Lesson 9 Advanced Tarot Reading
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Generally I don’t recommend that you read cards for others until you have become very comfortable and familiar with the cards of your deck, their meaning and symbolism. Also note that if reading for others there are some pretty strict legal requirements around how you present the information you are sharing. Do your research and protect yourself. Personally, I have kept my tarot practice a private one, and focused my efforts on deepening my own relationship to the cards within my magick.
As you become more experienced reading the cards, you will begin to look more holistically at the entire array of cards in the spread and their relationships to one another. Think of the tarot spread as a story, with major and minor themes. This is where your intuition will really shine.
To begin, look at any Major Arcana cards as they will set the overall mood and direction of the reading. These cards will usually highlight the major times your deck is sharing with you. Think holistically and look at the bigger picture.
The Minor Arcana cards usually relate back to recurrent, minor themes within your life. For example, if you are seeing a lot of Wand cards, the reading is likely focused on passion and the achievement of goals. Then look for any cards that seem like opposites of each other. What cards are similar to each other? Looking at all the cards together can narrow down what the tarot spread is referring to.
Also as you feel more comfortable with the traditional tarot deck, you may find yourself more and more interested in other types of divination decks and want to explore the huge array of oracle decks available. Look for cards with art that speaks to your soul, that move something within you.
Choosing an oracle deck and branching into more forms of card divination is a deeply intuitive process. You may even find that you prefer the more structured, systematized approach of traditional tarot.
I use both tarot and oracle decks daily.
Some of my current favorite oracle decks:
Woodland Wardens: A 52-Card Oracle Deck & Guidebook by Jessica Roux
Urban Crow Oracle: A 54-Card Deck and Guidebook by MJ Cullinane
Seasons of the Witch These include several different decks for the various sabbats on the Wheel of the Year.
All of these feature lovely artwork and a lot of love and intention poured into their creation.
Son’t worry about memorizing all the meanings of each card. Get a handle on the broad strokes: meanings of each suit, general meanings of the various numbers, and some color and shape symbolism. But the real depth of understanding comes from developing your intuition. It’s a muscle that will grow stronger with use. The best way to become an advanced tarot reader is to work with the cards everyday. Journal along the way so you can look back.
The real point here is that becoming an advanced tarot reader takes time, practice, and a lot of self discovery. Lean into the process and enjoy the journey.
Here are some more advanced forms of tarot readings to try:
Three More Oracle Decks I’m Loving
Spirit Allies
Guidance is available to you on each step of your journey—be open to receiving it and welcome in the many blessings your Spirit Allies have to offer. Once you do, get ready to see the signs everywhere! Their support, guidance, and protection arrive in many forms, be it symbols and synchronicities, or dreams and whispers. Tap into your intuitive gifts and their uplifting presence through this 60-card oracle deck and reflect upon its meaning in the guidebook. You’ll have the pleasure of connecting more deeply with the plant, animal, crystal, goddess archetypes, and cosmic allies that are present to encourage your highest self to blossom from within.
The Literary Witches Oracle
Infuse your personal divination practice with spiritual insight and feminist guidance from icons such as Octavia Butler, Shirley Jackson, Gertrude Stein, Joy Harjo and more.
• Receive answers to questions about your creative life and spiritual journey, guided by insights from the strong, creative women featured in this deck.
• Includes 30 cards featuring prominent female writers and trailblazers as well as 40 symbol cards bearing illustrations of potent spiritual icons to enhance your reading.
• Find inspiration from literary heroes, such as Virginia Woolf and Toni Morrison, and discover the wisdom of lesser-known trailblazers, such as Yumiko Kurahashi and Mirabai.
• Use the included guidebook as an interpreter to help you interpret the cards based on your specific intentions, the writers’ dominant traits, and the spiritual symbols at play.
Wild Woman Oracle
Inspired by the classic Women Who Run with the Wolves, this deck is designed for women experiencing their Saturn Return— a time of personal intensity and change.
The essence of the Wild Woman Oracle is feminine, dark, witchy, wise, mystical, spiritual, whimsical, authentic, educational, and empowering.
Through mythological, folkloric, and contemporary tales about empowering female figures who embody the Wild Woman in their own unique ways, the Wild Woman Oracle will awaken you to your true, free, and soulful Self. These Wild Women's stories—the losses, victories, and lessons learned—will help you begin to rewrite your own story. You will see how all your life experiences –especially the difficult, dark, and uncertain ones—are alchemizing into gold, into the invaluable wisdom, fierce self-respect, and keen joie de vivre of the Wild Woman.
The images on the 44 cards depict strong feminine figures from mythology, folklore, and contemporary culture—all women who faced their own struggles and victories, and whose example will inspire others to discover their true self. The artwork was created in pen and pencil and reproduced in shades of black printed with bronze metallic ink to enhance their dark and mystical feel.
