How to Do a Tarot Reading on Yourself: A Step-by-Step Guide
Tarot reading is a powerful practice that goes beyond divination. For example, some people don’t do readings for others and use cards only for self-learning. Yes, you can do a tarot reading to discover your inner world! Learn more about the basic steps to do a tarot reading on yourself in our article.
Why should you do a tarot reading for yourself?
As said, doing a tarot reading for yourself is an ultimate practice that is easy to learn for beginners. It has many benefits for both newbies and experienced tarot readers.
- Self-reflection: By spreading cards for yourself, you look deeply inside your thoughts, true desires, and values. Each time you pool a card, you see the connections between interpretations and piece together your personality widening self-understanding and entering a new level of self-acknowledgement.
- Confidence: Regular readings for yourself make you aware of your strengths and weaknesses. The more you understand yourself and learn about yourself, the more you accept all sides of your personality. As a result, you gain self-assurance and become more confident.
- Getting guidance: Unfortunately, not everyone has a trusted person or a mentor to guide them. If you’re navigating through a turbulent period of your life, the cards can become your source of meaningful advice. Once you reach a certain level of alignment with a tarot deck, you will realize that they provide you with guidance and support.
- Creative expression: The tarot cards are a universal tool to develop your creativity and abstract thinking. Whether you do a love tarot reading for yourself or make a past-present-future spread, you decide how to read and interpret the cards being in a deep connection with your creative subpersonality. Reading for yourself is another form of creative expression.
The main steps to do a tarot card reading on yourself
Since tarot is a complex practice that doesn’t assume overly dogmatic and official guides, there is no definitive algorithm of how to do tarot readings on yourself. However, by following the next basic steps you will lay good foundations for further self-practicing.
Get yourself a tarot deck
If you’re at the beginning of an exciting tarot journey, you’ll need to get your first deck. Despite some advice from tarot readers that your first deck must be given as a gift, it’s not the rule. It doesn’t matter if you will purchase your first tarot deck in a local esoteric store, or bookstore, or even order it online. At the same time, the deck must be special to you as you should feel connected to the cards and trust them.
The only advice for beginners would be to choose a beginner-friendly tarot deck. For example, the classic, Smith-Rider-Waite Tarot. If you want something less widespread, but fun – consider Everyday Witch Tarot. The main tip is to select decks based on the Smith-Rider-Waite deck. Here are some tips on choosing your first tarot deck wisely:
- You must like the images: Each tarot deck has illustrations. Start by looking at the different decks online. Probably look at some Instagram accounts that provide images you align with in terms of style.
- Visit offline stores: If you have some local esoteric or metaphysical stores around, go there. You will get access to various decks, look at them closely, take decks to your hands, and feel the energy. Also, offline stores allow you to talk to managers or even store owners and ask them for some piece of advice.
- Ask your friends: Probably you have some friends who are practicing tarot readings. Their recommendations could be very helpful. Contact them to ask about their experience.
Learn more about tarot readings
It would be best if you do preliminary research. Listening to podcasts and watching videos on YouTube would be very helpful. Research interviews with deck creators, and listen to recommendations from experienced readers. Your goal should be to find senses that resonate with your vision and stick to them. When you’re doing research, you’ll be surprised by how many dimensions of senses and philosophy there are in the tarot industry. Finding your guide is crucial to creating a basis that will help you to do a tarot reading on yourself with passion and accuracy.
Practice different spreads
You can start with the easiest one-card daily reading to implement and maintain the habit of regular tarot practicing. A one-card spread is perfect for beginners who don’t have a lot of card meanings in memory yet. If you have some advanced knowledge of tarot meanings, try more complicated spreads that include combinations of cards. For example, try a three-card past-present-future spread. The main rule in self-tarot practicing is following your desires and intuition before the dogmatic rules. If you want to develop yourself as a tarot reader, you must trust your gut and cards.
Among the spreads to try are:
- Decision-making spread. This is a spread that helps a reader develop intuition and maintain a connection with cards. By asking a yes or no question, you can get valuable guidelines about any situation.
- Past-present-future spread. This spread can involve three or five cards. It’s a beginner-friendly option that allows you to see the prerequisites and possible outcomes for any area of your life. In a larger 5-card version the spread also includes some clarifications and pieces of advice.
- 12-card spread. This is a great option to try on your Birthday or on New Year’s eve. The spread includes twelve cards. Each card will provide you with a unique insight for a specific month.
The Celtic Cross. This is an option of spread for more experienced readers that allows them to gain major insights approaching the situation from all angles. One of the main peculiarities of this spread is that one can use it without a clear and specific request.
Keep the journal
It’s crucial to keep records of your insights and findings. It’s easy to forget some details of a recent insightful tarot session. Commit to regular journaling to not lose any crucial facts. It will help if you compare basic meanings and interpretations from a guidebook to your personal findings and meanings. The easiest way to begin developing a discipline of regular record keeping is to do a daily one-card spread and write down your thoughts. If you’re not a fan of handwritten journals, use Evernote or Google Docs.
Practice readings regularly
Dedicated practicing becomes a powerful habit. You’ll never become proficient in tarot reading if you do one reading per month. Practice makes perfect! Find the most effective way to stick to daily practice. For example, track progress in a calendar or a journal.
It would help if you would start with light and easy daily spreads that don’t take a lot of your time. Stay patient and commit to letting the habit implement and grow.
Wrap up
Our article provided you with guidance on how to do a tarot reading on yourself. Among the benefits of doing readings alone are self-reflection and gaining confidence through valuable insights provided by the cards. Unfortunately, not all of us have a person who can give valuable advice in times of turbulence. By practicing readings for yourself you get guidance from the cards. When you do a tarot reading for yourself, you also develop abstract thinking and creativity.
Start by purchasing your tarot deck and trying different spreads. Research and read about tarot meanings, be attentive to your insights, keep journaling, and commit to regular practicing. Good luck!
