Introduction to the Principles of Interpretation

You're seated in front of your first tarot reading. You've shuffled, cut and laid out your cards. Your first thought is probably, "Now what do I do?"

When I first began learning the tarot, I sought the answer to this question everywhere - in classes, conversations, books, and practice. I was looking for the one, true way to interpret the cards. Of course, I never found such a system because it doesn't exist. Reading the tarot is an art, not a science. There can be no set rules that apply all the time because every person is unique. How could a system of formulas ever provide guidance that honors that uniqueness?

On the other hand, there are some ways to approach the cards that have proven valuable time and again. They work because they bring form and focus to intuitive responses. They provide a framework around which you can build the special message of each reading.

In the next eight lessons, I share some of the principles of interpretation that I have discovered. I offer these ideas as guidelines to help you develop a feel for readings and what they can tell you. Take from them what works for you and use them to create a tarot approach that is uniquely your own.