Curious about tarot but not sure where to start? This no-nonsense guide covers everything from choosing a deck to doing your first reading.
Tarot has experienced a massive resurgence. What was once considered niche or taboo has become a mainstream tool for self-reflection, creativity, and personal development. If you are curious but unsure where to begin, this guide will give you everything you need to start reading tarot today.
What tarot actually is (and is not)
Tarot is a deck of 78 cards divided into two groups: the Major Arcana (22 cards representing major life themes) and the Minor Arcana (56 cards representing everyday experiences). Each card carries symbolic imagery that can be interpreted in the context of a question or situation.
Tarot is not fortune-telling in the fatalistic sense. It does not predict a fixed future. Instead, it illuminates patterns, possibilities, and perspectives. Think of it as a mirror for your subconscious — the cards provide a symbolic language for things you already intuitively know but have not yet articulated.
Choosing your first deck
The most common recommendation is the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, created in 1909 by Arthur Edward Waite and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith. Its imagery is clear, symbolic, and forms the basis for most modern tarot interpretation. Nearly every beginner's book references this deck.
That said, the best deck is one that resonates with you visually and emotionally. Modern tarot has expanded into hundreds of gorgeous variations — diverse, thematic, minimalist, maximalist. Browse options, and choose the deck that makes you want to pick it up and spend time with it.
The structure of the deck
Major Arcana (0-21). These 22 cards represent archetypal life experiences — The Fool's journey from innocence through transformation. Cards like The Tower, Death, and The Star carry powerful energies. When a Major Arcana card appears in a reading, it points to significant themes at work.
Minor Arcana. Divided into four suits — typically Wands (fire, action), Cups (water, emotion), Swords (air, thought), and Pentacles (earth, material). Each suit runs from Ace through 10, plus four court cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King). Minor Arcana cards address everyday situations.
Your first reading: the three-card spread
The simplest and most versatile tarot spread uses three cards:
1. Shuffle the deck while holding your question in mind. There is no wrong way to shuffle. 2. When it feels right, stop and draw three cards. 3. Lay them left to right.
The most common three-card interpretations: - Past / Present / Future — How things were, how they are, where they are heading. - Situation / Challenge / Advice — What is happening, what is in the way, what to do about it. - Mind / Body / Spirit — Your mental, physical, and spiritual state.
Reading the cards
For each card, start with your immediate, intuitive response. What do you see? What do you feel? What story does the image suggest? Trust this first impression — it is often the most accurate.
Then layer in traditional meanings. Use a reference book or app as a guide, but do not let it override your intuition. The traditional meaning provides structure; your intuition provides accuracy.
Reversed cards (drawn upside-down) are optional for beginners. Many experienced readers use them to indicate blocked, delayed, or internalized versions of the card's energy. Others read all cards upright. There is no wrong approach.
Tips for beginning readers
Pull a daily card. Every morning, draw one card and sit with it for a moment. At the end of the day, reflect on how it showed up. This single practice will teach you more than any book.
Journal your readings. Write down the question, the cards drawn, your interpretation, and any gut feelings. Review past readings periodically — you will be amazed at the accuracy of early readings you initially doubted.
Read for yourself first. Before reading for others, spend time reading for yourself. Build your relationship with the cards through personal practice.
Want to experience tarot right now? Try our free tarot reading and let the cards illuminate what your intuition already knows.