A Crash Course In Tarot Decks part 3

So what is types of tarot decks really all about? The following report includes some fascinating information about types of tarot decks--info you can use, not just the old stuff they used to tell you.

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you're fully informed about types of tarot decks, keep reading.

If you would like to learn to read tarot cards, your first challenge is to choose a deck from the 8,000 or so published brands of fortune telling cards on the market. What works for one person often doesn't for another. Some people are comfortable reading several decks and others just identify with one deck. In my experience you will find that over time, you will grow in and out of several decks. You may also find that the deck that you prefer to use to read yourself is not the deck that you prefer to use read others.

For instance, when I first began reading I started out with a deck that was too heavy for me - The Crowley Deck. The ultimate result of that was that I ended up selling them because I was spooked out the images of the deck. I was simply too young to handle the imagery on this dark deck and was giving myself nightmares. I then switched to the Rider Waite Deck for a few years, which is the ultimate easy, all -purpose deck. I then fell in love with the Renaissance Deck which is much more elaborate in terms of it's imagery and a bit more pointed in its meanings when it came to describing relationships. Then I entered a period when I was yearning for more simplicity, I switched to the Palladini deck, which is very pure and has a "lighter feeling." (Kind of like the Pollyanna of Tarot Decks.) Now that I am older, I am back to the Crowley Deck and the Order of the Golden Stair decks, which are a little heavier in feel.

There are also lots of specialty or eclectic decks on the market that might appeal to you more than the Rider Waite, but learning the Rider Waite is like going to high school. Psychic Realm reader Bacchus for instance, uses the Haindl deck for his readings, which has a Nordic feel and is a permutation of the classic Rider-Waite deck, but as wonderful as it is, I don't think it is a beginner deck.

Here are some good decks I can recommend for beginners that are based on the Rider Waite System of meanings.

The Rider Waite Deck

The Aquatic Tarot - the same as the Rider Waite but realized in watercolors

The Pamela Colman Tarot - the same imagery as the Rider Waite but done in brighter more psychedelic colors

The Golden Tarot - the same as Rider Waite but the imagery is more medieval

The Palladini Tarot - the same as Rider Waite but with very simple, cheerful drawings

The Renaissance Tarot - the same as Rider Waited but enhanced with images from the Renaissance age.

You can find a selection of Tarot Decks in the Psychic Realm store off the main page or browse the web and buy one that catches your eye online. I recommend doing a little online research first and finding places you can view different decks online because most storeowners won't let you open and handle their deck because it means removing the plastic from their packaging. However, the best way to be sure is to go to a store, pick up the deck and see if you like the feel of the cards once you have done some research on the imagery in them. The feel, weight or look of the cards often "speaks" to you. If you a feel a connection with the images on the cards or even how they feel in your hands, then that is probably the deck that you will relate to best. I also recommend a deck that comes with a small book inside the package or box so you will have something to quickly reference if you should get lost while reading.

A tip for beginners! When I first began reading the Tarot, I typed myself up a one sheet that a resembled a chart so that all the meanings of each card right side up and upside down were apparent to me at a glance. Typing out the meanings like this really does help you learn the cards quickly.

Your next step would be to get acquainted with your cards. The best way to learn is to study the image on each card, one at a time, while memorizing the meaning. Be patient. There are usually 78 meanings to learn so this is not always a fast process. Some tarot teachers recommend that you put the deck of cards under your pillow at night so you can get better acquainted with them. The idea is that your subconscious will absorb the information the same way that a sponge soaks up water. You can also meditate or dream upon the individual cards in the same way by placing them under your pillow.

Some people like to charge their cards after they first get them, either by praying or meditating over them, placing a crystal on them or passing them through the smoke of incense or placing them in the light of the full or new moon for a night.

Finicky readers believe the power of the cards is enhanced if they are placed inside a special box or wrapped in a silk pouch. I personally don't think this makes much of a difference because I KNOW I am accurate and my cards have so much gunk and wear and tear on them it is laughable. Still they do say that pomp and circumstance is supposed to add to the power of all ritual and magic, so if storing your cards in a special way or in a special place helps you read them better than by all means do so.

Also many readers protect their cards by not letting anyone touch them. There is a belief that others can "infect" the cards with their beliefs, fears or anxieties. The cards do act as a portal through to the other side, so keeping them away from other people may be a good way of preventing people from accidentally "touching" you through the cards and passing along possibly toxic energy.

Once you get your cards own, spend some time just looking at them, playing with them and getting to know them. It is essential that you feel good about your cards because in the future, they will be your best allies when it comes to telling the future.

So now you know a little bit about types of tarot decks. Even if you don't know everything, you've done something worthwhile: you've expanded your knowledge.

Crash Course In Tarot Decks part 2

The following article lists some simple, informative tips that will help you have a better experience with Tarot basic spreads and layouts for divination.

It seems like new information is discovered about something every day. And the topic of tarot spread is no exception. Keep reading to get more fresh news about tarot spread .

Most Tarot decks consist of 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana, and 56 Minor Arcana cards. The Minor Arcana consist of four "suits?, just like a deck of regular playing cards.
The four suits are, Pentacles or Coins, which deal with work/money/success issues, the Wands, or Staffs, which deal with more spiritual issues, the Cups, which deal with emotional issues, and the Swords, which some see as representing negative experiences and loss. If you want more of an explanation of these cards, then check out a Crash Course in Tarot #1.
When starting out, I highly recommend making your life easy, and getting the person to ask you a question out loud. Both parties should focus on the question while you shuffle the cards. As you get more experienced or confident with the cards, you won't care if they ask a question, but repeating the questioner's question out loud yourself does seem to assist the divination process.
Shuffle the cards until the person you are reading for feels it is "right" to stop or until you feel it is right to "stop". After you are done cutting, you need to cut the deck. Most readers divide the deck into three piles. At this point you can either have the person you are reading for pick which pile to pick up as the top of the deck, or you can pick them up in an order that feels right to you. Another option is to fan the cards out face down, and have the person you are reading for pick out the cards they want you to read. Then lay them out in the order they are suppose to appear for the spread.

The One Card Spread
The One Card spread is the most concise of all spreads, intended to provide a quick take on a situation, or to reduce it to a single issue that you can meditate on. . Simply ask a question and then draw a card to divine the answer to your question. It is surprising to what extent these types of one-card readings can be exact, or even solve your problem for you.

The Three-Card Spread
This spread is good for yes or no questions. After you are done cutting the deck lay the cards out from left to right.
1 2 3
The first card to the left represents the past/issues affecting the problem.
The second card in the center represents the present/problem.
The third card to the right represents the future/outcome.
A variation of this is to read the three cards as the Mind, the Body and Spirit. This is more like a "personality read" and can give you a good indication of where "someone is at."

The Celtic Cross Spread
Lay out the cards on the table in the following order
10
4 9
5 1 /2 6 8
3 7
The first card is placed face up it represents the person asking the question and the foundation of the matter.
The second card is placed across sideways the first card and represents obstacles or issues dealt with the person in the present.
The third card, placed beneath the first two represents what is on the subconscious mind of the questioner and everything he or she has been through with regards to the matter.
The fourth card, placed above of the first two represents the potential and the best that can be accomplished given the choices the questioner has made so far in his life regarding that matter.
The fifth card, placed to the left of the center card represents what has transpired in the past.
The sixth card, placed to the right of the first two, represents what will take place in the immediate future.
The next four cards are laid out from bottom to top to the right of these cards.
The seventh card represents the fears of the person. Generally, this card will show you what is inside of them that is blocking him or her from reaching the desired outcome. It can also represent the atmosphere or influences that strongly affect the questioner.
The eighth card represents how others see the person or the situation.
The ninth card represents the hopes and fears that the questioner might have for the future.
The tenth card represents the predicted outcome of the situation or the actual answer to the question.
Some individuals like to keep pulling an addition six to ten cards after this cross is laid down to determine what will happen in the future.

The Relationship Spread
The Relationship spread provides insight into the interaction between two people or entities. It is the spread of choice for questions about partnerships, be they in romance or business.
1 2
3 7 4
5 6
The first card (top left) represents how you see yourself and your role in the situation.
The second card (top right) represents how you see your partner.
The third card (center left) represents how you feel about your partner.
The fourth card (center right) represents what or who stands between you and your partner or the obstacles in your way.
Position five represents how your partner sees you.
Position six (in the lower right) represents what your partner feels about you.
Position seven in the center represents the present status or challenge faced by the two of you in the relationship.
It is important to remember, that no matter what maps or directions you are given, Tarot reading is an intuitive art and after you do it enough you will begin to develop an intuitive sense of what the cards mean when they are placed in relationship to each other.

That's how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.