Allan Ritchie


There is an exhilaration that comes from the act of picking up a tarot deck.  Anticipation and wonder draw many to Tarot and it is what keeps them coming back.  I encourage everyone to explore the Tarot with a sense of wonder. Never lose sight of how a deck of cards can hold a world of imagination and magic.  Now to the new reader my advice is “Keep the wonder but do the work.” 

A new reader should first examine their personal motivations.  What draws you to the Tarot?  Is it curiosity or the thrill of the occult?  Do you have a deep attraction for the art in the cards or the finesse of the subtle language in their meanings?  Do you feel an itch for the inexplicable reality that is just beyond rational explanations? To engage the Tarot is to create an opportunity to touch the unknown.  The unknown can be fascinating but it can also be dark and scary. As a new Tarot reader, your first task is to know why you are doing it.  

The Tarot is accessible to the novice. The beginner can begin to see how the cards connect and generate meanings.  It is the dedicated reader that begins to see the edge of the rational and irrational that leads to truth and understanding in the cards.  It is the devoted student that can begin to handle this responsibly.  To develop the expertise for using the cards takes time.  It takes practice and commitment.  It takes work.  The tarot does repay those who devote themselves.  Start where you are and learn everyday.  There isn’t a strict timeline. Each student advances differently.  Dedication, commitment and the rigor that you apply to the study will pay off.  It also takes patience to allow the paradigm of the Tarot to sink in and shape how you see how the cards communicate. 

Once you have done the work and you begin to feel that you understand the Tarot then Tarot will call you deeper and further down a well of mystery.  While the Tarot may be light and fun, it is at its best when it probes a sore spot of a psyche or shines light to a hidden area of hurt.  It is job of a Tarot reader to mindfully engage the Tarot for ourselves and others.  This means there is the obligation of taking on the responsibility for ourselves and our readings.  We must never be careless with the truths we discover and share. 

It takes time, expertise and resolve to know how to handle the secrets and hurts of others.  The Tarot is wondrous tool but a great reader must do the work.  The work is different for every reader just as each journey is different.  I challenge you to walk the line where you will delight at the wonder of the Tarot but where you persevere on to be a great reader. The world need as many great readers as we can get.  

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