5 Popular Tarot Spreads for Beginners
Learning to read tarot cards can feel overwhelming and intimidating. Between having to learn 78 individual card meanings, plus their reversals, and how the cards read together - it can feel daunting to pick up your deck and practice.
I Couldn’t Read Tarot Cards - Here’s How I Learned
I felt utterly overwhelmed when I first wanted to start reading tarot cards. I owned a deck for a couple of years that I would pull out and try to read with every so often, but each time I felt like I would never be able to remember all of the cards.
I had done intuitive readings, oracle readings and mediumship readings before reading tarot, but as soon as I would see a tarot card my intuition felt like it would go blank. I didn’t know what a Page of Swords meant or how that could relate to my personal situation. I would see the Temperance card with the angel standing and wonder what on earth could that mean?
I put my original tarot deck down for a while but a couple of years later I was gifted a Thoth Tarot Deck. At that time I was in the midst of a MAJOR life transformation where I was moving across the country alone with no home lined up and no job prospects. I decided why not dedicate some energy to trying to figure this tarot thing out - it gave me a sense of purpose during a period where focusing on something outside of myself felt like a necessity for my mental health.
It was a slow journey with a lot of practice. I would pull one card a day and reflect on the messages of the cards as I went about my day. I started making tarot spreads to help me learn the cards because I felt too intimidated just laying the cards out without a guide or template.
Eventually, things clicked after I learned the traditional meanings of the cards and finally figured out how to blend that knowledge with my own intuitive abilities. Now I’ve read for thousands as a tarot reader and have created an entire brand around the topic. If I had told myself what would’ve come from learning tarot to my past self, I would’ve never believed it.
Perhaps starting a tarot business isn’t something you desire, but I tell this story to hopefully remind you that we ALL start somewhere. The best tarot readers started out, just like you, with a deck in their hands and no idea what to do.
Reading tarot cards is a lot like going to the gym.
The first while, you have no idea what you’re doing and you might feel kind of stupid.
But with patience and continued practice, you eventually find your confidence and start to see growth.
Out of all the tarot spreads on this list, this one is NOT original to Emerald Lotus. This popular 3 card tarot spread has existed long before I began reading tarot cards. I wanted to include this one because it is at the basis for beginner tarot reading. It’s a great spread to use to start to put cards together to see how they work together and how to read cards.
Card 1 - this describes something from your past that is influencing the rest of this tarot spread.
Card 2 - this describes something you’re currently experiencing, and it is related to this past energy.
Card 3 - this is something in your near future that is a culmination of the past and present energies around you. Consider this card a suggestion for what could come if nothing changes in your life.
BONUS:
If you don’t like Card #3 as a future - consider pulling a 4th card and asking:
How Can I Change the Future Outcome of this Situation?
Daily tarot pulling is a great way to remain centered, mindful, aware and connected. It can help open your eyes to something you may not have noticed or help draw focus away from something troublesome.
For this spread you could use any divination deck that you enjoy, definitely does not have to be the traditional tarot deck.
There are plenty of love focused tarot spreads available, but most of them require you to pull numerous cards to do the reading.
I tried to make this one as simple and sweet as possible to help you explore your crush.
Here is a quick and simple 4 card tarot spread to do when you're feeling anxious, stressed or overwhelmed. Use this spread any time you feel you need to regulate your body and get a handle on your pesky emotions.
It can be hard to find the time to sit and focus on yourself when you're feeling stressed, and although doing so would often help us a lot, we generally tend to push ourselves aside when we're feeling overwhelmed. We tend to focus on external things like our work or our families, nit picking at others, or immersing ourselves in something other than our own needs. Not everyone is like this but I see it often in myself and those around me.
The next time we feel overwhelmed why don't we try a simple 4 card tarot spread. Sit down, get yourself aligned, take a few deep breaths and sit for just a few minutes to read for yourself. It is amazing what that simple decision can do for your stress and anxiety.
At this point I've made quite a few tarot spreads for manifesting or attracting your desires. They're one of my favorite tarot spreads to do because I find them so effective to help me manifest.
I made this short and sweet tarot spread to help you manifest anything you're currently desiring. My advice would be to take 3 deep breaths before starting the reading & really get clear on what it is you want to manifest. Say the desire aloud or repeat it a couple of times in your head. Be very clear about what it is you want to attract & add specifics to really hone in on the desire.
