If you’re still “trying” to learn Tarot- try this👇

It’s really hard to get into the flow of a Tarot reading when every other card has you stopping to look up what it means.

The idea here is not to create and memorize the be all end all set of correspondences for each card.

The idea is to create a little coat hook in your mind -
somewhere to hang your understanding for the time being.

The Minors

The minor arcana (the numbered cards) plus the court cards are 70% of the deck.
Get a grip on the minors, and you’ve tackled the majority of the deck.

Here’s how it works

Think of the numbered cards (Ace - 10) like families.
Every 5 card in the deck has a family resemblance.

The suits (wands, cups, swords, pentacles) create another set of families.
This set of families map really nicely onto the 4 elements: fire, water, air, and earth.

So now when you pull the 5 of wands, you think:​
- what do I know about the 5 family?
- what do I know about the fire element?
- how do those 2 things interact?

5 of wands

5’s - change, restless, instability, excitement, adjustment…
​wands - enthusiasm, physical activity, spirit or spirited, spreads easily (like fire)

Put it together

competition, sports, conflict or friction, a spirited discussion, several agendas.
My personal favorite: “like herding cats”.

Tips:

Make a list of the numbers 1 -10 and write down just 3-5 keywords for each. Go ahead and look this part up.

Please do use any personal associations you have with a number. For example do you find it lucky, unlucky?

Does it seem to always be around you?
Well maybe it’s “your number”.

Geometric figures can be helpful here up to about number 6, then I get kinda lost.🤣For example: ace = a point, 2 = a line, 3 = a triangle…

Do the same for the 4 suits, and really concentrate on how each element behaves in nature.

For example fire is hot and it spreads.
​Water is cool and takes the shape of the container.
​Air is all around us but we can’t see it.
​Earth is what supports us. It’s the most stable of the elements.

The magic of this approach is that it acts like a seed that allows your brain to start making associations.

Nothing is set in stone.

The associations spring organically in different patterns with each Tarot spread you lay.

What about the court cards?

Ah yes.

Let’s not forget the court cards.

King - mastery
​Queen - concentration and nurturing
​Knight - actively seeking
​Page - beginner

So, for example, the Knight of pentacles is actively seeking material support.

Capiche?

Next week I’ll give you a way to create hooks for the Major Arcana.

If you’re ready to spend less time looking up card meanings and more time actually reading Tarot, come join us in the Tarot Underground.

It’s a place to practice, experiment, ask questions, and figure out what the cards mean to you.

No Tarot police. No memorizing 78 perfect definitions.

Let’s pull some cards and let’s see what happens. 👀

-Cassandra the Card Reader
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