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What is tarot reading and how does it work?
- Chloe Evans
- Mar 9
- 9 min read
A Brief History
Tarot reading was first invented around the 1430s in Italy. It originally evolved from the traditional pack of playing cards that we know and use today, and was later used for divinatory purposes. Divination is the name given to a set of modalities that help us gain knowledge about the future and the unknown. Common divination methods include Tarot & Oracle cards, Tea Leaf reading, Runes, Palmistry, and Astrology.
The Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck was created around 1910. Most modern tarot deck structures are based off this one, which is still a popular choice among readers today. The Rider-Waite-Smith deck is perhaps the most famous and recognisable tarot deck in the world, largely due to it's beautiful artwork created by the immensely talented Pamela Coleman Smith.
Modern tarot decks come in many different shapes, sizes, and themes, but the general structure is always the same. Decks are split into what's called the Major and Minor Arcana, with the word 'Arcana' traditionally meaning secrets or mysteries. In most decks, the meaning of a card changes depending on how it appears (i.e. reversed or upright) but some readers prefer to only work with the upright meanings, as the reversed meanings are often perceived as more negative.
The Major Arcana
A modern deck consists of 78, individually decorated cards that each have a unique meaning. There are 22 Major Arcana cards and 56 Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana are cards such as 'The Fool', 'The Magician', and 'The High Priestess'. These generally represent our major lessons, significant life events, and opportunities for profound spiritual growth. From The Fool, all the way through to The World, the Major Arcana tell a story of transformation and evolution, from new beginnings, all the way through to completion.
The Fool is usually the first card in the Major Arcana, it represents a leap of faith and new beginnings.
This is the Ten of Shields Minor Arcana card from my beloved Celtic Tarot Deck. This card is all about creating financial abundance and a lasting legacy.
The Minor Arcana
The Minor Arcana, similar to a traditional pack of playing cards, are split into four suits. Traditionally these are wands, pentacles, cups, and swords, but various decks can use alternative names for these (such as shields instead of pentacles, and cauldrons instead of cups). Each suit corresponds to an element and an overall area of our lives. Unlike the Major Arcana, the Minor Arcana represent the smaller everyday events, people, challenges, hopes and fears. It is believed that the Major Arcana are fated lessons and encounters that are difficult to avoid, whereas we typically have more control over what the Minor Arcana has in store for us.
Wands represent the element of fire, they symbolise our energy, passion, ambition, determination, and drive. We often see the wands when facing creative breakthroughs, feeling inspired towards action, and/or being motivated for change.
Cups represent the element of water, they are closely related to our emotions, intuition and interpersonal relationships. We often see the cups in readings that are centred around deep feelings, romance and/or illusion.
Pentacles represent the element of earth, this points towards themes of material wealth, stability, work, and physical wellbeing. We often see the pentacles in readings based around our working lives, money, and home related endeavours.
Swords represent the element of air, which rules our minds, thought patterns, intellect, and conflict. These cards often present themselves when we're experiencing disagreements, challenges, inner turmoil, or the need for mental clarity.
Each suit, similar to your traditional deck of playing cards, is headed up by the court cards: Kings, Queens, Knights, and Pages. They are then followed by numbers ace through to 10. The court cards often refer to people, whether it be ourselves, or others close to our situation. Different decks will have unique descriptions for each, but they generally follow the same overall theme. Each card carries its own frequency, and the suit it falls under is like the area of life in which this frequency manifests itself.
Kings represent traditionally masculine qualities, authority figures, leadership, stability, and mastery. The shadow/reverse meaning of this can be someone domineering, controlling, or too rigid.
Queens represent traditionally feminine qualities of maturity, wisdom, and nurturing. They are creative, intuitive, and supportive to those they love. The shadow/reverse side of this is manipulation, lack of confidence, or creative and intuitive blocks.
Knights represent movement, action, and development. If we think about the knight in a story book, they are usually in pursuit of some kind of quest, possessing drive, ambition, and bravery. The shadow/reverse side of this can be acting blindly without thinking things through, being too brash or stubborn, and being insincere or taking action for all the wrong reasons. In some interpretations the reversed knight can even resemble a lack of motivation, or even laziness.
Pages represent learning, youthfulness, and curiosity. They are an omen of dedication to your craft, urging you to listen to knew ideas, follow your intuition, and learn a new skill. They urge you to be playful and have fun, taking risks and trying new things. The shadow. reverse side of this is poor planning, poor time management, ignoring nudges, or trying to bring things into fruition without all the relevant information.
Tens represent a culmination, completing a significant cycle or phase of life, a sense of bringing everything together. They usually appear when a journey has ended or come into fruition, and a person is ready to begin a new chapter. Tens bring with them themes of growth, change, and transformation. They can also indicate a resistance to this change, which in turn can lead to resentment, stagnation, and/or extreme difficulties. The tens are often here to remind us that life is always moving and we must move with it, if we resist this lesson, we may suffer by repeating the cycle.
Nines are the lead up to the tens, they too come with themes of culmination, but also reflection and preparation for the start of a new cycle. When the nines appear in a reading, they are encouraging you to take time for introspection, recognising the journey you've been on, the challenges you've overcome, and the growth you've experienced. Nines are the time to consider what is left to learn and what needs to be left behind. Multiple nines in a reading indicate that change is coming and that there is a strong need for independence and accountability to work through that change.
Eights represent speed, movement, and mastery. They appear when someone has worked hard and dedicated themselves to something. Eights often bring into question where we are investing our time and energy, and whether this is really what we want long term. They remind us that working consistently and methodically on things that bring us joy will ultimately pay off. The eights can also indicate delays, challenges, and walking away from things that no longer bring us joy.
Sevens indicate challenges, choices, and spiritual growth. They can remind us of past lessons and how we can employ what we've learned before to our current situation. The sevens are all about standing your ground and making choices that align with your highest good. There is a lot of reflection in these cards, getting us to really look at our situation and the people involved, questioning where we might be sacrificing our needs, boundaries and/or integrity. When sevens appear in a reading they serve as a great opportunity to get clear about our desires and course correct if needed. They are intuitive cards that place particular emphasis on being patient and slowing down where necessary.
Sixes represent balance and harmony, the journey from hardship to resolution and peace. They emphasize the important of fostering healthy relationships as well as giving and receiving. Multiple sixes in a reading point towards themes of love and relationships, perhaps even a soulmate connection. Sixes are often joyful cards that are a welcome presence after a difficult time. When reversed they can indicate a lack of balance, over giving, or struggling to let go of the past.
Five is the number of change and conflict. Whenever we see an abundance of fives in a reading, we can assume that there are many challenges present, as well as arguments and an overall need to step away from the noise and chaos to take stock. The fives remind us that with every struggle comes a profound opportunity for growth. We saw previously that reversed meanings are most often perceived as more negative, but in the case of the fives, a reversal usually leads to a more positive interpretation. Traditionally a reversed five points towards moving away from this conflict and stepping on a more aligned and peaceful path.
Four is the number of stability, this is where foundations and structures are questioned within the various aspects of life. Included within this are the four elements, and a reminder of how balance is needed in all areas of our lives to achieve ultimate happiness and success. The fours will show us what areas of our life require more attention and where foundations may be rocky. Multiple fours within a reading can represent a need for grounding and perhaps a shift in perspective to bring about more joy.
Threes often symbolise creativity, community, and growth. There is strong emphasis on how working together with others can help us to achieve our goals. Threes can also indicate two people coming together to create something new, or bringing in a third element. Threes are an active group, they signify momentum and movement after the stagnancy and contemplation of the twos. The threes are not always positive, but they come as a symbol of how acknowledgement and pursuit of creativity and community can encourage growth.
Twos represent unity and decision making. Naturally there are themes of balance here too between giving and receiving. The twos encourage us to slow down before making decisions, and to ensure that the approach we are taking is a balanced one. The theme of reciprocation is heavy here, ensuring that there are equal parts of ebb and flow within our choices and actions. They remind us that partnerships are important, as well as considering all options before making a move.
Aces indicate a new beginning, whether it be a fresh mindset, a new business concept, blossoming love, or renewed enthusiasm. They represent the start of our journey, the potential we hold, and any opportunities coming our way. They can also serve as a reminder that new beginnings are not only inevitable, but necessary for our growth. We can always start anew, no matter how set in our ways we may feel.
How it works
A competent tarot reader will have spent years honing their craft, learning about the intricate symbols and messages hidden within the artwork, as well as the basic theory behind each card. Some readers use what we call a tarot spread to help make the reading more specific. What often separates a good reader from an excellent one, is their ability to understand how the cards impact each other, and the relevance of how they fall. When we focus purely on the individual meanings of the cards, that is like only reading one page of the story and trying to predict the ending. In tarot it is important to understand how the cards communicate with each other, all of the cards will have an impact on each other, and it is important to have an understanding of those relationships to avoid missing important guidance. If the two of cups were to appear with the lovers for example, this would indicate a romantic union, however the two of cups and the ace of shields would represent a new business partnership instead.
The thing many tarot readers often miss is the importance of developing intuitive insight. It is all well and good learning the card meanings and the various influences, but tarot reading becomes elevated when it is clear that the reader has formed a relationship with their cards. The more readings are carried out the, more connections are made. A reader may even find that an entirely different meaning resonates more strongly with them than the one which is traditional associated with that card. Intuitive insights during readings are invaluable, this is often where spirit is communicating through the reader, and where the most profound interpretations can be drawn.
Although tarot reading is a form of divination and has been known to predict the future, it is important to remember that we always have control over how we respond to our fate. Whatever future is laid out by the cards can be altered depending on the choices we make following the reading. Tarot reading is a fantastic tool for introspection. It holds an honest mirror up to our lives, and if we don't like what we see, it empowers us to make the changes necessary to correct our course.
Whether you're thinking of booking a tarot reading, or interested in becoming a reader yourself, I promise you that your time won't be wasted. Tarot reading is like a form of spiritual therapy that brings you closer to yourself. Just be sure to follow your intuition, notice any feelings that come up, and try to make notes on any thoughts you have after a reading to refer back to at a later date.
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