How do you read tarot cards, and where do you buy them?

Question

By the way if you are just going to plainly state that it is just a bunch of gypsy nonsense, I don't want to hear it.

Answer 1

For instructions on reading Tarot, there are tons of books and websites on the subject. Buying a deck is incredibly simple. Almost any major bookstore chain carries them, and so does your local New Age/occult store. There's also eBay, Amazon, and a zillion other online vendors.

Answer 2

I suggest finding a local New Age or Metaphysical bookstore (they usually have a larger selection than your typical book store).

Some people read the cards as merely a platform for your intuition. So you would use the card itself as a template to focus on if that makes any sense. This method is often much more difficult than the by the book method.

If you're interested in the "by the book" method I suggest reading through the meanings of the cards from the booklet that should accompany the cards (these booklets vary in quality and you may have to buy yourself a different guidebook if need be). From there you gain a basic understanding of the cards and can see how they function and can interact with each other in a spread.

There are many different types of decks to choose from from the more traditional Rider decks to the more abstract decks (like the Angel cards etc).

I highly suggest the Russian Gypsy Tarot cards myself. They're very unique but can be very accurate.

On the other hand, most New Age stores have "tester" decks and will let you take out the cards and have a good look at them. I suggest looking at a few decks to get a feel for them. Do you like the artwork? Does it "feel" right for you etc?

Best of luck :)

Cheers,

P.S. Wow kudos to the person above me! Good answer!

Answer 3

It's probably best to start with a deck that follows the "Ryder Waite" symbology--that's considered the standard set up, with major arcana and minor arcana. My favorite deck is the Hanson-Roberts deck, which follows the RW set-up but uses really friendly artwork.

Make sure that the minor arcana cards (meaning the Disks or Pentacles; Cups; Wands or Rods; and Swords) of the deck you're considering show actual pictures. For example the 3 of Swords in a RW deck will show not just three swords, but three swords piercing a heart. The 9 of Swords will show not just nine swords, but a woman bound and blindfolded, surrounded by 9 swords. Some of the cheaper decks will just show, say, 10 pentacles for the ten of pentacles, as if it's a standard playing card with a 10 of diamonds, but it's much easier to learn the meanings if you've got minor arcana with actual pictures, and there *are* standard pictures for each card, no matter which Ryder-Waite deck you get. I don't mean to imply that non RW decks are in any way lesser than RW, just that since RW is the "standard," it might be an easier start, especially since it will correspond with any books about generic Tarot.

Most decks will come with a booklet of explanations. If the deck follows the standard Ryder-Waite structure, however, you can also get generic books about Tarot and those will explain the cards in more depth. The books will also explain how to lay out the cards in different patterns--you can ask a question and do a one-card draw, or you could lay out three cards to represent the past, present, and future of a matter, OR you could do the standard "Celtic Cross" layout, just to name a few.

Good luck finding a deck that resonates with you!

Answer 4

I'm constantly amazed at what I find on the internet, lol. Weirdly enough, I bought a Tarot deck myself not too long ago. I did buy the Ryder-Waite, because when I was doing my research a LOT of the commonly available references suggested that deck. And, since I am still relatively new at learning about my spiritual awareness, I also bought a book that people laughed at me for, but I found extremely helpful: The Idiot's Guide to Tarot. Yup. It covers a lot of the common perceptions and usages of Tarot cards, as well as gives you a little history and some extra factoids that help with the overall feeling of learning Tarot.
One of the things the book does is tell you to start out at a pace you are comfortable with-so I, literally, took one random card out of the deck every day and tried to see how that image worked into my day.
Just adding my two cents in...hope you find what you are looking for!

Answer 5

On-line is a good place to buy them. Or your local occult book store. They will also have books on reading the cards as well. One I found that would be good for a beginner is called "Tarot Made Easy" by Nancy Garen. I provides information on a variety of ways to read the cards. Tho after time you will find that you see meanings in them that are not in the books (they are basically guidelines). Have you decided which cards you will use? I prefer the Ryder-Waite deck I have been using for around 40 years. They are probably the most common. NO one but me has ever touched my cards so I know any energy they have is related to me and they are not tainted by any negative energy. If I go for more than a couple of weeks without reading them I will sleep with them under my pillow for a few days. From the day I got them I was reading by intuition (tho once in awhile I will check a book to see if it is similar). They are but one of the divination tools I use.
BB
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Answer 6

Mary K. Greer's 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card by Mary Greer

amazon.com has Tarot Decks, Borders, Barnes and Noble

and you can find a local store that might sell them at www.witchvox.com Just click on the drop down bar on the left, and pick your area.

Answer 7

New Age stores have a wide range of Tarot Cards. It is best if you pick a deck that resonates with you as you will be reading them.

You can learn from a book but I would suggest going to a class to learn as an experienced reader can teach you many meanings & give you tips on how to read in different situations.

Answer 8

If you are using Tarot cards as an oracle, you may be more inclined to read card meanings and spreads. But if using Tarot Cards as a tool for Psychic Ability you would be less likely to hold to any hard and fast guide lines. I’m a profession psychic and use Tarot Cards in a random way. In 25 years of professional readings I’ve never used any ‘meanings, spreads or reversals’ of tarot cards from any books.

So if you want to develop ‘Psychic Ability’ throw the books and guidelines away and let the images inspire you. But you may need to try the Rider Waite or another imaged deck.

I believe we are all psychic, but for the majority the gift or the belief has been long knocked out of them. Educated out is another way of looking at it. Many professional psychics have grown up in a psychic friendly environment. Perhaps a grand-parent or parent with the knowledge has helped bring the extra sense out in the open and encouraged its use. But there are as many practicing psychics who have not had the benefit of caring psychic guidance and who have still managed to develop and hone this natural extra sense. The Psychic Sense.

To tap in to it more you can go to my free develop-psychic-ability page here: http://www.psychic-junkie.com/develop-psychic-ability.html

But on the other hand, if you want to use the Tarot as an oracle, a form of divination that needs no real ‘psychic ability’, then keep the books and use the meanings and spreads if you prefer.

I like the Hanson Roberts deck, the Robin Wood Tarot and the Connolly Tarot Deck, because their imagery works well for my readings. I don’t like the darker cards like Crowley’s Thoth Tarot, but each to their own.

The many different tarot decks available will all portray symbolic imagery which must then pass through your psychic senses and, given the context of the questions asked, bring forth a tarot card meaning that significantly answers your question.

I always have at least 4 different decks on the go at any one time. When a deck get’s a bit too well worn I buy a new deck (often from eBay). I prefer to work with as new a deck of cards as possible so they shuffle and deal smoothly and quickly. I usually sell my old decks on eBay too. Here’s a live RSS feed for Tarot Decks on eBay at the moment. http://feeds.feedburner.com//TarotDeck

You can use this four minute video as a brief meditation on the tarot that, repeatedly viewed, will help you learn how to read tarot cards psychically. http://www.psychic-junkie.com/tarotvision.html

Here is a free download demo for a great Tarot program. To keep the size of the demo manageable it contains the Rider/Waite deck, the actual program will have 10 complete decks. This Demo version of Tarot is a full working copy for 30 days. So you get 30 days to study meanings and spreads! http://www.free-tarot-download-demo.wotsnext.com

Answer 9

I'll list a link for you to look at. They teach you how to read the cards online, and you can also buy a deck through them.
There are tons of places online to buy tarot cards, and you can find them in occult book stores or even at Barnes & Noble. I'll also list a link for purchasing.

There are two schools of thought on reading tarot. You can learn the traditional meanings of the cards, or interpret them by intuition.. what the cards say to you rather than the traditional interpretation.

Good luck with your search!
Kallan

Answer 10

You can get them at Barnes & Noble or Borders/Walden books. Also there are many online forums you can buy through. Try Azure Green. www.azuregreen.com The cards come with a small book that tells you the suits and typical meanings. They are however meant to be used with your own intuition leading you, not just the cut and dried descriptions of the books.