How to Draw Tarot Cards: The Beginner's Guide

You have a tarot deck in your hands, or you are about to buy one. And a question stops you: how do you actually do it? Do you have to shuffle the cards in a particular way? Cut with your left hand? Light a candle? Rest assured: drawing tarot cards is neither complicated nor mysterious. You just need to follow a few simple steps, and above all stay focused on your question. Here is the method, step by step, so you can start today.

Before you start: what do you need?

• A tarot deck. The Marseille tarot is the most common in France. To choose yours, read our article on what you need to know before buying your first tarot deck.
• A quiet place, a clear table.
• A question, which you can write on a piece of paper.
• A notebook, to keep a record of your spreads.

No need for complicated ceremony. If you like creating an atmosphere (a candle, a cloth), go ahead, but it is not required.

Step 1: phrasing your question

It is the most important step. A good question is:

• open: "How should I approach this situation?" rather than "Will this happen?";
• centered on you: on what you can do;
• limited in time: a few weeks or a few months.

Write it down. Reread it. Keep it in mind throughout what follows.

Step 2: shuffling the cards

There is no single right way to shuffle. You can:

• shuffle them like a regular deck of cards;
• spread them on the table and mix them flat;
• shuffle them in small packs.

While you shuffle, think about your question. If you want to use reversed cards, turn part of the deck around during the shuffle.

Step 3: cutting

Traditionally, the deck is cut with the left hand, into one or three piles, which are then put back together. It is a symbolic gesture marking the passage from preparation to drawing. If you are drawing for someone else, that person does the cutting.

Step 4: choosing your spread

To begin with, three spreads are more than enough.

The one card spread

A single card, for a simple question or for the day. It is ideal for learning. Many beginners make it a daily routine, as explained in our article on the card of the day, the routine that lights up your day.

The three card spread

Past, present, future. Or situation, obstacle, advice. It is the most balanced format.

The cross spread

Five cards laid out in a cross, for a more complex question. To be tried once you are comfortable with the first two.

Step 5: drawing the cards

Spread the cards face down, in an arc or a line. Pass your hand over them, and choose the ones that draw you, without thinking too much. Lay them in the order of the chosen spread, still face down. Then turn them over one by one.

Step 6: interpreting

Start by observing the whole, then read each card in its position, and finally connect the cards to one another. For the meaning of each arcanum, rely on the meaning of the Marseille tarot cards, arcanum by arcanum. And to learn to read the cards in pairs, our article on the card combinations you should know will save you time.

Step 7: taking notes

Date, question, cards, first impression, interpretation. Come back to it a few weeks later: that is how you progress fastest.

Beginner mistakes to avoid

Redrawing until you get the right answer

One question, one spread. If you do not like the result, write it down and let a few days pass.

Being afraid of certain cards

The unnamed arcanum, the Tower and the Devil are not cards of misfortune. They speak of transformation, questioning, attachment. Our article on so called negative cards, to be read as a useful signal will help you come to terms with them.

Asking questions that are too closed

For yes or no questions, tarot is not always the most suitable tool. The pendulum is sometimes simpler: discover the free yes or no pendulum and how to ask it your question.

What if you do not have a deck yet?

You can start online. Free readings let you become familiar with the cards before buying a deck. To know how to use them best, read our analysis of what a free online tarot reading is really worth.

Tarot as a tool for self knowledge

Drawing the cards is not only about trying to know the future. It is also about taking a moment for yourself, asking a question, listening to what resonates. Many practitioners use tarot first and foremost as a tool for introspection, in the spirit of the spread as an inner mirror of self confidence.

In summary

Drawing tarot cards is simple: a clear question, a well shuffled deck, a cut, a suitable spread, then a careful interpretation. Start with one card a day, move on to the three card spread, write everything down, and do not redraw. The rest will come with practice.