Books for Reading

• Use the book that came with your deck if there is one. Otherwise, get a book that corresponds to the type of Tarot deck you have. This is important, especially for new users. While you might be able to memorize, it is nice to have a reference.
  
  

Contemplative Mood

• Depending on your tastes this could include such things as: burning incense, lighting candles, or brewing a cup of spiced tea - whatever makes you feel relaxed and focused.
  
  

Focus on the Subject

• It is important to focus on the person for whom the reading will be conducted. Contrary to popular belief, it is perfectly fine to read for yourself. If you are reading for someone who is present, he or she can do the concentrating. If you are reading for someone who is not present, you need to focus on that person.
  
  

Types of Readings

• You can do a general reading or a reading for a specific question. An example of a general reading is a Calendar Reading. In this type, you pull 12 cards, each representing a coming month. An example of a specific reading is a Horseshoe Spread. In this type, each card (you pull 7) represents a different element of the question asked.
  
  

Major Arcana

• The tarot consists of two types of cards, the Major and Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana consists of popularly known cards such as the Fool and Death cards.
  
  

Minor Arcana

• The Minor Arcana makes up the majority of the tarot deck. This is (depending upon the type of tarot deck) made up of Cups, Pentacles, Swords and Wands. Each of these suits contains an Ace, numbers 2-10, and court cards: Page, Knight, Queen and King.