7 Ways To Improve Your Tarot Reading Skills

7 Ways To Improve Your Tarot Reading Skills
by Laurie Barraco

I love implementing the tarot cards into my private sessions with clients. They bring in visual validation for the client as I share what I am "seeing" psychically in a private session. I have been teaching students how to read the tarot cards for over 15 years and I am still learning about this ancient divination tool. One can study the tarot all of their life, yet still not completely possess all of the information that there is in knowing about this system of divination. I have put together 7 tips that can help you become a more confident and competent tarot reader.

7 Tips To Improve Your Tarot Reading Skills

Personal Check-In - It is always best to check in with yourself to see where you are at in the moment. Are you relaxed, calm, and in a good place emotionally or are you grumpy, emotional or in an anxious frame of mind? If you are not in a good place, it is best to not to consult your tarot cards during these times. Your interpretation of the cards may be off if you are not in the best space emotionally, mentally or physically. ALWAYS check in with yourself before working with any divination tool.
Treat Your Deck with Respect and Love - The tarot cards connect us to psychic information and are a sacred tool. When we connect with our intuition, we are connecting with sacred energy and the cards are the link to healing, clarity and validation. I would never ever toss my cards to the side carelessly when I am not using them. I suggest placing them in a beautiful box, in a cloth bag or wrap them in silk when you are not using them. You are protecting the energy that you have been building with your cards as you connect to the non-physical realm. After a while, you will find that your psychic senses will turn on simply by touching your cards. Treating them sacredly will only help you create a stronger energetic bond with them and information will begin to flow more smoothly over time.

3. Always Open and Close Your Session with a Prayer of Intention and Gratitude - By beginning your reading with an intention to connect to your Higher Self and bring in information that is for the highest and best good of all is in my opinion, one of the most important steps that many skip when reading tarot cards. You are conditioning your psychic gifts to open and close at will, which in turn will keep you in control of who and what comes through during a session. You are setting boundaries of how, when and where spirit communicates with you. We become a victim of spirit when we keep ourselves open energetically. Being open all the time is and can be draining and unhealthy for anyone. Closing your space with gratitude keeps you humble. Being humble is a sure-fire way to keep out the negative ego. We are messengers of spirit. The information flows through us not from us.

4. Keep a Tarot Journal to Document Your Experiences and Symbols - By keeping a tarot journal you will be able to document your own symbolism for the cards, keep a record of your favorite card spreads and refer back to your own readings for personal validation. You will be able to see how far you have come with your readings, predictions and symbolism over time, which is always exciting to see.

5. Get to Know Your Cards By Selecting One a Day - There is no short cut in getting to know your cards on a intimate level. Try selecting one card a day and sit with that one card for a little while. Be sure to have your tarot journal nearby. Ask yourself - What stands out with that card? What colors are catching your eye? What is the symbolism telling you? Write all of this information down in your tarot journal. After you have written down all of your psychic impressions from the card of the day, it is then safe to look up the traditional meaning in a tarot reference book. You will be surprised at how close your interpretation is to the general understood meaning. You will also be able to formulate your own symbolism with each card that will pop up each time that card is selected.

6. Be Specific with Your questions - When asking questions during your tarot sessions; it is always best to be specific with your questions. Instead of asking "Will I ever move?" ask "Will I be moving to a new home within the next 6 months?" An even better way of phrasing the questions is, "Will I be moving to a new home in the same area within the next 6 months?" You may then follow through with more specific questions. Open-ended questions lead us to confusing answers and our readings will not be as accurate as they could be by being specific with our questions.

7. Trust the Information That Comes Through - One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is they second-guess the information that comes through in a reading. Learning how to go with the first impression you receive will help you develop your ability to allow the information to flow through you with confidence and trust. When you trust and allow the information to flow you are out of the way, second guessing keeps you in the way.

Do realize that the answers you receive are based upon the present moment. The end result can change at a moment's notice based upon free will (yours and the people around you) as well as shifts in consciousness. Be flexible with the outcome and don't beat yourself up if your predictions or interpretations are off.

Using any tool of divination can help you with direction, validation and will bring in deeper insight to questions you may have along your path. A word of caution - there is a fine line with using the tarot to assist you along your path and becoming co-dependent with divination tools. This is why the personal check-in is so important! If you are unable to make a decision without consulting your cards or any system of divination, then you may be a bit co-dependent. By checking in with yourself each and every time you use a psychic tool, you will be able to gage whether you are overdoing it or not. If you try some of my suggestions, you will create a healthy relationship with your tarot cards and they will help you unlock doors of wisdom and clarity that will bring you peace and deeper understanding about your path.

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About the Author

For the past 20 years she has worked on her spiritual side by studying with many Master Teachers, such as Sonia Choquette and John Holland. Laurie opened The Mystical Moon in December 2007. Laurie is an intuitive channel and can access information from your spirit guides and angels to help you move through whatever challenges life has presented before you. Private Sessions are available at The Mystical Moon by appointment. Follow her on Facebook. Articles were shared on Awakening People with Laurie's explicit written permission.