Introducing “Reader Q&A”
I love getting questions from my visitors and blog subscribers because it means that I can help others to learn to read Tarot cards and can share the experience and wisdom of the Tarot. Rather than just having a one-on-one email exchanges, I am going to start posting YOUR Tarot questions, along with my answers.
If you have a burning Tarot-related question, contact me and I will aim to answer your questions via my Tarot blog. It might not be straight away, but I will aim to at least get back to you personally via email.
Today’s Reader Question: How do I commit the Tarot card meanings to memory?
Ok, to kick it off, here’s the first question from Nina…
“I just started tarot reading. I’m currently working to commit the card meanings to memory, but I have difficulties in interpreting the cards. Is that uncommon and do you have any tips on interpreting cards in general and what the cards truly mean among the many meanings of each card?”
Answer…
Firstly, it took me a long time before I was able to commit the Tarot card meanings to memory. So, don’t worry, you’re not alone! Think about it… there are 78 Tarot cards, each with completely different meanings and interpretations. Not only that, depending which book you read or what type of Tarot reading you’re doing (e.g. a relationship spread or a career spread), the meanings for the same Tarot card can be different. So, starting out as a beginner and learning the 78 Tarot card meanings can indeed be a daunting task and it is very normal for it to take several months, if not years, to commit each Tarot card meaning to memory.
But, you have got to start somewhere!!! So let’s break it down…
Start with a specific Suit or the Major Arcana
It is much easier to start with a smaller group of cards than ALL 78 Tarot cards. So, select a Suit (or the Major Arcana) to work with. (In fact, I recommend starting with a Suit, as the Major Arcana is highly complex and detailed once you get into it.) Then, you’re working with just 14 Tarot cards rather than 78, and mastery of those Tarot cards will come much faster and give you the confidence boost you need!
Create Tarot card keyword cheatsheets
In April, I wrote a blog post about how to turbo-charge your Tarot readings, using Tarot card keyword cheatsheets. I’m not going to regurgitate the whole post here, but what I will say is that cheatsheets offer an extremely helpful way for memorising the Tarot card meanings. You can work with an existing list of Tarot card keywords, or create your own. Personally, I recommend creating your own as it facilitates the learning process.
Once you have your cheatsheet, print it off, laminate it and stick it up somewhere prominent at home or at work. Every day, run through each Tarot card and each set of keywords, to help commit those meanings to memory. While it won’t give you an in-depth understanding of each card, it will at least get you started with a couple of helpful keywords up your sleeve.
Write a Tarot journal
Keeping your own Tarot journal is an excellent way to bring the Tarot cards to life and to personalise the Tarot card meanings. Again, here’s a blog post I wrote about writing your own Tarot journal which will help get you started.
You may be interested in the Tarot Card Meanings Companion Workbook which I designed as a comprehensive learning tool. It is a Tarot Journal that can either be printed and used as a hard copy, or that can be editted and saved on your computer as a soft copy. It is a fantastic resource for Tarot students to create their own guide to the Tarot cards.
A Tarot journal is a bigger commitment, but this method will help you to develop a much more in-depth understanding of the cards.
Read, read, read
Even after 15 years of reading Tarot, I still learn something new from reading various Tarot books. There are some great Tarot books out there – here are just a few:
- Learning the Tarot: A Tarot Book for Beginners
- Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom: A Book of Tarot
- Easy Tarot: Learn to Read the Cards Once and For All!
- *shameless plug* The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings eBook from My Tarot Club
The lowdown…
At the end of the day, I think there are two key steps to committing the Tarot card meanings to memory. First, it is about committing the keywords to memory, then second, (and this is what will make you a truly ‘good’ Tarot reader) it is about bringing those Tarot card meanings to life by personalising them and understanding them at a much more in-depth level.
Good luck with your Tarot studies, Nina! And thanks for sharing your Tarot question!
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I think initially you should spend time in understanding the symbols on cards and their underlying philosophy.You would then decipher easily the meanings of cards.Also you could do a single card reading for yourself daily,and try to know how it’s working in your own life.
Namaste,
The only reason that I quit reading a card a day is that each card has its own world around it. Much of its particular meaning is lost or misunderstood without the support of other cards to help expand on your single card. It helps, everything does. Even a three card reading(past, present, and future) can be mileading for the beginner and adept alike. I personally have used many methods of study, and the method that My Tarot Club mentioned above has been the best for me. Myself, I will read an on line explanation, or sometimes two and develop an overall meaning that I am comfortable with, and write your interpretation of the card in your journal. I have several books that I use to expand understanding of the card. Again, when I am comfortable with what I have learned, I go back to my journal, read what I wrote previously, and add what you have learned. Your feelings toward this card are important. Your feelings and meaning of this card form a relationship and you will retain much more of what you learned. Later, when you have symbolgy questions,and meanings,this site again is your best bet. Blessings
Hi Sid,
Thanks so much for sharing your personal tips on how to commit the Tarot cards to memory. It sounds like you are on a wonderful journey towards understanding the Tarot cards not only on a superficial “what do the cards mean?” level, but at a much deeper level where the profound impact of the cards becomes more apparent. Good on you!
My Tarot Club
I started reading a month ago. I’ll explain my process of learning. I hope it helps you. I do Celtic Crosses for myself at night, usually 2-5 spreads, so I could understand my day to day life on a deeper insight. The readings have been very insightful all the time. In fact, last night I did a reading that provided the specific date of the event and it turned out the date was the very day I was doing the reading. So this shows me how in-tune my unconscious mind is with the cards now. Learning the cards into memory is about developing a relationship with the cards and your unconscious mind. The unconscious mind must be attracted to use the cards. I have three to four tarot books with me and I just read the meaning of the cards from all books. This is a very long and tedious process but it does help. Since it has been a month now, I have learned to associate the cards from past readings. I still don’t know the cards well, but I am developing an intuitive connection with the cards. It does take a very long time to connect with the meaning of the cards individually. I give myself time. And if I’m not in the mood to do a reading I don’t. I thought I would never continue enjoying reading tarots when I first started. But I learned to only use the cards when I have a desire to. I find it like talking to a very intuitive friend. And actually I can’t talk to many people because they aren’t intuitive enough for me to continue a conversation. Not that I am cold, but that I am too sensitive of an intuit for usual superficial conversation. So to sum up, it takes a good amount of time and energy to learn the cards by memory. It really is about your unconscious connection to the cards as tools. I don’t think there is an easy way to go about it. It is about equal to college level study. Enjoy the tarot cards as they were your very intuitive friends!