I recently watched a video about tarot and I was surprised when the host said that you have to learn the meanings of the cards to read the cards. You can’t rely solely on intuition, and if you do it is actually disrespectful to the querant! There were comments in agreement too. I could not disagree more.

To me, tarot is a tool that triggers intuition and creative thinking. Is intuition enough? Yes, yes it is. Is knowledge enough? Yes, yes it is. But better than either of those is experience based on both knowledge and intuition.

I personally think knowledge is a good starting point for many people because it primes the intuition. It gives you a starting point. That is why I advocate using simplified keywords to start, it is just laying a foundation that each reader can build from according to their own inclinations.

As you learn and get comfortable handling and reading the cards, knowledge and intuition will build on each other giving you your own deep understanding of divination, with tarot and other mediums. A commenter said that if you can just read with intuition, why use tarot? Why not use a magazine? The answer: You can use a magazine or anything else once your ability is advanced.

But tarot has a lot of advantages over other methods. It is accessible to everyone, it is beautiful and enjoyable to use. In using it, you create your own meanings over time and experience. It is not stagnant. The images and randomness sidestep the busy mind and allow you to see new perspectives. You also consider the cards in relation to each other, and that multiplies the meanings even more.

Please don’t let people gatekeep the tarot for you. If you feel so inclined, get yourself a deck and start looking at and handling the cards. Use tarot as a tool, remember tarot is a tool in your hands, it has no inherent power of its own. It cannot predict the future, it does not judge you, so have some fun with it. If you enjoy it, pursue it more, like any other new hobby you try.

Telling people they have to learn the tarot before they can use it is backwards. It puts people in a bind, because they aren’t supposed to read until they have learned the card meanings - but you can’t learn without reading the cards. The more you practice the better you will get. I don’t care how many books and websites you read, you will never gain all of the knowledge that is out there.

There are several different systems, RWS, TdM, Thoth, other smaller independent methods. Many decks come with a little white books including the authors own nuanced meanings for the cards. Some tarot decks are designed with different suits, or different elemental associations, and even different court cards. Where do you start? It is very overhwelming as a beginner. The idea I have to learn so much before I can read is nothing but a deterrent to actually picking up a deck.

Learning to read tarot is a journey, and there is a lifetime of knowledge to learn if you want. But it is also ok to just play with the cards, appreciate the art, or flip a couple cards to get a little insight.