Ligator
The last advise was so excellent. HAVE FUN! Choose a method to learn the tarot by which it becomes enjoyful!
/t
/t
Should beginners' emphasis be on book or cards?
berrieh
This depends on how you choose to read.
I will say I began with the cards and a teacher, not a book... so I have always felt spoiled in that manner. A teacher is the best thing, someone who is successful... better than a book, but a book is the same idea, I guess (assuming it is a good book!).
Looking at the cards without study, to me, is useless.
But that's because I don't care to read intuitively. I try it occasionally, for fun, and I'm not bad at it. I can usually do pretty well... but, then, I still have that foundation of study and a system in the back of my head. (Probably, the only time my readings can truly be intuitive is if I draw a single card, which excludes most of the systems and analysis that usually happens instantly when I read the cards.) But trying to do something intuitively is 'shaky' -- I have no fallback, no frame of reference, nothing to ground myself with. It's not that my intuition is bad (on the contrary, I think it's pretty strong) but that, to me, intuition is too unreliable to...well, rely on.
I think for Tarot to work successfully and repeatedly, one must find a constant belief. That truth differs from person to person. Mine relies on study and on past experience, more than it relies on intuition.
Experience is best. The cards will tell you what they mean to you eventually, I believe. The new reader cannot use experience, though, so they must pick a way---study or intuition.
Ideally, they'll work on both. Balance being key.
To me, the question provokes another question, "Which beginner?"
And yet another, "What is their worldview?"
And one more, "What is their goal?"
Those questions must be answered to find the best way, the best combination of influences, to cement Tarot for them. I don't think it's a one size fits all sort of thing.
I will say I began with the cards and a teacher, not a book... so I have always felt spoiled in that manner. A teacher is the best thing, someone who is successful... better than a book, but a book is the same idea, I guess (assuming it is a good book!).
Looking at the cards without study, to me, is useless.
But that's because I don't care to read intuitively. I try it occasionally, for fun, and I'm not bad at it. I can usually do pretty well... but, then, I still have that foundation of study and a system in the back of my head. (Probably, the only time my readings can truly be intuitive is if I draw a single card, which excludes most of the systems and analysis that usually happens instantly when I read the cards.) But trying to do something intuitively is 'shaky' -- I have no fallback, no frame of reference, nothing to ground myself with. It's not that my intuition is bad (on the contrary, I think it's pretty strong) but that, to me, intuition is too unreliable to...well, rely on.
I think for Tarot to work successfully and repeatedly, one must find a constant belief. That truth differs from person to person. Mine relies on study and on past experience, more than it relies on intuition.
Experience is best. The cards will tell you what they mean to you eventually, I believe. The new reader cannot use experience, though, so they must pick a way---study or intuition.
Ideally, they'll work on both. Balance being key.
To me, the question provokes another question, "Which beginner?"
And yet another, "What is their worldview?"
And one more, "What is their goal?"
Those questions must be answered to find the best way, the best combination of influences, to cement Tarot for them. I don't think it's a one size fits all sort of thing.
staticfuzz
For me personally one of the most important things is journaling. I use a bit of intuition, but usually it's to modify or choose from the vast ways that others have already read each card. I'm open to all interpretations, and I just think about which traditional meanings (or meanings I've found here on AT) fit best when I look at the imagery. I'm a pretty flexible and good at adapting so I think this method works out for me best.
Demon Goddess
I'd be the first person to tell you to just read the cards. I'd also be the first person to tell you that unless you feel comfortable "just reading the cards"... use the books. Learn what you think you need to help you read. When you are ready to drop the books... you will. Some people never do and are brilliant readers regardless.
Go with your heart and your mind and read the way you feel you need to.
If you let anyone else put limitations on how you read YOUR tarot cards, then your readings will be limited. If you have any limitations... let them be yours.
Have fun with it, and when you screw it up... and you will, don't be too hard on yourself. I have been reading nearly 30 years and I am still learning. And you'll discover that the old-time readers amongst us will ditto that same refrain as it pertains to their readings.
With love.
Go with your heart and your mind and read the way you feel you need to.
If you let anyone else put limitations on how you read YOUR tarot cards, then your readings will be limited. If you have any limitations... let them be yours.
Have fun with it, and when you screw it up... and you will, don't be too hard on yourself. I have been reading nearly 30 years and I am still learning. And you'll discover that the old-time readers amongst us will ditto that same refrain as it pertains to their readings.
With love.
JONIKA
In my opinion, all beginners (the people who are not familiar with tarot at all) should study them from books first. One has to gain some basic knowledge - "a foundation" on which he/she can build later on.
Without studying books first, the pictures and numbers on the cards would not make any sense to me. I can't imagine having had to figure them out all by myself...I would probably quit
Tarot cards are A TOOL, right? So, first, you learn to use that tool and only after that, you customize it to your liking...
That is my opinion...take it or leave it
Without studying books first, the pictures and numbers on the cards would not make any sense to me. I can't imagine having had to figure them out all by myself...I would probably quit
Tarot cards are A TOOL, right? So, first, you learn to use that tool and only after that, you customize it to your liking...
That is my opinion...take it or leave it
Bloudwedd
JONIKA said:
Liked that! A lot!
For me, I have not really worked a lot with symbolism before I started using the tarot cards. So it is rather impossible for me to just watch a card and then bring hundreds of symbols out from that specific card. I need to know the "story" behind the card, may it be the ordinary RW-isnpired deck or a more talkative deck like the Legend - Arthurian Tarot, but I need to know the backstory. For that I use books and keywords. When I have my keywords that fit to the cards I can modify and tweak it all along. But that is just me
You have to go your own way and find what makes you feel comfortable!The crowned one
It is a very good question. I would start with history books. Those that pertain to tarot( as playing cards) and the ideology's/beiliefs of the times of the introduction of tarot to the world in the late 1400's and up. Often it is just a parapraph or a few lines within a whole history book. It will give you some insight to the early art and you get to see the progressions and changes the decks went through. There is a amazing and clear change in tarot right about 1888 that clearly shows the "new divination"
I would do this concurrently with studying the cards and asking yourself questions. Research those questions from the past and present and every angle you can think of. Then find your own answers. Keep a open mind.
I would do this concurrently with studying the cards and asking yourself questions. Research those questions from the past and present and every angle you can think of. Then find your own answers. Keep a open mind.
Ravenne
I think it depends on the book whether or not it's a good thing to start with it. I've got a couple which basically only state some history and card meanings. However, the last book I got not so long ago actually (finally!) got me going well. This book includes and motivates to explore the cards yourself. It says to explore each card, one by one, to keep a journal, look back and revise what you've written down and so on. It slowly builds up from drawing a daily card to a small reading with 1 or few cards to slightly bigger readings.
I think this type of book really helps a beginning tarot reader to build up a solid foundation to build on. Like Sulis said it keeps a balance between one's own findings and info, which I think is a good way to learn.
Ravenne
I think this type of book really helps a beginning tarot reader to build up a solid foundation to build on. Like Sulis said it keeps a balance between one's own findings and info, which I think is a good way to learn.
Ravenne
Gavriela
I love books. But I'm a writer, so I would. I've seen very good tarot books out there, and mediocre tarot books, and bad tarot books. And lots of books that I think people ought to read if they want to understand tarot - the bible being the most important.
I shall throw out a question, take it as rhetorical or no. You're doing a one-card reading with the RWS. You pull the King of Cups. Your eye immediately goes to that little red ship being tossed on the sea (yup, it's there - have you ever noticed it? You might one day).
How do you read the card?
Does that have any connection to books or no books? I honestly don't know. But I do know it, or something like it, will happen to you if you read tarot. Does the way you learn allow you to read when it happens? If it does, you're probably on the right track. If it doesn't - maybe you need to re-evaluate your educational path? Not necessarily diss it, but you might need to make some adjustments.
Just my opinion.
I shall throw out a question, take it as rhetorical or no. You're doing a one-card reading with the RWS. You pull the King of Cups. Your eye immediately goes to that little red ship being tossed on the sea (yup, it's there - have you ever noticed it? You might one day).
How do you read the card?
Does that have any connection to books or no books? I honestly don't know. But I do know it, or something like it, will happen to you if you read tarot. Does the way you learn allow you to read when it happens? If it does, you're probably on the right track. If it doesn't - maybe you need to re-evaluate your educational path? Not necessarily diss it, but you might need to make some adjustments.
Just my opinion.
The crowned one
Between studing history books I use to play a mind game with the cards and myself.
I would picture a card and actually bring it to life in my mind... The grass would blow on a gentle breeze fluttering the pedals of flower in the fools hand as his head slowly turns towards me. I could see the sun glisten off the distance mountains and smell spring in the air, I watched the blades of grass under his shoes rebound from his step as he foraged losing interest in the butterfly as his dog called to him.... you get the idea. I would bring the card to life, slowly adding details, textures feelings and smell. It is fun, peaceful and very good for learning a card's every detail and interaction.
I would picture a card and actually bring it to life in my mind... The grass would blow on a gentle breeze fluttering the pedals of flower in the fools hand as his head slowly turns towards me. I could see the sun glisten off the distance mountains and smell spring in the air, I watched the blades of grass under his shoes rebound from his step as he foraged losing interest in the butterfly as his dog called to him.... you get the idea. I would bring the card to life, slowly adding details, textures feelings and smell. It is fun, peaceful and very good for learning a card's every detail and interaction.
