Don’t Stress, Every Beginner Makes These 5 Tarot Mistakes

Are you new to reading tarot and still in the hesitant-but-deeply-intrigued phase of your spiritual awakening? Studying tarot can feel daunting at first. You may still be unsure what the word divination really means and whether you have what it takes to perform readings for yourself and others.

Every professional reader was once a complete novice with an undeniable magnetic pull toward the cards. Here’s how to navigate some of the mistakes every tarot reader makes at the start of their journey. Let’s alleviate any worries you’re feeling and lean into courage and intuition.

“I Have to Know How to Shuffle Like a Pro”

When you’re starting, you might not even be able to shuffle a deck of playing cards. Eventually, the movements will become automatic and a source of comfort for you. But until then, don’t let this technicality get in the way.

Shuffling like a pro looks cool, but it isn’t necessary. Do practice shuffling, but don’t let it delay your studies.

Here’s one method that’s perfect for beginners. Simply spread the cards in a big pile on the table, then shuffle them around on the flat surface until they’re completely mixed up. Then, gather them back into a cohesive stack.

From there, you can pick from the pile or spread the cards out neatly again and hover your hand over them. Wait until you feel a warm or tingly sensation in your hand, then select your card.

“I Have to Memorize Every Card Before I Start Reading for Others”

Is memorizing the meanings of the cards important? Yes. Do you have to wait until you know every card by heart to share your craft with others? Absolutely not!

Learning tarot is like learning a new language. You develop your own system of codes and signals with the cards based on your lived experiences of reading for yourself and others.

Don’t be afraid to pull out the guidebook when you need it. In fact, each deck has a unique guidebook based on the creator’s interpretations. Someone else’s viewpoint may offer a perspective you wouldn’t otherwise consider. Their words may deeply resonate with you and shift the way you see a card entirely.

Reading for friends and family is a great way to learn. Try offering them remote one-card pulls. Focus on their energy, set the intention to deliver meaningful guidance, and pull a card.

Take note of your first impressions. Write down what you’re feeling from the card, then reference a traditional interpretation and see how the two compare.

This is a huge part of the confidence-building process. Your intuition is usually right on point. Weave your intuitive hits together with the card’s classic meaning, and you’ll have something powerful to deliver to your querent.

“I’m Going to Learn How to Read the Cards to See How They Feel About Me”

A common mistake beginners make with tarot is believing that they can somehow read minds once they have a deck. It’s important to remember that any guidance or information you receive from the cards is a reflection of your own inner knowing.

It isn’t really possible—or ethical—to try to get inside someone else’s mind. But you can definitely pull cards to understand how your energy reacts to or relates to theirs.

You may spend hours pulling cards about the girl you have a crush on, hoping to see the 2 of Cups or the Lovers. Instead, you find a mess of Swords, Wands, and Major Arcana cards that don’t make any sense to you.

It’s good to have boundaries with your practice. If you’re approaching the reading from a place of intense anxiety, that’s what you’ll receive. Sometimes it’s better to sit with your journal and process why you’re feeling that way.

Tarot should be used as a tool for self-investigation. Don’t let yourself spiral.

“I Have to Learn by Using Complex Spreads”

Most beginners have seen the Celtic Cross spread in tarot books or online and assume that’s the “correct” way to approach tarot. In truth, spreads can be incredibly simple, whatever you want them to be, or flat-out nonexistent.

In the beginning, it’s best to approach the practice slowly so that you don’t overwhelm yourself.

You’ll come to learn that the meanings of the cards can begin to shift when they’re combined. This is mind-boggling to the beginner’s mind, so start with single-card pulls. This is something quick and effective that you can implement daily to build a real, embodied understanding of the cards.

Three-card pulls are a great way to introduce yourself to spreads when you’re ready. A classic “Past, Present, Future” spread never fails.

Another go-to is the “Challenge, Lesson, Advice” spread. Pull three cards, one for each prompt. The “challenge” card will help you identify the biggest hurdle you currently face. From there, the “lesson” card shows you what’s emerging from that challenge. Finally, the “advice” card helps you integrate this information into an action step.

“This Card Makes No Sense, I’m Over This”

In the early days of your tarot practice, you’ll frequently experience confusion when you pull cards. Instead of pulling a million clarifiers and ultimately writing off the reading completely, try to practice patience.

If you’re perplexed by a card you’ve pulled, good—that means a learning experience is underway. You haven’t pulled the wrong card; you just need to get curious.

Let’s say you ask your deck to give you insight into a dilemma you’re having with a coworker. You pull the Page of Cups and immediately cock your head to the side, furrow your brow, and think, “WTF?”

You know that Cups represent emotions and that Pages are the students of the tarot. But you can’t make sense of what this card could mean in reference to your work feud. Your first instinct is to disregard the reading and walk away. But you decide to leave it on your desk and meditate on it throughout the day.

At work that same day, you start to get curious about your own feelings. You wonder what could be causing the underlying tension, and you sense some jealousy within yourself. You know this coworker makes more than you, even though she hasn’t been there as long.

It turns out that your feelings may be less about her and more about your own self-worth. You open up to her about this, and she ends up giving you solid advice about how to advocate for higher pay. From this conversation, you’re able to approach your boss and ultimately get the raise you ask for.

At the end of the day, you learn that the Page of Cups represents softening into your own vulnerability. It means getting curious about your feelings, even though that may be awkward or uncomfortable.

From this experience, you also learn to trust the cards you receive. There’s wisdom in each one, even if it isn’t immediately obvious.