Free tarot reading

How do you read a tarot spread?

Look at the big picture before the details: several cards from the same suit, lots of Major Arcana or keywords that echo each other already set the tone of the reading.

• Read each card’s name and keywords, then ask yourself what they bring to mind in your situation, not in general.
• Tell the spread like a story: what began, what’s happening, what’s taking shape.
• Note the first image that comes to you. In this game, that’s the one that counts most.

To dig deeper into a card, the meanings of all 78 cards give its detailed meaning, keywords included.

What does each position mean in a 3-card spread?

The past, present, future spread is the best known of the short spreads. Each position gives you an angle to read from:

• The past: what set the stage, a habit, a choice or an encounter whose effect you can still feel.
• The present: what’s in play right now, what needs your attention this week.
• The future: the direction things are taking if nothing changes. It’s not a sentence: a demanding card in this spot invites you to adjust, not to worry.

Three cards can also be read with other layouts, like situation, obstacle, advice. Pick yours before you draw, not after: it’s more honest with yourself.

One card or three: which spread should you choose?

One card is enough for a question of the day or a little nudge: it gives you one strong, simple idea. Three cards tell how things evolve, and suit a situation that has been shifting for a while.

For a closed question, one you would answer with yes or no, yes or no tarot is a better fit: one card, one answer, one nuance.

How do you ask the tarot a good question?

A good question is open, concrete and about you. “How should I approach this new project?” opens more doors than “Will it work?”

• One idea per question.
• A near horizon: this week, this month.
• What you can do, rather than what other people think.

Major or Minor Arcana: what’s the difference in a reading?

The 22 Major Arcana, from The Fool to The World, speak of the big themes: a turning point, a lesson, a burst of momentum. The 56 Minor Arcana, split into Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles, describe everyday life instead. A spread full of Majors reads like a defining moment; a spread of Minors, like a matter of ordinary days.

Can tarot predict the future?

No. Here, tarot is a game for thinking things over: the cards come out at random, and the meaning you find in them comes from the way you read them. To play with others, read the cards for a friend and predict a small event in their week: if it happens, you win.