Ways to Read Tarot Casually

It’s so easy to get serious when reading tarot. With cards like The Tower, The Hermit, and the Ten of Swords, who could blame you for painting sweeping pictures, waxing poetic about existential dilemmas, and focusing on the mythic in the mundane? I’ve noticed, however, that sticking to these areas when reading can lead to burnout, not to mention a limited understanding of the cards. If everything is epic, how can you go to the cards to understand smaller issues like daily decisions, exciting and low-stakes choices, or even open-ended explorations of themes?

As someone who gravitates to deeper topics over lighthearted musings, this was a challenging pivot! However, I quickly found that reading about “silly things” or engaging in more playful tarot practices vastly improved my skills as a reader. It was almost like I’d been going to the gym for years and only working on my arms. Suddenly, I had a much stronger foundation to draw upon when doing readings; the other end of the spectrum started to fill in and I could speak to nuanced situations instead of just grand, life changing chapters.

This is all to say that play and flexibility with tarot is quite important when it comes to developing a full-fledged relationship to the cards. What’s more, it can also rejuvenate your practice if you’ve been feeling stuck, stale, and uninspired. And there just may be a hidden lesson here: play is essential, not frivolous, and to be able to describe the big picture we also need a respect and understanding of the little pieces that make up the whole.

Ways to take tarot less seriously, play in your practice, and have fun with the cards

• Ask silly questions

  I remember the first time I tried this vividly. I was sitting in the parking lot by Marshall’s (glamorous!) and hemming and hawing about whether I should go in. Some context: One of my die-hard habits is self-flagellating over purchases of any kind. I’d just gotten a miniature deck of the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot, complete with its own tin carrying case, and it sat next to me in the middle console. Suddenly, I was struck with an idea: why not ask the cards? So I shuffled the cards and chose one: the Three of Swords. Welp! Guess a stint in Marshall’s wasn’t going to bring me anything but heartache. So I turned on my car and bopped over to my original destination, the grocery store. Now, the Three of Swords is a rough card, and if my life were a horror movie, I’d have immediately perished in a car accident on my way to do my shopping. Which is important to note, because doing smaller, lighthearted readings can also help deflate the fear and anxiety that comes with frightening-looking cards. I’m happy to say I made it to the store and now like to read for quick, silly, and daily questions.

• Read to give yourself a pep-talk

  A quick way to fill yourself with nervous energy is to read tarot about something you really care about with no guidelines. Will I have fun on this upcoming first date? With no set spread or intention, this innocent question can quickly spiral into worry if you draw, say, The Tower. Instead, I like to do short readings with the sole intention of gassing myself up. “Tell me something amazing about myself,” or, “How can this go swimmingly?", “In what ways am I absolutely crushing It right now?” Draw a maximum of three cards with the understanding that they’ll only tell you something positive. Get a “negative” card? It could be directing your attention to ways your triumphed against hardship, have important wisdom from past experiences, or are adept at helping/seeing/understanding this difficulty with others.

• Ask about literature, pop culture, and stories

  Tarot has become well-known as a tool for self-discovery and healing, and rightly so. But that doesn’t mean we have to use it to explore our lives alone. I find that reading about fictional others is also especially helpful when it comes to understanding interpersonal themes because it’s not tied up in our emotional responses, hopes, or wishes. So, do a reading about the characters in a book you’re reading, a plot on a show or film you’re enjoying. This dovetails with the classic practice of using tarot to inspire and guide creative writing projects as well, which I also heartily recommend.

• See cards in the people, places, and situations around you

  Life can be one big tarot scavenger hunt. It certainly is for me, but I may be uniquely nerdy when it comes to the cards. Regardless, I suggest experimenting with “seeing the world through the lens of tarot.” Witness someone cut someone off in traffic on your morning commute? What cards would you use to describe that?Become infatuated with a new coworker? What card do they most embody? The world at large can be a huge inspiration for your practice as well as a tarot playground, the whole deck running around in your actual life.

Journaling with Tarot

Photo @evieshaffer via Unsplash

Journaling is a wonderful practice to explore your inner world, and it’s no wonder then that it dovetails wonderfully with tarot. I’ve used the cards to enhance and guide my journaling practice for years, and I thought it would be helpful to outline some ways that you can do the same. As with all things tarot, take what resonates and leave the rest, and don’t forget to innovate! So, without further ado:

Three ways to use tarot in your journaling practice

1. As a prompt - Use tarot to jumpstart your writing. Draw a card at random and write. You don’t need to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the deck, either. Write about how the card makes you feel, the memories and associations its illustration brings up, or go ahead and look up its traditional meaning in a trusted book, app, or website. (For my dictionary of meanings, click here).

2. As a part of your daily draw or reading - If you already have a daily tarot practice, simply add journaling to your process. When you’ve completed the reading itself, take some time to write down your thoughts, predictions, and impressions. If you draw multiple cards, I recommend picking just one to focus on, either the most resonant or the most mysterious/confusing. At the end of the day you may want to journal more or revisit your writing to see how the card evolved over time.

3. As a way to learn the deck - Draw a card from the deck each day (either in order or at random) and write your thoughts on it. I like to spend some time free writing before consulting any outside resources so that I can capture my intuitive impression without getting muddled.

4. For self-reflection - Tarot is wonderful at posing questions (sometimes to the frustration of clients and practitioners!). Use the deck to ask yourself questions in your journal, for example: Where does this energy show up in my life? What would this card do? How might I embody this card? Stay tuned for a series of posts with questions for each card in the deck.

Making Your Own Tarot Spreads

Hopefully your spread will be less chaotic! | Image by @rm_photography

Ah, tarot spreads. You’ve seen them in tarot books, the little handouts accompanying your decks, and all over the internet. Maybe you even spend hours searching for just the right one, a tarot version of spending two hours at a blockbuster trying to find a movie to rent (yes, I just dated myself!) But why search far and wide when you can make your own? In my personal practice I mainly create my own spreads (you can find some of them here). Why? Because oftentimes I want a pointed look at a specific question, I enjoy tailoring a spread to whatever’s on my mind/what I need, and I hate pointless googling.

Making your own spread isn’t as hard as it seems, so I wanted to share some guidelines to help you on your journey. Like anything in tarot, remember that you set the stage and have the power to add, subtract, and innovate as you see fit. Depending on your style, you may want to write these objectives down so you can follow along when it comes time for your actual reading, and so that you can revisit and replicate your spread later.

Basic guidelines for creating custom tarot spreads:

1. Set the topic or question: What do you want to know?

2. Divide into pieces of information: Once you've set the theme to the reading, think about what pieces of information would be helpful. Timing? Make a card for that. Guidance? Another card. Something to watch out for? You have card #3!

3. Make room for mystery & steps forward: I always like to add a card for something I need to know but may not be aware of as well as a card that gives me insight into something simple I can do to start bringing my reading into reality.

4. Write a map of your spread: Now that you have your card placement meanings, arrange them in a map. I like to draw silhouettes of each card and assign it a number; below, I write out a key with each position meaning next to the number. Choose a shape that reflects your objective (i.e. a linear spread for a simple, future-oriented question, a ladder-shape for a path of progress, etc.) Get creative if it feels helpful and inspiring, otherwise choose a basic shape (a line or stacked rows of cards) that feels organized and readable to you.

5. Edit: You’ll usually find some overlapping or extraneous cards in your map. Cut those out without hesitation - simple is better in most tarot readings and the last thing you need in your life is more confusion.

6. Test drive: You now have a complete spread written out - it’s time to read! Draw your cards, arrange them according to your map, and do an inaugural reading.

7. Let it sit: Leave your reading out for a few days to see how its message sinks in.

8. Revisit and edit: Now that you’re armed with some perspective, see if you need to make any tweaks to your spread, and then enter it into your collection for future use.

Reading Tarot in Times of Stress, Crisis, or Overwhelm

Stormy feelings can sometimes lead to stormy readings / Image by Felix Mittermeier

We’ve all been there. Something wild is happening in our lives - maybe we’re at a pivotal crossroads, upset at a recent event, or feeling onslaught by waves of stress - and we want to turn to tarot for advice, guidance, something that will make us feel better or, better yet, tell us what one earth to do.

While tarot can be a wonderfully helpful and clarifying tool, it reflects what we bring to it, and in cases like these we can muddy the waters of our reading with anxiety, fear, and worry. That doesn’t mean, however, that we should forego reading altogether. Like any conversation, tarot does best with some thought, guidelines, and expectations. Here are some that help me when reading for myself during tough times.

Set boundaries before you start

It’s helpful to frame readings during times of stress in a way that will be the most healing for you. Are you feeling disconnected from yourself? You might want a grounding reading. Overwhelmed? You might ask for clarity. Lost? You might want to ask for one, simple next step. Take time to sit with yourself, figure out what you need, and then plan your reading around these insights. Choose a spread that reflects whatever you’re experiencing or create one yourself. You’re the one doing the reading; you get to set the tone.

Step away from prophecies and declarations!

Nothing adds more stress to a situation than a prophecy you don’t want! So why ask for this to begin with? Spoiler-alert: You don’t have to! I’ve found that it’s been particularly helpful to remind myself that the cards are suggestions, a representation of a moment in time that we can always change with our actions. Personally, I like to use my time shuffling to contemplate the question, goal, or topic of the reading, being sure to focus on open-ended advice or insight without specific information about the future.

Remember - tarot is just one piece of information to take into consideration

You wouldn’t make a complicated, impactful decision just because one person told you to, right? The insight we get from a tarot reading is just one facet of our complex lives, one piece of information that makes up a much bigger whole. Whatever insights you get from your reading should fit with a bevy of other sources - facts, the opinions of trusted friends and advisors, your intellect, practical considerations, and many more. This removes immense pressure from your reading and allows it to do what it does best: give you insight into your intuition.

Conflicting Card Meanings & the Rolodex Technique

I may be dating myself with this metaphor, but so be it! Back in the olden times we had these nifty contraptions called rolodexes. An unfurled binder of cards arranged by alphabet, you’d write people’s contact information - phone number, address, etc. - on a card. Sitting by your rotary landline phone you could flip through the rolodex, find the number of the person you wanted to dial, and spin away.

Rolodexes have gone by the wayside (so much so, that I couldn’t find a stock image of one - hence the book above) but they’e a useful framework when it comes to tarot meanings. Let me explain.

You may have gotten or conducted a reading that referenced a book almost exclusively. This happens a lot in the beginning stage of learning tarot and is where people often get overwhelmed. It’s 78 cards! That’s a huge volume of images and meanings to become familiar with. The fact that almost all tarot books and little white books (the ones that come with the decks) feature multiple and sometimes contradictory meanings makes the challenge feel nearly insurmountable. How can you create a coherent reading when the meanings are so divergent?

A book-based reading might go something like this:

“So, you have the Knight of Cups here, which means a romantic person with youthful energy coming into your life. This person is charming and mercurial but also could be noncommittal and casually cruel. It’s a time of great romance and adventure but also heartrending emotion. Oh, and this could be about you. Beware of making rash decisions, but also immerse yourself in creative projects and adventures you’ve never tried before.”

Huh?

In this reading, the person is throwing the kitchen sink at the card, actually reading the entire entry verbatim. This makes sense if you’re thinking about the content of tarot books as definitive; say, an entry in a dictionary.

But tarot is an art form not a linguistic system. It’s poetic, not literal, and relies as much on the readers’ intuition and the present moment to unfurl into something transformative and impactful. In other words, you can’t just string definitions together.

Which is where the rolodex comes in.

Instead of treating your readings as a grammatical problem, one where you can consult your dictionary and insert its meaning without much thought or art, think of it as a line of contact with the cards themselves, each being a gateway into whole worlds of meaning.

Over the years you’ll be collecting all sorts of meanings, associations, and experiences with the cards. These are like numbers, addresses, and emails in your rolodex. Each is different but goes to the same place. The Five of Cups can be grief and it can also be release, an emotional turning point, and an old wound. Among any number of other things. Each time you read will be different. Maybe you’ll only need one entry in your rolodex, maybe you’ll need several in a reading. But you certainly won’t need the whole bunch. (Trust me, you’ll have a lot of options as you continue your studies.)

What’s important in this system is that you realize you’re the one making contact with the cards. You’re the reader and your knowledge, intuition, and awareness guides the reading. Yes, it’s more responsibility, but it’s also a lot more empowering, enjoyable and coherent than reading entire lists of meanings at yourself or your querent.

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Want to learn more about how to use this technique? Ready to start your tarot journey? I’m now offering one-on-one lessons at a discounted rate. Book now or reach out with any questions, and do let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Signs You're Leveling-Up in your Tarot Practice

Leveling-up in tarot feels like reaching a new peak with its own fresh vista

The initial steps to learning tarot are obvious. First, what on earth are these cards all about? Second, what do they all mean?

Since there are 78 cards to go through, this stage can take some time. But what about that next phase, when you’ve gotten a handle on the cards themselves and are starting to become fluent in tying them together? How can you tell when you’re starting to master tarot?

I have a hunch that this is the time when most people burn out or take a break which is why I’m writing this post. After all, it’s nice to have some affirmation and motivation in this murkier stage of learning to read.

I’d also like to mention that there is no such thing as becoming an expert at tarot. We become more comfortable and fluent, but tarot is truly an art and in-the-moment practice.

We’re never done learning and we’re always on our toes, treating each reading as a new horizon. There are, however, some signs that you’re really getting the hang of things. Here’s a list of moments when I knew my practice went beyond the meanings in the books and into something more personal, powerful, and solid.

1. You can get the gist of a reading without reasoning through it - You might not even notice this happening (that’s the tricky thing about intuition, isn’t it?) but you’re sensing the overarching theme and story of your reading before your brain can catch up and psych you out with analysis and thoughts like “but is that what my book says about the Ten of Pentacles???”

2. You don’t look at the cards like they have one “right” meaning - You might find this feels sacrilegious at first. Maybe there’s an itchiness present when you return to the LWB’s write-ups. This is a good sign! You’re starting to see the poetry of tarot and how each card is more of a gateway to worlds of meaning rather than a road that dead-ends at a single destination.

3. In fact, right and wrong become deeply boring to you - Tarot is meant to expand our understanding. If you’re feeling like an explorer in a new land when you read, you’ve become fluent enough to step aside and let them lead the way out of fear, the desire for control, and the pressure of judgment.

4. You can call up the images of the cards in your mind - Speaking of fluency, this was probably the biggest moment for me in my practice. I’d test myself to envision the Six of Wands, say, when someone mentioned it. As soon as I could conjure the entire deck, I knew that tarot was woven into my consciousness thoroughly. See if you can bring up the whole deck for yourself.

5. You see tarot in your everyday life - Now the concepts of the cards are alive and out and about in your life. If you find yourself seeing the themes of tarot "in real life” you’re not just reading tarot, you’re living it. Congratulations!

6. You begin to develop a personal dictionary of meanings and associations - Rather than sticking to the book, you start to add to it, creating a tarot tome of your own. The experiences you have start to build on your understanding of the cards. Strength becomes not just a symbol of perseverance and self-awareness, but also a container for the times in your life when you’ve had to struggle with yourself. The specificity makes your readings more powerful and personal.

Another note here: there is absolutely no set time in which this can happen. Some of us move fast and others, like me, take a long time to integrate and explore. And, as I always say, you never stop learning tarot, so enjoy the ride and keep seeking!

How to Interpret your Tarot Reading

Reading tarot can feel a lot like navigating a maze

So you’ve been studying the cards and understand the different groupings and meanings, but when you do a reading and look at the whole spread it’s all a jumble. What next?

Creating a coherent reading out of a tangle of tarot cards is a big challenge. This is where the artistry and magic of tarot becomes obvious. Of all the ways you could go, which one to choose?

Firstly, I’d like to say that it’s completely normal and an absolute part of the experience to be seized with anticipation and/or terror when confronting a fresh combination of cards. Even seasoned readers get the jitters when navigating a reading - it’s one of the things that makes tarot so thrilling.

The main difference between novice and experienced readers may just be that the experienced feed off of this feeling of the unknown. And we’re more comfortable letting our intuition lead the way.

If you’re groaning at yet another “just use your intuition”-themed piece of advice, I’m with you, which is why I’ve written a list of actually concrete techniques to get you started. This is obviously a huge topic that could easily turn into a book, so these suggestions are short; they’re more than enough, however, to help you break through those initial moments of fear and into a beautiful tarot reading.

1. Trust your first impressions - Before you go around looking at cards and recalling their meanings (or, worse, consulting your book!) use the clear space in your brain to notice and feelings, impressions, and curiosities that arise. I tend to find myself gravitating towards a certain card, color, or symbol. Trust that this is your intuition directing you towards what’s most important. Any reading can be interpreted thousands of ways - it’s your job as a reader to use your voice, knowledge, and perceptions to lead the way.

2. Look for pairs and patterns - Now that you have a general idea of the energy/gist/theme of the reading, dive into the cards individually to see if there are any pairs or patterns. Are there more major arcana cards than minors or vice versa? What might this tell you? The more pairs, themes, and connections, the stronger the influence is in the reading. Tie this to your initial impressions.

3. Use your spread positions - Oh right, this formation isn’t just for looks! Each spot in your reading likely has a predetermined meaning or theme. For each, ask how the card might address it.

4. Tell a story - Now step back and look at the reading from a larger perspective. I’ve found that detaching from the personal focus and narrating the story as if it’s about someone else is helpful technique. Trust that the important facets you’ve uncovered in the previous steps will come through naturally.

I hope these tips are helpful as you practice further. Share any of your techniques below, too. And something to keep in mind…

• Tarot is multifaceted - that thing I said about one reading being interpreted thousands of different ways? It’s true. Tarot readings are in the moment affairs. Whatever is important to know will come up.

• You don’t have to be thorough - like the point above, it’s impossible to travel every connection or path. Doing so would result in insanely complicated, long, and confusing readings! Fortunately, tarot isn’t like doing your taxes: You don’t have to account for everything.

• You are the reader - which means it’s your reading! Allow yourself to make decisions and speak in your own voice.

Connecting Tarot to Everyday Life

I like to tell people that even when you’re not reading tarot, you’re doing tarot.

We’re talking about a system that’s meant to reflect the human experience, aren’t we? Tarot, as it turns out, is all around us, from the biggest struggles and themes to the most quotidian routines.

Grappling with the challenges of monogamy? You can find that reflected in tarot. Choosing between two dishwashers? That’s in tarot, too.

I’ve written a lot about connecting tarot to the everyday (see: Tarot and People Watching) because I’ve found it to be one of the quickest and most transformative ways to deepen my practice. Not only is it fun, it’s also a helpful way to cement our relationships to the cards.

So how to do this?

It’s incredibly simple: practice connecting experiences to tarot cards. Start small with just one card, though as you gain confidence and fluency, add more to describe more complicated scenarios.

There’s absolutely no right or wrong in this exercise - let yourself relax and have fun making connections.

A pleasant side-effect of this practice? It makes even the most mundane tasks feel magical.

If you’re interested in my personal experiences and associations with cards and daily life, hop over to the Incandescent Tarot Mighty Network where I share these moments and more. And, of course, share your thoughts in the comments below.

How to Buy Used Tarot Decks

My latest second-hand tarot find: The Lioness Oracle Tarot

“But don’t you also have to be gifted your first deck?”

I don’t think any tarot myth gets me more worked up than this one. So it’s probably no surprise that I also love buying used and secondhand tarot decks for my collection. After all, tarot is simply a selection of images printed on cardstock. It’s what we do with them that makes them magical.

Here’s a few suggestions for seeking out these pre-loved decks, and stay tuned for a follow-up post on how to cleanse these and any new decks you’re adding to your collection…

Look Locally

1. Get thrifting: People often donate their collections to thrift stores and I’ve found some wonderful older decks like the Gareth Knight tarot at my local swap shop. Since there’s usually not an “occult/new age” section in these stores, be sure to look around. I’ve found decks in the books section (in their original packaging) and strewn about randomly. Bonus Tip: Let your friends know you’re on the hunt for decks - they can pick them up for you if they find any on their travels and have you pay them back later.

2. Search online: Local listings on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace often have tarot decks and books. I recently found a lovely copy of The Lioness Oracle Tarot on Facebook Marketplace - such a wonderful surprise. Bonus Tip: Save your search for “tarot” or “tarot decks” so that you’ll be notified when new listings are posted.

3. Swap with your community: Join a tarot meetup (local folx, come on over to the Durham Tarot Club) for the company, of course, and be sure to ask around about any decks people would like to sell or swap. Tarot lovers often buy a lot of decks (I know from experience…) and like to cycle out any that no longer resonate or just didn’t click. Be sure to have something you can offer in exchange, whether it’s another deck, a hug, or a cup of coffee. Bonus Tip: Make a night of it - host a tarot swap where people can bring their pre-loved books, decks, and accessories.

Go Online

1. Check Instagram: Another reason to follow more tarot accounts? These people often sell their old decks on their feeds or stories. You can also search or follow hashtags like #tarotdecksforsale to stay in the loop. Bonus Tip: Create your own listing with decks you’d be willing to swap for. You never know who might love to trade.

2. Join a Facebook group: There are so many dedicated to selling and trading decks like Tarot Marketplace. They’re especially good if you’re looking for a rare of out of print deck, since the members are often die-hard tarot fans with huge collections. Bonus Tip: Communicate quickly as these decks often get snapped up fast.

3. Search on eBay and Etsy: And any other secondhand site you can find. eBay is especially great for vintage and antique decks. If you want a worn, cozy copy of the Rider-Waite-Smith from the 70s you’ve found the right place. Bonus Tip: Some older decks are quite collectible and expensive. You may want to buy a reproduction instead to get a feel for it, then decide if you want to spend the big bucks later.

I hope you have fun hunting for new decks and be sure to share any tips and experiences in the comments below.