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What Are Tarot Cards and How Do They Work?

By May 10, 2018 September 8th, 2022

When I tell people that I read and teach Tarot cards for a living, one of the first questions they ask me is, “What are Tarot cards and how do they actually work?”  

Now, the answer to that question may vary, depending on who you ask and how they read Tarot. And that's simply because Tarot is a tool, and as with all kinds of tools, how you use it is completely up to you.  

However, because you're here on Biddy Tarot, I want to give you my version of how I believe the Tarot works and how you can use it to gain instant access to your intuition and your inner source of power and wisdom. 

What are Tarot Cards? 

The Tarot is a deck of 78 cards, each with its own imagery, symbolism and story. The 22 Major Arcana cards represent life's karmic and spiritual lessons, and the 56 Minor Arcana cards reflect the trials and tribulations that we experience on a daily basis.

Within the Minor Arcana cards, there are 16 Tarot Court Cards representing 16 different personality characteristics we may choose to express at any given time. The Minor Arcana also includes 40 numbered cards organised into 4 Suits, with 10 cards each, representing various situations that we encounter day-to-day. 

What Can Tarot Cards Do?

Some may say that Tarot cards are simply ink on paper. However, what I have discovered from reading the Tarot cards daily for over twenty years is this:  

Tarot is the storybook of our life, the mirror to our soul, and the key to our inner wisdom. 

Every spiritual lesson we meet in our lives can be found in the seventy-eight Tarot cards. And when we consult the Tarot, we’ll get shown the exact lessons we need to learn and master to live an inspired life. It’s like holding up a mirror to yourself so that you can access your subconscious mind.  Tarot allows us to tap into the wisdom and answers that live in us all. 

How Can I Use Tarot Cards?

Tarot is perfect for self-development, making choices, manifesting goals, coaching others, planning a business, writing a book, meditating—you name it.  

So, How Exactly Do Tarot Cards Work? 

While many people believe that Tarot will tell you the future, making predictions are not really what Tarot cards are about.  

When it comes to Tarot, fortune-telling is out, and intuition is in, especially if you want to create your ideal future and manifest your goals. 

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The most powerful way to read the Tarot is to use the cards to access your intuition and your inner wisdom. The imagery in the cards give you instant access to your subconscious mind and your intuition. And from this place of inner power and wisdom, you can discover how to make positive changes now so you can manifest your goals and your dreams in the future.  

For Example…

Let's say you want to find a new romantic relationship. Instead of pulling a card to predict whether Prince Charming is just around the corner and either being blissfully excited or bitterly disappointed, you consult the cards to discover how you can attract love (and keep it!). You draw the Ten of Cups, and upon seeing the happy family dancing under the rainbow in the card, you are reminded that to attract love, you need to set a clear vision of what it is you want to attract.  

This simple act of envisioning your desired relationship then has a subtle, yet powerful, effect on your ability to find new love, and instead of waiting around for someone to find you, you are empowered to take action and find them. 

Creating a Connection

It’s as if the Tarot cards create an instant connection to our subconscious minds so we can access the inner wisdom of our Higher Self. And from there we can bring it into our conscious awareness where we can take action. Neat, right!? 

And here's the thing – you may already consciously know the message or insight you receive in a Tarot reading, in which case, the reading can be a heartening confirmation of what you already know. Or, you might be completely unaware of the message until you see it reflected in the cards, in which case you are now empowered to take action based on your new awareness. 

How do Tarot Cards Work When Reading for Others? 

By now, you know that the Tarot is a powerful tool for self-discovery and manifestation. But, that doesn’t quite explain what happens when you’re reading for someone else and pick up that they’re dating someone twenty years their junior and have told no one about it (true story!). What’s happening there? 

Our Universal and Inner Wisdom

Well, here is where things might be a little more “out there” and magical. You see, we are all connected to a collective, universal wisdom and our inner wisdom. And when we read the Tarot cards—and connect with our intuition—we can tap into this universal wisdom. It's a little like connecting in with the collective mind, not just the individual mind. 

Asking Questions for Others

When you ask the Tarot cards a question on behalf of someone else (who has given permission for the reading and whose energy is invested in the reading), you are tapping into this collective wisdom. You are picking up all sorts of intuitive messages through the Tarot cards and through your connection with the collective wisdom. And those insights are channeled through you to the person you're reading for, often in a very powerful way. 

So, just imagine what might be possible for you – and the people you read for – with this limitless, timeless knowledge at your fingertips! 

Now that you know what Tarot is and how the Tarot works, I invite you to grab your Tarot cards, connect with your intuition, and don't just predict your future, create your future. Make magic, my friend! 

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Wish You Had A Tarot Card Meaning Cheat Sheet?

Get Your FREE Tarot Card Meanings Reference Guide

And Avoid Getting Stuck When Trying To Remember The Card Meanings