GETTING STARTED in 1. Introduction 2. What is Tarot? 3. Which deck should I use? 4. How to look after you Tarot cards 5. Keeping a Tarot Journal 6. A Tarot Practice 7. Connecting with the cards 8. Simple steps for reading the cards intuitively 9. The Tarot deck 10.The Tarot cards meanings 11.How to shuffle the cards 12.How to do a simple reading 13.About Natasha © Copyright Tarot Wisdom, www.tarotwisdom.com.au If you are new to Tarot, then this book will help you get started. It will give you the confidence to read for yourself and others. I'll show you how to select the right deck, how to look after your cards and provide the underlying meaning of the cards. I will also provide some techniques for developing a personal connection with the cards and how to read the cards intuitively. And, you do not need to be psychic to read Tarot! Everyone has some psychic ability, and it is a matter of connecting to your intuition and learning to trust what you feel and think. It is a skill that we can all develop with practice, over time. © Copyright Tarot Wisdom, www.tarotwisdom.com.au Tarot is amazing! We can use Tarot for divination or fortune-telling, spiritual growth, spirit guide communication, psychological analysis, meditation, visualization and manifestation. Tarot cards first appeared in Europe in 1450. However, standard playing cards have been used in divination by Islamic cultures for centuries. Today, the most widely-used Tarot deck is the Waite-Coleman Smith Deck because of its rich imagery. There are hundreds of beautifully illustrated modern Tarot decks available now, and these are all based on the original Waite-Smith deck. Divination & Fortune Telling Many people believe that Tarot is just a divination tool for fortune-telling. That Tarot is similar using a crystal ball, scrying mirror, I-Ching, pendulums, palmistry, astrology, tea- cups, runes, dowsing rods or spirit boards. As well as all these systems of divination, there are also other types of cards such as Oracle cards, Angel cards, Lenormand and Kipper. Tarot is different from other divination techniques as it is much more complex and structured. All Tarot decks comprise of 78 cards, Major and Minor Arcana with Four suits. Oracle cards vary in theme and the number of cards in a deck. Tarot is unique as it also looks at the psychological aspects, relates to archetypes and connects with synchronicity. Psychological Analysis We are unconsciously attracted to cards that reflect our situation, what is in our conscious mind and what is hidden deep in the subconscious. Many readers use Tarot as a tool for psychological analysis. The cards that we are attracted to and select often reveal what is going on in the subconscious mind. They reflect our beliefs, as well as emotions such as fear, guilt, anxiety, insecurity, possessiveness, grief, unhappiness and past pain. Tarot can be used to bring your issues to light so that you can address your problems and work through them. There may be some images in the cards that will have some significance, e.g. the dog in the Fool may relate to your dog or an experience that you had with a dog. Your connection with the cards is just as important as the traditional meanings of the cards. © Copyright Tarot Wisdom, www.tarotwisdom.com.au Manifestation, Visualisation & Meditation Tarot is a fabulous tool for visualisation and meditation. You can use a Tarot card for manifestation or meditation by focusing on the meaning of that card and drawing that energy into our lives. In 1937 Napoleon Hill said: “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the body can achieve”. What you focus on you manifest and create. Therefore you can use Tarot cards as the theme of your meditation. You could take the Temperance card, for example, and meditate on ways in which you can manifest a more balanced life. How you can create a harmonious lifestyle where there is a work-life balance, or we moderate our negative habits or behaviour. The cards can also use Tarot cards for visualisation. For example, you visualise yourself as the woman in the Nine of Pentacles, seeing yourself as successful and having your life filled with abundance. Or, you could use the Magician card to remind yourself that you have the skills and ability can manifest what you want in your life. That if you believe you can, you will. Spiritual Growth Tarot is not always about seeing what is coming up in the future. It can be so useful in helping us to understand ourselves better. Rather than focusing on questions like “Will he come back?”, “Is he the right one?” “When will Mr. Right come into my life?” a more pro-active approach would be to use Tarot to investigate the blockages that you have towards love and relationships. Perhaps you may be asking “Why don’t I ever have enough money?”, “Why do I feel so much unhappiness? I don’t know why I’m here” or “I don’t know my life purpose”. Tarot can uncover the limiting beliefs and blockages that prevent you from enjoying an abundant life or discovering your purpose in life. © Copyright Tarot Wisdom, www.tarotwisdom.com.au Spirit Guides Tarot can also be used to connect with our Spirit Guides. A reader can use Tarot cards to receive messages from spirit guides, guardian angels or loved ones who have passed. These messages can bring comfort, guidance in helping us with our problems or understanding as to what it is that we are here to do, our life purpose. Free Will It is always important to remember that although Tarot can reveal the energies around us, as well as possible outcomes, every one of us has free will. Nothing in the future is set in stone. We need to take responsibility for our own decisions and actions, as we are always able to change our destiny if we wish consciously. © Copyright Tarot Wisdom, www.tarotwisdom.com.au The Waite-Smith Deck (Rider Waite) is the most popular Tarot deck to use, especially when you begin, because of its abundant symbolism. Interpretation of the cards is more natural as the meanings are apparent from the symbols and images in the cards. If you learn Tarot using the Waite-Smith deck, you'll be able to read most Tarot Deck that are available today - and there are hundreds of them! The Sacred Circle and the Wildwood Tarot are both Wiccan-based Tarot decks, and the Mythic Tarot uses Mythology as its theme. Choose a Tarot deck that resonates with you. The appearance of the cards is important. Some cards have borders, keywords, astrological or Kabbalistic symbols. If you understand the meaning of these added symbols, it provides another layer of information. However, some people find these are distracting. In addition, you may find that you were attracted to some cards in a deck, but don't connect with the whole pack. If you find that you don't connect with the entire deck, select another one that you do like. Aeclectic Tarot has a website, www.aeclectic.net, where you can see a review on individual decks, and this may help you to get a feel before you buy. © Copyright Tarot Wisdom, www.tarotwisdom.com.au A Tarot deck is incredibly special and should be treated with love and respect! It's important to cleanse the cards regularly, especially if you're doing lots of readings or if you have read for a client who was stressed, negative or aggressive. If your cards are beginning to feel heavy or sticky, then you'll need to cleanse them. Here are some tips for the most effective ways in which to cleanse your Tarot deck : • Shuffle the cards thoroughly using a 3-pile shuffle or messy shuffle. Make sure that the cards are all upright at the end • Using a Tibetan singing bowl or bell over the deck will also cleanse the cards as the vibrations from the sound will disperse negative energies • Put the cards under the Full Moon to cleanse the cards using a “Moon Bath” • Salt is extremely purifying, so giving the deck a salt burial to remove the energetic residue from your previous readings. Bury your deck in a bowl of sea salt crystals overnight and through away the salt afterwards. • Smudge the deck with a sage, smudge stick or incense. © Copyright Tarot Wisdom, www.tarotwisdom.com.au In between readings, you may want to wrap your deck in silk and keep your Tarot deck either in a beautiful Tarot Bag or a Tarot Box. You can also place a crystal on top of the deck for protection and ward off negative energies. The cards are special and should be treated with care, love and respect, so store them in a beautiful way. However, keep them away from water, moisture, heat and sunlight as these will damage the cards. © Copyright Tarot Wisdom, www.tarotwisdom.com.au It is a great idea to keep a personal Tarot Journal to record your special meaning for the cards and also your experiences with Tarot. The Journal can be a lovely leather-bound book with blank pages, a note book, a binder with loose sheets that you can add to or simple stored electronically on your computer, but remember to regularly back it up! The last two are great as you are not limited and can continually add to the journal. You may want to record readings that stood out for you, your daily card readings or the personal meanings that you have for individual cards.