Love, Death and Fools: Everything you need to know about Tarot card reading

Tarot 101

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A standard Tarot deck has 78 cards, split into two groups: Major and Minor Arcana. Tarot card readers generally use it for personal and spiritual exploration, on a wide variety of topics from health, financial and romantic woes.

1. Major Arcana

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The Major Arcana are 22 named or numbered cards, starting from 0 to 21. These cards (also named the Fool’s Journey) represent our journey of self-development and overarching symbolic influences.

2. Minor Arcana

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The Minor Arcana has 56 cards, split into four different suits (Pentacles, Wands, Cups and Swords), with four additional “Court” cards. They govern the day-to-day life.

Suit of Pentacles: Associated with wealth and stability, with cards relating to money, career, home and prosperity.
Suit of Wands: Represents passion, creativity and innovation, and is often connected to your faith, career or love life.
Suit of Cups: Deals with matters of the heart, relating to emotional, and mental wellbeing and relationships.
Suit of Swords: Reflects conflict and strife, telling us of potential challenges, threats or bad omens.

3. Classic Spreads

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Three card spreads are a Tarot classic, providing deep insights without overwhelming Tarot beginners. You could try pulling cards relating to some of these patterns:

Past, Present, Future: Typically used for a general reading.
Situation, Obstacle, Solution: Great if you’re facing conflict in your life
You, Other, Relationship: Used for relationships — romantic, platonic or familial

Interpret your cards

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With 78 cards to interpret, it’s time to pull out Google or your Tarot guide for the specific meanings. To save you some time, here’s a brief interpretation of three important Tarot cards.

1. The Fool

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The first card in the Major Arcana, the Fool symbolises an awakening, the beginning of a new journey or unexpected things coming your way. In a positive light, pulling the Fool may mean having beginner’s luck or belief in the universe. Conversely, the Fool may mean folly, mania or delirium.

2. Death

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Don’t panic if you get the Death card! It doesn’t literally mean death. In fact, it can also be called Rebirth. It implies an end to something or a transformation, signifying a major change in your life and increasing self-awareness or self-interest.

3. The Lovers

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The appearance of The Lovers in your spread indicates choices about relationships — an existing relationship, a temptation of the heart or potential partners. Whatever your decision, take time to consider any potential sacrifices and tread carefully, as the ramifications will be lasting.

Let’s get started!

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You’ve now got your foot in the door of the mysterious world of tarot reading. With all that theoretical knowledge, start getting your hands dirty with your first tarot deck. After all, the best way to learn is by practice.

1. Rider-Waite Tarot Deck, $5.99 

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Start with the original Rider-Waite Tarot deck to learn the foundations of tarot reading. Its abundant symbolism, vivid detail and bold colours will help evoke sensory interpretations.

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2. Everyday Tarot Mini Tarot Deck, $20.22

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For your portable needs, this deck is easy to whip out for a quick reading when you’re on the go.

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3. Cat Tarot, $26.87

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Who can say no to cute cats? Especially when they’re helping you seek answers from your past, purr-esent and future.

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4. Tarot for Kids, $31.93

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Beautifully illustrated and modified to be age-appropriate for kids, this deck is great for a night of mystery with the family.

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5. The Phantomwise Tarot Set, $33.39

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Got a little bit of goth in you? This black-and-white set is part nocturnal Phantasia, part Wonderland, helping you seek the mysterious phantoms of your future.

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