In the first installment of the How to Read Tarot Cards collection, I briefly covered the first rule of thumb which was to become one with your tarot cards. If you haven’t already read through it, it couldn’t hurt.
The second rule of thumb to reading tarot cards is developing the proper way of asking your questions.
That may seem obvious to some people and to others it may seem pointless, a question is a question, right? Not quite so regarding the tarot. The tarot’s answer will only be as clear as the question you present to it. If you are not clearly focused on the problem at hand or if you are thinking about multiple variables to a situation, the cards will reflect that.
Before setting down to actually do a tarot spread, it’s good to take a deep breath and clear your mind. Some readers actually take 15 minutes beforehand to meditate and allow the stresses which may surround them to fall into the background.
If you’re just starting to read the tarot cards, it’s a good idea to have a pen and paper handy with you before you read. Think about what you’d like to have answered, right down everything that comes to your mind. Then read over what you’ve written and whittle it down. Keep narrowing all the fluff you’ve written to get straight to the true question. You’ll be glad you did when the answers shown through the cards don’t seem so confusing ;).
If you feel too emotionally attached to a specific subject, the cards can and will pick up on it. This can be good and it can be bad. It’s good that you have such a strong connection with your cards, however, it’s bad because your mental state (or psychic energy) can actually influence the way the cards fall – and that would provide a skewed reading.
In a situation such as that one, it’s a good idea to allow someone whom you trust to read the cards for you. If having someone else read the cards for you is simply out of the question, remember to relax yourself. Don’t read the cards until you feel comfortable enough to accept what the answer may be – whether or not it’s something you want to hear.