Cult of Tarot Forum

When I began using the cards, I thought it would be a matter of just memorizing meanings and I figured I'd have done that pretty well in a month and be ready to tell fortunes.

NOT!!! as the kids used to say. Here I am 20 years later, still learning. Reading cards isn't a parlor trick, it's actually a scientifically proven fact that the senses we use in reading cards do exist and come into play when we use divination methods. The term "psychic" isn't very well accepted one, even for those of us who know and use that part of ourselves, so it's still kind of a dirty word for people who do use psychic abilities on purpose.

Have patience with yourself. There isn't just one way of using the cards, there are probably as many ways of using them as there are readers. Develop your ability in the best way for you. There used to be a "throw out the book" thing that became an unwritten "rule" for many years. Learn in whatever way is the most expedient for you. If, like me, you learn best by using books, then by all means, read books! Don't let others tell you how to learn. You know yourself better than anyone else and you know how you learn better than someone else could tell you how to do, or not do, your learning.

This is an incredibly enriching and fascinating study you're embarking on. It's up to you how much time you'll devote to it, how you'll put it to work for you, and whether or not you want to go pro once you've gotten more confident in your knowledge of the cards.

Yes! Yes! Yes! What she said!

The one thing I'd add - when you're ready, or when you get frustrated, try a different method, even for just a short while. Are you the "I hate books" kind? Stick your nose into at least one book. Do you only learn with one deck? Try a different one. Are you a DIY learner? Try at least one little course.

Ok, gonna take my own advice now and watch a tarot video. (I tend to roll my eyes at learning from videos )

[Ok, did just that - watched an interesting video with Rachel Pollack about how she uses questions to guide her spreads

Grizabella wrote: ↑14 Jan 2019, 21:29 This is an incredibly enriching and fascinating study you're embarking on.

This is so true. The more I learn about tarot, the more doors open. I had no idea of this when I started.

One thing I would add about learning from books is that if you find yourself frustrated by a book, try another book. You'll find the ones that speak to you. And don't forget that just like a writer develops a voice, so does a tarot reader. All the choices you make, the books you read, the decks you use, the habits you develop, etc. will all be a part of how you find your "tarot voice." And as Grizabella said, you can't rush that. You're nurturing something and what that something develops into will surprise and delight you and will be like no one else.

Grizabella wrote: ↑14 Jan 2019, 21:29

There isn't just one way of using the cards, there are probably as many ways of using them as there are readers. Develop your ability in the best way for you. There used to be a "throw out the book" thing that became an unwritten "rule" for many years. Learn in whatever way is the most expedient for you. If, like me, you learn best by using books, then by all means, read books! Don't let others tell you how to learn. You know yourself better than anyone else and you know how you learn better than someone else could tell you how to do, or not do, your learning.

I agree. Tarot is such a personal pursuit. You have to find what works for you and that might take time, so I think you have to be open to exploring and trying something new if what you are doing isn't working in some way. By all means look at books, videos, do classes etc.if you want to, as there is always some information you can learn from others, but never feel you have to do things a certain way just because someone else says you must - do it if if works for you, don't if it doesn't. By trying different things and exploring you will eventually find the kind of decks, spreads and ways of working with tarot that suit you most.

So true. And then there is the "wisdom of time" factor. When I was a young student of philosophy, I simply didn't understand certain texts or philosopher's. I understood the words but they meant nothing to me, however much I tried to "enter" them. Nowadays they seem so obvious to me. Have I become so much cleverer? No, but life experience teaches you every day and after a number of years, you feel it.

It's the same with tarot. Don't force it. Things just happen. Keep reading those cards, read the books you like and put aside those that don't tell you anything, and over time, little islands of wisdom will appear in the sea of ignorance. Only then, of course, we understand how huge the sea is. When I was younger, I felt so much more assured of my knowledge but now I know that actually, I know nothing or just a little bit. And that's alright.

Keeping a journal helps to keep the wisdom you accumulate accessible. Taking pictures and scribbling in some binder or whatever is most comfortable to you. But even without it - you'll grow into your cards day by day.

Your words are so encouraging
One of my favourite parts of keeping a tarot journal is being able to have 'oh that's what you meant' moments. I once asked the Mythic Tarot if I would see someone again and got the Hierophant, the Chariot, five of pentacles, as well as a few others. They all fell out at once, and the last one was the nine of pentacles facing the other way. I read it as having a certain, repeating the same mistakes vibe (stop asking about that man!), but when I saw him; it was on the street where we used to live together (the private in the public/the tradition in the Hierophant), I was in my car (Chariot. Stop it) and he was half turned away from us with a hood on (like the male figure depicted on 5pentacles) even the card that faced the other way was: as we went past him my youngest daughter turned around to look back at him again and stated, 'I still like him' (her teenage sister did not) asserting her independant and accumulative idea of value (9pentacles). Blew my mind and gave me a new respect for intuitive reading. Sometimes the answer is very simple and a little bit cheeky

Lovely advice. And be patient. Give time to it. I wonder if others find themselves skimming the forums, or rushing through readings. We're all in such a hurry now. We seek replies, but only if they aren't too long! We check on mobile, but posting is too hard with that one-finger typing! And so conversations lapse. You draw a card - oh, fine. On we go. Did we really want to listen?

Patience. Patience with ourselves and with each other and the time taken to talk and read and learn. Let's give these things the time they deserve. A cup of something warm and soothing; breathe, read, reflect, and write.

It's really important to trust your own learning process, too. I remember how, in the early years, I thought I'd never, never "get it" and be a confident, fluent reader. I felt like I was just floundering around in a wilderness for a long time. We all learn differently and at different rates of speed. Just keep going through the paces and you'll eventually find you've made a breakthrough. I've gone through several of those breakthroughs along the way in various areas. I've also gone through periods of time where I've put Tarot aside altogether for varying lengths of time, only to come back with stronger and more coherent knowledge of the cards.

Grizabella wrote: ↑14 Jan 2019, 21:29 There used to be a "throw out the book" thing that became an unwritten "rule" for many years.

I remember encountering that a few times before and I was just: Lolno.

archimedes wrote: ↑06 Sep 2019, 03:57 (...) Did we really want to listen?

This really struck a chord... why do we feel so drawn to this method of divination and self reflection? Perhaps we sense that our souls and bodies need time away from the hustle and bustle, but when we rush our readings, we don’t follow through on our intention.

For me, this also has a lot to do with respect for the method. You can’t make great sushi if you can’t wait for the rice to cool down completely.

I'm literally learning this lesson right now. I did EXACTLY what you said in the initial post, about memorizing the cards in about a month, and then expecting to be able to read in the next few weeks, I'm IN those weeks now, and I've found that only one of my decks seems to read for me, the readings aren't very... specific it's a sort of "well that could almost apply to anyone" kind of thing, I did one reading for someone on another forum and while they haven't been able to give me full feedback yet, the bits of feedback they have provided have me thinking it wasn't very on point, and I'm seeing how specific, and how full of insight other people's readings are and going "ok... I am clearly not as ready as I thought" hahaha so I'm trying to just go into a space of absorbing more material, and talking more with other readers, your post was very encouraging for me, I am gonna keep at it until I find my way!

I'm glad my post gave you encouragement, Symph. Just stay patient with yourself and you'll make good progress. For a lot of us, Tarot is a life-long journey but a very rewarding one.