It took me forever to memorize the tarot cards. And even after I knew them backwards and forwards, I still second-guessed myself all the time.
No matter how much I learned or how well I knew the cards, I couldn’t shake that self-consciousness. I got caught up, listening to other tarot readers –– convinced they knew something I didn’t know. Afraid I missed something, or worse, that I would totally make some rookie mistake and give someone terrible advice.
Reading cards for other people made me beyond nervous. But even my practice readings for myself felt off somehow. I paged back to definitions in books, searched for different tarot card meanings online, and otherwise distrusted my own instincts.
Even when every reference reinforced my original interpretation. I still felt like I was playing dress up with someone else’s crystal ball.
Imposter syndrome. It hits us all. No matter what we’re trying to do, or how good we are.
So, if you’re second guessing yourself or worried you’ll never get good at it, don’t let the negative self-talk win. When you’re fighting the battle to beat Imposter Syndrome, your best weapon is knowledge.
In this post, we’ll talk about learning to read tarot cards in a way that boosts your confidence. You’ll hear about witchy influencers, memorizing tarot card meanings, and what types of layouts you should start with.
And, extra bonus, I included a two-part exercise to help connect with your intuition when working with complex layouts.
Looking for more? Check out our Tarot Card Meanings Resource page to find quick definitions of all the cards in one, easy to navigate place.
Demystifying the Mystical in Learning to Read Tarot Cards
The internet is a fantastic thing for the solo practitioner. Witchy stuff, like learning to read tarot cards, wasn’t always so accessible. Besides books, your only real resource was to find a mentor, and it’s not like you could find a good tarot reader on every corner.
Today, you can type a few searches into Google and find tarot influencers on any social media platform.
There are tons of places to get information and connect with other readers. Gone are the days when you needed to find a coven or be born into a family of witches… you can be in a coven, of course, but you’re not totally screwed if you came to this path on your own.
The rise of the witchy influencers is another step forward in demystifying the once hidden. They can give you that much sought-after mentor. You can find community or just pull their page up when you want to learn a little more.
A Word About Witchy Influencers and Putting in the Work
I love witchy influencers… I think they serve a big need today and make a lot of fun content. But there is one little caveat… not all influencers are the same.
Be careful of anyone, in any field, who pushes the “fake it til you make it” mentality. You’ve seen their schtick… “You, too, can make millions of dollars without knowing fuck-all about anything.”
Okay, not quite that blatant, but you get the idea.
There are a lot of wonderful witchy role models out there. But there are also a lot of people running channels who don’t really practice what they teach. They’re just regurgitating things they’ve seen elsewhere.
So, what does this have to do with imposter syndrome?
If you’re following advice that says, “you don’t have to know anything to be just as good as someone who’s been studying their craft for decades” you’re going to feel like an imposter…
There’s a lot to learn. The good news: Anyone can learn it.
But you do have to do the work.
No matter where you are on your journey, you have an innate intuition. You might even be naturally skilled at reading cards or other forms of divination.
The key to getting over your self-consciousness is in your honesty… with yourself and others. Intuition and guessing are not the same… and when you get really in touch with your intuition, you can feel the difference. Getting in touch is about dropping any shame or fear and walking around in your truth… without feeling judged or judging…
It can take some of us a bit of practice… but it’s a great place to be when you get there.
So, my best tip is to be honest when you assess yourself… it’s okay to be self-conscious. It’s okay to feel like you still have so much to learn – truthfully, we all have stuff to learn, no matter how advanced we are.
Do You Need to Memorize Tarot Cards?
Is memorizing tarot card meanings necessary? Do you really have to know them all to do a good reading? Yes and no.
Most people will tell you that you don’t need to memorize the cards. Tarot is just a tool, after all… it’s about how well you tap into your intuition.
But here’s the thing… if you don’t have the cards memorized, you’re going to spend a lot of time looking up meanings. With 78 cards in a tarot deck, it’s a lot to learn. And each one of those cards has multiple possible interpretations…
You can do a reading as soon as you open your first deck. Use the resources to guide your layouts and figure out the card meanings. But, when you’re following directions and puzzling together meanings in that way, you’re using the analytical side of your brain.
For most of us, using the analytical side of the brain makes it harder to tap into our intuition. It’s like using two different muscles.
So, no, you don’t NEED to memorize tarot cards to do a full reading. BUT… the better you understand the cards, the less you’ll need to look up… it becomes less about your analytical side and more about tapping into your intuition.
The more you practice, the better you know the cards. Once you learn the cards well, you can go off book and trust your own inner voice.
Putting the Pieces of the Tarot Puzzle Together
Tarot is a tool. (I’m repeating myself but it’s super important).
The real magic of a tarot reading comes from tapping into your intuition. But that can be difficult to do when you’re starting out. Every card has multiple possible definitions. And certain cards can change meanings when they’re laid in proximity to other specific cards in a layout.
It’s more than just the definitions of individual cards. Working with a whole spread is like putting together a puzzle. It’s fun. But it can also be pretty complex.
When you’re looking for the “right” answer, or second-guessing yourself, your readings won’t be as strong or accurate.
This is why I say that you should memorize the cards… because it gives you a base of knowledge to pull from, to make putting that puzzle together much easier. You can glance at the cards and see the connections… and it’s much easier to center in on your intuition.
Should you start with simple layouts?
A lot of tarot experts do say that you should start with simple layouts. A one-card pull, or a three-card layout.
There’s a method to that madness. You don’t need to worry as much about how different cards might influence each other if you’re only working with a few cards. So, you’re more likely to get fairly accurate readings right away.
AND, extra bonus, without so much analytical thinking involved in the layout, you can more naturally tap into your intuition.
BUT… I always recommend diving right into the more complex layouts. It’s a learning curve, for sure… but complex layouts let you get right into the more layered, thoughtful interpretations right away. It’s a good way to get in practice, even if you’re not quite ready to do those intricate readings for someone else right away.
I started with the Celtic Cross layout, which is a ten-card spread, many moons ago. And it’s still my favorite way to do a full reading.
You also don’t have to restrict yourself to one layout. Explore all the ones that look interesting to you. Or you can do a combination of both, working with a more complex layout and then doing simpler 1-3 card layouts in between.
Exercise to Tap into Your Intuition with Complex Layouts
Are you itching to dive into a bigger, more complex layout, like the Celtic Cross or Tree of Life?
These can be super fun to do and really nuanced. You can find a lot of great layouts online and in books with very detailed explanations for each position. There’s no shortage of choices for you to explore.
On to the exercise.
This is a two-part exercise. You can do this with any advanced layout, even if you’re a brand-new reader.
It’s also a good exercise for more advanced readers. Working with the cards this way gives you a little pause to center and really tap into your intuition, rather than relying on your everyday knowledge (which we all do… it’s hard to turn off what you know).
First, find a quiet place to work, where no one else will move your cards or distract you.
Exercise Part I: Analyzing the Cards
For the first part of the exercise, you need a tarot deck, any tarot accessories you like to work with, and any resources to help you figure out what each card means.
Here are the basic steps:
- Choose any complex layout to work with.
- Shuffle, cut, and lay the cards in your spread thinking of a specific issue or question.
- Look at each card and determine what it means.
- Take some time to study the overall spread and think about the definitions for each card based on where the card is in the layout and in connection to the other cards.
- Unleash your inner student. Take notes or journal the entire reading. I like visual learning, so this really works for me. Get creative and use the best study methods for you.
- This is about giving yourself permission to look at everything intellectually. Using all the real-world clues and symbolism in the cards. Really dig into putting that puzzle together in a cohesive story.
- Ask yourself a few questions: Do these cards make sense for the question I asked? Is there anything that really feels out of place?
- Take your time with the analytical part of the process. There’s no time limit. But don’t move to the next step until you feel absolutely confident that you know this story backwards and forwards.
Okay. PAUSE.
Step away from the cards (but leave them in the exact same layout and position).
Exercise Part II: Trusting Your Intuition
For the second part of this exercise, you’ll need anything that helps you meditate. I use a candle and sometimes incense. I usually have a plethora of crystals around me, too.
Take a break and go do something else for a little while. Have a snack or read for twenty minutes. Scroll on your phone. Just do something that’s totally unrelated to the reading for long enough that when you come back for the next step, your mind is clear.
This might be five minutes or a few hours. Whatever works for you. Try shorter or longer time frames if you want to see what works best for you.
When you’re fully ready, come back to the layout. Don’t look at your notes.
Light a candle – white, lavender, purple, and blue are all good colors for divination. You can also light incense.
Now, sit quietly and center yourself. You can stare at the flame of the candle or close your eyes. Breathe deeply, quiet your mind, and listen.
Don’t force anything. Just meditate and listen. Say a prayer (or affirmation, or spell, if you don’t believe in prayers). Ask God/your preferred higher power/the universe to grant you clarity.
Once you feel perfectly supported and peaceful, turn your attention back to the spread.
Note any new insights you have, feelings, intuition.
Ready to Learn More About Working with Tarot?
With 78 cards and loads of resources, mastering the deck takes time, but it’s well worth the investment.
If you’re looking for more resources to get to know your cards, check out our posts on bonding with your tarot and the tarot accessories you need to get started.