Choosing your first deck
For beginners we always recommend the classic Rider–Waite deck. Its symbolism is as simple and intuitive as it gets, and most tarot references and teaching material are written around it.
Getting yourself ready for a reading
Tarot is a tool for working with the subconscious. Before you lay out a spread, it helps to quiet the mind. Find a quiet spot and take a few slow breaths. A simple Card of the Day is a good starting point — it lets you learn the meanings one card at a time.
Do you have to memorise the meanings?
Learning all 78 meanings by heart is not only hard, it's counterproductive. Your intuition matters more. Look at the card: what does it make you feel? What is the figure doing? Read the card intuitively first, and only then check it against the reference.
How to phrase your questions
Tarot doesn't love yes-or-no questions (though we do have a dedicated Yes/No spread for those). Better questions are: “What would help me here?”, “What is the lesson in this?”, “Where can this go?”. Mira, our reader, will always help you sharpen the question and go deeper on the answer.
