To summarise the lessons to date: most tarot card decks have 78 cards made up of 22 major arcana cards (major secrets) and 56 minor arcana cards (minor secrets). Together the full set of tarot cards explains the secrets within our lives. Remember, you can make your own tarot card deck by purchasing a deck of playing cards and adding in the four prince cards and the 22 major arcana cards.

These 78 cards are split up into five elements; earth, air, fire, water and spirit. Your cards will have these elements however the elements may be called something else.  Pentacles, coins, diamonds instead of earth for instance.

The above is covered in previous newsletters.

Purchasing Tarot Cards:
Yes, you can purchase a tarot deck for yourself.

Purchasing a tarot deck can be a dizzying experience however, with lots of choices available.

Before looking for a tarot deck online, have a think about what personally like. Here's some questions you might like to answer for yourself before looking for a tarot deck:
  • Do I prefer looking at pictures of elves, forests, or stars, or do I even care about those things?
  • Would I like a tarot deck that’s specific to a healing modality; e.g., tarot cards with herbs on them? Tarot cards with moon symbols on them?
  • Do I want pictures that are close to the original tarot, or am I happy to go with something more creative and artistic?
  • Do I want pictures with lots of colour or just simple drawings and/or numbers?
  • Do I want a tarot deck with writing on the card to remind me what the meaning is?

If you would like a deck that has meanings written on it, then you may like to consider my deck, available here.

Bless Your Cards
Once you have purchased the tarot deck, you will need to bless your cards. The easiest way of cleansing your cards is to have the intention of clearing old energy off of them as you pick up each card. Really look at each card and say, “thank you for helping me" which will put the intention of being supportive and helpful into your cards.

Some people store their cards in silk material with a clear quartz, or selenite crystal, or some other crystal to keep the energy high vibration. 

Creating Safe Space
When you conduct a tarot reading for yourself or others, you cannot access higher guidance if you feel unsafe. We are human, and we have human desires and weaknesses.

The biggest issue that a person can have when doing a reading is that they may only see what they want to see, and not what's actually showing.

The cards are a tool for accessing spiritual and higher consciousness guidance. Here are the four steps I follow when preparing for a reading:

  • Clear the room: Give the room a good clean. Pull out the vacuum, clear the table and remove any distracting clutter.
  • Create space: Dress your table in a special cloth, add some crystals and candle (if you have them) and play easy listening or meditative music. 
  • Meditate: Sit in silence for a few minutes (I usually do ten) and whenever a thought comes up, simply let it go and return to the silence. 
  • Raise the vibration: Say a short prayer. When I conduct readings for other people I say the prayer out loud in front of them so that they can feel assured. The prayer can be anything that makes you feel safe and secure. I always say “I ask for higher protective energy to surround me, and higher healing energy to come through me, and I request a reading for my (or the person’s) highest good.”

Then, you are ready to begin. 

The Five Elements and the Five Suit
We are now going to dive deeper into the five element and the five suits. To recap from last week:
  • Water: Our emotions, from sorrow to happiness. The water suit might be called chalices, cups, hearts, or anything else that pertains to the water element.
  • Fire: Our passion and excitement. The fire suit might be called wood, clubs, wands, staves, or anything else that pertains to the fire element.
  • Air: Our thoughts and ability to plan and think ahead. The air suit might be called knives, swords, spades, smoke, birds, or anything else that pertains to the air element.
  • Earth: Our ability to feed and clothe ourselves. The earth suit might be called crystals, diamonds, coins, money, pentacles, abundance, or anything else that pertains to the earth element.
  • Spirit: Our soul’s journey and growth. The spirit suit might be called pilgrimage, spirit, Major Arcana, soul or anything else that pertains to the spirit element.