Where to start

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 24 Mar 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

johnpalm	24 Mar 2003
I am dieing to learn how to do tarot but I dont know where to start? Which deck? which book?

LadyMedusa	25 Mar 2003
Welcome Johnpalm, There is a wonderful Basics series here by Thirteen it is a very good place to start. It uses the Rider-Waite style deck. http://www.aeclectic.net/basics/index.html LadyMedusa

Rose	25 Mar 2003
Hi, I'm going to refer you to two excellent websites: http://www.villarevak.org/ click on--A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO LEARNING TAROT it discusses the different types of decks available,the books that explain them and also gives a guide to online resources. http://www.learntarot.com a complete free online course (It's the online version of a published book by the website owner). A great start to learning tarot. Hope this helps. Rose

Thirteen	25 Mar 2003
Thanks LadyM for the props on the Basics-- JOHN-- Here's my personal recommendation: 1) you want to buy the Rider-Waite deck. It may not be to your taste, but you can get it dirt cheap and 90% of the decks out there are based on this deck. Once you understand Tarot with this deck, it's easy to pick up just about any other deck other there and adjust. So, Rider-waite is your "primer" deck. Once you've gone beyond the basics of tarot, you can come back, browse here, online at Aeclectic, for a deck that suits your personal tastes--that says, "Here I am, John, your deck!" Aeclectic has pictures of hundreds of beautiful, often obscure decks. 2) Once you've got the Rider deck, go through it, and get to know the cards. Don't read anything at first. Just look at the cards. Admire the pictures, the designs. Some folk like to have a journal where they write down, first, their initial impressions of the cards--what they feel they might mean or be about--and later their meditations on the cards. That's up to you. 3) After you've looked the cards over, it's time to start memorizing them. Don't memorize them all at once. Try 5-10 a day. Start with what we call the Major Arcana--that's the first 22 cards (0-21), Fool to The World. I don't mean memorize the meanings, I mean memorize the cards. Their names, their images. This will make it easier for you when you start to learn the meanings. 4) And NOW, finally, it's time to go to one of the sites mentioned and start to learn the meanings. Check back here along the way with any questions. We'll be happy to help. That's my advice on how to start. Enjoy!

fairyhedgehog	25 Mar 2003
I hesitate to offer different advice from Thirteen about the choice of a deck as she is so much more knowledgeable about Tarot than I am, so I'll simply tell you my own experience. I hated the look of the Rider Waite deck so I started with a deck that uses similar imagery but is better looking. I chose the Hanson Roberts but many people like the Robin Wood - there are many others. You could look at http://www.aeclectic.net/cats.html under Rider Waite Clones and Beginner's Decks for some suggestions. I found it easy to connect with a deck that I liked. I would agree that Thirteen's tarot Basics are well worth reading. I was also lucky enough to be taught by a friend online, at least for the first part of the Major Arcana. If you like the idea of a structured course Barnes and Noble run regular online Tarot courses. At first I mainly used The Complete Book of Tarot by Juliet Sharman-Burke and did loads of readings by myself, looking up the meanings in the book. I also used www.learntarot.com as an easy way to look up meanings (I bought the book eventually, it's Learning the Tarot by Joan Bunning). I hope some of these ideas are useful. Most people in here say to go with what works for you and I think that is a good idea :)

Inana	25 Mar 2003
Welcome Johnpalm!! I started to learn tarot a month or two ago, and i was with the same questions that you have now. Like its said above, Thirteen Basics and Learntarot.com are very usefull. I also like this other site http://www.ata-tarot.com/resource/index.html where is a section with card thoughts and meanings based on Rider-Waite. And the aeclectic forum is a good place to learn and share too. I dont recommend any book, since in the net there's lots of information where you can start. You always can buy one after. About the decks, here are more suggestions on decks for beginers http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11387 What is very useful its to look at the cards and see what feelings bring them to you, look the details, simbols, etc... This way you get familiar with the cards. Take notes about what you see and what you read. And above all, have fun and enjoy, the tarot is a very nice thing.

coldsuns	25 Mar 2003
Get a Fantastical Tarot Deck!! It's nice and unique. Colorful and easy to read. ^_^ Juz a suggestion .. :P

Thirteen	25 Mar 2003
Quote: Originally posted by fairyhedgehog I hesitate to offer different advice from Thirteen about the choice of a deck as she is so much more knowledgeable about Tarot than I am, so I'll simply tell you my own experience. I hated the look of the Rider Waite deck so I started with a deck that uses similar imagery but is better looking. I chose the Hanson Roberts but many people like the Robin Wood - there are many others. You're right! I should have modified the response to include "Rider clones" that are more pleasing to the eye, especially if someone outright hates classic Rider. John, as pointed out, there are Rider clones out there--like Rider-Waite in image, but with a style that might be more to your taste. So if you really hate the look of Rider when you see it, come ask here and wise folk like Fairyhedghog will steer you to some beautiful clones.

Umbrae	27 Mar 2003
My advice. Begin at the beginning. Go Slow! Unless you strive for mediocrity. Begin with three card spreads. Begin doing three card readings (for others). Do them for-ever. Do a lot of them. Three card readings are versatile, and accurate. More cards do not always mean better readings (but they look good on TV). There is no need to advance to a five card spread until you have at least six months of reading under your belt. Buy a spiral notebook. Use it as a Journal (very important). Write down every reading (both cards and your interpretation). Only read for yourself no more than once a week. Read old threads in the Archives. Read the text sections. You may also want to read this (url below)...the guys pretty 'out there', but it might have something you can use... http://www.aeclectic.net/articles/process_introduction.html

Athara	27 Mar 2003
Why do you advice no more than one spread a week on yourself, Umbrae?

HudsonGray	27 Mar 2003
I think because we're too close to things to see & interprete them without a lot of pulling back to remain neutral. It's very beneficial to read for others, you get a wider learning base going. And some people keep asking the same question over & over when they're reading for themselves, which won't help in the learning process. Unless you've made things change, the reading won't be changing every time you do it, you'll end up by giving yourself a block on things. Variety. That's the ticket!

The Where to start thread was originally posted on 24 Mar 2003 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.