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Asian art and massage. I know other tarot readers
that keep their cards in beautiful carved wooden
boxes. When you retrieve your cards for a reading
the receiver may view the receptacle for storage so
make it a meaningful one that can be commented
upon and displays that you care for your important
possessions.
preparing to read:
Become as familiar as possible with the short and
pertinent themes provided in this document for
each card. Initially, you do not have to have every
meaning for each card memorized. With tarot, just
as with attracting women, you will learn exponen-
tially as you do. keep the sheet of card themes that
is provided here close to you when you do a read-
ing and feel free to reference it if need be. As long
as the receiver of your reading is aware that this is a
new passion of yours than you should not be called
out for referencing your “cheat sheet”.
VoCabulary oF tarot terms:
reCeiVer:
the individual receiving the reading of the tarot
cards for the tarot reads. the receiver’s input
and reception of the cards is vital to an insightful
reading.
reader:
the individual reading and interpreting the cards
for the receiver.
major arCana:
the 22 special face cards (not the suit royalty
cards) of the tarot deck. these cards are num-
bered 0-21 beginning with “the Fool” as zero
and ending with “the World” as twenty-one. In
a sense the Major Arcana cards can be the most
powerful in the deck. Important life issue read-
ings that need immediate and powerful answers
are often done with only the Major Arcana. the
twenty-two cards are a visual metaphor for the
experiences encountered in life’s journey.
minor arCana:
the 56 suited cards, including both the court
cards and the numbered cards. the suits are
Wands, cups, swords and Pentacles (sometimes
also known as coins).
pre-read setup and patter
set tHe mood:
As with performing magic and other fortune
telling rituals the environment and presentation
of your tarot reading will definitely effect the
perception of the receiver. set the mood with
dim lighting (not too dim that you cannot see
the cards clearly), scented candles, incense and
music that is evocative, relaxing and exotic. this
sort of environment is also conducive to kino
escalation for after your reading.
giVe a quiCk explanation oF tarot:
let your receiver know that the history of tarot
is a rich and powerful one. It is a tool that has
been used for ages to solve problems and por-
tend the future for everyone from peasants to
presidents. tell them that the tarot deck also
works in mysterious ways and often chooses
its own best answer for the receiver’s question
(this line allows you to be more creative in your
reading). You will be the humble interpreter of
the tarot’s message as it guides you to the an-
swer for the receiver’s query.
inVolVe tHe reCeiVer:
Hand the deck of the 22 Major Arcana cards
to your receiver. tell her to shuffle and cut the
deck anyway that she feels appropriate. she
must manipulate the cards and lend some of her
own energy and spirit to them. As she does this
action the receiver must also ask the tarot her
specific query aloud. In general, most people’s
questions can fall into four easy categories:
health, wealth, relationships, and travel (which
is sometimes somehow included in or related
to one the other three categories). After many
readings you will have experienced most of the
possible permutations of questions again and
again and your calibration at reading will greatly
improve. get as much information from your re-
ceiver as possible and feel free to ask follow up
questions about his/her main original question.
encourage your reader to participate verbally as
much as possible and when they are speaking be
quiet and listen attentively. People will often lead
you and the cards to the correct answer to their
own problems just by discussing it aloud. When-
ever, the receiver is done manipulating the cards
in any way she seems fit, urge her to take her
time, have her hand the cards back to you.
giVing your reading
tHe gypsy easy spread:
there are as many placements or spreads of
tarot cards as there are cards in the deck. For
my beginning days with tarot I kept things ex-
tremely simple so as not to complicate my read-
ings and to focus more on learning how to read
and experiencing giving actual readings. I use a
very simple four cards spread with one leader
card placed face down above three cards follow-
ing placed faced down below it. (Pg. 16, Fig. 1)
the leader card will be the first card that you
draw off. then proceed to deal the three other
cards and place them in a row as pictured above.
After having dealt all four cards you will turn over
the leader card first and begin your reading.
the leader card will set the theme of the read.
You must relate it to the question of the receiver.
For example let us imagine that this read is for a
receiver asking how an on-again-off-again rela-
tionship with a boyfriend should be ended. the
theme card is the Justice card. (Pg. 16, Fig. 2) You
know form the short themes given above that
the Justice card denotes a need to find balance
in life. so the eventual dissolution of this chaotic
relationship means that it will put the receiver’s
life back into balance and focus. However, the
Justice card also warns their relationshipis should
be ended in a fair manner that offers equality to
each party.
As you turn over the next card the story of the
read will continually unfold.
the next card revealed is the death card. (Pg. 16,
Fig. 3) using our quick reference guide again we
know that the death card although it appears
ominous is really a card that marks a vital change
in the life of the receiver. certainly a break-up of
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