Tutorials Archives - Learning Tarot

15 Common Tarot Mistakes and How to Correct Them

Posted on July 21, 2026 By Celeste Arcana

Every tarot reader makes mistakes.

That is not a particularly mystical statement. Tarot is a skill, and mistakes are an ordinary part of acquiring any skill worth having. The problem begins when a reader cannot identify what has gone wrong.

A confused reading is sometimes blamed on a badly shuffled deck, blocked intuition, negative energy or cards that have mysteriously decided not to cooperate. Occasionally, the reading itself may simply be unclear. More often, however, the difficulty lies in the method.

The question may be poorly phrased. Too many cards may have been drawn. The reader may be forcing a preferred answer, ignoring the spread positions or treating each card as an isolated definition.

None of these problems requires moonlight, incense or the burial of a deck beneath an obliging tree.

They require better technique.

Here are 15 of the most common tarot mistakes—and practical ways to correct them.

Celeste Arcana

Celeste Arcana is a tarot enthusiast and spiritual writer with a passion for the mystical and the arcane. With a background in psychology and a deep love for storytelling, Celeste blends traditional tarot wisdom with modern insights to explore life’s mysteries and challenges. Drawing on years of experience in tarot reading and spiritual guidance, she aims to enlighten, inspire, and empower others on their personal journeys. When not writing or reading the cards, Celeste can be found wandering in nature, seeking inspiration from the world around her. Follow her explorations and discoveries on the journey through the tarot at https://www.learningtarot.net.

learningtarot.net

Tutorials

Tarot for Beginners: A Practical Guide to Learning and Reading the Cards

Posted on July 21, 2026 By Celeste Arcana

Learn tarot with this practical beginner’s guide to deck structure, card meanings, good questions, simple spreads, journalling and confident interpretation.

Tarot can look rather intimidating from the outside.

There are 78 cards, each apparently carrying several meanings. Some readers use reversals, elemental dignities, astrology, numerology and the Hermetic Qabalah. Others advise sleeping with a new deck beneath your pillow, bathing it in moonlight or introducing yourself to it over a cup of herbal tea.

No wonder beginners sometimes conclude that they need either a photographic memory or an elderly relative with mysterious family secrets.

Fortunately, neither is required.

Tarot is a structured symbolic system. Once you understand how that system is organised, the deck becomes much easier to read. You are no longer trying to memorise 78 unrelated answers. You are learning a visual language built from recurring patterns: suits, elements, numbers, characters, archetypes and images.

This beginner’s guide explains how to approach that language practically, without stripping tarot of its depth or surrounding it with unnecessary mystification.

Celeste Arcana

learningtarot.net

Tutorials

Learn Tarot – The Hermetic Qabalah (Tree of Life)

Posted on October 4, 2019 By Steve

This is a difficult topic to cover as the terminology used can be unfamiliar and discouraging to newcomers. However, here I try to present this in an accessible form. If like me you struggle with the terminology, ignore the unfamiliar names and instead view the tree, numbers, associations and card positions. This will enable anyone to start drawing on the Hermetic Qabalah to deepen their understanding of Tarot.

Steve

Steve is a British esotericist and pagan musician with a profound affinity for the natural world, particularly the serene and mystic woodlands of his homeland. Steve’s particular passion lies within the realms of tarot, where he digs into the underlying systems and symbols that weave the rich narrative tapestry of this ancient divinatory tool. His life’s work embodies a blend of music, magic, and the deep reverence for nature, making him a distinct voice within the esoteric community.

www.learntarot.uk

Tutorials

How to Phrase your Question

Posted on October 10, 2018 By Genette

So there you are, you have your shiny new tarot deck. You understand what the numbers and suits mean and you’re ready to start putting the world to rights but wait, what should you ask? How should you ask it? Are there rules?

Genette

Blog Posts, Tutorials

Learn Tarot – Example Reading

Posted on February 22, 2018 By Steve

I considered constructing a spread with chosen cards to demonstrate how a reading may work in practice. However, I then had a question of my own and the resultant cards seem so perfect I thought it a great opportunity to not only perform a simple reading but relate the cards to the querent/question.

Ready? First some personal background…

Steve

www.learntarot.uk

Tutorials

Learn Tarot – Reversals

Posted on January 30, 2018 By Steve

Reading reversals (when cards are drawn from the deck inverted) can be traced back as far as the earliest days of Tarot’s use as a divinatory system. The earliest reference to reversals I can find is from Antoine Court de Gebelin in 1781. Antoine’s writings formed the basis of Eliphas Levi’s system, later adopted with modification by the Golden Dawn which ultimately led to Waite’s re-interpretation with Pamela Coleman-Smith (the RWS deck).

Steve

www.learntarot.uk

Tutorials

Learn Tarot – The Major Arcana

Posted on January 25, 2018 By Steve

The 22 Major Arcana archetypes, these are clear statements, patterns and ideas that represent the human life / story. We start our journey as the fool (innocent, adventurous, perhaps naive) and progress through the major arcana until reaching our destination; enlightenment (The World).

Steve

www.learntarot.uk

Tutorials

Learn Tarot – The Numbers (Revisited)

Posted on January 25, 2018 By Steve

In a previous article we listed the basic number associations of the minor arcana.

To keep things simple we used the traditional RWS associations as reference. It’s important to note that this is not the only system in use and it can be useful to cross reference the RWS and Tarot De Marseilles in order to gain further insight. Additionally, the associated card from the Major Arcana is also worthy of study in reference to the minors.

Steve

www.learntarot.uk

Tutorials

Learn Tarot – Introduction

Posted on December 10, 2017 By Steve

A friendly, practical way to learn tarot without trying to memorise 78 unrelated meanings.

Tarot can look intimidating from the outside. There are 78 cards, several different traditions, unfamiliar symbols and plenty of advice telling you that you need a special gift before you can begin.

Steve

www.learntarot.uk

Tutorials

Learn Tarot – The Elements

Posted on December 10, 2017 By Steve

Tarot, like all Western Magical Traditions has 4 core elements; Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Below we’ll not only outline the element and suit associations but also provide clues on how to commit them to memory.

Steve

www.learntarot.uk

Tutorials

Learn Tarot – The Numbers

Posted on December 10, 2017 By Steve

Now you know what the elements represent, let’s take a look at the number associations (1-10) then combine this with what we’ve already learnt to perform our first readings/interpretations. See, we said this would be easy!

Steve

www.learntarot.uk

Tutorials