How to tell what the cards mean?

That's a good point I should have mentioned earlier; as Etene notes, there are increasingly more subtle and complex "correspondence overlays" that complicate trying to go up the learning curve, since they are often intermingled rather carelessly in modern interpretation. These run all the way from the "psychological overlay" that was grafted on as the New Age evolved in lock-step with populist Jungian psychology, up to the increasingly rarified ponderings of esoteric systems like qabalism, ceremonial magic, astrology, "occult" number theory, color symbolism, various mythologies, etc. Think of it as climbing a very tall ladder; each layer of corrrespondences is a rung, and they go on upward until the air gets a little thin.

It might be best to start with learning material that came to us from the "pre-New Age" era. As much as I think The Pictorial Key to the Tarot is top-heavy with pomposity and many of Waite's divinational meanings seem wackily out of sync with the images on the cards, it's probably one of the first books you should pick up just to be able to perform "sanity checks" on more modern tarot writing (let's just say anyone with the dedication and the means to self-publish can become a published author these days - I'm not being dismissive here, just factual). It's also fairly light on annoying "psychobabble" (just heavy on Victorian stuffiness).

Continuing the above post's idea, I'd just like to mention that LWB is helpful when you are familiar with the cards but certainly not enough to learn about the cards meaning (I started with Servants of the Lights, the 'LWB' was a book and, doing my first reading based on what I understood from it I've got from the spread that I'll die very soon - that was 15 years ago).

Wondering about what learning tools I'd use if I were to start now after reading lots of books and LWBs on tarot (BTW this could be the topic of a new thread), for me it would be "The Pictorial Key to the Tarot" too, but as that book doesn't elaborate too much on the cards it isn't an easy learning tool (but definitely a 'must' for any serious learner) then maybe I'd continue with James Ricklef's books (available in Kindle edition as well = much cheaper), starting with the Pithy Tarot: Quick and easy meanings for Tarot cards , Tarot: Get the Whole Story: Use, Create & Interpret Tarot Spreads and Tarot Spreads-Get the Whole Story: Discover and create Tarot spreads for all occasions. It's an easy reading, they are practical books, and I've got new things and info out of them (I haven't read the first one just the last two) even today.

Jbasham said:

I've had my deck for a while but never really used them until recently. And I know every deck comes with its own little book. So, when ur trying to learn the cards do you go off that little book, or go off of what the Internet says about the card.

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Neither. I go off what the image makes me think and feel. This can be *informed* and *deepened* by a body-of-knowledge developed through reading, but it's your initial gut-reaction to a card each time you see it (and it will be a little different every time), that is the real skill and intuition of the reading.

nisaba said:

Neither. I go off what the image makes me think and feel. This can be *informed* and *deepened* by a body-of-knowledge developed through reading, but it's your initial gut-reaction to a card each time you see it (and it will be a little different every time), that is the real skill and intuition of the reading.

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Precisely. This is why I always seek an overall impression of the whole spread (call it a soft-focus "gestalt" view) before settling down to individual card interpretation: to see what the cards are saying in their "native" (that is, intuitively visual rather than rationally verbal) tongue before all the intellectual tailoring is trotted out. I look for any obvious directional "flow" first and explore the separate twists-and-turns later. This holistic approach can save time by minimizing any flailing around with individual card combinations when they can be seen as part of a larger progression. It's a matter of perspective.

I almost agree with everybody here, it seems, so I'm only presenting a time schedule that's been useful for me.

I believe in mental virginity and some virtue of it, so to begin with, I'd find it interesting to read nothing at all and take some lonely time with the deck, trying to depict each card and find out all the meanings you can get from yourself. Writing it all down could be good and letting room for some blank pages for each card too. Important : NOT memorizing it for now. It's just a previous exercise.

Then, beginning the serious learning from the method you picked and completing your cards' diary with what you learn.

Then finally checking every new method and cards meanings that seems to make sense for you on forums and Internet, books, etc.
If the diary is not fullfilled, then you can add your discoveries there.

I hope this method is not too boring. Well it worked for me at least, so I'm only witnessing.