Stephanie Nuzzo is learning the art of intuitive reading and learning firsthand that “maps don’t always tell you what you want to know; they tell you what you need to know. Here she shares her top five beginner tips so you can learn and practice the ancient art of tarot card reading at home.
“Choose your card – as you wish – and just look at it”, Mom Donna Henes instructed the group.
She told us that we should try to interpret the meaning of the card, “before looking for the meaning”. It is, she says, the best way to “get to know the game”.
I shuffled my deck, then took a card from the middle of the pile. It was the ace of wands. This card represents the pinnacle of spirituality; lighting. The message seemed clear, considering I was sitting in a tarot class in the middle of New York at the time.
Tarot cards have a history dating back to the 1400s. They are believed to have started in Italy and were first used in card games. Their role as a tool for psychic readings appeared in the 19th century.
This tradition has continued into the present day, which apparently led me to take a course in the practice.
In the three hours I spent with Henes, I was introduced to the purpose of intuitive readings (“prescriptions, not predictions”) and the basic elements behind the exercise.
She explained the difference between the major and minor arcana cards (the major relates to the phases of life; the minor relates to individual situations). I learned the meaning of the colors of the cards (the swords represent the mind, the cups represent the emotions, the pentacles represent the physical and the wands represent the spirit). And she debunked superstitions (yes, you can buy your own deck).
I came away with a deeper understanding of tarot and a desire to give everyone I know a reading.
If the mention of the tarot makes you prick up your ears, you’re not alone. Interest in spiritual traditions has reportedly spiked in recent years, with millennials, in particular, increasingly turning to the mystical. This, The cup sharing, is a response to the intense nature of the current human experience.
If you relate to the above, don’t worry; I made sure to find a local option to satisfy your map reading curiosities. Intuitive Psychic Reader Josy Curcio leads an oracle reading workshop in Sydney; I also spoke with her to get an idea of what customers can expect.
Using my experiences with Henes and Curcio, I’ve put together a list of five things every beginner should know about intuitive readings.
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#1. Choose a turntable you connect to
“Each deck has the same architecture,” Henes told us.
They are all made up of minor and major arcana cards, and they all have four suits. Costumes always represent the same thing, but images and wording may vary greatly.
“You should pick a game that’s easy to read and matches your values,” Henes advised. Curcio, on the other hand, recommended using an oracle game first.
“…it’s easier to start with something really basic – tarot is very complicated,” she said. Oracle cards are designed without suits or arcana – they are simply made up of images and text, which can be easier to interpret.
Curcio’s advice is to select something without “too many words… If they [clients] take something with too much writing, the mind wants to read it,” which means your intuition is going out the window.
#2. Design your own reading ritual
To set up a “mind session,” Henes suggested doing something as simple as laying out a rag.
But “listen to your instincts,” she stressed.
Would you like to clear the cards of energy first? Dark. Do you want to bless the person you are about to read? Try it. Should I incorporate crystals? Up to you. The only non-negotiable point, Curcio shared, is that you have to be “aligned” first.
“If you don’t meditate or stay present…it’s going to be a shitty read,” she said.
#3. Mixing is an intuitive act
Don’t worry about how many times or how you should shuffle the cards, explained Curcio.
“You have to do it intuitively,” she said. “So you shuffle for as long as you want.”
That said, both readers recommended picking cards with your left (or less dominant) hand.
“[The right is] this rational mentality. It’s that planned mentality,” Curcio said.
“The left is always with a more intuitive touch; it is not used as much.
#4. start small
Curcio and Henes suggested starting with one map and practicing daily. This will help you get familiar with the deck.
“Keep a diary,” Henes said.
She explained that each day you need to write down the question you asked and the card you drew so you can think about it later.
If you’re not sure what question to ask, start with something simple and open-ended like “what should I see?”
#5. Be honest
“If you don’t like the card, don’t hand it over,” Henes stressed.
“Maps don’t always tell you what you want to know; they tell you what you need to know,” she said.
It could mean facing something uncomfortable. If this happens, “Don’t lie. Not even to yourself.
Trust the cards to convey the message you need to hear.
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