I won't lie to y'all. Starting a daily Tarot practice has been the bane of my witchy existence since the dawn of my little pre-teen hands shuffling my very first Tarot deck, lovingly gifted to me by a close family member. My journey with Tarot is very much like that with a wise older sibling who always knew better than me, but would often say, "You'll understand when you get older." Even when I was younger, a daily draw seemed like a daunting task, I didn't know where to start, and --honestly-- I was pretty lazy when it came to Tarot.
I often tell the folks that come to my Tarot 101 class that Tarot is a lifelong practice. I still learn from it every time I pick up my cards (though my collection has grown quite large and I am lucky to have many decks to choose from for my daily draws.) Part of becoming better acquainted with your cards, their symbols and meanings, and building a good working relationship with them is through practice. So regardless of how old you are, how long you have had your deck, or how much you know about divination: we all have to practice.
I want to note that this blog post is VERY beginner friendly. I don't want anyone to ever feel like the information I share is too advanced or too complicated for those just stepping into their witchy power. With that being said: even if you are an old(er) biddy like me, you can still probably garner some good advice from it as well!
The only things you'll need for your practice: a Tarot deck (obviously), a pen, paper (a dedicated notebook might be a great idea if you really want to keep track of your readings.) If you have crystals, photos, special tools that you like having around, I'd have those in place and ready to grab. But when you are first beginning, I'd say keep it simple.
STEP ONE: Set up a place, a time, and stick to it.
I know that may seem a bit "well, duh" but you would be surprised how many people think they can just start something flying by the seat of their pants, not have a plan in place, and then get frustrated when their practice isn't fruitful because they have zero follow-through.
I have taken a page out of my writer brain and totally set up my daily draw around the idea that "diviner's divine" (much like "writer's write.") The fact is that the only way to start a daily practice is to make time for it, do it every day, repeat. The only way to become a Tarot reader is to read Tarot. Plain and simple.
A daily draw is a great way to start your morning off. And even if you don't have the energy to do any other witchy work throughout the day, look at you! You did something to help you connect with that developing part of yourself.
Before I check emails and social media, I grab a cup of coffee and tuck myself away for about 30 minutes for my daily draw. It can actually take less time than that, but in case my journaling after the reading takes a bit of contemplation and time, I just make sure I have a buffer. I turn on some music and start shuffling; my daily Tarot practice is underway!
STEP TWO: Get to reading.
Some people may choose to cleanse their space. Others may have a whole situation they want to set up before they pull out the cards. But for me? It's as simple as taking a seat and shuffling my cards.
I go slow with this; I let the cards tell me what style of shuffle feels good. I clear my mind (utilizing CGS beforehand is great for this practice) and simply think about the date itself. What messages will come through? What is the day going to bring?
I choose to pull one card. I don't want there to be too much Tarot "noise" from a daily draw. It's just a theme; it's something to contemplate throughout my day. Honestly, my pull makes me more aware of what is going on around me. Establishing this routine has made me much more intentional with my interactions, my work, my conversations, etc.
STEP THREE: Pull and observe.
Draw your card and take a good look at it. Don't worry about the meaning right away; that's not as important as what you initially receive from the draw itself. What are the first things you notice? What colors and symbols stick out to you? What emotions come to your heart and what thoughts come to mind? Write these down.
Next comes what you already know about this card. If you have been practicing for a while, you'll already have some ideas. Jot those down. And for newbies, this is where you'll get our your deck's guidebook (or, if it doesn't have one, I suggest checking out Biddy Tarot for some great card meanings and explanations) and take notes. Stick to keywords and themes. Don't let this part be overwhelming. This isn't about memorization; it is about getting acquainted with the card. Believe me, the more you practice with Tarot, the better you'll be at remembering their meanings.
Finally, I'm going to ask you to use a little bit of your imagination here. (My friend, Wonder, actually taught me this method of reading and calls it "Push Play.") Imagine the card is a video you pulled up on your phone. If you were to tap it, like pushing "Play," what would happen next in the scene?
Let's consider the Fool (the traditional Rider Waite Smith version.) Does he take a giant leap off the cliff? Does his animal companion stop him from jumping? Does he turn around and look back? This is going to be different for everyone. Whatever your answer is, be sure to take note of it. All your ideas you are getting as you observe the card are important for the next and final step of the process.
STEP FOUR: Putting it all together.
You've drawn your card, you have made observations, now what does it all mean? I first like to look for connections in the words and symbols. This is the point where you are marrying your intuition with the traditional meanings of the cards. It's kind of like a conversation between two people. You know that saying, "There's two sides to every story"? Same thing applies here.
The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Between your intuition and the traditional meaning of the card (or what the deck creator intended in their interpretation of the card), is your message from your daily draw.
As an example, I pulled a card to show you how simple note-taking and observation is for my daily draw. From the combination of my intuition and traditional meaning, I gathered the following message:
You've climbed many obstacles. With every challenge you have conquered, you've stuck your flag in the ground of the summit, and then moved from one mountaintop to the next. Looking ahead, there is more adventure to be had. There's nothing you cannot overcome with enough focus and determination, and the fire in your belly is telling you, "Keep going, keep accomplishing, keep becoming!"
For me, this would be such a positive indication of all the decisions I have made up until this day. No matter the challenges in my way, I always have the passion and drive to push myself further, get to the end goal, see the value in everything I have done. And I am not stopping any time soon.
Wrapping it all up...
I think you'll find a daily Tarot practice becomes an enriching part of your morning. It's such a great habit to get into -- not only to learn more about Tarot, but to also set the tone for the day. It offers insights we may not be considering; it can inspire us and encourage us. And the great thing is that it is never too late to start. I hope this walk-through helps you on your Tarot journey! Be sure to grab the workbook pages I have created to help you get into the routine of daily draws.
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