Unveiling the Mysteries: A Beginner Witch's Guide to Tarot

The beautiful decks in magical shops, the stunning details in the cards other witches are using, a bolstering reading from a rad human at a party; we’ve all felt the siren’s call of tarot. What would it mean to have a witchy tool that helps you connect to yourself and the world around you? How might it change your life? 

Embarking on the journey of Tarot as a beginner witch is a thrilling and empowering (although, sometimes overwhelming) endeavor. Tarot, with its rich symbolism and profound insights, offers a gateway to intuitive understanding and self-discovery. This journey can be taken with three easy steps to help ease the overwhelm and stoke the excitement of learning a new magical skill; embracing intuition, starting your practice, and a ritual for connecting with your deck. 

Embracing Intuition:

The magical and exciting thing about a tarot deck is that the information comes from a source who truly, deeply, understands what you need. It comes from you. As a beginner witch, trusting in your inner voice and instincts will be the first and surest way to lean into your own magic. Central to the practice of Tarot is the cultivation of intuition. Tarot speaks the language of the subconscious, offering glimpses into the depths of our psyche. Allow yourself to connect with the cards on a visceral level, trusting that your intuition will serve as a faithful guide throughout your journey. 

Starting Your Tarot Practice:

Begin by selecting a Tarot deck that resonates with you. Explore different decks and choose one that speaks to your spirit. Whether it's the classic Rider-Waite-Smith deck or a more contemporary interpretation, the key is to choose a deck that feels like an extension of yourself and your magic. A good starting point is the artwork- what’s catching your eye? What’s making your heart, body, and spirit feel something? Give yourself permission and space to move slowly and get acquainted with the deck. Does the language of the guidebook resonate with you? Do the images allow your mind to expand and make meaning? 

Witchy Note: Our apothecary always has sample decks that we encourage you to look through. Meaningful connection is hard to create without engagement. If you’re a digital babe and aren’t able to come explore in person, we’d be absolutely thrilled to do an unboxing video for you on social media- all you have to do is ask. 

Once you’ve found a deck that feels exciting, it's time to acquaint yourself with the cards. Study each card individually, taking note of its imagery, symbolism, and meaning. Traditional interpretations are a great way to get started, but make sure you’re also allowing room for your intuition to create personal insights. A great way to do this is by using a Daily Tarot Journal. 

Witchy Note: Another impactful way to learn tarot is to learn with community! We have a Community Circle that takes place once a month, both in-person and digitally, and it’s a phenomenal resource for learning more about the cards you’re working with. 

A Ritual for Connection:

Before diving into your first Tarot reading, we invite you to partake in a simple yet powerful ritual to establish a sacred connection with your new deck.

1. Find a quiet and comfortable space where you can focus without distraction.

2. Light a candle and some incense to create an atmosphere of invitation and magic.

3. Hold your Tarot deck in your hands and close your eyes. Take several deep breaths, allowing yourself to center and ground. Let the deck pass through the smoke of your incense to cleanse it. 

4. With each inhale, envision a warm, golden light surrounding you, imbuing you with divine guidance and protection.

5. When you feel ready, gently shuffle the cards, infusing them with your energy and intentions.

6. Once you feel a sense of connection, draw a single card from the deck. This card will serve as your guiding light, offering insights into your journey with Tarot.

7. Take a moment to study the card, allowing its symbolism to speak to you on a deeper level. Trust in your intuition to reveal its message.

8. Express your gratitude to the universe, your guides, and your deck for their wisdom and guidance.

9. Close the ritual by extinguishing the candle and releasing any remaining energy back into the universe. Place the deck on an Altar or by your bed-side for a daily pull! 

Remember, Tarot is a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Approach each reading with an open heart and mind, and trust in the inherent wisdom that lies within you. As you continue to deepen your practice, may you, too, deepen your relationship with yourself, unlocking the secrets of the fibers of your being and the inherent magic that exists with your wisdom.  

Here are some general references for the cards to get you started. We also have an amazing selection of Tarot books to help you study!

The following interpretations serve as a foundation, but remember that Tarot is deeply personal, and the meanings of the cards can vary based on the reader's intuition and the context of the reading. Allow yourself to connect with the symbolism of each card and trust your intuition to guide you in interpreting their messages.

The Major Arcana is composed of 22 cards in a Tarot deck, each with its own unique symbolism and significance. Here's a basic list of the Major Arcana Tarot cards along with their traditional meanings:

The Fool:

Represents new beginnings, innocence, and spontaneity. It signifies taking a leap of faith and embarking on a journey of self-discovery.

The Magician:

Symbolizes manifestation, power, and resourcefulness. It indicates tapping into one's potential and using one's skills to manifest desires.

The High Priestess:

Represents intuition, mystery, and inner wisdom. It signifies accessing the subconscious mind and trusting one's intuition.

The Empress:

Symbolizes nurturing, abundance, and fertility. It signifies creativity, nurturing relationships, and connecting with the natural world.

The Emperor:

Represents authority, structure, and leadership. It signifies taking control of situations and establishing boundaries.

The Hierophant:

Symbolizes tradition, spirituality, and guidance. It signifies seeking wisdom from spiritual sources or traditional institutions.

The Lovers:

Represents love, relationships, and harmony. It signifies partnerships, choices, and finding balance between opposing forces.

The Chariot:

Symbolizes determination, willpower, and victory. It signifies overcoming obstacles and moving forward with confidence.

Strength:

Represents inner strength, courage, and resilience. It signifies mastering one's emotions and facing challenges with grace.

The Hermit:

Symbolizes introspection, solitude, and inner guidance. It signifies seeking wisdom through reflection and self-discovery.

Wheel of Fortune:

Represents fate, cycles, and change. It signifies the ups and downs of life and the inevitability of change.

Justice:

Symbolizes fairness, truth, and balance. It signifies accountability, making decisions based on reason, and seeking justice.

The Hanged One:

Represents surrender, sacrifice, and letting go. It signifies seeing things from a different perspective and embracing change.

Death:

Symbolizes endings, transformation, and rebirth. It signifies letting go of the old to make way for the new and embracing transformation.

Temperance:

Represents moderation, balance, and harmony. It signifies finding balance in all aspects of life and blending opposing forces.

The Devil:

Symbolizes bondage, temptation, and materialism. It signifies being trapped by negative patterns or attachments and breaking free.

The Tower:

Represents sudden upheaval, chaos, and revelation. It signifies unexpected change and the breakdown of old structures.

The Star:

Symbolizes hope, inspiration, and guidance. It signifies optimism, healing, and finding inner peace.

The Moon:

Represents illusions, intuition, and subconscious fears. It signifies navigating through uncertainty and trusting intuition.

The Sun:

Symbolizes joy, vitality, and success. It signifies happiness, clarity, and embracing one's true self.

Judgment:

Represents self-reflection, rebirth, and awakening. It signifies self-evaluation, making amends, and embracing transformation.

The World:

Symbolizes completion, fulfillment, and wholeness. It signifies reaching a state of harmony and integration, and achieving one's goals.

Suits of the Tarot:

In the Tarot, the cards are divided into four suits, each with its own symbolism and association. Each suit contains cards numbered from Ace to Ten. Let's explore the basic meanings associated with the Minor Arcana:

Wands (or Rods):Represents energy, creativity, passion, and action. It signifies inspiration, ambition, and the pursuit of goals.

Cups (or Chalices):

Represents emotions, intuition, relationships, and creativity. It signifies love, connection, and emotional fulfillment

Swords:

Represents intellect, truth, conflict, and clarity. It signifies mental clarity, decision-making, and the power of thought.

Pentacles (or Coins):

Represents material wealth, practicality, security, and abundance. It signifies financial stability, career success, and earthly matters.

Aces:   In numerology, 1 symbolizes new beginnings, individuality, independence, and potential.

Aces signify the raw energy and potential of their respective suits. They represent the spark of inspiration, the seed of an idea, and the opportunity for growth and manifestation.

Twos:   In numerology, 2 symbolizes balance, harmony, partnerships, and cooperation.

Twos signify balance and duality within their respective suits. They represent choices, relationships, and the need to find equilibrium or make decisions.

Threes:   In numerology, 3 symbolizes creativity, expansion, expression, and communication.

Threes signify creativity and growth within their respective suits. They represent collaboration, self-expression, and the manifestation of ideas into reality.

Fours:   In numerology, 4 symbolizes stability, structure, security, and foundation.

Fours signify stability and organization within their respective suits. They represent security, establishment, and the need for solid foundations to build upon.

Fives:   In numerology, 5 symbolizes change, freedom, versatility, and adventure.

Fives signify change and challenges within their respective suits. They represent conflict, disruption, and the need to adapt or embrace transformation.

Sixes:   In numerology, 6 symbolizes harmony, balance, service, and responsibility.

Sixes signify harmony and cooperation within their respective suits. They represent harmony, balance, and the rewards of teamwork or selflessness.

Sevens:   In numerology, 7 symbolizes introspection, spirituality, wisdom, and evaluation.

Sevens signify introspection and assessment within their respective suits. They represent contemplation, assessment, and the pursuit of inner wisdom.

Eights:   In numerology, 8 symbolizes power, achievement, success, and abundance.

Eights signify strength and progress within their respective suits. They represent accomplishment, advancement, and the manifestation of abundance or success.

Nines:   In numerology, 9 symbolizes completion, fulfillment, spirituality, and compassion.

Nines signify fulfillment and culmination within their respective suits. They represent attainment, spiritual fulfillment, and the fulfillment of desires.

Tens:   In numerology, 10 symbolizes completion, endings, and new beginnings.

Tens signify completion and fulfillment within their respective suits. They represent the end of a cycle, culmination, and the potential for new beginnings.

Understanding the basic numerology of the Minor Arcana provides a framework for interpreting the energy and themes associated with each numbered card within its respective suit. When practicing doing your own Tarot readings, consider the numerological associations alongside the symbolism and traditional interpretations of the cards to gain deeper insights into the messages conveyed.