The world of Tarot is as vibrant and layered as a thriving beehive. Because this means it can be rather complex to navigate, I created this Beginner’s Guide. Just as a bee’s journey ranges from tasting honey to producing it and embodying the spirit of the hive, your relationship with Tarot evolves as you dive deeper into its mysteries.
Jump to Section
- Tasting the Honey: Getting a Tarot Reading
- Making the Honey: Learning the Basics of Tarot
- Mastering the Intuitive Element
- A Bit of Tarot History
- A Tool for Tapping into the Hive Mind
- Dispelling Myths: Is Tarot Spooky?
- Dispelling Myths: You Have to Use Reversals
- A Lifelong Journey
- How to Start Your Tarot Journey
- The Hive Daily Draw Journaling Page
- The Buzz of the Hive – Community
- Tarot Book Recommendations for Beginners
Whether you’re just tasting the honey with a reading, learning to make the honey by mastering the basics, or connecting with the intuitive essence—the spirit of the hive—there’s a place for everyone in this journey.
Tasting the Honey: Getting a Tarot Reading
For many, the first encounter with Tarot is through receiving a reading from someone else. For me, however, my journey began with doing a reading for someone else—a spontaneous and unplanned leap into the unknown. I was 15 years old, experimenting with a deck of cards out of curiosity. What unfolded blew me away.
That first reading revealed a truth that my friend had been too afraid to share—a situation of abuse that the cards saw right through. It was a moment of beginner’s luck, or perhaps the pure trust of The Fool in Tarot, taking that first leap of faith. That reading became a catalyst for my friend to get the help they needed, and it planted the seed for my lifelong relationship with the Tarot.
Whether your first experience is as a seeker receiving a reading or as someone experimenting with the cards, these initial encounters often leave a lasting impression. A good reading—whether given or received—can provide clarity, guidance, and even a sense of wonder. It’s an invitation to explore your inner world and gain insights into the path ahead. For those curious but cautious, it’s important to remember that Tarot is not about predicting a fixed future but rather about empowering you to navigate your own.
Making the Honey: Learning the Basics of Tarot
When I began my journey into learning how to read the cards, it felt like stepping into the role of a worker bee, diligently gathering nectar from each card. The Tarot deck is comprised of 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana, which represent life’s big spiritual lessons, and 56 Minor Arcana, which delve into the details of day-to-day life. The suits—Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles—correspond to the classical elements and aspects of life such as creativity, emotions, intellect, and the material world.
Learning the basics of Tarot is about becoming familiar with these cards and their meanings. When I first started in my late 20s, I spent hours pouring over books, journaling, and meditating with each card. Over time, I found that the cards began to speak to me in ways that no book could fully convey. I started feeling their energy in my body and how it flows from card to card.
Mastering the Intuitive Element
As you grow more comfortable with the cards, the next step is to embrace the intuitive element of Tarot—the essence of the hive. This is where Tarot transforms from a tool of learning into a living, buzzing connection with your inner wisdom. When you trust your intuition, the cards come alive, weaving stories and insights that resonate deeply.
I remember the first time I experienced the “psychic hit” during that very first reading at age 15. It was as though the cards were speaking directly to me, bypassing logic and tapping into a deeper knowing. These moments can be rare at first but become more frequent as you develop your relationship with the Tarot.
If you’re just beginning to develop psychically, start by focusing on first impressions when looking at a card. Allow the imagery, colours, and symbols to evoke feelings, memories, or insights without immediately reaching for a guidebook. Trusting your initial reaction, or the “clairs”—clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, and claircognisance—can be a powerful way to connect with the cards. While traditional meanings have their place, letting your intuition take the lead opens up a deeper, more personal dialogue with the Tarot.
A Bit of Tarot History
Historically speaking, the origins of the Tarot aren’t 100% clear. However, we know that decks surfaced in the Mediterranean region in the late Middle Ages/early Renaissance. One such deck, the Visconti-Sforza, has been preserved almost entirely. These cards were used to play a game called Tarock, which is still played in places like France and Italy today.
The 22 Trumps (Trionfi in Italian) of the Major Arcana represent ChristoPagan archetypal characters, many straight out of Medieval Morality and Mystery plays. The four suits corresponded with the four classes of people: Wands for peasants, Cups for clergy, Swords for nobility, and Coins/Pentacles for the merchant class.
The Occultists Take Over
It is likely that people used the cards for divination from the very beginning, just as they did with playing cards, but we don’t know much about this until the 1700s when French occultists started making claims about Egyptian origins of the Tarot, complete with astrological and Kabbalistic overlays in the Major Arcana in particular.
In the late 1800s, the English occultists of the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn put their spin on the Tarot, resulting in the most popular Tarot deck to date, the classic Waite-Smith Tarot, created by A.E. Waite and Pamela Coleman Smith in 1910 for the Rider Publishing Company. Later, with the decline of Christianity and the rise of Neo-Paganism, many famous Tarotists sought to enforce the claims of Egyptian origins of the Tarot. However, there is no hard evidence of this in the earliest decks.
A Tool for Tapping into the Hive Mind
Despite its historical evolution, the symbols and archetypes in the Tarot remain alive in our subconscious minds today much in the same way they did in Medieval times. These images speak to us deeply, helping us tap into the hive mind of Universal Consciousness and access intuitive knowledge.
Dispelling Myths: Is Tarot Spooky?
Tarot has long been misunderstood. I once had a magazine editor ask if I could write a “spooky” article about Tarot. Perhaps I didn’t meet that request in the most professional manner possible. I told them to buzz off in so many words. Tarot is not about conjuring spirits or predicting doom; it’s a profound tool for self-discovery and guidance. It’s important to approach it with respect and curiosity rather than fear.
Dispelling Myths: You Have to Use Reversals
Because many Tarot books for beginners contain reversals (reading with the cards upside down) and forget to mention that you can read just as well if not better without them, many Tarot students believe you have to use them. This is simply not true. It wasn’t too long into my studies that I realised this. I go into depth about why I stopped and what I do instead in this article.
A Lifelong Journey
The Tarot journey is not a destination but an ongoing process of learning and growth. Your understanding of the cards will deepen over time, just as a hive continues to grow and evolve. When I look back at my early readings and interpretations of the cards, I can see how far I’ve come—and how much more there is to learn. The learning never ends and that is one of the things I love the most about the Tarot.
Each reading, whether for yourself or others, is an opportunity to explore new layers of meaning. The cards are mirrors reflecting not only the present moment but also your evolving consciousness. Just as the hive adapts to its environment, your relationship with Tarot will adapt and grow with you.
How to Start Your Tarot Journey
Starting your Tarot journey is as simple as picking up a deck and beginning to explore. Choose a deck that resonates with you—and don’t worry about the old myth that someone else has to gift you your first deck. Spend time with the cards, jot down a few lines about each card, and trust your intuition.
For beginners, I recommend starting with a daily draw. Pull a single card each morning and reflect on its message throughout the day. This practice is like checking in with the hive and getting your instructions from the Queen Bee—it keeps you connected and grounded.
Beyond the Basics: Deepening Your Practice
As you gain confidence, consider exploring different spreads, meditating with the cards, or using them to work with specific goals or challenges. Tarot journaling is another powerful practice that can help you track your growth and deepen your understanding.
The Hive Daily Draw Journaling Page
You can download a FREE Daily Tarot Journaling PDF for your daily draw here HERE or simply copy the format below:
Today’s Date:
(Write today’s date.)
Card Drawn:
(Write the name of the card and optionally sketch or paste an image of it.)
Keywords or Initial Impressions:
(Jot down the words, symbols, or feelings that come to mind as you look at the card.)
Prompts
- What is the main message this card has for me today?
(Write your thoughts in response.) - How does this message relate to my current situation or emotions?
(Reflect on the card’s relevance to your life.) - What action can I take today to align with the card’s energy?
(List one or more actionable steps inspired by the card.)
Bee-Wisdom:
(Conclude by writing one insight or affirmation drawn from your reflection, e.g., “I trust my intuition to guide me.”)
The Buzz of the Hive
I also encourage you to connect with the wider Tarot community—a vibrant hive of readers, learners, and seekers. Sharing insights and experiences with others can enrich your journey and provide new perspectives. At the time of writing this, we’re at the start of building such a community over on Substack where we have a group chat.
Please consider joining us over on Substack–The more, the merrier and it’s FREE to subscribe!
At The Tarot Hive, we celebrate the diversity of ways people connect with the Tarot. Whether you’re tasting the honey with your first reading or working diligently to create your Tarot reading style, the hive is here to support you.
Tarot Books Recommendations for Beginners
- The Ultimate Guide to Tarot by Liz Dean
- The Only Tarot Book You’ll Ever Need: A Modern Guide to the Cards, Spreads, and Secrets of Tarot by Skye Alexander and Mary Shannon
- Tarot for Your Self: A Workbook for Personal Transformation by Mary K. Greer
- Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom: A Book of Tarot by Rachel Pollack
- Learning the Tarot: A Tarot Book for Beginners by Joan Bunning
Let me know if you found this Beginner’s Guide helpful and if you have any questions for me in the comments!
