How to Read Tarot Cards Introspectively
- Set the Scene. Take a deep breath. Turn off all distractions. Light a candle and/or play some soft music if it helps you get into a relaxed state. It’s helpful to have a journal or some paper nearby to write down your thoughts.
- State an Intention. Think about a specific situation you would like guidance on and say it aloud. Avoid asking Yes or No questions.
- Pull Your Cards. Shuffle the tarot deck face down. If you don’t know how to shuffle cards, you can simple mix them around on the table in front of you with your hands. Once the cards are mixed/shuffled, randomly select the number of cards you need for your tarot spread. (Sample spread below.) The first card selected goes in the first position of the spread. The second card selected goes in the second position of the spread. And so on.
- Turn the Cards Over. Look at the drawings and words and colors of the cards. Take note of how you feel overall. Do they make you feel anxious? Happy? Curious? Why? This is one of the first steps to uncovering how you really feel about your topic.
- Analyze the cards one-by-one. You can consult a guide book, the Card Meanings page, or any meanings written on the cards, for card meanings as a beginner. If you’re comfortable, create your own card meanings. Compare the meaning of the card to the position in the spread and ask yourself introspective questions. Ask yourself how other cards in the spread might relate.
- Close the Session. You might choose to do some journaling about what the session revealed to you, jot down notes for an upcoming therapy session, do a light meditation or prayer, or just take a simple deep breath. Find a way to amrk the end of the session so that you are not ruminating about the topic.
Sample Spread
There are a variety of spreads one can use in a tarot reading. Here is one I find helpful for self-exploration that is also easy to remember.
Past
Does this accurately reflect your feelings about the topic in the past? Why? Grieve, celebrate or acknowledge these emotions.
Present
Does this accurately reflect your present feelings about the topic? Why? Could this be how someone else involved feels? Why?
Challenge
Is this emotion something you struggle might struggle with in this situation? Why? Who or what could help?
Outcome
How does this potential outcome to the situation make you feel? Why? What could you do to make it more/less true? Could it be something you secretly desire?
Sample Reading Guide
Below is a random selection of cards in the above sample spread positions and some questions you might ask yourself in the resulting reading.
Past
Knight of Swords - Fast-moving; Impulsive.
Were there times in the past that you might have moved too quickly or too aggressively or without thinking in this situation? Why? If not, might the situation have needed faster action? What was the result? How would you act differently now, if at all? Have you made peace with your prior actions?
Present
Hanged Man - Different Perspective
Has your perspective changed about this topic? Why? Can you see it from another angle or someone else's point of view? Does that give you comfort or bother you? Why? Does that change how you'd like for the situation to resolve?
Challenge
Wheel of Fortune - Fate; Unknown Outcome
Do you struggle with having patience about this topic? Why? Are there any lessons you might take from your Knight of Swords behavior in the past? What do you think might happen if you tried to force some movement or a conclusion? What could you do to practice acceptance here?
Outcome
The Chariot - Prepared, Aligned Movement
Are you relieved by the potential for progress? How would this progress be different from the kind of movement you experienced in your past Knight of Swords energy? How would it be influenced by the Hanged Man's different perspective? What could you do to make sure your movement is aligned with your desires and perspective? Having thought about the situation, does a part of you want things to stay where they are? Why?