How to Improve Your Tarot Skills

It can take time to develop the ability to read the Tarot accurately and effectively. Time and practice are the best ways to improve, but here are a couple other tips that might help you with your readings.

Learn the cards thoroughly
Having to refer back to a book to figure out the meaning of a card can really ruin the flow of a Tarot reading. Or only knowing a basic one-sentence meaning can limit how you interpret your cards. Get a well-rounded interpretation for each of the 78 cards, and make sure you know your spreads as well.

Develop your own thoughts on the cards
Get away from the book explanations, and think about the images on your cards. What do you they say to you? This isn't supposed to be a substitution for learning the "official" meanings, though some people do read strictly with their own interpretations. Just allow your own instincts to help mold how you see the cards, rather than assuming the traditional meanings are cast in stone.

Read for others
Find friends to read for on a regular basis. While reading for yourself is acceptable for practice, you aren't going to be as accurate (especially as a beginner). As with any skill, practice is the key to success. Take these practice readings seriously, and let your friends know to do the same.

Change decks
If you are really finding that this is not coming very smoothly for you, try a different deck. It may not be practical to actually buy decks, but your local Pagan or New Age shop may have a good selection as well as sample cards for you to browse through. You won't be able to do actually readings this way, but perhaps some other artwork will catch your fancy.

Spend time with your cards
Many people say you should carry your cards with you, or even sleep with them under your pillow. I'm not going to insist that this helps, but it can't hurt. The theory is that by keeping your cards close, they will pick up your own energy and make them work better for you.

Keep a journal
Record all your practice readings, especially if you are reading to predict future events. You might be surprised how something you saw in a reading actually makes more sense after the fact.