Okay, so I’ve been getting into tarot cards lately, and let me tell you, it’s a whole new world! I decided to start with the most popular deck, the Universal Waite Tarot Deck. It’s a variation of the classic Rider-Waite deck, but with softer, recolored artwork. I figured it’d be a good starting point for learning the meanings of all those cards.
First thing I did was just look at the cards. I mean, really look at them. I spread them all out on my table and just took in the images, the colors, the symbols… everything. It felt a little overwhelming at first, 78 cards is a lot!
Then, I started to group them. I noticed some cards had similar vibes, you know? Like, some were clearly about challenges, others were more about celebrations, and some were just… calm. This helped me start to get a general feel for each card.
Digging Deeper into Major and Minor Arcana
Next, I learned about the two main sections of the deck: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana.
- Major Arcana: These are the big, symbolic cards, like The Fool, The Lovers, The Tower. I realized these cards represent major life lessons, karmic influences, and big archetypal themes. I spent a good chunk of time just researching these, one by one.
- Minor Arcana: These are more like the everyday stuff. I learned they’re divided into four suits (Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles), kinda like regular playing cards. Each suit represents a different aspect of life:
- Wands: Fire, passion, energy, action.
- Cups: Water, emotions, relationships, intuition.
- Swords: Air, intellect, thoughts, conflict.
- Pentacles: Earth, material things, finances, career.
To really memorize and understand meanings, I decided I couldn’t just read about them. I started doing a “card of the day” pull. Every morning, I shuffle the deck, pull a card, and then really think about how that card’s meaning might apply to my day. I write down my interpretations in a little notebook. Some days it’s spot on, other days it’s a bit of a stretch, but it’s definitely helping me connect with the cards on a personal level.
I also tried doing some simple spreads, like a three-card spread for “past, present, future.” It’s still pretty basic, but I’m starting to see how the cards can interact with each other and tell a story. Honestly, my first few readings were a mess, all over the place! I’m learning by doing.
I’m still very much a beginner, I am no professional Tarot reader. But I’m enjoying the process of learning and exploring. It’s like learning a new language, a visual language of symbols and archetypes. And honestly, it’s kinda fun! It’s a journey, and I’m excited to see where it takes me.
