Tarot for beginners: the complete guide to getting a reading or learning to read

Start tarot the way that fits you: get a reading from Redar, learn to read cards yourself, or sharpen your skills. Each path has steps and lessons to follow.

8 min read

This guide is for anyone who has just become curious about tarot, whether you want someone to read the cards for you or you want to learn to read them yourself. The 78 cards do not decide your fate. They are pictures that help you look at an old situation from a new angle, notice what you already feel but have not said, and end on one question: what will you do next?

Three things to know before you start

• Tarot answers best when the question is clear. A good question is one sentence about your own life.
• A good reading does not say what will definitely happen. It says where things stand now and what you can choose to do.
• For health, legal and large money decisions, tarot can help you reflect, but the real decision belongs with a qualified professional.

Which way do you want to start?

People come to tarot in three ways. Pick the one that fits you right now and follow its steps. You can switch later, and plenty of people start by having Redar read for them and then want to learn the cards themselves.

Path 1: I want Redar to read for me

This is for you if...

• Something is on your mind, such as love, work, money or a decision, and you want a fresh angle.
• You are not ready to learn card meanings yet and just want to ask about your own situation.
• You like being able to keep asking follow-up questions in one conversation.

What you get

• A reading for each card, plus an overview and advice you can act on.
• Help choosing how many cards a question needs. Redar looks at your question first and suggests a spread.
• A history of your readings to look back on later (for members).

1. Spend five minutes on how to ask a good question. A clear question gives a clear reading.
2. Open the reading page, type your question, and see which spread Redar suggests.
3. Pick your cards yourself, one at a time and with intention, and read the whole reading before you ask more.
4. Ask follow-ups on the same cards to dig deeper, instead of drawing new cards for the same question.
5. Write down one thing you decide to do, and check back in a week to see how it went.

Path 2: I am a beginner and want to read tarot myself

This is for you if...

• You want to understand what each card is saying, not only hear someone else read.
• You would like to read for yourself or a close friend.
• You do not own a deck yet. You can begin with the cards on the website.

What you get

• The ability to read one card for one question from start to finish.
• A feel for how the 78 cards are built: 22 Major Arcana and four Minor Arcana suits tied to the elements.
• Someone to check the reading you write and tell you what to add.

1. Read the two basics lessons: what tarot is, and your first reading on your own.
2. Draw a daily card each day and read its meaning in the 78-card library.
3. Practice writing Lv1 single-card readings and have the AI teacher check and score them.
4. Drill the meanings with the multiple-choice mode and the Mystery Card game, both free.
5. Once one card feels easy, move on to the three-card spread: past, present, future.

Path 3: I can read cards and want to get better

This is for you if...

• You can read one or three cards, but you struggle to tell a story across several cards.
• You want to handle reversed cards, cards that seem to disagree, and timing with some structure.
• You would like to try reading for other people and handle their follow-up questions.

What you get

• Questions that get harder level by level, up to cases where the querent is going through something heavy.
• Longer spreads, such as the 7-card Horseshoe and the 10-card Celtic Cross.
• Six reader ranks that show where you stand.

1. Read the tips for question levels Lv3 to Lv5 on conflicting cards, timing and reader ethics.
2. Practice at the harder levels and see which scoring criteria still cost you points.
3. Try Shop mode, where a simulated customer walks in, asks about their own life and then asks a follow-up.
4. When you get stuck, let the fortune teller show you how to approach that question, then write your own.
5. Use the card table for free-form readings for yourself and keep notes to compare with real life.

The same principle applies whichever path you pick

Weaker answer: The cards say he will definitely come back this month.

Stronger answer: The cards show you are still very attached to this. For now, try to steady yourself first, then decide whether you actually want to reach out to him.

The first answer promises something nobody can know and ties your hope to another person's heart. The second talks about what you can handle yourself.

Summary

1. Tarot is a tool for reflection, not a verdict on your fate.
2. Want a reading: write a clear question, then read with Redar.
3. Want to learn: start with one card, the card library, and writing readings for the teacher to check.
4. Already reading: practice harder levels, take simulated customers and study reader ethics.