!
2. Keep a notebook by your side
When you have decided to really ask the cosmos what to do, it is best to take down some notes. Chances are, if you don’t, you will be missing a key detail during your reading!
Aside from this, it will also help you gauge the situation. Some things you can write in this notebook are:
- Details on what you are going through;
- Your tarot questions; and
- The predictions you read from your tarot deck.
With this, you can make connections between what your cards are telling you and what is going on. Be mindful, though, to write down things as objectively as you can.
Purposefully missing out on details you do not like will not change what the cards have shown you. In fact, it defeats the entire purpose of the whole note-taking process!
3. Clear your mind
The last thing you want during a tarot reading is your emotions getting all racked up. Do some meditation or pray before you are going to do your session.
It also helps that your tarot reading area is clean and free from distractions. Having a comfy chair, excellent ambient music, and a generally solemn atmosphere go a long way!
Let go of all the stressful feelings and focus on the questions you have. As much as possible, remain calm and do not get too carried away by your emotions.
If you have difficulty formulating your tarot questions, do not fret! You can consult this guide on how you can create a compelling and objective tarot question. [insert link on how to make tarot questions]
4. Do not overwhelm yourself
As you may have known by now, there are different ways to do a card pull. Spreads can range from as few as one card to as many as ten.
Your spread depends on how much information that you need. Yet, this doesn’t mean that you should go ahead and do the ten-card spread right away.
This may cause you to break your focus, as you may become desperate for more information or answers. Your emotions may even go haywire because of the overload of things that the cards will reveal to you.
In this situation, it is best to do a three-card pull. This is because it gives you a rough outline of the actual cause of the problem, what is happening in the present, and future outcomes of your situation.
While choosing the more elaborate ten-card pull is not at all wrong, it may cause you more confusion rather than enlightenment. Taking the tarot reading slow and steady will help you better and give you the insight you need.
5. Interpret and understand the message
Guides on tarot reading are available all over the place. Yet this centuries-old art is neither strict nor structured.
While it is important to consider the widely accepted meanings behind each tarot card, you must also keep in mind how it adds up in your situation.
Reflect on your reading: what is it trying to tell you? How does it all make sense? Why are these the cards that you managed to pull out from the entire deck? Is the narrative it is showing positive or negative?
If ever the cards give you a message that you do not like, do not force it to reverse its predictions. Tarot cards can channel both the universe and the reader’s energies, so forcing it to do what you want will make it “rebellious,” so to speak.
However, if you feel that your interpretation doesn’t make sense, you are also free to consult someone more knowledgeable in tarot reading to help you out. It doesn’t hurt to ask for guidance from the veterans!
6. Go back to your questions
Back in step three, you asked some questions. Now it is time to answer them.
Since you have already established your interpretations of your spread, it is time to use these learnings to look into how you will find the resolution to your problem.
You must avoid cherry-picking when doing this part. Some tarot readers tend to the mistake of picking off what they think fits the narrative that they are trying to establish.
When discerning the possible answers to your questions, consider the sum of the entire reading. Focusing too much on one aspect may even come to the point of derailing you from your goal in the first place: seeking guidance.
7. Do not pressure yourself to follow exactly what your tarot cards are telling you
One common misconception of beginners and non-tarot practitioners is that tarot cards are there to foretell the future. The truth is that tarot is more of opening your mind to all the possibilities that you may encounter along the way.
As said, the tarot is flexible and forgiving. No matter what you do, think, or say about the predictions your deck has given you, the heavens will always be there to speak the truth as far as they can see it.
Yet, as heaven gave humans the gift of free will, the cosmos will not force people to do its bidding. Besides, what humans do with their own fate is up to their discretion, and the universe will always keep itself running, no matter what happens to us.
So, do what you think is the best thing for you to do. Consider not only what is in your best interests, but also that of the other party.
Remember that the goal of tarot reading is to fulfill your well-being, and you should extend that with others, too.
8. Overreading is a capital sin when you tarot read for yourself
As tools for divination, tarot cards can harness the energies of their environment to give accurate predictions. The calmer the reader is, the more the tarot deck can effectively focus on the matter on hand objectively.
However, getting agitated on pessimistic predictions is normal. If the situation is pretty dir
And there you go! With this quick and easy guide to reading a tarot deck for yourself, you can be sure to get the answers that you actually need.
So shuffle that deck and take a deep breath; it’s time to listen to the universe!e, and the tarot reading seems to reinforce the already unfavorable goings-on, wanting to do the entire process again is normal.
Yet this is not ideal, as tarot cards need to rest too. When overused, they can no longer give accurate predictions and instead produce nonsensical messages.
As for your part, whatever the cards say is just the way that it is. Nothing can change what the cosmos has said about your situation.
But if you really need that second round of tarot reading, then it is best to wait out a few days before rereading. This is especially true if you think you have done something significant in the period between the first reading and your planned second reading.
Again though, try not to overread. Be kind to your cards and be a good sport!
9. Never obsess on your tarot cards
Some people find comfort in something familiar and help them pull through during their worst days. Among these people are those who are tarot-dependent when making decisions or merely trying to live.
Unfortunately, allowing yourself to be carried away by your cards is a big no-no. For one, tarot cards are not dictators, but rather guides aiming to help you live a happy life.
Also, allowing yourself to be too consumed by your tarot deck is not a healthy kind of addiction. Think of it like coffee: when consumed in small, infrequent amounts, it helps keep you awake and active.
But when you reached the point when you are already trading water for coffee, then boy oh boy, time to reconsider your choices. As the old saying goes, “too much of everything does not do good!”
