There's no right or wrong way to interpret the Tarot. Over time, everyone develops their own style and methods. Here are a few ways to increase receptivity and insight.
Preparing yourself and your space
~Clear a space to lay your cards on. Some people prefer to keep a special cloth for this purpose. It's a good idea to dust and wipe down the area before you start, as it creates a clean slate both physically and energetically. Incense, aromatherapy oils, candles, crystals, sage, or any such objects are wonderful to keep near, but aren't required. Do whatever makes you feel comfortable--this is most important, and brings us to the next step.
~Relax. Spend a few minutes breathing calmly, and allowing your mind to clear. You want to be focused, but not tense. If you practice meditation, this is a great way to get in the zone. If not, just taking a few minutes by yourself in a quiet room is enough. Turn off your phone, close the door, and make sure you won't be distracted.
Shuffling and selecting the cards
The best thing to do is find a method which makes you feel playful and comfortable. Some people like to just shuffle and cut the deck and deal the cards out. Others like to throw the deck into a big pile and mix the cards about in random fashion before drawing. Another way is to spread the deck before you in a smooth arc, and select the cards which seem to stand out. I've always gotten the best results when I let myself have fun with the process.
Interpreting the details
I've found the most profound insights to be random. Of course the traditional associations of the cards are useful, but the best ideas are the ones that pop into your brain unannounced, spontaneous and intuitive. What sort of things should we look for in a layout? The Tarot is designed to trigger the subconscious mind, and this is exactly what we want when we're in the formative stages of a writing project.
I like to look at a reading in phases: instinctive and technical. Make sure you have a notebook nearby to write down all of your impressions. Once all the cards are laid and revealed, the first thing I do is take in the layout as a whole. The Tarot is like a storybook...each card being a page of human consciousness. What are the first things you notice when you let your eyes wander over the layout? Without trying to look at what the cards 'mean', write down anything that jumps out at you, or comes to mind right away. Are there any colors, numbers, or themes that repeat, or that stand out? Sometimes you'll notice things right away which will be important later.
Taking this same outlook, I then look at each card individually. Consider its position in the layout, and see what kind of associations rise. For example, if the Death card appears in the position of how other characters in a story feel toward your protagonist, perhaps someone wants to kill them. Or, there's someone who is about to have a sudden change of mind about how they relate to the protagonist. The Death card represents a sudden change or inevitable transformation. It may also represent physical death, but this isn't always the case.
The imagery in the card can be surprising. Sometimes a part will stand out, perhaps in a way you never noticed before. A small detail like the dog in the Rider-Waite version of The Fool card can almost shine, demanding your attention--like it's saying, "Look at me, I'm important!" Be sure to write down everything down so you don't forget it later. A wonderful blog post on how to decipher the cards intuitively can be found here:
www.gaiansoul.com/2011/04/how-to-read-tarot-cards/
After gathering all of the intuitive insights you can, it's time to look at the traditional meanings of the cards. There are many wonderful books and websites to refer to. A couple of sites I like to frequent are:
www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/
www.aeclectic.net/tarot/learn/meanings/
I jot down relevant keywords, then go back over them and apply them to the position and instinctive notes I took. Not all of the meanings may apply, but each card has several technical aspects you can consider. Some of these include: the number on the card, its position in the 'hierarchy' or progression of the deck (more on this to come in future chapters), whether the card is in an upright position or an upside-down 'reversed' position (more to come on this as well), astrological aspect, colors, patterns, and the meaning of the symbolic imagery itself.
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Tarot for Storytellers
Non-FictionA guide to using the Tarot as a tool in crafting characters, plots, and settings. Included are various spreads and interpretations I've come up with over the years, for use in my own projects. Any deck can be used, though I highly suggest the Rider...
