Everything Under the Moon

So, as some of you fellow readers may know I just got into tarot, and I'm having a wonderful and genuinely moving experience with them so far. I can identify the meaning behind many of the cards in my deck without needing a book, and have even picked up on many things that you have to learn on your own.

I'm finding the most difficult area I've had in the subject so far is practice. Obviously you can only practice doing your own readings so often. I go through my deck and pull out random cards to connect with and identify, but even after doing a Google search for "how to practice," I'm still kind of at a loss.

One of the sites I came across had a few recommendations like finding a tarot buddy that lives near you to practice with, reading for yourself or friends, and even doing readings for celebrities or famous historical figures.

Sounds great in theory, but how exactly could you know if a reading you did for Denzel Washington is accurate? It's good practice for identifying the meaning behind the cards, but as far as pulling it all together and making connections, how can a reader reAlly know?

So I've thought about doing certain spreads for friends or family members, who wouldn't know I was doing this, and I'm wondering what more practiced readers think of this? Is it similar in principle to placing a spell on someone without their permission, or is it different because you aren't actually changing anything about their life? Is there some sort of moral/ethical code that I haven't stumbled across yet?

I know that's sort of a more open ended question, and the answer would depend on what each person feels individually, but I'm wondering if anyone here has any insight on doing this, or possibly advice on a different direction to take? I know the free reading forum here is great for practice, but I want to make sure I'm feeling more comfortable with my own abilities before offering them to others.

So I'm curious, how did everyone else start practicing or gain experience? I've also thought about just picking a spread and throwing a few cards out and doing a reading, but I'm not sure I'd feel any type of "connection" doing it that way, and if it would really be all that beneficial. Any insight is appreciated

Practicing here may be a really good way to try your skills. We could set you up with a sticky so it won't get burried.
Post an intro that states you're a novice and would like to do some practice.
If you decide to do so notify one of the mods who will sticky it and send you a "readers guidelines."
Best wishes!
Firebird

A good way to practice is picking your card of the day (with my turbulent family life i only have time in the evening ... and usually skip my daily card).

You shuffle, think of -today- (i just think of the word not so much of the stuff i have to take care of), pick a card.

Then i usually use intuition to understand the card. Look for symbols in the card like water - what does that mean to me? A big tree... i just go through the card.

Then i take notes and check the book.

That is all that's to practice actually - being able to read without the book.

And at the end of the day you can go back and see what the card has ment for you.

I cant find my booklet and don't remember the cards name... it was a king card. I pulled it last tuesday.
To me it looked like strength. The book said something additional like stability and being balanced.
I had a dentist appointment and came out really happy (was scared of having plenty bad teeth but there are no cavities.) I was the tree standing behind that king - nothing that day could break my stability and balance.

A while back i asked about the others favorite spreads. The others recommend simple 1-3 card spreads. I just recently did that for my friend (you remember?) It works really great! When i first started tarot i did 1 card picks and really complicated spreads that took for ever because i was unsure if only few cards would be ok. (I had no one to ask back then).

I think doing readings here is a good way as well! That way you get feedback and if you want additional interpretation.

I have come across this question on several forums recently, and it set me thinking that what is really missing is information about the responsibilities of giving a reading; how a good reading can uplift and a bad reading can depress and damage. What the moral and ethical liabilities are and how to create your own Code of Ethics. How to cope with situations that the reader will come across, and how to cope with seekers that are vulnerable or difficult.

Learning the cards properly is always stage one, but then you must think abut how you want to use that skill so that you do no harm.

How I began, and started really practicing was setting up a thread here for readings. I felt that performing readings for myself were only going to go so far and that jumping into reading for others would be a real test of my skills with interpreting the cards. Every reader is different and will approach their reading using their own methods. For me, it's a bit like opening a dialogue. I ask the cards to have a conversation with me and what messages they need to relay. What's important for this person to know right now about such and such situation? I also encourage people who ask me to give them reading to in return be honest with me about the accuracy of their reading. It sometimes was a serious blow to my ego, but I felt that holding myself accountable, and having them hold me accountable, really sharpened my ability to weed out what my intuition was interpreting correctly from the cards.

I also started with a set structure. I only used certain spreads for the most part, mostly because I approached readings as I did rituals way back when I first started on this spiritual path. I needed the rigid guidelines to work inside until I felt comfortable enough with myself and with my tools to branch out and experiment. My practice in both cases as shifted pretty dramatically since then. At one time I needed at least ten minutes of prep before I could sit down and get in the right mind set for a reading. I needed music to drown out background noise, I needed time to center myself, to orient myself to the traditional meanings and interpretations of the cards, etc. I don't need to do those things now, but when I was first starting out, it was immensely helpful in getting myself in the right head space, and to give myself a bit of confidence in what I was doing.

When I started experimenting with my cards, playing with spreads and such, I became more in-tuned with my gut. It took me a long time to figure out that I didn't have to stay within the confines of what each deck's book said was the interpretation for each card. The meaning changes depending on the reading, so I started looking at my cards more closely. What did I see in each card? What did I feel about it? What words stuck out to me as I was looking at them? I found that my accuracy improved when I let go of worrying about if it was the "correct" reading of the card and just went with what I believed them to be saying. It took a lot of practice, but I eventually was able to recognize the feeling I got when I was on the right track with a reading. I think that feeling is probably too individualized to really pin down, but once I recognized it, I never forgot it.

As far as practicing on people you know without their knowledge, I played with that some when I was just starting out. I don't see harm in it myself, but having permission is definitely preferable. And it's just easier to gauge your accuracy when you have that other person to give you feedback and interact with you. That being said, I agree wholeheartedly with Ivy. In the end, you have to hold yourself accountable just as much as those who ask you for readings do. There are some things that you'll come across that won't be easy to tell them, or that a person won't want to hear. How do you handle that? How much information is too much? What benefit are you giving them by telling them this or that?