As we enter into studying the Tarot in depth, we must look from every angle and element of the cards to more fully understand the underlying meaning. Each card depicts various symbols within each card. These represent the elements, directions, planetary influences and energies present in our lives through the people we interact and share our lives with.

They represent every aspect on every level of our beingness. The phases, patterns, cycles, seasons; everything within our lives from love to money to our spiritual paths can be denoted in the various symbols of the Tarot cards. Each card paints a picturesque view reflecting our emotional, mental, physical and spiritual happenings. It is our job as the reader to open our minds and accurately access the information available to us hidden within the cards.

Look at every aspect and overlook nothing, as each minute detail can be a significant element in the overall scheme of things. This is where the use of pen and paper or notepad (or any other text editor) on your personal computer can come in handy and be beneficial. Keeping track of these signs and symbols will greatly help memorize and quickly identify them at a glance; speeding up the process of interpreting them.

Research the various symbols' meaning to gain greater perspective of the overall meaning associated with each card. The Internet is filled with tons of valuable information pertaining to symbolism; so check out various outlooks, belief systems and cultural viewpoints to each one to provide yourself with a multitude of possible associations.

Always pay attention to your thoughts and intuition as well, as this will most likely prove to be beneficial in personalizing the reading for each individual. The more in-tune your are to their energy, the easier it is to discern the signs and symbols within each card that applies to that specific individual.

Ultimately, it's up to each individual who chooses to read and interpret the Tarot as to how much study they are willing to do and to what depth and degree. But keep in mind, the more knowledgeable you become with the symbolism it will greatly enhance your ability to interpret the cards more thoroughly and accurately.

Each source will provide a different viewpoint to shed light and help expand your mind by showing you various possibilities that you may not have considered previously so that you may discern and decide for yourself the meaning that best matches your own perception and understanding.

That is why I highly recommend keeping track of all the possible interpretations of the various symbols associated with the Tarot and try to gain recognition of the various signs and symbols at a glance; because the key is learning to quickly look at the cards and draw a generalized overview of what the cards are saying especially if you are doing a one-on-one reading for someone else. If you are being paid to do the reading, keep in mind, that they are paying for you to tell them valuable information relative to them; not you spending all day trying to figure out what the cards mean.

That is why I am pointing out the need to thoroughly study the Tarot so that when you are interpreting them for someone else you are confident in your ability to accurately access and read the Tarot instead of appearing foolish and as if you don't know what you're doing. Even if you're not the best Tarot reader in the world, if you act like you don't know what you're doing, inevitably people will pick up on that. So make sure that you always present yourself professionally, confidently and knowledgeable of the subject. If you lack faith in yourself in accurately interpreting the cards, the person you're doing the reading for will probably not have much faith in your abilities either which could be bad for business, reputation and self-esteem.

To avoid that situation, put forth the effort to truly study the Tarot and its associated symbolism. Learn all that you can on the subject and symbology. Take the time to memorize and familiarize yourself with the various meanings. If you're planning on doing this professionally, this will prove to be very beneficial to you. Don't rush things, do your homework now to avoid frustration in the future.

The better prepared you are to answer unexpected questions and clarifying your interpretation for the client will enhance your clients trust in your abilities. Be thorough and disciplined in your approach. Treat this as if you were going back to school and learning a new skill or trade. Set aside time within your schedule to devote time to studying. A few hours a night or even every week spending time focusing upon learning the Tarot will help you. There's only 78 cards so with a little discipline, it shouldn't take very long to make your way through the entire deck and have a pretty good understanding.

The more knowledgeable you become the better you will become at divining the Tarot effectively. Seek to utilize and master this wonderful divination tool but always keep in mind, no matter how much we may master something we are always students learning and enhancing our understanding and the same applies to the art of Tarot.

To Your Divinatory Success!

Leslie Fulger
Tarot Site Editor
BellaOnline.com