Ever wondered if you can learn tarot? Can just anyone read tarot cards? Read on to find out!
If you wander the streets of many downtown districts or head over to metaphysical shops, you will find that ordinary people do tarot readings to make a living. What makes them different from you and me?
Probably nothing, other than the fact that they know how to read tarot because they were taught. It is doubtful they have any superpower or skill that makes them good tarot readers, and you and I do not have. Therefore, if anyone can be a tarot reader, the answer to that question, in a nutshell, is yes, anyone can read the tarot.
However, not everyone wants to read the tarot because they may not feel it suits them for religious reasons, or some may not be interested in it. There is nothing wrong with that. It is no different from someone not interested in sports, whereas others live, breathe, eat attending sporting events, and even play sports.
But if you are interested in reading tarot, and wonder if you are qualified to do so, as long as you are teachable, which you likely are, then absolutely you can learn to read tarot. It does not matter your religion, age, or gender; even if you are literate (which I know you are since you read this article), you can learn to read tarot cards. So then, who should not learn to read tarot cards?
Those who do not want to learn to read because why should anyone learn to do something (after they finish school as they are stuck before that) that they do not want to do?
Can You Learn Tarot On Your Own?
The short answer to this question is, yes, you can. The first thing you need to do is to get a tarot deck and ensure it is easy for you to interpret in addition to you feeling attracted to it. Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck is the best beginner and teaching deck, but Light Seer’s Tarot is also a great one for beginners, which would be more aesthetically appealing. Then you will want to start buying some books.
There are so many books you can buy that will help you learn how to read the tarot, such as Tarot for Beginners: A Guide to Psychic Tarot Reading, Real Tarot Card Meanings, and Simple Tarot Spreads by Lisa Chamberlain.
The Ultimate Guide to Tarot: A Beginner’s Guide to the Cards, Spreads and Revealing the Mystery of the Tarot by Liz Dean is another excellent beginner book. Those are a few examples of books you will want to buy to learn tarot on your own.
You will need to, however, begin to work with others who share the same interests, which means they also have an interest in learning tarot. This is because many Facebook groups are intended to help you learn tarot. One is the Tarot Nerds Study Group, where members will do readings for themselves, offer an interpretation, and get input.
There are also opportunities to swap doing readings for others in the group so you can gain experience with reading tarot. There are plenty of other groups you will want to type in the search bar and type in “tarot study group for beginners,” and you will find some other excellent choices too.
When you practice doing tarot readings for others consistently, you will begin to develop your intuitive meanings for the cards. Yes, you need to learn the cards’ meanings, but you do not need to memorize the guidebooks that come with the deck. The tarot cards speak nicely to you as you become used to reading them.
You can also go on other sites, such as MeetUp, and you may find some tarot practice circles there. That is another way you can get practice reading the tarot with others. You can also make some friends while you are at it.
Another thing you can do, if you want, is to take some courses in tarot, which may be a good idea to help you learn how to read tarot even more quickly. Suppose money is an issue, as it is for many people. In that case, you can find some affordable tarot courses on Udemy. You may also find tarot professionals offering inexpensive courses if you see them on Facebook ads. However, whether you want to take tarot courses is entirely up to you. It may be helpful to help you master the practice quicker.
Now that you can learn the tarot independently, you may wonder if you must be psychic to read tarot cards effectively. Let’s go over that.
Do You Have To Be Psychic To Read Tarot Cards?
Another thing that might make you question whether or not you can learn to read tarot cards is that you may believe you must be psychic enough to do so. Here is the thing with that. Everyone has the potential to be psychic, but some have a more substantial gift than others, making it easier for them to build upon psychic abilities. However, if you are not psychic, can you still use tarot cards?
In a nutshell, yes, you can. You do not have to worry about being psychic to read tarot cards. However, as you learn to read the cards, the one thing that you will need to do is to develop your intuition. You will rely on your intuition when your cards speak to you.
That is why, as important as it is for you to know the meaning of the cards, your intuition will develop as you begin to study the cards more, and you will develop your own meanings – as well as get the messages the cards are saying when you are reading them. So now, let’s talk about growing your intuition and what that means to you when learning tarot.
Developing Your Intuition To Read The Tarot Cards
There is one way you can access your Higher Self, which is your soul, and that is your intuition. Many people don’t even acknowledge their intuition, so they may dismiss that they have it, but everyone has it to a degree. But if you asked those same people if they ever had a hunch that something was going to happen or not happen, they would be able to tell you there were times that they did. That is intuition. There you go, and you can also likely think about times that have happened to you too.
The more you study and learn to read the cards, the more robust your intuition develops. As you keep learning to read the cards, you hone your intuition. Finally, you will get to the point that if you begin to read complex spreads, your intuition will tell you what the spread says to you and what messages you will receive on an intuitive level.
As your intuition develops when you are learning to read the cards, the best thing you can do is start by pulling one card for a day and allowing your intuition to provide you with the message the card is giving you. That means taking a moment to reflect after pulling a card and then allowing yourself to develop a message within based on what the card is telling you instead of panicking if you end up pulling a “scary” card like the Tower or getting too excited if you get the “wish card,” Nine of Cups.
If you pull the Tower before you think something destructive will happen to you, allow your intuition to give you the message of that card by doing a quick meditation. You will eventually see that the card’s message is to keep developing good habits so old bad ones will start falling away. On the other hand, if you get the Nine of Cups, don’t get excited and assume a wish will come true. It may be a message from your Higher Self as a reminder to appreciate the things you have wished for that did come true in your life. Now, you know you do not have to be psychic to learn to read tarot.
However, your intuition will develop a form of psychic ability. You may wonder if it takes longer for you to learn to read the tarot cards.
How Long Does It Take To Learn To Read Tarot Cards?
You may find this hard to believe, but even the most experienced professional tarot readers are constantly learning to read tarot cards. That is because there is always something to learn about tarot. Therefore, it can take a lifetime. However, if you wonder how long it takes to learn the basics, that depends. It can take a month to learn the cards each day and journal all the time. But if you have a job, you will need more time for that.
But you are consistent with journalling, practicing with groups, and doing practice readings. In that case, it can take three to six months for you to start becoming familiar enough with tarot to start reading more confidently. It may take shorter or longer, depending on how quickly you can learn and how much time you have.
The best thing to do is to not worry about the length of time it takes to learn tarot. Commit to learning it; it will naturally come to you easier with time and consistency.