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Some years ago, while browsing the New Age section of a bookstore, I bumped into someone I had gone to school with. We started pointing out books on the shelves that we had read, briefly reviewing and recommending.
I gestured at a couple of Tarot books. "These are pretty good. Are you into Tarot?"
My acquaintance blanched. "You should be careful," she warned, "You can be attacked by demons if you mess with the Tarot."
This pretty much stopped me short. She had seemed more sophisticated and knowledgeable about other metaphysical topics. Not wishing to challenge her personal beliefs, I merely raised my eyebrows and stammered something like, "Oh, demons, yeah."
I have been reading the cards off and on for a little over ten years now, and for me, the Tarot is more of a friendly tool than an "ooga booga" scary thing. This little article is partially my attempt to kick-start myself into getting involved in the cards again, and partially an offering to the Tarot newbies I meet on message boards and online communities. My approach is simple: If it feels good, do it. If it doesn't feel right to you, skip it.
CHOOSING A DECK: One of the best ways is to go to a metaphysical bookstore, because they will usually have several "demo" decks open that you can look at. Choose one that feels right, you should feel comfortable with the pictures. A word about the pictures: they are what determine the usefulness of a deck. It is important, at least when you are just starting out, to make sure your deck has full pictures on every card. Some decks omit pictures on the pip cards--cards one to ten of the minor arcana suits (wands, cups, swords, coins, or however they’re labeled.) Save these decks for later when you are starting a Tarot art deck collection.
Choose a book to go with it--those little booklets that come with the deck are ok but they do not have a lot of information. The book should be simple and keyed to your deck--if you have a Rider-Waite deck, a book designed to go with Crowley's Thoth deck will not work! Check the pictures in the book, or if there aren't any, check the book's introduction and it will tell you something to the effect of: "this is ok to use with all decks," or whatever. You can also go with a deck/book set if you have the dough.
BONDING WITH YOUR DECK: This is very important to being able to key into your deck and have it absorb your energy--it sounds weird, but you have to "bond" with your deck as if it was a person. The way I do this is by putting it under my pillow at night. Handling them as much as possible and playing with them is a good thing.
One of the best ways to bond with your deck is to meditate on the cards, drawing the symbolism deep into your mind.
A special meditation you can do with your cards is to sit in a comfortable spot where you will not be disturbed for a few minutes. Sit with your legs uncrossed and your cards in your hand, resting on your lap or out in front of you. Take a few deep breaths and allow your body to completely relax. Close your eyes, and visualize a golden ball of brilliant light starting at your feet. Move it slowly up, and imagine that as it passes, it leaves relaxation, health, and vitality throughout your body.
When it reaches your shoulders, imagine the energy from the golden ball spilling down your arms, into your hands, and directly into your Tarot deck. Then allow it to move up to your shoulders, neck and head. As it reaches your head, imagine your brain being illuminated with intuition and wisdom. End by taking three deep breaths and coming out of it. This can be done in a couple of minutes, and it would be a good practice to do every time you sit down to do readings.
Another way to meditate with your deck is to just pull cards, maybe one a day, and look at it for about five minutes. How do the pictures make you feel? What do the symbols mean to you? This will be valuable later when you are interpreting cards in readings.
JOURNALING: A journal is an invaluable tool in getting to know your Tarot deck. I have a binder in which I have sections for:
TAKING CARE OF YOUR CARDS: Wrap your cards in a piece of cloth to protect them. Some say that the best cloth is a piece of black silk, but I say the best thing to do is go to a fabric store and choose whatever kind of fabric feels right to you. Purchase enough yardage to make a square, and you can use this wrap cloth as a layout cloth, also a good thing to have. Don't forget to have a nice bag or box to store your cards in.
It is a good idea to keep your deck away from prying eyes when not in use. As far as allowing others to handle it goes, use your judgment on this. I generally wouldn't let anyone with hostile energy touch my deck, or read for them. Ditto people that tend to have disdain for the Tarot as if it was some kind of superstition. Ultimately, anyone you read for will be touching the cards, so go with your intuition on this issue.
Other accessories for readings include crystals (I like to call them "friendly rocks"--but I'm weird that way), either raw, unpolished ones or the polished kind that you find in nature stores. Good ones to choose because of their calming, centering qualities are rose quartz, amethyst, and sodalite. Do the same "energy" meditation that you do with your cards, and then set them out on your layout cloth during a reading, where they will help balance the energy in the room.
Music, incense, and special jewelry or clothing can also help set the mood here, once again, go with what you feel is best.
IN CONCLUSION: There is really no need to approach the Tarot with any amount of trepidation, because the cards are for everybody. So have fun, go ahead and play, make things up, and I promise, no "ooga-boogas" under the table. Unless you like that sort of thing.
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